|
|
|
|
Roatan, approximately 500 miles from the Grand Cayman islands, is the largest of the Bay islands. It is approximately forty eight kilometers (29.8 miles) long, and two and a half kilometers (1.55 miles) wide, offering some breathtaking landscapes from a mountain chain that rises over three hundred meters (984 ft). Once on any of its peaks, you may enjoy a bird's eye view of an emerald ocean of smooth, frothy waves gently breaking over a white sandy beach fringed by coconut trees and wild vegetation. You can find mango, wild plum, banana, papaya, cashew, grapefruit, orange, lime, avocado and almond trees growing wild. The heaviest rain fall is in October and November and the average temperature is 30ƒ C/ 86ƒ F . Upon arrival to this Honduran island, the friendly locals, greet visitors with a great smile right from the start and take pains to make your stay enjoyable. They are very special people, descendant from French, Dutch, English, and Spanish buccaneers and Afro Caribbean origins. Traditionally bilingual, they speak English and a particularly accented Spanish. They mix both languages in their conversational speech. The mixture of races, traditions and customs makes this island all the more attractive. Many people depend on tourism, while others live off fishing, selling coconuts and fruit. The labor rates are so low, most people can afford a full time maid or yard man/gardener or both if they wish. With the affordable labor, Roatan could truly be a place where you do get " R and R" (rest and relaxation) rather than struggling with everyday maintenance. This island appears to have been created just for tourism since even the locals, under the spell of its natural beauty, are eager to share it with visitors. This explains the existence of several high quality hotels that retain the local flavor. There are wooden cottages built on stilts over the sea, hammocks on the balcony beckoning you to rest, comfortable hotels on broad beaches, and huts by the sea. In other words, this tropical hideaway has an option to suit every taste. The island also boasts a brand new medical facility, several smaller clinics, a Municipal Hospital, and a decompression chamber, should you require assistance. Air ambulance is available to provide transportation to larger medical facilities on the mainland or the U.S. This island is not a commercialized tropical resort where you see places like Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Cafe, but there is plenty to do. The list of activities for water lovers is almost endless. Deep sea fishing, sea kayaks, windsurfing, jet skis, swimming with dolphins, glass bottom boat tours, a submarine tour and cocktail cruises. The seafood restaurants on Roatan are truly outstanding and reasonably priced. Shopping, mountain biking, hiking, bird watching and botanical reserves can fill the hours when you want to do more than lie in a hammock and enjoy the sea breeze. Roatan truly is a hidden, sleepy, piece of tropical paradise that is still affordable. |
|
Send mail to
webmaster@bayislandproperties.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
