Roatán, the largest of the Bay Islands, is located approximately 30 miles off the northern coast of Honduras in the Caribbean Sea. It is internationally known for its pristine scuba-diving conditions and proximity to the Meso-American Barrier Reef, which is the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean Sea and the second largest in the world (after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia). Formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan, it is approximately 38 miles in length and less than five miles wide but it offers visitors a number of memorable places to explore.
The Bay Islands (which consist of Roatán, Utila and Guanaja), were originally inhabited by several different indigenous tribes until Christopher Columbus claimed the island for Spain on his fourth voyage to the area in 1502. Soon after, the Spanish arrived and forced the tribes into slave labor and transported the majority of them to the gold and silver mines in Mexico. Any remaining tribe members were wiped out due to disease from the Europeans and the islands remained largely uninhabited. In the late 18th century, the Garífuna people arrived following a rebellion with the British on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, but many disliked the location and eventually left for the mainland (except for a community in Punta Gorda).
Today, the island of Roatán continues to expand due to its focus on tourism. But its residents live much like they did in the past where traditions have been preserved in music, dance and cuisine. These aspects are what makes the island special, and there are many accounts of visitors who arrive with an initial plan of staying for a long weekend but end up moving there permanently.
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Roatán has the largest population of all three islands and consists of two municipalities: Jose Santos Guardiola (named for the former president of Honduras) and Roatán. There are a number of towns scattered along its coasts with much of the tourist development in the western portion. The hidden gems in the eastern region are still untouched by tourism and provide a wonderful retreat away from the crowds. The main towns along the coast are worth visiting and include:
Coxen Hole - The largest town on the island, it is home to the Roatán International Airport, the government offices, and cruise-ship ports. Named after John Coxen, a buccaneer from the 17th century, it consists of narrow streets that are crowded with residents, street vendors, and tourists who disembark from the nearby cruise-ships.
West End - Located on the northwestern tip of the island, it is one of the most popular towns for visitors. The variety of hotels, bars, restaurants and live music are all steps away from the Caribbean Sea and it is home to some of the best dive centers. It also provides one of the best spots to view the sunset and Half Moon Bay, which includes white-sand beaches and excellent snorkeling conditions.
Sandy Bay - Located approximately four miles northwest of Coxen Hole, the relaxed town consists of miles of white-sand beaches and clear-blue waters. It also offers the Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences (that researches dolphins and marine animals) and the Roatán Museum, which provides a collection of archaeological artifacts from the Bay Islands. Both facilities are located at Anthony's Key Resort, a 56-room resort located on a private key.
French Harbour - The second largest town on the island, it is located seven miles southeast of Coxen Hole. It is an active business center that is home to one of the largest grocery stores (Eldon's) and a number of banks, real estate offices, shipping companies and one of the largest fishing fleets in the Caribbean. Visitors will also find chain restaurants from the United States such as Wendy's and Applebees.
Punta Gorda - Located on the northern coast of the island, it is worth a visit primarily due to its Garífuna settlement, which is the largest on the island. The residents of the town still speak the Garífuna language and focus on the preservation of its culture, food and music.
Visitors generally travel to Roatán by cruise ship or air. From North America, TACA airlines offers direct flights from Miami and Houston. Within Honduras, Isleña Airlines provides daily flights from three cities: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba.
Exploring Guanaja, Honduras
One of the other Bay Islands, Guanaja, is located approximately eight miles from Roatán and 40 miles off the northern coast of Honduras. One of the cays off of Guanaja (also called Guanaja Town or Bonacca) is the most populated with more than 10,000 people. The densely populated cay has been described as the Venice of Honduras because of its series of shallow canals.
The main island consists of small hills covered with a variety of fauna, pine forests and evergreens. A relatively easy hike to the top of the island provides views of the coast line and its surrounding reef. In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch destroyed many homes, buildings and forests, but the islanders have since rebuilt most of the areas back to their original state and the pine forests are making a slow but successful comeback as well.
Although there is a single two-mile main road from Mangrove Bight to Savannah Bight, most of the transportation on the island is by boat. Access to the mainland of Honduras is provided by Isleña and Sosa Airlines (which departs from La Ceiba) and a weekly ferry from the city of Trujillo. Finally, the best aspect about the island is the combination of the beautiful landscape, the relaxed attitudes and the feeling that civilization is a world away.
