Blue Bahia Resort Roatan

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...