Blue Bahia Resort Roatan

It’s quite often left to the last minute, but getting your luggage packed will be an absolute must before you head to the airport.  One great thing about tropical vacations is that you don’t need to worry about bringing bulky, warm clothing. A few pairs of shorts and T-shirts can serve you very well even if you forget everything else.  To help make sure you have more than a single change of clothes for your entire holiday, we’ve written about what to pack for your vacation in Roatan . Carry On Luggage With all the extra charges that airlines seem to be implementing, going on vacation with carrying on luggage only is becoming much more common.  And it is possible if you pack strategically. You might have to do laundry once or twice while you’re away, but you also have the added the bonus of not worrying about lost luggage or waiting around at the airport for your bags to drop out onto the conveyor belts. Liquids If you’re only bringing a carry-on, your b...

Lionfish are an invasive species that originates from the South Pacific.  It’s thought it was introduced to the Atlantic by the aquarium trade. The fish is flamboyantly beautiful with large fins and 13 towering spines which makes it very popular amongst aquarium owners.  But now that it’s begun reproducing along the east coast of the southern US all the way down beyond Brazil it’s been wiping out many native fish populations. In an attempt to control the lionfish population efforts have been made to promote it as a tasty meal.  Is it safe to eat lionfish in Roatan? It absolutely is. Once the fish is cooked the venom is deactivated.     Lionfish Culls It’s pretty much agreed among marine scientists that it’s too late for the lionfish to be completely eradicated from the Atlantic.  It’s a fast reproducing fish with no real predators in its new environment. It also tends to spend a lot of time at depths of 1000 feet or more making it difficult to capture...

If you’ve ever had the chance to snorkel in parts of the ocean that has abundant sealife you may have felt the frustration of not being able to get as close as you’d like. This may have gotten you thinking about scuba diving. But you might be you’re unsure whether you’d like it. You might not be willing to make the commitment to get certified. Or maybe you’re frightened by how much it would cost. Maybe you just want to try scuba diving? Take the Discover Scuba  Diving Course in Roatan !  This is the perfect primer for those who want a taste of what scuba diving is all about without the commitment or cost of working towards certification. Diving Course in Roatan Why Try Scuba Diving In Roatan? There are many reasons that Roatan is a great place to have your first scuba diving experience. First and foremost is the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. After the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, this is the second largest reef system in the world. And with Roatan located...

WestJet Airlines recently announced the debut of weekly non-stop flights between Toronto and the Honduran island of Roatan.  This seasonal service offers North Americans an affordable and convenient way to get to the Caribbean island during the colder months of the year.  Flights will begin in December of 2019 and continue until the spring. The connection between Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport and Coxen Hole’s Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport will take between 4 hours and 41 minutes and 4 hours and 17 minutes.  WestJet will be operating their Boeing 737s on the route. WestJet serves over 100 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe.  WestJet’s Chief Commercial Officer, Arved von zur Muehlen, said, “With the addition of the snorkelling paradise of Roatán to our network, WestJet guests now have convenient access to 14 Caribbean destinations non-stop from Toronto this winter.  Roatán is ho...

For those who love the water, a wide variety of water based activities and sports are available to them.  From practical activities, such as fishing and treasure hunting, to the competitive, such as boat racing and synchronized swimming or just enjoying the water for its own sake, a life around the water can be filled with an array of specialized endeavors.  One water activity that has begun to play an important role in Roatan is freediving.  What is freediving?  Highlights from Roatan’s Caribbean Cup can shine a light on this relatively new competitive sport. Freediving Origins Freediving probably originated because of necessity.  People living near large bodies of water could access new sources of food and other resources if they were able to hold their breath and dive down to the bottom.  Those who were able to stay underwater longer were able to harvest more and be better providers for their families. Competitive Freediving People have probably ...

