Our History.

While Roatan and the surrounding islands are now a part of Honduras, its colorful history has meant that the island’s culture feels a world apart. Roatan and the Bay Islands have been claimed at different times over the centuries by Spain and England. These islands were even, for a time, an outpost for as many as 5,000 pirates including the famous pirate Henry Morgan!  Because of Roatan’s unique history, English remains the Islanders’ native language. Visitors also will find the island’s relaxed friendly ambiance to be more similar to the culture found on other Caribbean keys or islands such as the Cayman Islands and Jamaica.

Islands & Cays.

→ Roatan
→ Guanaja
→ Utila

Three Islands.

The Bay Islands consist of the three islands of Roatan, Guanaja, and Utila. Smaller islands also belong to the Bay Islands, these smaller islands are Barbareta, Morat, St. Helena, plus 53 cays.  These form a small archipelago which lies along the world’s second largest barrier reef. Roatan is its jewel, and the largest at 45 miles long and about three miles wide. The island, which we know was discovered by Explorer Christopher Columbus in 1502, is the top of a granite mountain rising from the sea. This gives Roatan its lush, hilly landscape, which offers dramatic sea view vistas and some of the most exceptional home sites available in the Caribbean.

Affordable.

→ Real Estate
→ Weather
→ Water Sports

Quality of Life.

There is so much that awaits to be discovered in Roatan so come and let us show you around! The islands remain among the most affordable Caribbean islands regarding real estate and quality of living.  We know that after just one visit Roatan and the Bay Islands will become one of your favorite places in this world too!

Roatan and its neighboring Bay Islands are among the most beautiful destinations in the all the Caribbean. These lush, tropical islands enjoy the very comfortable year-round tempered weather, averaging 80°F, and boast of white-sand beaches, lush landscapes, exceptional water sports, a great standard of living, and friendly locals.

Roatán (pronounced: [ro.a.ˈtan]) is the most popular and largest of the Bay Islands. Roatan sits between Guanaja and Utila. ROA™ is the gateway to the Bay Islands with an international airport (RTB) and two international cruise ports. Historically, Roatan was formally called Rattan and Ruatan. Roatan has two municipalities: The east end of the island is the Jose Santos Guardiola municipality. Roatan's west end is the municipality of Roatan. Roatan is the most visited of the islands and the one with the most diversity in its fauna and flora. The island is long and thin in length and it is very easy to navigate. On the east side of the island you’ll find the Garifuna people who live in the town of Punta Gorda. Come visit us soon.

Guanaja is arguably the most remote and most exotic of the Bay Islands. Known as the "Venice" of the Bay Islands because of its waterways and canals, Guanaja is also the only island with a natural waterfall. Guanaja is only 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) from Roatan's east end. Most of Guanaja's residents live on "little Guanaja," also known as Bonacca, Low Cay, Guanaja, or just "The Cay." Approximately 10,000 people live on Bonacca. It is a densely populated Cay just off the coast of the main island of Guanaja. Savannah Bight and Mangrove Bight are the two most populated settlements on Guanaja. Guanaja's main industry is fishing. Fly fishing on Guanaja is among the best fly fishing in all of the Caribbean.

Utila is the smallest of big three islands comprising the Bay Islands. Like both of its larger siblings (Guanaja & Roatan) Utila also sits on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Pumpkin Hill is the official highest point on Utila Island, rising 243 feet (74 meters) above sea level. Utila has been part of our recorded history since the days of Christopher Columbus. Columbus first wrote about Utila on his fourth voyage to the area. Utila is knows for its whale shark sightings, its large PADI hub, and for the large amounts of backpackers that visit the island year round. Utila locals are primarily of Dutch, English, and African (Garifuna) decent. Utila is also known as the “backpacker island” as many come to Utila with only their backpacks.

