We left Copan at 8 am and travelled about 6 hours on yet another bloody bus to get to the ferry. We waited for ages then struggled through the mad crowd to get a seat outside. The ocean was choppy, it was going to be a long and interesting trip.
Thank god I got a seat outside as it didn't take long for people to start to get sea sick. I put in my iPod, shut my eyes and tried to breathe the fresh salt air. After a couple of hours we had made it to Roatan. It took another age and a bit of rugby type tackling to get our bags then we climbed onto another bus for a 40 minute trip to West End.
We checked in to our very plush accommodation ... well plush by backpacker standards. There was a back deck with a hammock and views over the water. Now this is my kind of place.
I woke up the next morning and wandered off to see if this really was paradise. I wasn't disappointed.
Roatan has picture postcard beaches with the whitest of sand fringed by palm trees. It is a diving mecca with about 100km's of reef not far from shore. And it has an amazing little restaurant run by an Aussie girl .... amazing coffee overlooking the ocean. Ahhhhh.
The sandy track running along the ocean front is lined with cute little shops, bars and restaurants. This island has become a stop for many large cruise ships so the sleepy seaside village now caters to the demanding cruise ship clientele. But some of the traditions still remain .... I was looking at a dress in a shop when I turned around and saw the owner looking through a pile of iguanas. They were gutted and ready to be booked for dinner! Eeeeww I got out of there rather quickly.
I decided that if this place was a diving mecca I should take a look. We headed out with a local dude who is a dive master (and part fish) and his offsider who was about 12.
They took us along the coast to check out the dolphins before heading out to the reef.
We saw crabs and lobster, loads of small colorful fish and some amazing coral. The water was warm and so very clear.
Life on Roatan is relaxed and very chilled. No one is in a hurry, they can relax because they are already in paradise. It's my kinda place.
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| Honduras - Roatan Island |
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