If you’re wondering whether you should continue with your PADI certification course to the point of being a certified Divemaster you should know that there are many more benefits to taking the course than simply receiving the credentials and a title.  Why become a Divemaster in Roatan ?  The answers are many.  Keep reading to find out how taking the course can further enrich your life. Gain Extra Knowledge And Confidence The Divemaster course is set up in such a way that you’ll be exposed to a wide variety of real and staged situations that allow you to comfortably and confidently react in the correct manner without feeling overly stressed.  The Divemaster course builds upon all the other courses you’ve already taken and brings you up to a level where you’ll be able to take care of yourself and others with confidence and courage. If you love diving - and the fact that you’re considering the next step proves that you do - this course will help complete t...

So you’ve finally booked your Roatan vacation!  While you’ll definitely have a lot of fun, did you realize that by using some local, homegrown products you can make yourself healthier as well?  Read more to learn about the benefits of drinking fresh coconut water when vacationing in Roatan . Coconut Water Is Hydrating Coconut water has a similar composition to sports drinks, but without all the added sugar.  High levels of magnesium and potassium found in coconut water help to quickly rehydrate the body.  This can be very helpful considering the warm temperatures found on the island. And if you’ve had a few too many tropical drinks, coconut water can play a role in relieving the symptoms of a hangover. Coconut Water Can Reduce Blood Pressure Magnesium found in coconut water relaxes blood vessels and prevents them from constricting.  This allows for the easier flow of the blood and reduces the pressure on the vessel walls. The potassium found ...

Roatan is one of the most popular scuba diving spots in the world.  With its location next to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef system, the second largest barrier reef on earth and some of the lowest priced diving found anywhere on the planet, Roatan has become a haven for scuba divers of all experience levels.  The island’s waters appeal to the interests of divers of all types.  Interested in coral reefs?  Enjoy swimming with marine animals?  Love shipwrecks?  Go scuba diving in Roatan !   In this article we go over a couple of the most popular shipwreck dive sites available to scuba divers visiting Roatan El Aguila Popularly known as the Eagle, the el Aguila originally sank in 1989 off the coast of Utila.  It was salvaged a couple of times before being purchased by a team looking to create a shipwreck specifically for divers.  It was towed to its current location in 1997.  In 1998 it was broken into three pieces by Hurricane Mitch...

Over the past several decades our world has become pretty well informed about the dangers of extended sun exposure.  We’ve even gotten used to wearing sunscreen products all year round, not just when we’re heading out to the beach. Well, it’s been found that all that sunscreen is eventually finding its way into the oceans to detrimental effect.  One study estimated more than 14,000 tons of sunscreen ends up in the ocean every year. And it’s causing significant damage to coral reefs around the world. This realization has caused many of those who depend on ocean-going visitors to rethink their rules and regulations.  The state government in Hawaii and marine preserve owners in Mexico, as well as others, have introduced rules meant to decrease the use of sunscreen chemicals that have been found to cause coral reef damage.  But we don’t necessarily need to wait for changes in the laws to make changes in our own behavior. In this article, we’ll try to answer the quest...

For many people planning a trip to Honduras and hoping to get their open water PADI certification before they leave, the thought of completing the process in the frigid waters of their local lake or ocean seems like a type of torture. For this reason, the question of, “Should you get PADI certified at home or on your Roatan vacation ?” comes up quite often. To answer this question we’ve listed some considerations to keep in mind when working out the best route to open water PADI certification. How Much Time Do You Have? If time isn’t a factor, then you’ll probably enjoy doing your open water dives in the warm, tropical waters off the coast of Roatan more than you would in a local, murky lake with temperatures near freezing. PADI certification will typically take 40 to 50 hours. But if you’re only in Roatan for a week, it might be a pretty busy vacation considering you’ll need to dedicate 5 days and a few evenings to complete the course. You’ll also have to keep ...

So you’ve booked your ticket and are heading to Roatan to get away from it all.  Now you only have to decide where you’re going to stay. Roatan offers a wide range of accommodation options ranging from the brand name, all-inclusive mega hotel, to the frugal bunk beds of the backpacker hostel.  But for this trip, we’re letting you know you should check out an exclusive Roatan boutique resort .  It’ll provide opportunities that you just wouldn’t get in the aforementioned options.  This article will show how.   Service A boutique hotel will have a better staff-to-guest ratio than either the chain hotel or the backpacker’s hostel.  There will be a small enough group of staff that you’ll likely end up knowing them by name, but they’ll never be overwhelmed by large numbers of guests that can’t be properly serviced.  Boutique hotels are known for attracting staff that believes in providing high-end service while making sure it feels personaliz...

