How long is roatan honduras

Featured Property Casa Cascada. About Roatan Honduras Where is Roatan? Located about 40 miles 65 km off of the northern coast of Honduras, Roatan is the largest and most populous of The Bay Islands, a string of tropical Caribbean islands that runs along the edge of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second largest reef system in the world.

Roatan is bookended by the islands Guanaja and Utila and runs about 48 miles long 77 km east to west, and is less than 5 miles 8 km at its widest point. History of Roatan The earliest settlers of Roatan are believed to be the Pech, formerly known as the Paya, an indigenous group from the mainland of Honduras believed to have arrived on the island around AD. By the time Christopher Columbus arrived on his fourth voyage — to the neighboring island Guanaja, the inhabitants were thought to have been capable sailors and merchants, trading with people from as far away as Mexico and Jamaica.

Between and , as the British and the Spanish wrestled for the control of the Caribbean. During the fight for control both countries claimed the Bay Islands as their own.

Roatan became a rest stop for ships coming and going from the mainland of Central America, and consequently became home to an ever-changing array of settlers, traders, pirates, privateers, and military forces.

In , the English forced about Black Caribs from the island of St. Vincent, moving them from island to island, and finally leaving them on Roatan. Roatan Culture Being that the island had an ever-revolving door of settlers and guests, from the original indigenous peoples to the Spanish, English, and Afro-caribbean, today, Roatan culture could be described as one of the most colorfully diverse in the Western Hemisphere. The culinary portion of Roatan culture is equally as diverse as any other part.

Travel to Roatan For most people who travel to Roatan, the draw is generally obvious: sun, sand, and sea. But once people arrive in Roatan and begin to explore, they often find themselves enamored with everything else the island has to offer. For example, where else can you soar as high as a bird through the jungle canopy on a seemingly hundreds-of-feet-high zipline after breakfast, by lunchtime be getting your amateur zoologist on snuggling monkeys and sloths at an animal refuge, and be swimming with tropical fish and sea turtles among the coral right before dinner?

Talk about a wing, surf, and turf special! That kind of variety in things to do—available at your fingertips—is just one of the reasons people from all over the world choose to travel to Roatan for their vacations. Keep on reading below to learn more about the many others! In the national census it was suggested that the population of the Bay Islands was upwards of 30, people with the majority, about A recent census suggests the population has grown to over , Many people on the island are bilingual speaking both Spanish and English and come from a cultural heritage of English, African Caribbean, Indian, and Central and North American descent.

You will also hear dialects of Garifuna and Creole. Roatan is the only Bay Island with an extensive road and communication system. The number of tourists that visit the Bay Islands annually now greatly exceeds the population.

This tourism is based principally on scuba diving. In it was estimated that about tourists visited these islands for diving related recreation. That number increased to 8, in , and doubled to 17, by Roatan may arguably enjoy the best weather in the Caribbean as it lies just south and west of the major hurricane highway. It escapes the guiding air currents that direct these huge storms toward other Caribbean islands.

In fact, statistically, Roatan has only been impacted by hurricanes about once every 25 to 26 years. Roatan is a beautiful, rolling verdant island with lush green jungles covering peaks and valleys and flowing across hillsides.

Naturally, such dense vegetation could not exist without sufficient rain. The rainy period on Roatan begins in October and ends in January with the heaviest rains falling in November and December. Travelers and especially divers can take advantage of the rainy season to score for some lower rates in hotels and Airbnb rentals. And full-time residents appreciate the rain and understand its importance. Like other tropical locations, exposure to the sun needs to be monitored and sunscreen is mandatory to reduce the chances of skin problems later.

Local residents tend to spend much of their time outdoors so being mindful of sun exposure is important. Flippered enthusiasts from across the globe, flock to Roatan for its nearly perfect diving conditions.

From my beachfront resort on the west end of the island, I simply waded, waist deep, into the gin-clear water and found myself surrounded by large schools of rainbow-infused fish and sprays of purple fan coral clinging to coral heads.

I even saw a Moray eel guarding the entrance to her home. The west side of the island is almost always perfectly calm as it is sheltered from the prevailing trade winds.

Roatan is the perfect place to learn to dive. The water is warm and crystal-clear without dangerous currents to complicate things. Local resorts and dive centers normally offer introductory lessons and the prices are hard to beat. Usually, these classes provide a four-hour session under the close, direct supervision of a PADI Professional Association of Diving Instructors certified instructor.

Then, you will move into waist-deep water, kneel down and experience your first underwater breaths. At this point you will be ready to go diving. You will usually board a small boat for the ride to the nearby reef where you will follow an anchored line up and down a few times, getting more comfortable.

