Roatan, Honduras

Roatan is a beautiful tropical island in the Caribbean sea that belongs to Honduras. In the past, the island was a pirate haven, a slave refuge, and a British colony. Therefore, you will hear English, Spanish, and a mix of Caribbean accents here. Roatan is known as housing the Mesoamerican barrier reef, the second largest in the world behind Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Its claim to fame is the 500+ variations of fish, pirate shipwrecks, underwater caves, sea walls, and an endless array of coral reef. In addition to scuba diving and snorkeling, Roatan is the most popular of all the bay islands, and I had the pleasure of visiting the West Bay area. Beautiful beaches and upscale resorts can be found on the west end of the island. After arriving at a tiny airport, I took a 30 minute taxi ride to my hotel. Almost all of the car ride was on one-lane roads. If you decide to rent a car, be extremely careful driving as the roads are narrow and unlit at night. In general, I didn't need a car rental since I mostly stayed in the West Bay area and got everywhere I needed via water taxi or the complimentary shuttle provided by my hotel. Having said that, car rental is pretty easy, but know in advance that the deposit is almost as much as the entire rental fee. It is also very accessible by cruise ship, and the west bay area of the island tends to be busier when these ships arrive since many visitors take advantage of the day trips around the island, including snorkeling and diving. There is a drop off point in West Bay that is known to be one of the best snorkeling spots, so get there before 10am. You can walk out almost 50-60m and still be in waist deep shallow water. Because of this, it's very popular with children and people who can't swim well, because you don't have to put your head underwater to see the marine life and coral. West End would probably be considered a "downtown" area. There are many bars, shops, and restaurants in the area restaurants. At night, I visited one of the local restaurants known for its traditional baleadas. I highly recommend trying the local cuisine during your visit. This was one of the best meals I had during my stay. There was no problem accommodating my vegan diet here, and I thoroughly enjoyed trying new foods. As for traveling alone, I felt safe on this trip and had a great time visiting the island.