By the year 1788, it is reported that the English had completely left Roatan yet again. A residence visa for retirees, known as the pensionado, requires only $1,500 in income for life from Social Security, a pension, or some other similar guaranteed source. In communities like West End and West Bay, beach bars line the water, offering tasty cocktails and cold beers with views of the Caribbean. These rentals are usually on the sea, or have a sea view. Local restaurants offer delicious and filling meals for around $6 a plate. Fishing is also a cultural-economic practice of the Garifuna in the Bay islands. There is also a strong Black Carib community knowns as the Garifuna People. Although by networking on the ground, you can find even better deals. Nearby, the West End is a hip, funky village situated along Halfmoon Bay. You will feel like you are in the Venice of the Caribbean as you wind through the picturesque waterways connecting several communities along the south shore. We decided to sell our house and move onboard Diamond Lil. But the lower cost of living is seen in your everyday expenses, too. Those interested can find more information at www.roatanclearwater.com. WebHealth insurance was one of the tougher items for me to figure out when I decided to move out of the United States and move to Roatan Honduras back in 2009. Then, we decided we needed a dog. Usually, these classes provide a four-hour session under the close, direct supervision of a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified instructor. Mango Creek Lodge, located in historic Port Royal, on the islands unspoiled east end, offers a unique flats-fishing experience. Youll have to do without some favorite items from the U.S., but a lot of the time these can be substituted with domestic brands. 196 helpful votes. Or from snorkeling to settling down in a hammock for a nap, lulled by the warm sun. Honduras maintains an embassy in the United States at 1250 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036 (tel. The bar, and dinner, were waiting whenever we got out of the water. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is world-renowned. About a million tourists come each year, drawn by the tropical beach fun, world-class scuba diving, and relaxed attitude. This popular day trip, offered by several tour companies, will immerse you in the lifestyle of the Garifuna, the original settlers on the island of Roatan. A spacious parking lot accommodates vehicles owned by those island residents whose homes are water-only access in points east such as Calabash Bight, Port Royal, and St. Helene. Come for the diving, not the luxury. Their favorite watering hole is BJs, in Oakridge, for the Friday afternoon jam session. Roatan evolved into a semi-nomadic culture which produced ceramic items known today as "yoba ding dings." After a snorkeling session, you will travel to the village of Chachahuate for lunch. We had almost no restrictions as to what we could or could not build. Accommodation is inexpensive, either hotels or small apartments. Roatan's call to fame is its coral reef. Health insurance was one of the tougher items for me to figure out when I decided to move out of the United States and move to Roatan Honduras back in 2009. In our 13 years in Roatn, we have needed special medical care only a few times. Heres an example of a monthly budget for a couple living on Roatn: In International Livings March issue, Roatan was named as one of the best islands to retire to in 2015. Expect to see parrotfish, rays, sharks, lobster, tangs, puffers, jacks, eels, conch, damselfish, just to name a few species. Next, youll head to a shallow, confined water area to practice skills and add confidence and control, followed by a short swim around the area. Treat yourself and your family to the thrill of a lifetime while getting a birds eye view of the island from 60-feet up in the jungle canopy. Its the perfect place to enjoy sunset, preferably at famed beach bar hangout, Sundowners. But this island, 48 miles long and about five miles at its widest, off mainland Honduras, is also a great place to live long-term. The tropical weather in and around Roatan is inclusive of sea breezes which keep the annual temperatures within a range of 70F to 80F. Declaration of the Summit for Part of the country of Honduras, Roatnwhich is 30 miles offshoreis worlds away from the mainland. Eager for a new cruising adventure, we jumped at the chance to follow our marina mates across the Gulf of Honduras in search of this exotic land. There is so much that makes Roatn special. But on our first morning we hit the water again, paddling one of the resorts two-person kayaks a few miles down the shore, checking out the beaches and waterfront restaurants and boisterous vacationers. The local Rotary Club holds their weekly meetings on-site. Fresh snapper and lobster are grilled and served with rice and plantains. We needed deep water for our boat and preferably a dock. The Port Royal fort lies in ruins today with only a few residents living in the surrounding area. After a trip home to Canada to get our finances in order, we returned to the island and bought that little piece of paradise in Port Royal, with 2.33 acres and a 90-foot long dock already in place. Scuba Diving in Roatn As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Even the names of local flora and fauna reflect this heritage. Report inappropriate content . Others, like West Bay and West End, are packed with people, with resorts, condos, beach bars, and vendors abundant, with a soundtrack of Latin music and reggae. But the Caribbean Sea is my all-time favorite. Although Honduras is Spanish-speaking and it is spoken on the island, It all got fixed in the end, though, as these things do. WebPristine Bay, Bay Islands 34101, Honduras $699,000 Pristine Bay is Roatans residential resort community, with the islands only 18-hole championship golf course, beach and much more. But the Bay Islands do not show any evidence of volcanic formation in its history. English-speaking whites are among the most influential group. Watching sunset with a cold beer in hand and surrounded by friends old and new is practically mandatory. The west side of the island, including communities like West End and West Bay, is the most developed and most frequented by tourists. That might mean not only opening our wallets, but turning to smart organizations like the Roatn Marine Park for guidance and education, and even, perhaps, wielding a medical syringe as we explore a coral reef. Unlike most Port Royal properties, we also have road access. So after that first trip, in the 1980s, I began researching more affordable alternatives. But this is an island, and everything is imported. Legal action will be taken against those who violate the copyright of the following material presented! So, we took to the water. But neither Aaren nor I had underlying conditions. After the Bay Islands become part of Honduras, the population on Roatan continued to grow. Normally, a roundtrip flight from any of the major hubs will run from $750 to $1,100. The village of Oakridge sits on the waters edge, with the Reef House Resort a short boat-ride away from Roatn on a separate cay. Great food. It was time to buy ourselves a permanent place, but our criteria made it a challenge. Before we knew it, we counted many more friends on the island than the number we had left behind in Canada. Roatan is arguably the most diverse community in Honduras. We made our base at the rustic 10-room Reef House, on a cay a brief boat ride from the village of Oakridge, and spent our days eating, diving, sleeping, on repeat. Fourteen years later, were living on the island of Roatn, the best-known of the three major islands that form the Bay Island archipelago of Honduras. Honduras Telephone + (504) 2236-9320 or + (504) 2238-5114 Emergency + (504) 2238-5114 or + (504) 2236-9320, extension 4100 Fax + (504) 2238-4357 Email We planned and built our dream retirement home, using various ecologically sound methods. The arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1502 marks the deterioration and almost extinction of the island natives. You can get fresh off the boat fish (snapper, tuna, and mahi-mahi, for example) and lobster for a fraction of what youd pay in the U.S. or Canada. The inlets and bays on the southern shore of the island that once attracted European pirates and loggers now attract scuba divers, drawn by the reef just offshore. At the time Ambergris Caye was a little-known island and it was affordable. Little Roatn has its share of visitors. West End is the funky village by the sea, with waterfront restaurants (from Thai to sports bar fare) and bars, several docks full of dive boats, and plenty of affordable beachfront or off the beach condos and homes. Also, top quality fresh fruits and vegetables (at least what isnt growing on your property), though cheap at local markets, are more difficult to come by. If you prefer to relax in the shade, with your toes in the sand, there are dozens of beaches to enjoy. GoFundMe campaigns as well as soup kitchens and food pantries were created to help residents. The Rainy Season and the Dry Season. We paid $130,000 for the property in 2014. Schools of large fish darted through crystal-clear water. You do not need to speak Spanish to live and get around Roatan. This area is less developed, wilder, and has maintained its natural habitat. Our application cost for residency also cost $2,750. This island has a small elevated hill at its center, and is characterized by a large number of caves, most of which are located along a cliff on its western end. There are plenty of activities on the island, as well as many good restaurants, bars and cafs. Daily lunch specials, which often include empanadas and fried lobster bites, are listed on the whiteboard. It is renowned for its food, which draws on a mix of cultures including Caribbean, African, and European. Video: Roatan, An Affordable Caribbean Paradise You will usually board a small boat for the ride to the nearby reef where you will follow an anchored line up and down a few times, getting more comfortable. And the fisherman might be your neighbor! In addition to environmental wealth, these islands possess an abundant cultural wealth, thanks to the different populations that inhabit the islands. By the late 21st century, Roatan had become an economic interest for expatriates from all over the world. Renting or buying a home in such a beautiful location in Roatn is a fraction of what you pay in North America or other Caribbean islands. Expect to pay U.S. prices for staples at the grocery store. For the surgery, one night in the hospital, prescription drugs, and accommodation and meals for 12 days while I recovered, the total cost was $5,000. Women lead these types of economic activity and were mainly engaged