Book Now
Menu

Best of the Bay Islands

Central America Dive Vacations

, ,

Planning your Central America Dive Vacations?

It is no secret that Honduras offers the best diving in Central America. The magnificent Bay Islands of Honduras offer diverse options to help you have the most memorable Central America dive vacations ever. Although there are actually 6 main Bay Islands: Utila, Roatan, Helene, Morat, Barbaretta and Guanaja, only three actually have tourism infrastructure and services to offer: Utila, Roatan and Guanaja. Each of these islands is different, and depending on what you are looking for, you will certainly find the perfect fit for your own tailor made Central America dive vacations!

Utila is the closest to mainland Honduras, and has a reputation to be the most affordable place in the world to get scuba certified. Although it generally has made a name for itself as a destination for a younger crowd, it does have a couple of more isolated hotels that offer a quiet, eco resort setting that you will thoroughly enjoy if this is what you are looking for. In any case, the truth is that Utila is a great party place and best of all, it is truly affordable. Geographically, Utila is very flat, with only a small hill, called Pumpkin Hill rising up from the main island. The hill is actually an extinct volcano, and can be climbed fairly easily. There are two main communities on the islands, Utila town, located on the main island of Utila, and the Utila Cays, a much smaller, fishing community that can only be reached by boat.

Central America Dive Vacations

Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands is also the political center of the department of the Bay Islands. Although by far more developed that its sister islands, Roatan still has many very beautiful pristine places and beaches if this is what you are looking for. Most of the dive shops are located on the western end of the island, either in the Community of West End or on West Bay Beach. This is the more developed part of the island and certainly the touristiest. Lodging options for your Central America dive vacations here is ample, and you will find from high end resorts to hostels. The same can be said for the diving outfitters, there are many different options, and you can shop around and see which your perfect match is. Roatan is a long, hilly island, which measures a total of 60 km. in length. There is a main road that traverses the island from tip to tip, with most of it being paved. The eastern end of the island is the less developed.

Central America dive vacations

Guanaja, the furthest from the Mainland, is probably the most beautiful; however it is also the most expensive because it is more difficult to get to. In addition, there are no cars on the island, so getting around is strictly a boat thing! There are not many resorts on the island, and those that are here are usually small family run operations. Some of them provide diving services, but they can all help you arrange for a dive vacation. If you are looking to get scuba certified, then Guanaja is probably not your best choice, but if you already have your diving certificate, then Guanaja can well prove to be the best spot for some magnificent Central America dive vacations.

Central America Dive Vacations

One of the advantages of the Bay Islands as a Central America dive vacations destination is its proximity to mainland Honduras. Access is easy between the Bay Islands and the city of La Ceiba, considered the eco tourism capital of Central America. You should plan on spending a couple of days in the area around La Ceiba to complement your Central America dive vacations with a bit of adventure or eco tourism. The best area for this is the Cangrejal River Valley, where you can have the adventure of your lifetime rafting down the Cangrejal River, hiking in the tropical rain forests of Pico Bonito National Park or simply laying in a hammock and relax in nature. La Villa de Soledad is a lovely boutique bed and breakfast located adjacent to the Cangrejal River and is a perfect combination for your Central America dive vacations. Central America Dive Vacations

, , , , , , , , , ,

Islands in Honduras

Despite being a small country, with only 112,500 square kilometers, there are quite a few islands in Honduras. In fact some islands in Honduras are on the Pacific Ocean and other islands in Honduras are on the Caribbean.

Most of the islands in Honduras are on the Caribbean, with the majority of them being part of the Bay Islands of Honduras archipelago. This set of islands, located just a few miles off the Caribbean Coast of Honduras boasts the largest islands in Honduras. Roatan, Utila, Guanaja, Barbareta, Helene, Morat and a dozens of smaller cays form this unique paradise that offers the Caribbean at its best: unspoiled, affordable, uncrowded. The Hog Cays, located just off the Coast of La Ceiba are considered part of the same archipelago are a national park that consists of two smaller islands in Honduras, as well as a set of Cays. Much further north and east, you will find the Swan Islands, which are also islands in Honduras, however due to the isolated location in the Caribbean, these islands are hard to visit and basically uninhabited except for a Honduran navy outpost there.

The largest of all islands in Honduras is Roatan, which is about 60 Km. long and boasts a population of approximately 60,000 souls. Roatan has its own international airport, with regularly scheduled international flights by American, United and Delta Airlines, as well as by Avianca. The most developed part of Roatan is the Western end of the island, and therefore, my favorite is on the opposite side!