For many years the Bay Islands were relatively isolated and hidden gems in the Caribbean Sea. Today, visitors from around the world enjoy its beautiful beaches and some of the best diving locations in the region. Although the islands highly depend on tourism, there are still areas with breathtaking views where visitors can still find a quiet retreat away from the crowds Booking.com
The Bay Islands (which consist of Roatán, Utila and Guanaja), were originally inhabited by several different indigenous tribes until Christopher Columbus claimed the island for Spain on his fourth voyage to the area in 1502. Soon after, the Spanish arrived and forced the tribes into slave labor and transported the majority of them to the gold and silver mines in Mexico. Any remaining tribe members were wiped out due to disease from the Europeans and the islands remained largely uninhabited. In the late 18th century, the Garífuna people arrived following a rebellion with the British on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, but many disliked the location and eventually left for the mainland (except for a community in Punta Gorda).
Today, the island of Roatán continues to expand due to its focus on tourism. But its residents live much like they did in the past where traditions have been preserved in music, dance and cuisine. These aspects are what makes the island special, and there are many accounts of visitors who arrive with an initial plan of staying for a long weekend but end up moving there permanently.
Booking.com
Exploring Roatán, Honduras
Roatán has the largest population of all three islands and consists of two municipalities: Jose Santos Guardiola (named for the former president of Honduras) and Roatán. There are a number of towns scattered along its coasts with much of the tourist development in the western portion. The hidden gems in the eastern region are still untouched by tourism and provide a wonderful retreat away from the crowds. The main towns along the coast are worth visiting and include:
Coxen Hole - The largest town on the island, it is home to the Roatán International Airport, the government offices, and cruise-ship ports. Named after John Coxen, a buccaneer from the 17th century, it consists of narrow streets that are crowded with residents, street vendors, and tourists who disembark from the nearby cruise-ships.
West End - Located on the northwestern tip of the island, it is one of the most popular towns for visitors. The variety of hotels, bars, restaurants and live music are all steps away from the Caribbean Sea and it is home to some of the best dive centers. It also provides one of the best spots to view the sunset and Half Moon Bay, which includes white-sand beaches and excellent snorkeling conditions.
Sandy Bay - Located approximately four miles northwest of Coxen Hole, the relaxed town consists of miles of white-sand beaches and clear-blue waters. It also offers the Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences (that researches dolphins and marine animals) and the Roatán Museum, which provides a collection of archaeological artifacts from the Bay Islands. Both facilities are located at Anthony's Key Resort, a 56-room resort located on a private key.
French Harbour - The second largest town on the island, it is located seven miles southeast of Coxen Hole. It is an active business center that is home to one of the largest grocery stores (Eldon's) and a number of banks, real estate offices, shipping companies and one of the largest fishing fleets in the Caribbean. Visitors will also find chain restaurants from the United States such as Wendy's and Applebees.
Punta Gorda - Located on the northern coast of the island, it is worth a visit primarily due to its Garífuna settlement, which is the largest on the island. The residents of the town still speak the Garífuna language and focus on the preservation of its culture, food and music.
Visitors generally travel to Roatán by cruise ship or air. From North America, TACA airlines offers direct flights from Miami and Houston. Within Honduras, Isleña Airlines provides daily flights from three cities: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba.
Exploring Guanaja, Honduras
One of the other Bay Islands, Guanaja, is located approximately eight miles from Roatán and 40 miles off the northern coast of Honduras. One of the cays off of Guanaja (also called Guanaja Town or Bonacca) is the most populated with more than 10,000 people. The densely populated cay has been described as the Venice of Honduras because of its series of shallow canals.
The main island consists of small hills covered with a variety of fauna, pine forests and evergreens. A relatively easy hike to the top of the island provides views of the coast line and its surrounding reef. In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch destroyed many homes, buildings and forests, but the islanders have since rebuilt most of the areas back to their original state and the pine forests are making a slow but successful comeback as well.
Although there is a single two-mile main road from Mangrove Bight to Savannah Bight, most of the transportation on the island is by boat. Access to the mainland of Honduras is provided by Isleña and Sosa Airlines (which departs from La Ceiba) and a weekly ferry from the city of Trujillo. Finally, the best aspect about the island is the combination of the beautiful landscape, the relaxed attitudes and the feeling that civilization is a world away.
For many years the Bay Islands were relatively isolated and hidden gems in the Caribbean Sea. Today, visitors from around the world enjoy its beautiful beaches and some of the best diving locations in the region. Although the islands highly depend on tourism, there are still areas with breathtaking views where visitors can still find a quiet retreat away from the crowds Booking.com
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