West Bay Divers is truly a hidden gem on Roatan, tucked away just back from West Bay Beach behind Beachers, a lively bar & restaurant. If you weren't following the signs, you might miss it - but this is not a dive shop to miss.As most of you already know, I am picky about where I dive in my time off. Having been an instructor and also having run dive shops, I know exactly what I'm looking for in a dive shop, and West Bay Divers (WBD) ticks all the boxes for me:friendly and experienced ...
Bay Islands
Diving in Roatan: Roatan Divers
My first stop on my surprise trip to Roatan last summer was Roatan Divers. Not only was I super excited to see the owners, my friends Saaya (who counts both Japan and America as home) and Karl (who hails from Sweden), but I had a big goodie bag stuffed full of Japanese treats for Saaya that I wanted to deliver! There's a long list of things that are difficult to get on Roatan, and stuff from Japan is (understandably) pretty high on that list.I've watched Roatan Divers for years. I first ...
Diving in Roatan: Tobri Divers
When I went back to Roatan this past summer, there was one new place I was itching to dive at: Tobri Divers.During my time living on the island, this tiny south-side boutique dive resort was run by a German couple and was marketed almost exclusively to Europeans. I didn't know anyone who had worked there or had dove with them. It was almost completely off my radar.Fast forward to my trip in the summer of 2017, where my good friends Irma & Martijn had returned to the island and taken over ...
What To Do On Roatan: 1-Week Itinerary
Most travelers arrive on Roatan for a week. We only have a few airlines that run direct routes from hubs in the USA (Houston, Atlanta, Miami) and you can usually get the best deal by booking a week-long return ticket. The Canadian charters (Sunwing + Air Transat) have also started for the busy season and the Milan charters as well, and all the charters run on a one week schedule. A week is the perfect amount of time to explore Roatan!(Only have one day? [Hi cruise shippers!] Check out my 1-Day ...
What To Do On Roatan: 3-Day Itinerary
Three days is not a lot of time on Roatan, but you can still get to know the island! Most travelers come here for a week (many of the flight schedules to Roatan run on a weekly basis), but some independent travelers and those coming from close Central American and US cities do sometimes come for a long weekend.(Only have one day [hi cruise shippers!]? Check out my 1-Day Itinerary here!) (Have a whole week? Check out my Full Week Itinerary here!)What can you do with three days on Roatan? ...
Why I Don’t Want to Tell You About Diving the Seamounts
I have been really lucky to be able to do a few dive trips this year to the seamounts (deep reef formed by underwater mountain ranges) called Roatan Banks, which is located halfway between Roatan and Cayos Cochinos (a group of islands located between Roatan and the mainland of Honduras). This is a relatively unexplored area and you are basically guaranteed a fantastic dive, with loads of fish, current, and amazing, healthy, vibrant coral. We've been lucky enough to spot sharks and massive eagle ...
Guidelines for Tipping on Roatan
Short version: yes, you're supposed to tip on Roatan. 10%-20%. There ya go!Long version:Tipping is expected on Roatan for various services. If you're visiting or moving to the island, you should have a quick read through these guidelines to make sure you're tipping appropriately! We don't like people who play the "we don't have to tip in our home country so we're not going to here" game. Labor laws are very different from many other countries and you need to remember that the legal minimum ...
Roatan Rent: What $350/Month Gets You
Roatan Rent time again! Keeping in line with all the changes I've been making lately, I finally made one that's been a long time coming: I just moved to a new place!(You may remember the other posts in this series - Roatan Rent: What $300/Month Gets You and Roatan Rent: What $400/Month Gets You. These are some of my most popular posts, so I guess people are interested in this...?)I'm on move #8 in three years here which is kind of a lot, but what can I say... I've got itchy feet! The last ...
What To Do On Roatan: 1-Day Itinerary
Whether you're on the island on a cruise ship call, or simply using it as a jumping-off point for further travel (full disclosure: when I first came here, I was supposed to fly into Roatan for a day and then move on to Utila to do my dive courses... it took me TWO YEARS to make it to Utila!), you can still experience a lot in a day on Roatan. Read on to see my recommendations if you have just a little time on this beautiful island...(Have a few days to spend here? Check out my 3-Day Itinerary ...
A Daytrip to Cayos Cochinos
Once in awhile you just need a vacation. (Even if you live at the beach.) This was one of those days!Cayos Cochinos (Hog Islands) are a chain of islands and little cays located between the Bay Islands (Roatan, Utila and Guanaja) and the mainland of Honduras. These tiny islands are sparsely inhabited (the last census had the population pegged at 108), and drop-dead gorgeous. Only about an hour and a half by boat from Roatan, it makes for an easy day trip and a great way to get off the ...