Visit the Summer Vacation Spot of Roatan, Honduras

There were armed men patrolling the waters in a boat beside our ship. When we got on land we felt a little lost. We didn't know what to do, as we had chosen not to do any excursions through the cruise ship. We scanned the dock, taking everything in. There were natives there dancing and singing to greet us as we stepped off the ship. Automatically, we were pulled aside by a local with a beautiful carved sea shell. My husband thought it was amazing and agreed to see more. The man then led us out the gates, and down the streets that were littered with staring men. We were still a bit uneasy at this point, so I held tight to my monster sized husband.

When we arrived to the taxi, the man assured us that the taxi driver would take us to his shop, then for a tour around the island. We couldn't understand a word the driver spoke, so we hoped we got our needs across clearly. We got in the car, gave each other a smile, and were off. It wasn't a very long drive to the shop, but along the way we began to catch sight of what the island looked like. There were broken down houses, houses with large metal Pepsi signs anchored as walls, clothes lines in every yard, no visible electricity in most of the small shacks. I was in awe.

We pulled up to Stone Castle Cameos, got out, and immediately noticed the stone work on the walk-way and building. It was amazingly intricate. I could have stayed outside and admired the beauty for quite a while, but we headed inside. There really wasn't much to the inside, it kind of reminded me of a small town museum. There were quite a few display cases full of bracelets, necklaces, rings, and other beautiful carved pieces. The prices are kind of high, but the craftsmanship is incredible.

Castle Gallery of Cameos, Factory
Tamaro S.A. Since 1851
The only in America
Island of Roatan, Honduras, C.A.
(504) 995-7421
www.stonecastlecameos.com

Directions to Stone Castle Cameos from the cruise ship dock: Turn west (left), the shop is on this same road (Gravel Bay/Flower's Bay road), go one mile, the shop is on the right side of the road, watch for signs.

We left the shop and headed back the way we came. The driver kept trying to talk to us, but we do not speak Spanish and he didn't speak English, so it was a lost cause. We did lots of smiling and head nodding. Along the way we passed many others coming from the cruise ship, looking as clueless as we initially felt. In the mix of the crowd, a young man jumped eagerly into the car and started speaking to the taxi driver. He then turned around, introduced himself as 15 year old Mikey, and told us he would be with us for the rest of the day. The taxi driver, my husband, and I all felt extremely relieved. We told him we just wanted to see the island, and maybe stop a few places along the way, including a little shopping. He told us he knew exactly where to take us, and we were off.

The shops Mikey took us too were so neat. They were filled with handcrafted items such as; whistles, maracas,rugs, and jewelry. There was also a lot of items made from mahogany. One of the stranger thing that we seen were actual toads that had been killed and preserved somehow. They were sort of squishy, and placed together in provocative positions. They were quite a conversation item. The prices in the shops were amazingly low.

For great local shopping, check out Yaba Ding Ding: A gallery of local arts and crafts. Yaba Ding Ding is located a short distance from the cruise ship dock in the Bonilla Building, adjacent to H.B. Warren's. They are open Monday-Saturday, 9:00-5:00. They have no contact phone number but they do have an email address if you wish to contact them. It is alfin@hondusoft.com They also have a website: www.yabadingding.com . Yaba Ding Ding does accept major credit cards.

After shopping, we went to the Butterfly Garden. It was filled with many different species of butterflies and birds. We got a good laugh out of Mikey, because he was scared of a certain type of butterfly. There were also many types of plants and flowers all around. I was in constant admiration of everything around me, especially a gorgeous flower that caught my eye. Mikey must have heard me say that I like it, so he handed me one. He didn't know the name of the flower, but it was beautiful.

Roatan's Butterfly Garden
West End, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras, C.A.
www.roatanbutterfly.com
Owners: Antonio and Janet Matias

The Butterfly Garden is open Sunday through Friday, 9 AM-5 PM, and are closed Saturday. Admission for adults is $5.00 and children 10 and under are $3.00. They also have no contact phone number but can be reached by emailing them at butterflies@globalnet.hn.

They drove us all around the island, allowing us to take in the breath taking views. When we got to a high point, you could see the ocean almost all around. Up there, was a man with a little booth set up trying to sell more things. He also had the strange toads along with some conch shells. We stood around trying to make noises with them for a little while. It felt so warm and inviting to be there.

We ended the tour with a stop at the beach. A couple things really grabbed my husbands attention there. No, not women in bikinis, but a big tree house, way up in a tree. Mikey and the taxi driver joked about it being the honeymoon suite. The next thing my husband really liked was a little shop full of paintings. There were many different paintings inside. The man who painted them was just outside the door working on his next masterpiece. They also sold handmade jewelry, wood carved pens, and other trinkets.

A & T: Artesania Gift Shop
Telson y Aminta Allierte (artist)
Foster's West Bay
Roatan, Bay Islands,
Honduras C.A.
E-mail: atarteceniagiftshop@yahoo.com
Tel: (504) 445-4338 or 946-5363

Some of Roatan's Hotel Accommodations:

Luna Beach Resort
West End, Roatan,
Bay Islands, Honduras, C.A.
Reservations & General Questions:
Call Toll Free 866.710.LUNA or 303.362.1044
504.445.4025
www.lunabeachresort.com

Luna Beach is 33 acres of mostly preserved ground. The resort offers dining from 7:45 am to 6:30 pm, this time varies depending upon the season. It also offers a bar equipped with satellite TV, and many different types of drinks, including their famous Monkey-la-la. You can enjoy the nearby local shops and restaurants too.

Beach House at Half Moon Bay
West End, Roatan,
Bay Islands, Honduras, C.A.
Telephone: (011) 504 445 4260 and 504 341 9507
www.roatanonline.com/beach_house

Beach House is located on the beach with three beautiful suites overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It is only a short swim to the barrier coral reef. Also nearby; shopping, diving, and dining.

Airport information:

The airport is located on the West End near Coxen's Hole. It takes about two hours to fly to Roatan from certain parts of the United States. Continental, American, and some other airlines fly daily to San Pedro Sula, Honduras with connection by Sosa, Caribbean Air, and Islena. A ferry is also available to Roatan from La Ceiba. The Roatan International Airport terminal opened back in 1995. It is 27,000 square feet of air conditioned space, with two lounges, two snack bars/restaurants, a car rental, information counter, and even two gift shops. Customs and immigration are located within the international arrival area.

If we were to go again, it would not be by cruise ship because of the time limit you have on shore. I shouldn't say if though, but when we go again. I cannot describe how amazingly beautiful Roatan is. The flowers, the trees, the rawness of it all, it took my breath away. The way we felt when we first stepped foot on the island was a far cry from the way we felt when we reluctantly left.

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