Eager to visit the next country on the quest to 100, I walked from the cruise port to meet Luis, my driver. I wanted to see as much as possible in the 8 hours I had and decided that hiring a local driver would be the best way to economize my time.
Roatan is an island off Honduras's coast with a large US and Canadian expat community. Beautiful beaches and crystal blue waters align the coast and are home to the world's second-largest barrier reef. Mainland Honduras is one of the most violent and dangerous countries in the world, as gang violence and drug trafficking run rampant throughout. The United States Department of State lists it as a Level 3: Reconsider Travel due to crime and kidnapping, with the area Gracias a Dios listed as a Level 4: Do Not Travel. (What a misnomer of a name, Gracias a Dios means Thank God!)
It's not a ringing endorsement for visiting Honduras.
Roatan seems to be immune to this violence. Luis shared that the island is very safe, the population has grown from 30,000 to 300,000 in the last ten years, and the community relies on tourism for its local economy. I could not verify the population growth Luis shared, and I noted the prominent signs indicating, "You are leaving a secure area. Proceed at your own risk," when walking away from the crowds of cruise passengers at the port to meet my private guide.
Yet, I loved my day in Roatan.
Luis was eager to show off his home and took us to an animal sanctuary, a coffee factory, a rum factory, and West End Beach, considered to be the nicest beach on the island.
Throughout the morning, Luis kept stating, "Let me show you where the Americans live. You will love it." I couldn't help but think, I want to see where the Hondurans live.
Taking a cruise has so many incredible components, and one aspect I love is that it really aligns with the philosophy of making every day count. If you have one day in a new country, you need to get after it. However, I find that the ports are devoid of local culture and tend to cater to what they think the tourists want to see. American music plays everywhere, and you don't need to go very far to find souvenirs from your favorite NFL team.
This is the last thing I want when exploring a new country, and although I am interested, seeing where the Americans live wasn't high on my list.
After several stops, Luis was eager to take us to West Bay Beach. As we drove across the island, we needed to travel to West End, a roughly mile-long strip with a public beach, shops, bars, and restaurants. Looking out the window, I said, "This looks great! Wow, I love this!"
Luis countered, "No, no, this isn't the nice part."
Oh, but Luis, this looks real! I asked if he could stop the car so I could get out and explore. Reluctantly, he stopped, and I agreed not to spend too much time since we had to "See where the Americans live."
West End, which can easily be confused with West Bay, is a bit grittier and a tad touristy but certainly feels like a bit of real Roatan under the surface. The public beach has the same spectacular coastline as the upscale West Bay. Although West End is devoid of the resorts and vacation villas that West Bay is known for, it is closer to being a more authentic Roatan.
The bottom line is that of the three ports of call, Roatan was my favorite, and I would come back for a week-long trip as I am anxious to peel back the layers and see more!
(I will undoubtedly reach back out to Luis, as well! And yes, where the Americans live is quite lovely!)
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