 

Utila and Guanaja are two lovely smaller islands in Honduras that are also very beautiful. Utila has become famous as one of the most affordable places in the world to get scuba certified, with many different scuba schools fighting for the business.

Guanaja is more exclusive, more expensive and is the only truly mountainous of the three larger Bay Islands of Honduras.

Helene, also known as Saint Helene is actually a part of Roatan, separated from the main island by natural canal and swamp. Although there are a couple of small communities in Helene, it is very sparsely populated and has no services for tourists. Morat is small and inhabited and Barbareta is a true gem that is privately owned by a Texas millionaire who visits it often.

On the Pacific Coast, Honduras has two fairly good sized islands in the Gulf of Fonseca, which Honduras shares with Nicaragua and El Salvador. For more information on Nicaragua, visit www.nicatips.com. The two islands in Honduras that are on the Pacific are Isla del Tigre, also known as Amapala, and Isla Zacate Grande, both are of volcanic origin, although they are considered extinct volcanoes. Zacate Grande has been interconnected with the mainland by a land filled road over swamps, while Amapala is only accessible by water. Amapala was Honduras’ port in the Pacific during the colonial and early republican days, and was once a bustling community, however when the government of Honduras built a new, modern port facility in nearby San Lorenzo, Amapala was left in a time warp. It is only now beginning  to wake up to development. IT is certainly worth a visit, but be prepared for a much slower pace of life here! Although it might seem impossible, I have actually visited Roatan and Utila in one week and then travelled overland Honduras to the Pacific coast and visited Amapala within the same week! I am sure you will not find many countries in the world where you can do that without flying from coast to coast!

Most travelers visit the islands in Honduras that are on the Caribbean, and in doing so, usually miss out on a lovely area located on the mainland of Honduras, easily reachable via the ferry boat service that interconnects Roatan and Utila with the mainland via the port of La Ceiba. Just a few minutes away from the port facility, the Cangrejal River Valley offers a unique setting that is the perfect complement to your visit to the Caribbean Islands in Honduras. Set within two national parks, Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios, and with a unique white water river with crystal clear waters, The Cangrejal River Valley is one of the crown jewels of Honduras that you should not miss! La Villa de Soledad B&B is a great option to enjoy this lovely, magical valley!

, , , , , , 0

Wouldn’t it be perfect if you could combine two vacation destinations in one? Let’s say a lovely beach destination, with white sand beaches and turquoise blue waters with, let’s say the tropical jungles of Central America? These are two different, very distinct destinations, but they can actually be found in one place: Honduras! Yes the heart of Central America’s Caribbean is located in the lovely, truly unique country called Honduras, which is located in the Heart of Central America and has over 600 kilometers of shores bathed by the Lovely Caribbean Sea!

Flowing towards the Caribbean, creeks and rivers like this one are common in the heart of Central America's Caribbean

The Gateway to Central America’s Caribbean is the port city of La Ceiba. Blessed with 4 national Parks, including one, the Cayos Cochinos Marine Reserve which is actually a small archipelago in the Caribbean! (https://www.facebook.com/cayoscochinos.fundacion), La Ceiba is a magnificent platform to make the perfect combination of beach and reef plus tropical jungle vacation. Perhaps the best spot on the mainland Honduras, near La Ceiba to experience the true Central American tropical rainforest experience would be the Cangrejal River Valley. This area, with two National Parks, one on each side of the river, and only 10 miles from the sea, is truly the heart of Central America’s Caribbean. Here you can choose between hiking in the tropical rain forests of Pico Bonito or Nombre de Dios National Parks, raft in the crystal clear waters of the Cangrejal River, take a bird watching tour around the parks or simply relax in a hammock. You also take a one day tour to Cayos Cochinos, as well as take the local ferry to the beautiful Bay Islands of Honduras, the best kept secret in the Western Caribbean. There is regular daily ferry service between La Ceiba and Roatan (www.roatanferry.com) as well as between La Ceiba and Utila (www.utilaprincess.com).

cayoscochicnos

For these and many more reasons, I can clearly state that the heart of Central America’s Caribbean is located in the City of La Ceiba, which is the lovely country of Honduras.

getting from the USA to Honduras is easy via Roatan and using the Roatan Ferry

, , , , 0

Roatan Ferry, gateway to Honduras serving the Roatan to La Ceiba RouteHonduras is located in the heart of Central America, with its face towards the Caribbean. Its main tourist destination is the island of Roatan, gateway to Honduras, which has steadily developed into the fastest growing port of call for cruise ships in the Caribbean. Roatan also has an international airport, and although a few years ago there were virtually no scheduled international flights into the island, today several international airlines offer regular scheduled nonstop service from major gateways in the USA, including Dallas / Fort Worth, Miami, Atlanta, New York City and Houston. Additionally, there is regular charter air service operating out of Toronto and Montreal, as well as from Milan in Northern Italy!

