Honduras, Belize, and Mexico pt. 1

Adventures Through Roatan, Honduras

The Norwegian Joy docked at Roatan at exactly 11:30 in the morning: local time. The first word I would use to describe the new destination: color. The extravagant colors on this island were spectacular -from murals on pillars to colorful houses- Roatan was gorgeous.

Awaiting us was quite the adventure. We booked an ‘Ocean Kayaking and Snorkeling’ tour. To say we were excited would be an understatement. As soon as we disembarked the ship, the sunlight scorched my skin -sunscreen was definitely a great idea! We followed signs to a meeting spot and met others on the tour as well as the tour guides who would be accompanying us for the day. They were all native islanders, and they were incredibly kind-hearted and friendly, like Hondurans are known to be.

We were taken by bus across the length of Roatan, which is an island, roughly 30 miles long, off the coast of mainland Honduras. The drive was incredibly scenic: the crystal clear ocean glistened from the sun’s rays and so many vibrant houses stood next to one other. It is important to understand that Honduras wasn’t all cheery and bright: there were many houses that were nearly falling apart, and many families who appeared to be poorer than others. We later learned that the only main income for Roatan was from cruises and the tourist recognition they get from the many people on board the massive ships. It made me realize how fortunate I was to be able to experience coming here and to see a different side of things. I hope that by writing about my time and sharing my experiences, Roatan will gain some more attraction and awareness.

At last, after being driven across the island, our destination was a restaurant called Cannibal Cafe, and they would love to have you there!-(A joke made by one of our tour guides.)The plan was to cross the road to get to the ocean, then go snorkeling . After snorkeling, we’d come back to the Cafe and be given lunch. Finally, we’d get to go kayaking before getting driven back to the ship.

We were all given a pair of fins, a snorkel and goggles, and a life jacket, of course! With all this in hand, we crossed the road and were directly in front of the ocean. The water was simply beautiful, and I could not wait to dive in because I craved the refreshing feeling awaiting me.

Snorkeling at Roatan was like no other -we saw a lion fish, got to hold a sea urchin, and even saw lobsters and baby squid. The views were surreal, and I enjoyed my time in the ocean. Even if you’ve never been snorkeling before, it is an opportunity to never let go; if you’re ever at Roatan, don’t hesitate to sign up for some snorkeling!