One of the first things that readers ask me when they meet me in real life is: why don't you ever post about a boyfriend/dating/etc.?accurate.Other than the fact that this part of my life is usually not very entertaining (you can read my girl Shannon's recent post if you want to see a somewhat similar rundown), it's something I've always been hesitant to put out there for the world to see. Since I started this site, I've seen many other bloggers include this part of their life online, ...
Roatan
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 ...
Using US Dollars on Roatan
So, you're coming to Roatan? Great! You want to use US dollars? Make sure you read this post, because - newsflash - US dollars are not the local currency, and there are some caveats to using USD here.sourceYes, you can use US dollars.I've never run into a business here that won't accept US dollars as payment. Most places even have the prices listed in both US dollars and lempira (the Honduran currency - 'lemps' or 'lps' for short). It's a good idea to know the current exchange rate ...
A Daytrip to Old Port Royal
One thing I find both terrible and embarrassing is that on a tiny island like Roatan, it has taken me YEARS to get to some of the destinations around here. To be fair, for most of the year, I spend 6 days a week, 9+ hours a day at a dive shop or on a dive boat or underwater, so I don't have a lot of free time. But lately I have been graced with plenty of it, so when my friends put together a motorcycle day trip to Old Port Royal, or 'the end of the road' (literally), I jumped at the chance to ...
Clinica Esperanza – Roatan’s Clinic of Hope
Many people coming to Roatan are eager to help the island in some way, and often will message me before their trip asking what they can do or bring to help. Today I'd like to highlight Clinica Esperanza, more commonly known on the island as Ms. Peggy's Clinic, which is just one of many deserving organizations on the island that can always use a little help.Clinica Esperanza provides low-cost/no-cost medical care to the island, including pediatric care, dentistry, walk-in care and women's ...
The Snorkeling Trip That Changed My Life
Kind of a bold title, isn't it?It's 100% true.That blurry photo is me. It's me during the second time I ever snorkeled in my life. (The first being a very sketchy set up off a catamaran in Cuba in 2005. Now that I think about it, I'm surprised I made it out alive.) I know it's hard to see, but my face is full of joy. I am at home in the ocean!I even know what day this was - February 5, 2012. I was on my very first trip to Roatan with my friend Steph, and it was our second day on the ...
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 ...
Being a Tourist on Another Island is Weird
"No thanks, I'm not a tourist." The words fly out of my mouth on auto-pilot, as the shaggy beach vendor registers a look of bewilderment on his face and his shell necklaces clack around in his hands. He cocks his head, studying me for a second, and finally shakes his head and decides to move on.I know what he's thinking. Of course you're a tourist, lady! You're white and I've never seen you before, you clearly don't live here so you are a tourist. And you know what? He's right.I ...