Many travelers visiting Roatan for a vacation prefer flying directly into Roatan, despite the fact that the airfare is a bit more expensive than that to the airports in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, because they avoid the hassle of the larger airports as well as having to find transportation towards their main destination in Honduras: Roatan. In addition, with the bad reputation that San Pedro Sula has, which in my own mind is completely overdone, travelers simply prefer to feel safe and not risk themselves unnecessarily. Because of the above todays travelers use Roatan as a gateway to Honduras, and visit the country from there. Although Roatan is somewhat detached from much of mainland Honduras, there is regular, easy communication between Roatan and the port city of La Ceiba on the mainland. The Galaxy Wave water jet catamaran offers twice daily service between both ports, with the passage being under two hours and the cost of a ticket, one way is just over $25 US dollars.  For updated info on schedules and costs, check out www.roatanferry.com. Roatan’s International Airport also has regularly scheduled flights to La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, so traveling around Honduras is easy from Roatan. This is why we consider that Roatan is a great gateway to Honduras!

This being said, the easiest, fastest, safest gateway to Honduras, especially the Caribbean Coast is Roatan, “the” gateway to Honduras! Many travelers are unaware of this fact and therefore do not travel to Honduras or Roatan. Although Roatan is a lovely truly beautiful island in the Caribbean with lots to offer, there is so much more to see just a few miles away in the mainland. Visiting Roatan and not taking the time to venture into the mainland for a few days is truly a mistake. National Parks, wildlife reserves, Garifuna culture, and some of the best adventure and nature destinations in Central America are just a short jump away from the Bay Islands of Honduras. Because of the above, I fully recommend using Roatan as your personal gateway to Honduras and consider flying into Roatan on your next trip to stay in the Caribbean mainland of Honduras. Come and discover the magnificent Cangrejal River Valley and spend some days in this magical tropical world! For more information on hotels and options in the Cangrejal River Valley, visit www.cangrejalriver.com. There is no doubt in my mind that the perfect combination for a vacation package in Honduras is to visit the Bay Islands of Honduras and the Cangrejal River Valley, just outside the City of La Ceiba.

Cangrejal River Valley, home to the Best Hotels in La Ceiba

, , 0

Looking for a list of things you must do in Roatan? Look no more! Here are my suggestions!

Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras, and has steadily been receiving more tourists over the years. Most of these tourists arrive on cruise ships and therefore really do not have enough time to get around the island and explore the more unique aspects of Roatan. In my humble opinion there are several different things you must do in Roatan, following is my list with suggestions on what you must see and not miss:

The first on the list of things you must do in Roatan is a visit West Bay Beach. West Bay Beach is considered the best beach in Central America, and one of the best beaches in the Caribbean… This is a must place to visit. The downside to West Bay Beach is the fact that it could be overrun by tourists from cruise ships, most of whom actually run to see the beach and take a picture to prove they have been here…

While you are in the West End of the island, you should take advantage and visit the town of West End. This small, beach front community has become the heart of tourism in Roatan. A funky, Key West atmosphere, with nice beach bars, gourmet restaurants, small hotels, bed and breakfasts and inns all come together to offer a unique setting and is definitely one of the things you must do in Roatan. At night, the atmosphere turns into a more bohemian touch, and bar hoping between beach bars can easily become your favorite island activity. If a few cocktails make you hungry, you have dozens of eateries, from gourmet to street side baleadas to choose from.  A night visit to West End is definitely on my must to list while in Roatan! As a matter of fact, if you are still trying to decide where you should spend the night in Roatan, think no more, West End is the place to do so!

Next on the list of things you must do in Roatan is a visit to east end of the island. This is the original, authentic Roatan, which has not changed much over the years. There are several small, truly authentic communities in the area, and if you want to see how life was in Roatan before it was discovered as a tourist destination, then visiting one of these communities is a definite must! My favorite community is Calabash Bight, but Jonesville and even Oakridge are worth a visit! These communities are extremely picturesque, and are certainly a window to the past, how a sleepy, colorful, Caribbean community used to be.

