Roatan, Honduras
Prior to this holiday vacation, I always thought the best way to escape the corruption of the consumer society was camping. After visiting Roatan, I realized isolation isn't the only way to enjoy the simplicities of life.
Although it may appear to foreigners that the island has a poverty similar to Mexico, the locals don't ask for more than their small, run down houses, and are content walking to their destinations. The simplicity of these people's lives created an envious feeling in me as I walked through the neighborhoods and ventured the island.
The locals' outfits often consisted of Crocs paired with brand named collared shirts (such as Hollister), jeans or patterned long skirts sold on the island. It wasn't uncommon to see iPhones either.
Not only are the locals content with just having the necessities, they are collectively the most cheerful and friendly people I’ve ever met. They will say hello (or hola) to anyone, local or tourist, and always make an attempt to help when needed. For example, a young boy picked up trash and raked the beach without asking for anything in return.
Despite the cheapness of beach lots (roughly $40,000), the island has restrictions that will preserve the island's culture and lifestyle; Foreigners aren't allowed to buy more than a quarter acre of land and non-natives are
Jungle Tops Zipline
While ziplining in the states might not seem so daring or thrilling, Jungle Tops takes ziplining to another level. It's the only place in Roatan which offers ziplining without any restrictions. No helmets, no contracts, no age or weight limits and no one to say you can't do a flip off it, just 17 stations that throw zipliners over and through the dense jungle. Depending on the chosen package, the costs can range from $24-$75 per person. It's worth the money to experience the thrill, and witness the same view of the island's jungle creatures.
Blue Island Divers
If you can swim, you can scuba dive. Blue Island Divers has many opportunities for anyone daring enough to swim with the underwater creatures of the Caribbean. For new divers, they offer an hour and a half class which includes a 40 foot dive to a flourishing coral reef ($110). For certified divers, it's $65 for the first dive, but decreases after each dive. For those who don't feel comfortable taking that first breath under water, there is always snorkeling. And if the worry is shark related, BID only goes to dive spots in the North, avoiding all the sharks near the southern part of the island. Diana, the divemaster, used to train killer whales at Seaworld, and is very experienced. For the best dive experience, request to dive at Wrasse Hole.
Bailey's Cay Dolphins
For $70 per person, Bailey's offers a dolphin encounter where an instructor will show the brilliance of these water mammals. The encounter is very informing, but I don't suggest paying extra to snorkel with the dolphins as they don't interact with anyone that isn't giving them food.
Daniel's Monkey Park
For those who view holding monkeys on a tropical island as a necessity, this park offers that and much more. One of the workers will show and tell about the land creatures of Roatan, from monkeys to rodents and even sloths. Besides the rodents, all the animals are subject to hold, pet and feed. Although all the animals are kept in cages, the monkeys and sloths have "free time" where they can swing from the trees that separate the park from the ocean.
Gumbalimba Park
Named after the island's famous Gumbalimba trees, this hour long guided tour will inform all visitors about the history, creatures and other forms of nature on the island. On the tour one should expect to see an insect museum (don't worry, they are all dead), a garden, a cave with paintings and sculptures of island's history, a swinging bridge that leads to toucans, macaws and monkeys. The entrance fee is $35, which is pricey for just the tour alone. Fortunately, the park sits on one of the whitest beaches on the island, so this short trip can easily turn into an all-day event. For a less dangerous zipline experience, Gumbalimba offers a $55 ziplining tour as well.
Little French Key
The French Key Islands (Big and Little) are just a short boat ride from Roatan. Little French Key costs around $50 per person, and it offers many resort-like amenities. From paddle boarding, to rope swings, to multiple bars and a miniature zoo, the island entertains its visitors all day. Plus, the entrance fee pays for two drinks and a meal of chicken, steak and lobster. The zoo has lions, holdable monkeys, birds and jaguars that anyone can pay extra to swim with. There are also horses available for a ride through the ocean. For an extra cost, they offer massages on the beach. The islands attract many cruise ship tourists, but on their off days it can easily feel like one's own private island.
Mango Grove Tours
To experience not just what it's like to be a mango farmer, but what it's like to live in Oak Ridge ("hurricane city"), take a boat tour with Island Tours. After boarding a small, narrow boat, the heavily accented captain will explain to his passengers why the houses stand on stilts, how the kids take a boat to school, where the locals go and what they do when there is a hurricane and much more. Then, he will travel along the coast, pointing out where the Czech Republic, Canadians and other foreigners have claimed land before entering the mango groves. Naturally formed mango groves used to serve as hiding spots for Indians when pirates invaded the island. Now they serve as one of the island's largest income sources.
Caribbean Sea
Shopping
and Drinking
Local Eating
Lifestyle
Jungle &
History
Adrenaline
Paradise
Island
Creatures
Pearla's Restaurant
Obviously seafood is going to be the staple food of a Caribbean island, but the challenge is finding a restaurant with a unique flare. Something found only on the East end of the island, is a seafood soup called Machuca. Consisting of red snapper, conch, shrimp, lobster and a plantain, soaked in a broth made of coconut milk the tree. A taxi driver recommended the soup, and stopped the car at Pearla's for lunch. As I ate, he explained the culture of the town. Pearla's is in a town of solely ancestors of the Garifuna people, indentured servants Christopher Columbus brought over. Weekly tribal dances, unique holiday traditions happy souls and the best Machuca are all things one should expect to find in the area.
Roatan Rum Company
One of the island's specialties is its homemade rum. Roatan Rum Company sits at the top of a hill, overlooking the ocean and jungle on both sides. In the store, they make rum cakes and sell many flavors of rum including coconut and dark chocolate.
West End
West End The "downtown" of Roatan, West End is a street along the beach lined with shops, restaurants, bars and clubs. This is the place to get a keepsake, meet fellow travelers and just party. This is a popular destination for cruise ship tourists, but the locals say the area is usually evacuated by two in the afternoon, as everyone heads back to the ship. Then, locals will come in small boats, park at the beach and enjoy the rest of the day with the travelers.
required to leave the island every 90 days for three days are both restrictions put in place to avoid an uprising commercial island, such as Belize.
Some things to note before traveling to the island: don't rent a car and be prepared for constant electricity outages.
The locals suggest travelers just use the island's taxi services because the roads are so narrow, winding through jungle, with animals and people walking along the road at all times of the day and no speed limit. If not accustomed to the driving, it can easily result in an accident, and locals might go after someone like a traveler knowing they have money.
Also, a Texan who owns one of the islands off of Roatan also owns the electricity on the island. The electricity has scheduled outages, which can be found on the RECO website.
With only one or two planes flying in each day, and the cruise ships departing just mid-afternoon, Roatan's culture thrives on. Don't be scared to fall in love with the simplistic lifestyle, clear blue waters, some of the friendliest, engaging people one could ever meet or even just the feeling of lying in a hammock overlooking the water. According to the locals, it's not uncommon for foreigners to make this travel destination their home.
