101 Vacation Islands of the World

Roatan Bay Island

Roatan Bay Island, known long ago as Rattan or Ruatan, is the largest bay ever to be found in the country of Honduras. The size of this island is actually 60 kms in length and less than 8 kms in width. It is situated close to the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean Sea, the second largest in the world.

Composed of two municipalities - Jose Santos Guardiola in the east and Roatan in the west, this largest island in the Honduras speaks mainly of an island that is distanced from channels through the mangroves which is 15 meters in width, on an average. The cut off this island is called Helene or Santa Elena in the Spanish language. There are also several satellite islands which are located in this region - Barbaretta, Pigeon Clay, Barefoot Clay, which used to be called as Burial Key until 2001 but now this island is being frequented by popular personalities and celebrities and Morat.

Things To Do In Roatan Bay Island

Roatan Bay Island is known for its sports tourism such as scuba diving and vital cruise ship destination in the country of Honduras. Tourism is playing a vital role in this part of the region, and now the ultimate pastime of fishing is also catching up to the visitors extending their stay here, and this is also becoming one of the source of income for the locals.

The history of this island is as phenomenal as the island itself. This dates way back when Christopher Columbus made an interesting voyage to the neighboring islands, and came across Roatan. The Spaniards began using this island as a cruel treatment to the slaves, and every man was killed here.

Ever since that time, there have been many visitors frequenting the islands - travelers, pirates, traders, militarists, settlers and people who are all employed with the business of trading. This has also been the focus of military occupation.

The British also was interested in conquering the islands, and has since made perennial stop over to this prime spot. They have made this island a haven for transport and safe harbor. On the other hand, the French, English and Dutch pirates have developed a liking to this particular island and they have conquered the islands, throwing off the Spanish in jeopardy and sifting through the Spanish cargo containing treasures and gold from other new world countries. There were as many as 5,000 pirates living off the island during this time.

From that time and up to now, many changes and developments have been purposely happening in this side of the region. There had been growth in population, transformation and changes in the economy and even having environmental problems. A sudden influx of Spanish-mestizo descendants suddenly began appearing in droves. But even with such a growth of the population, nothing can still withstand the number of tourists and visitors coming to the island and enjoying themselves to what the island has to offer.

And even with still countless natural calamities such as Hurricane Mitch in 1998, temporarily sealing off people from commercial establishments, Roatan Bay Island still stood its ground. Its primary focus nowadays? To be environmentally friendly to tourists who want to keep on coming back.