At the end of four hours, you will be swimming freely about the confined area. Those interested can find more information at www. Once on Roatan, you can immediately feel the island vibe soothing your soul as the fresh, salt air cleanses away the stress of the mainland life you left behind. But that first breath of sea air is going to cost you. Getting to Roatan is no bargain…unless of course you happen to find a great airfare deal somewhere.

Both Miami and Houston offer direct flights with several carriers but most flights have one stop before landing at Coxen Hole airport on Roatan. Those seeking permanent residency must make an application according to Honduran regulations. Roatan has become extremely popular as a dive destination and the small airport at Coxen Hole services thousands of passengers each week.

Sometimes, three airliners arrive, one after another, and the small customs and immigration processing area become backlogged. It can take an hour or more to clear processing so bring plenty of patience with you.

In high season, during the North American winter, it hosts multiple cruise ships each day. About a million tourists come each year, drawn by the tropical beach fun, world-class scuba diving, and relaxed attitude. Still, it gets a fraction of the visitors that you would see in other Caribbean destinations and much of the development is small-scale and manageable.

But this island, 48 miles long and about five miles at its widest, off mainland Honduras, is also a great place to live long-term. But here are five of the reasons you might want to make it your home.

Verdant jungle-covered mountains and rolling hills rise from the spine of the island. Picture white-sand beaches lined with palm trees, surrounded by a sea of azure, impossibly clear water. Or head to the highlands. From the top of the hills you have the perfect vantage point to gaze upon the slopes that cascade down to the water and lead out to the huge reef that encircles the island. It offers some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities in the world, and there are many dive shops where you can rent and buy gear.

Tarpon, bonefish, snapper, lobster, wahoo, and more are abundant in the surrounding water. In communities like West End and West Bay, beach bars line the water, offering tasty cocktails and cold beers with views of the Caribbean. No shirt, no shoes…no problem. Nobody is in a rush. Sandals and shorts are the uniforms—even for nice dinners out. Go inland a bit, but still a quick walk to the water, and you could pay half that.

Some homes are even boat access only—the ultimate in privacy. You can find live music, often from expat musicians, at bars and restaurants in places like West End and Sandy Bay. Watching sunset with a cold beer in hand and surrounded by friends old and new is practically mandatory. And there are plenty of dinners out, sailboat trips, parties, and other get-togethers. You can also work with local school kids doing sports activities or teaching English. Animal rescue is another opportunity, as is working in a health clinic that provides low-cost care for those in need.

Roatan, the largest and most well-known of the Honduras Bay Islands, has often been referred to as the best-kept secret of the Caribbean. With so much to see and do, Roatan has become a popular cruise ship and vacation destination.

Whether you are chilling on the top-rated Central American beach in West Bay, deep-sea or flats fishing in the calm water of the Bay of Honduras, soaring through the jungle canopy on a zip line, or enjoying local musicians while savoring the delicacies of the sea, Roatan will not disappoint. Located along the longest coral reef in the western hemisphere, Roatan is best known for scuba diving.

Dive sites are situated on every part of the island, with each one offering a unique experience. You can explore wrecks, reefs, steep walls, holes, and crevices. Expect to see parrotfish, rays, sharks, lobster, tangs, puffers, jacks, eels, conch, damselfish, just to name a few species.

Night dives are available for those who wish to observe nocturnal marine life when it is most active. Many dive centers offer the opportunity to become certified while enjoying a diving vacation. If it is your lucky day, you may even spot the gentle giant of the seas, the whale shark.

The popular Dolphin Encounter, which is held in waist-high, crystal clear water, is a minute personal petting session with one of the friendly mammals. Photos may be taken with personal cameras or purchased from professional photographers on site.

The Dolphin Snorkel, in addition to the initial 25 minutes with one dolphin, offers an additional 30 minutes of snorkeling time with a dozen or more dolphins. The Dolphin Dive, which requires visitors to present a certification card to participate, begins with a 5-minute boat ride to the reef wall. Guests descend to a sandy bottom, 60 feet below the surface where they interact with dolphins in a natural setting for 45 minutes. Roatan is considered one of the best sportfishing destinations in the Caribbean.

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus discovered the Bay Islands between , during his fourth voyage. Roatan Zipline Adventure. Roatan Information. Have a Question? Traveling to Roatan.

Long gone are the days where traveling to Roatan seemed like a lifetime. Major airlines now have connecting flights or direct flights from several US cities to the Roatan International Airport. Roatan is popular with Canadiens and Europeans as well, with direct flights from Toronto and Milan.

Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport. Port of Roatan. Mahogany Bay Cruise Center. Camp Bay. City Center in Coxen Hole, Roatan.

Coxen Hole. Frenchy's 44 in French Cay, Roatan. French Harbour. Jonesville, Roatan. Oak Ridge, Roatan. Oak Ridge. Punta Gorda, Roatan. Punta Gorda. Sandy Bay, Roatan.