As long as we are in the East End of Roatan, we might as well push further east. You will find that the paved road ends in Oakridge, so from there on you will be traveling on a dirt road. The road is accessible throughout the year, even during the rain season, and although you do not need a four wheel drive vehicle, your traveling will slow down significantly because the road will become quite bumpy. Be patient, there are two different reasons to continue down this road… One of them is one of the most secluded of Roatan Resorts, Paya Bay. This hotel offers fantastic views, access to two small private beaches, and great food. If you are looking for hideaway to relax in where no one will find you, where you will enjoy some of the nicest beaches in the Caribbean and where you will be serviced like a king, you should certainly consider Paya Bay Resort!

Past Paya Bay you will come to Camp Bay. While Camp Bay is a small, unimpressive little beachside community, which is not really worth the trip on itself, the Camp Bay Beach is certainly worth your time. If you are looking for a lovely, unspoiled, uncrowded beach, this is where you will find it. Camp Bay Beach is my favorite beach in Roatan, and in my humble opinion, is the best beach in Central America! There is a small beachfront, actually on the water restaurant here called La Sirena. It offers great food in a rustic, very authentic Caribbean atmosphere.

If you are looking for a more jungle like experience, you should consider jumping to the mainland. Even if you cannot spend the night there, you can easily take the morning ferry to La Ceiba, arriving there before 9:00 a.m. and then continue to the Cangrejal River Valley, a lovely are very close to La Ceiba, where you will find a myriad of adventure and nature activities, including white water rafting, horseback riding, hiking, zip line canopy tours, outstanding bird watching, etc. The trip between the ferry terminal and the different businesses in the Cangrejal  River Valley will be only 30 minutes, so in the end, your trip from Roatan to the Cangrejal River Valley will give you more than 6 hours on the site to enjoy one or more of your favorite activities. If you do have time to spend some nights here, there are several different hotels that you can enjoy and at least one of them will fit into your budget. For a complete list of hotels in the Cangrejal River Valley, visit www.cangrejalriver.com

one of the things you must do in Roatan is a visit to the Cangrejal River Valley on the mainland.

Regardless of whether its for a day tour, or for one or several nights, a visit to the Cangrejal River Valley is one of the things you must do while in Roatan!

 

 

, , 0

Enjoying nature appeals to all of us, however, the concept of “roughing it out” in nature is not really appealing to most of us. This makes for an unusual concept: comfortable, boutique jungle eco lodge. Is such a thing actually possible? Not only is it possible, it is actually a trend! And a trend that Honduras has jumped on for some time now!Comfortable, spacious rooms at La Villa de Soledad, the boutique jungle eco lodge in the Cangrejal River Valley

Honduras offers some of the best natural areas in Central America, not only are they extensive and easily accessible, they are best of all, not overrun by tourists, such as you will certainly find in other Central American countries.  While there are many different National Parks and protected areas in Honduras that offer accommodations, the largest concentration of them can be found in the Cangrejal River Valley, a relatively small area with over 10 lodges located in a privileged area, www.cangrejalriver.com.  Of these 10 lodges, at least two are certainly boutique jungle eco lodge accommodations! Las Cascadas Eco Lodge offers lovely, luxury accommodations with an all inclusive package, www.lascascadaslodge.com; and La Villa de Soledad offers 4 comfortable, individually appointed rooms with original paintings by local artists, certified wood furniture, and best of all, the hospitality of innkeepers that live on the premises and know Honduras inside and out, providing great helpful tips about travels in Honduras. www.lavilladesoledad.com.

La Villa de Soledad B&B a lovely boutique jungle eco lodge in the Cangrejal River Valley

La Villa de Soledad’s slogan is “Relax in Nature”, and this fits perfectly well to this lovely boutique jungle eco lodge!  Easy, walking access to trails in two national parks, world class white water rafting within a short walk from the lodge to the put it, incredibly diverse bird watching from the comfort of a hammock in our porch overlooking the tropical jungle; all blend seamlessly with our comfortable rooms, inviting hammocks and friendly Honduran hospitality.

Best of all is the close proximity with the World famous Bay Islands of Honduras, providing for the perfect combination between a unique jungle experience and some fantastic Caribbean Island experience. Is this not a truly unique opportunity for some unforgettable vacations?