BARBARETA ISLAND
Barbareta Island is a small island located east of ROA™. The island can be seen from Roatan's East end, but it is not open to tourism as it is private property. Barbareta is about 3 miles long, and it is the fourth largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras. Scuba Diving off of Barbareta is among the best there is inside of the Bay Islands. Barbareta Wall (also called Morat Wall) is a drift dive which is sure to take your breath away. Scuba Diving Barbareta Wall is for experienced divers as the current is noticeable and the site does not have a mooring. 

SANTA HELENA (St. HELENE) ISLAND
Santa Helena (also known as St. Helene) is adjacent to Roatan, on its eastern tip. The eastern most point of ROA™ is comprised of large mangrove forest which bridges Roatan to Santa Helena Island. From the air, Santa Helena and Roatan appear to be one contiguous island. But, in fact, these are two separate islands. There are several canals through the mangrove forest which connect the northern and southern shores of Roatan and Santa Helena. Some of the most interesting mangrove tunnels are located in between the island of Roatan and the island of Santa Helena. 

MORAT ISLAND
Further to the east of Santa Helena Island is Morat Island. Unlike the divide between Roatan and Santa Helena (which is covered by a mangrove forest), the divide between Santa Helena and Morat Island is clear blue Caribbean water. 

PIGEON CAY
Pigeon Cay is located on the southeastern side of Barbareta Island in the Bay Islands. It is a small inhabited but often visited little Cay. The snorkeling around Pigeon Cay is excellent. 

Sub-Surface.

There is more to the Bay Islands than what sits above the surface. A look below the surface reefs an entirely new world of trenches, ridges, and amazing coral reef formations.

→ Bonnaca Ridge
→ Cayman Trench
→ Coral Reefs

THE BONACCA RIDGE (What forms the Bay Islands?)
The Bonacca Ridge is an underwater mountain range which at its highest points pierces the surface to form the three main Caribbean islands known as the Bay Islands of Honduras. Roatan is the largest of the keys and islands piercing the surface. 

THE CAYMAN TRENCH
Roatan sits right off the edge of the Cayman Trench, which provides clear water at depth. These waters form a habitat for pelagic animals like turtles, dolphin, rays, and one of the most popular residents; the Whale Shark. Utila is world class destinations for spotting and swimming with Whale Shark. The Cayman Trench is located just off the west end of Roatan. For this reason, the deepest tourist submersible operates out of Half Moon Bay, next to West End, Roatan. Beneath interested in a ride of their lives can ride onboard a submarine to a depth of 3,000 feet. 

CORAL REEF FORMATION
The Coral reef forms a ring around the individual islands of the Bay Islands. Viewed from the water's edge, the Reef Wall can be right on the shoreline (Iron Shore), or it can be a few yards away. When the Reef Wall is away from the shoreline, it forms a lagoon between the shore and the Reef Wall. This area makes for excellent snorkeling as it provides sheltered water and motor boats are not allowed inside this area, except of course to enter and exit a certain dock or pick up point. Lagoons vary in depths but are 30 feet deep, and many have sandy bottoms. On the other side of the Reef Wall is a large drop-off or steep decline into deep blue water. The barrier reef forms some of the most interesting formations under the surface. Scuba Divers and Snorkelers enjoy crevices, caves, chimneys, and other interesting formations as they explore what lies beneath the surface. 

From the U.S. & Canada.

Non-stop flights are available Dallas, Miami on American Airlines; from the city of Atlanta via Delta Airlines; and from Houston (IAH) on United Airlines.

From Canada, Sunwing and AirTransat offer direct flights from Montreal or Toronto straight to Roatan.

From Central America

You can also fly direct from El Salvador on Avianca Airlines; from Belize City on Tropic Air; and from the Grand Caymans on Cayman Air.

From Honduras

Alternatively, it’s easy to reach Roatan from Honduras’ main cities: Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. From either of these large international airports, you’re just quick flight away on airlines such as SOSA or CM airlines from the Bay Island through several domestic airlines such as SOSA & CM Airlines.

Galaxy Ferry

There is also the large & very comfortable ferry service that operates daily from La Ceiba.