Location:
Roatan is the
largest of the Honduras Bay Islands, located about 65 km (40 miles) north
of the Honduran mainland in the Atlantic Ocean. The Bay Islands consists
of three main islands, Utila, Roatan and Guanaja, as well as a number of
smaller islands and islets. The three main islands are part of a
submerged mountain range that runs along a deep ocean trench. The Bay
Islands are surrounded by part of the world’s second largest coral
reef. Roatan is the largest and most developed of the Bay
Islands. Roatan is a long narrow island, about 50 km (30 miles) long
and only 5 km (3 miles) wide, see map above. Brief history:
Roatan was
originally populated by the Mayan civilization. Christopher Columbus
is said to have visited here in 1502 during his 4th journey to the New
World. The Bay Islands were ruled by the Spaniards during much of
the 17th and 18 centuries. During this time the Islands were home to
numerous pirate camps. Settlers from the Caymans established most
of today’s towns on Roatan during the 19th century. The Bay
Islands were under British rule until 1859 when they were ceded to
Honduras. The British influence can still be seen today as most
native islanders speak a form of English as their native language, not
Spanish as in the mainland of Honduras. Diving:
Roatan is
surrounded by spectacular coral reefs with an immense bio-diversity.
The water is warm, typically 26-28°C (78-82 F), there is seldom any
strong current but at times the sea can quite rough due to strong winds.
Visibility is usually excellent in the 15-30 m (50-100 feet). Much
of the southern side of the Island is bordered by great walls, typically
starting at 3-5 meters (15-25 feet) and dropping steeply (often
vertically) for 20 meters or more, sometimes down to more than 100 meters
(60-300 feet). Marine life:
The bio-diversity
here is fantastic; it is estimated that as much as 95% of all known
species in the Caribbean can be found in the waters surrounding the Bay
Islands. For a small sample of critters that can be seen in the
waters off Roatan, visit the Roatan Underwater Gallery
1 and Gallery
2.
There are large critters here such as turtles, dolphins and whale sharks.
However, the real attraction of Roatan's reefs are all the little
critters you can find on Roatan's walls, reefs and sand chutes. CoCo View's
late resident underwater photo pro Ivor Fulcher once told us: "Go
slow and look close". This is the best diving advice we have ever
gotten. There is something living in almost every nook and cranny of
the Roatan reefs. Try this experiment: next time you are the reef: pick an
area that looks completely uninteresting, stay very still and study it
carefully for 3-4 minutes, you will be amazed what you see! CoCo View Dive Resort:
Located on
Roatan's south coast just east of French Harbor is a great place from
which you can dive
the Roatan reefs. CoCo View Resort is built by divers, for divers and
it is run by divers. They have a very friendly and knowledgeable staff, great
service and spectacular diving. They offer a morning and afternoon
boat dive each day with a drop-off dive on the resorts "front
yard" walls. In addition there is unlimited shore diving 24
hours a day and the shore diving in the front yard is world class,
including the wreck of Prince Albert. Travel tips:
Getting to
Roatan can be little bit tricky. The only major airline that offers
direct flights from the US to Roatan is TACA. TACA does fly a
modern fleet of Airbus A320's. They do offer direct
flights from Miami and Houston a few days a week. From the US West
Coast, we've found a good route via San Salvador in El Salvador; there are
direct flights from San Salvador to Roatan a few days a week.
Although TACA's service is good, their baggage handling accuracy is not
the world's most reliable. Make sure to take essentials such
as masks and regulators in your carry-on. Rumors (and first hand
experience) tells us that connecting via San Pedro Sula on the mainland of
Honduras will significantly increase your chances of missing your
connecting flight and/or not seeing your checked bags until long after you
return home again.
One of the very few negatives about Roatan is the ever-present pesky sand
flies or no-see-ums. Bring along some strong bug repellant and
remember to put it on every morning (and afternoon and night and after
every dive....).
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