I just returned from a short trip to Roatán, the largest of Honduras’ Bay Islands. I have been living in Honduras for just over a month now and up until this point all I had seen of the country was the capital Tegucigalpa and many of the communities we work in. I had seen some truly breathtaking mountain landscapes and was well aware of the country’s beauty, but Roatán is something else entirely.
We arrived at night, but when we woke up, we were greeted by long white beaches and warm turquoise water. After breakfast, we were told that West Bay, which is a two-mile walk or a quick water taxi ride away has a beautiful beach. In the mood for a hike, we set out towards West Bay on foot. At the end of the West End, we reached a long deserted beach. We passed by many wooden piers with thatched roofs at the end providing shelter from the hot Caribbean sun. We decided to jump off the end of one of the piers to cool off before we continued our hike. The water was so clear that we could see our toes.
The next day we rented kayaks and snorkeling gear and set out to explore the rich wildlife of the vast barrier reef surrounding the island. At several spots along the way we tied our kayaks to a buoy to go snorkeling. I saw some of the most beautiful fish I have ever seen in real life that day. The colors of some of the fish were truly amazing. We spent some time following a school of bright blue fish that appeared out of nowhere before we headed back to shore.
I’m back in Tegucigalpa now, but I am already planning my next trip to Utila, another Bay Island, where the wildlife is supposed to be even more amazing. So if you’re coming to Honduras for a brigade anyway, stay a few days and take an extension trip to Roatán or one of the other amazing places around. I promise it will be worthwhile.
