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 ...
Roatan
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 ...
Stop Calling it a Jamaican Accent (Dear Islanders: I’m Sorry)
My diver is yelling at me."Rika! Rika! He has such a strong Jamaican accent, I can't understand what he's saying! Rika, what did he say to me?"I instantly cringe and throw profuse apologies with my eyes at my boat captain, who lets out a weary sigh, rolls his eyes, giggles, and continues helping my diver with his gear. This is his daily life on an island full of people who just don't understand.it was not any of these divers :)I heard things like this every day on ...
Homesick for Somewhere That’s Not ‘Home’
I am a crier. People who know me, know this. I cry in children's movies (Finding Nemo is a nightmare for me), I cry when I see cute old couples on the train, I cry when adorable fluffy puppies clamber up my legs, I cry at all the images on the news of war-torn countries and shell-shocked kids. I am a crier. Do not play that goddamn Sarah McLaughlin SPCA commercial around me.I also recently found out that I cry when I'm homesick. I have never been homesick before, so this one is new to me. When ...
Should You Do a Cubicle Throwdown Like I Did?
Guys, I see you.I see you landing on my site after Googling, "how to move to Roatan". "How to move to another country". "How to work as a dive instructor in another country". "How much do divemasters make". (That one is easy. Not much.)I feel ya dudes. I did those Googles too. And about 755,000 more.I know what it's like to look around your office and see people who have been there longer than you, and thinking, "is this all I have to look forward to in my life?" I know what it's like to ...
Giving Back: How You Can Help Roatan
One thing I loved about a lot of the tourists I met over the years on Roatan is that many of them had a strong desire to help the island. When you get there and personally witness snippets of the grinding poverty that some people live in, and realize the government is not going to help them, for most people it ignites a fire to do something to give back.On Roatan there are many worthy charities, some of which I've highlighted before. I highly recommend that all tourists research various ways ...
ICYMI: I’m a Roatan Expat Expert!
Sometimes I forget that not everyone is following me on all my social media channels - so in case you missed it, I wanted to showcase my recent partnership with AirTransat as part of their ExperienceTransat series - I'm the Roatan Expat Expert! (If you were already following along, then I've included something in here for you too... some behind-the scenes photos!)AirTransat is a Canadian charter airline that flies directly to Roatan from select cities in eastern Canada. If you live anywhere ...
Roatan Review: Blackwater Night Diving with West End Divers
Sometimes, things that happen are just "so Roatan", and if you've ever been here you know what I'm talking about.I was walking to meet my friend for ice cream one evening when I passed West End Divers, and co-owner Gary (more commonly known as Bugs around these parts) stopped me in the street."Have you been drinking?" was the first thing out of his mouth.I wondered if my (100% sober) gait was deceiving people, and responded with a, "no I haven't, thank you very much!""We're doing a ...
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 ...