in planting rice and cassava. Roatan also has an international airport which is responsible for incoming tourist on a daily basis. A local grocery store chain has plenty of items imported from Europe and North America. Lifestyle in Roatn Roatan has become extremely popular as a dive destination and the small airport at Coxen Hole services thousands of passengers each week. No visiting the beach. It can take an hour or more to clear processing so bring plenty of patience with you. Youll find multiple housing options on the island, from lots to homes to condos. All we had to do was feed the owners two dogs and watch the property while he was away. And expats regularly pointed out that it takes quite a bit of their time to shop on Roatan, since expats favorite stores are spread around the island. Lets start with housing. High on the list of popular tourist attractions on the island is the Dive with the Dolphins Encounter at Anthonys Key Resort, one of the original resorts on the island, boasting more than 40 years in business. Honduras is an ally of the United States, and Hondurans historically view the United States favorably. !Please subscribe if you enjoyed this video..! Its a haven for scuba divers, with sections of the Meso-American Reef, which is the worlds second largest, just offshore (it surrounds much of the island). 00:00. Over time, the Scuba Diving industry and tourism in general have taken the lead of the primary industries on Roatan. Roatn, the largest of the Bay Islands, is encircled by the Mesoamerican Reef, a vibrant, diverse marine ecosystem with around 65 coral species and more than 500 types of fish.CreditDaniele Volpe for The New York Times. We have a good medical clinic in the town of Oak Ridge, where we can see a doctor without an appointment and obtain most drugs without a prescription. They were the planners, those who carefully studied various Caribbean retirement options and settled on Roatn. Friday afternoon jam sessions at BJs are an open invitation to guests and tourists to join the house band, a group of expats called The Banditos. As a Honduran municipality, the main currency used on Roatan is the Lempira. Look no further than the common last names found on Roatan and the name of streets, buildings, and towns. These islands You can find live music, often from expat musicians, at bars and restaurants in places like West End and Sandy Bay. In the west and central parts of the island you will find the most development. Its easy to make the place your full-time home. Incoming flights arrive from several international and local airports. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is only second in size to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. https://www.facebook.com/groups/roatantravel/files We saw some amazing things here, said Mr. Byrne, playing dominoes one afternoon at the quiet Reef House bar, which overlooks the ocean and the house reef below. It offers some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities in the world, and there are many dive shops where you can rent and buy gear. The Mesoamerican Reef System extends from the Yucatan Peninsula in southern Mexico, down past the Bay Islands of Honduras. After lunch, explore the island, meet the locals, and observe a Garifuna dance to African drums. Swimming down vertical reef walls and through coral canyons, the reporter spotted green moray eels, nurse sharks, toadfish, puffer fish, schools of blue chromis and invasive lionfish. And they also make a point of coming to town to socialize. WebDestination state: ISLAS DE LA BAHIA Destination city: ROATAN 2) Honduras Customs Declaration Starting, March 27, 2023 Complete one (1) form per family traveling or one (1) form per person traveling alone. Verdant jungle-covered mountains and rolling hills rise from the spine of the island. The reef is a few minutes offshore, teeming with sea life. They were reported ousted by several Spanish attacks. I even saw a Moray eel guarding the entrance to her home. A large percentage of expats settle in the northwest villages of West Bay and West End and other northern beach communities. It is relatively easy to purchase property and obtain residence. Davey laughed and said no problem, he simply wanted to make sure we were all right. For the past 14 years, this nonprofit has brought together the governments of Honduras, Belize, Mexico and Guatemala, along with 80 partner organizations, to analyze the health of the Mesoamerican Reef. Some are residential and virtually privatebut its a quick walk for you if you live in the community. Some homes are even boat access onlythe ultimate in privacy. Its all here in Roatn. The weather in Roatan is boring. It's a long and narrow island. Other precautions included wearing double K95 masks while flying as well as on our three taxi rides. Snapper, wahoo, tuna, and more are abundant in these waters. Scuba divers are much like children, I imagine, to dive-resort owners: They are almost always wonderful to have, but at night, its best if they are safely in their beds. And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Roatn is the perfect place for an active retirement in many other ways too. Roatan is part of a cluster of island archipelagos situated ten to forty miles off the northern coast of Honduras. In the pre-Columbian phase, according to the archaeological record, in the Bay Islands, there is evidence of material culture (sites, traits, and vestiges) which are manifestations of the Paya or Pech culture that resided in these sectors. Id written a newsletter for a Canadian company for 13 years, so I knew how to write a newsletter for a Roatn real estate company when that job came up. Go inland and you pay closer to $50,000, or less. Historically, these islands have been inhabited by diverse ethnic groups with an identity and life that have a close link with the natural environment that surrounds them. It also boasts the tropical island paradise of Roatan - meaning it is also a Heading east on the main road youll come to Sandy Bay, a local neighborhood thats gradually transitioning. The Bay Islands had a prepandemic economy almost entirely based on tourism, an evolution that came after the islands commercial fishing collapsed. Continue east through historic Port Royal, past Fort Morgan Cay, the pirate stronghold of early days. We rarely travel to the busy, tourist area of the island. Some places, especially the further east (whether on the northern or southern shore) you go, are somewhat isolated and often off-grid. From my beachfront resort on the west end of the island, I simply waded, waist deep, into the gin-clear water and found myself surrounded by large schools of rainbow-infused fish and sprays of purple fan coral clinging to coral heads. Tourism has always been a part of Roatan. Waiting out the long winters in Ontario, Canada for the too-short boating season each year, had my husband, John, and me dreaming of heading south. The West End feels like a hot spot for younger generations. Most of us head there after the hurricane season.. As far as grocery shopping, you have plenty of choices here. I learned the reasons later, from Ian Drysdale, the Honduras coordinator of the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative. Provisions purchased down island are dragged along the dock and stowed aboard vessels. Local restaurants compete for prizes offered for the best lionfish dishes. Word gets around. Nobody is in a rush. Over time, Caymanians became the largest demographic on Roatan, and they shaped the culture of the island. Never were there more than four divers on an outing, excluding our dive master, nor another boat at the mooring. One of the biggest perks for retirees and other expats from North America is the fact that as an English protectorate, English is widely spoken, even as mainland Hondurans come for work and bring their native tongue. The Port of Roatan is located near downtown Coxen Hole. Basically, this island runs on tourism.. The Roatan Marine Park and the surrounding area known as the Bay Islands Marine Park (Parque National Marino de las Islas de la Bahia "PNMIB"), is comprised of 12 nautical miles around these islands. The local people in Roatan, Honduras, are made up of a unique blend of cultures from different ethnic backgrounds, but the largest population of locals are of Indian and Spanish decent. And while Spanish is the national language in Honduras, many locals also speak good English and some are even predominantly English speaking, which makes communicating in Roatan easy for North American expats. I had major surgery in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Swim to me, called Davey Byrne, a co-owner of the Reef House, our home for three nights over the Christmas holiday. As an island, its no surprise that life on Roatn revolves around the beach and the Caribbean. For the chance to live in a Caribbean paradise, expats take the good with the bad. Like other tropical locations, exposure to the sun needs to be monitored and sunscreen is mandatory to reduce the chances of skin problems later. Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, a topical application of marine epoxy and antibiotics, words from the famed ecologist Baba Dioum. Most expats dont live here. The water is warm and crystal-clear without dangerous currents to complicate things. Most of the established families and residents of today came later through a strong migration from the Cayman Islands. Others join the local gym or take yoga classes. Expats get together at local expat hangouts like JavaVine, Bananarama, Sundowners, or BJs. From perfect white-sand beaches, and palm trees swaying in the breeze, to beach bars where you can enjoy a cold beverage and watch the glittering sea. As travel picks up, the focus is on balancing the return of tourism (and divers) with the fragility of the marine environment. This migration occurred after the British abolished slavery in 1838. Honduras was cited in the State Departments 2022 Annual Report to Congress on International Child Abduction for demonstrating a pattern of non-compliance with Roatan is located in between Utila and Guanaja Islands. Its an easy drive from Sandy Bay to the main town of Coxen Hole, or back to the West End, for shopping. Tourism started when the scuba community and the hardy found the archipelago in the 1970s, but with the arrival of major cruise lines in the 2000s, its popularity exploded, with three ships or more arriving each day, three or more days a week in the high season before the pandemic. Every two years, the nonprofit issues a report card that assesses the main indicators of reef health: the percentage of live coral cover and that of macroalgae on the 286 monitored sites, as well as the abundance of herbivorous fish (like parrotfish), and grouper and other commercially important species.