For people looking to scuba dive in North America, a lot of attention is focused on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef system in the world.  And for good reason. This reef system straddles four countries (Mexico, Honduras, Belize, and Guatemala) and provides some of the best scuba diving in the world. When I finally decided on my diving destination, a friend asked, “Why to go scuba diving in Roatan ?”  The fact is, my research gave me several reasons for my choice. This article goes over the top five. Affordability Honduras in general, and Roatan, in particular, has some of the most affordable diving packages in the world.  And certain accommodations, such as the Blue Bahia boutique resort, where I booked myself for 2 weeks, offers a further discount when booking diving trips through their onsite dive shop.  This has allowed me to spend more time away and get more dives in without breaking the bank. Reef Proximity As o...

When one thinks of relaxing in a hammock on a remote island, having a tropical drink in hand is almost always a part of the fantasy.  It seems that every tropical island has its own special drink and Roatan, off the north coast of Honduras , is no exception.  The fruity drink of choice on Roatan is known as the Monkey Lala. Named after a local lizard that can be seen running around the island on its hind legs, the Monkey Lala lizard is more scientifically known as the Basilisk.  Another name for the Basilisk is the Jesus Lizard due to its ability to run short distances over water. Drinking too many Monkey Lalas may have you believing you can also walk on water!  The alcoholic version of this drink is one that can be quite deceptive. It’s a very sweet drink, but carries a strong alcoholic wallop. The ingredient list tells the story about how the Monkey Lala can be so subtle yet so intoxicating.  Although the recipe will vary with every bartender...

Sandy Bay is one of Roatan's most established towns. It stretches for some two miles along the northwest coast of Roatan just before West End. Sandy Bay is located west of Coxen Hole off the main road which takes you to West End and West Bay. Sandy Bay is home to several vacation rentals, including the beautiful Blue Bahia resort . It is also home to a large expat community in Roatan. The Blue Tropical Arboretum, the Mud Hole, and Palmetto Bay are all accessible through or near Sandy Bay. The Colonia, which is also known as "Belfate" is located on a hillside facing north in Sandy Bay. The Colonia is primarily a residential community comprised primarily of locals who have moved here from the mainland. As in much of Roatan, The Colonia has low construction standards and oversight over land rights. This has been an issue in times past which have made it difficult to control sprawl and infrastructures. There are a few expat owned land areas just after The Colonia along...

If you’re lucky enough to stay in one of the many  Roatan Honduras resorts , you’ll never have a lack of things to do.  Although the island’s perfect weather and beautiful views make it an ideal place to have a relaxing vacation, it also offers a wide range of activities to meet the needs of the most adventurous traveller.  Read this article to find out about some of the best things to do in Roatan. Scuba Diving Roatan is known for some of the best and cheapest scuba diving anywhere in the world.  Adjacent to the world’s second largest barrier reef, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef affords visitors to Roatan a spectacular opportunity to dive in some of the richest ocean waters on the planet.  The fact that lessons are so economical means that many beginners earn their diving certification in Roatan. With over 100 diving locations around the island, Roatan also attracts legions of expert divers. Snorkeling For those who would rather stay closer to...

The  Roatan Barrier Reef  is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world.  Also known as the Jewel Of The Caribbean, the reef system runs for over 600 miles along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is home to over 60 species of coral, 350 species of mollusks and 500 species of fish.  Many endangered species call the reef system home, including several species of sea turtles, some coral species and some species of crocodile. The sea manatee population of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is the largest known throughout the world’s oceans.  Although they numbered in the low hundreds in the 1970s, their population is now estimated as high as 1500. Although no longer considered endangered, they are still listed as threatened. Another sea mammal that calls the barrier reef areas home is the dolphin.  Popular species found around the reef system include the bottlenose...