Enjoy the best affordable boutique jungle eco lodge in La Ceiba: La Villa de Soledad, and then discover the best kept secret in the Caribbean: the Bay Islands of Honduras!

White water rafting in Roatan

, , , , 0

Roatan, the largest and most developed of the Bay Islands of Honduras has become the most visited destination in Honduras. Not only is it an important and fastest growing cruise ship port of call in the Caribbean, it also has regularly scheduled nonstop flights serviced by Delta, American, United and Avianca from important gateways in North and Central America. Although most visited because of the extensive diving in the reefs that surround the island; the reefs in the Bay Islands are actually part of the Meso American Barrier Reef system, which is the second largest and most bio-diverse barrier reef in the World, there are certainly many, many different activities that can be enjoyed in Roatan. One of these is white water rafting in Roatan!

Granted, if you have visited the island before, or researched about it, you will argue that there are no rivers for rafting in Roatan, and of course, you are right, however on a clear day, if you are looking towards the south, which is where mainland Honduras is, you can see the Nombre de Dios Mountains. These massive mountains reach an altitude of over 8000 feet, and here you can find the mighty Cangrejal River, famous for its white water rafting! You might rightly argue that the river is in the mainland, and that you are on the island! This is not White water rafting in Roatan! Well of course you are right, but so am I! You can easily do a full day tour from Roatan to La Ceiba and enjoy this World Class white water rafting. If you take the morning ferry, which departs at 7:00 am from Roatan, you will be in La Ceiba before 9:00 am, and a short 30 minute If ride will have you in the Cangrejal River Valley before 9:30 am! If you have pre arranged your tour, the tour operator will be waiting for you to start your adventure promptly!. Omega Tours www.omegatours.info and La Moskitia Ecoaventuras www.lamoskitia.hn both offer half day tours that you will thoroughly enjoy and will easily be one of the highlights of your trip to Roatan.Adventure in the Cangrejal River Valley

So, now you know, independently of whether you are visiting Roatan for the diving or if its just that you are a beach lover, there is white water rafting in Roatan that you can enjoy!

 

0

Utila, that lovely small Caribbean island that is part of the Bay Islands of Honduras that is famous for its affordable diving. People from around the World come here to get certified as divers, and absolutely love the time they spend there. The island is home to about 5000 persons, who live happily in to main communities, Utila Town, also known as East Harbour and “The Cays” two small cays located off the southwest tip of the island that is home to about 500 persons. There are many small hotels, restaurants and bars along Utila Town, and many tourists that visit the island find it hard to leave. Although the main the magnet to the island is the diving, there are non divers that also visit this piece of paradise in the Caribbean. So you will ask, what do they all have to do here? Well, there are many different options, and one that few take advantage of is the white water rafting in Utila.

Having fun in the Cangrejal River rapids!

Now, I know what you are going to say… There is no way that white water rafting is available in Utila! The island is flat, has virtually no hills and definitely no rivers! You are of course right, however will easily notice from the island, you can see the massive Nombre de Dios mountains from the south coast of Utila. These mountains provide a spectacular natural skyline that makes everyone in Utila want to take a trip to the mainland to enjoy the mountains. The short one hour ferry ride makes it easy to visit the mainland, even for a short day trip. The convenient ferry schedule allows you to depart Utila at 6:20 a.m. and spend the day in La Ceiba and then return to the island in the evening ferry that departs La Ceiba at 4:00 p.m.  This gives you more than enough time to visit the Cangrejal River Valley, a magical valley located just 5 miles outside of La Ceiba, where you will find the exhilarating white water of the Cangrejal river. Three different outfitters: www.omegatours.info, www.lamoskitia.hn and www.junglerivertours.com  provide daily half day rafting tours, typically departing at 8:30 and finishing around noon time. Sooo, now you see, I was right! You can do white water rafting in Utila! It is a short day trip you can do while on the island, and even through technically it’s not on the island, it can certainly be in your itinerary while on the island.

Better yet, chances are that you will have to travel through La Ceiba to continue your trip in Honduras or Central America. With that in mind, it is a shame to be in La Ceiba and not escape for at least a couple of days to the Cangrejal River Valley. There are a total of 10 lodges, inns and bed and breakfasts in the Cangrejal River Valley. You can find more information in www.cangrejalriver.com. So if you are traveling to the Bay Islands of Honduras, and would like to do some whitewater rafting in Utila, come to the Cangrejal River Valley and have the experience of your lifetime!