The largest of the Honduras Bay Islands in the Western Caribbean, Roatan is proudly multicultural – a mesclun of indigenous peoples, British colonial heritage, inter-island emigrants, and citizens from the Honduran mainland. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the cuisine: In addition to fine local seafood, Roatan boasts an Argentinian steakhouse, Thai and Vietnamese cooking, and Ooloonthoo, a popular Indian fine-dining establishment, among its culinary delights.
Budget conscious or spendthrift, accommodations run the gamut, from the cheap cabanas of the Bananarama dive resort, the relaxed atmosphere of all-inclusives like Barefoot Cay and Anthony’s Key. The eco-oriented traveler might try the Mango Creek Eco Lodge in the secluded East End, which has prime access to caves, hiking trails, and some of the healthiest reefs in the region.
A mangrove tunnel that transverses the island is a popular attraction, along with an iguana farm, a tropical butterfly park, and the Institute for Marine Science at Anthony's Key, where vacationers can get up close to bottlenose dolphins. Prevailing wisdom says to steer clear of Coxen Hole, Roatan’s biggest city, in favor of the beaches, bars, and restaurants of the West Bay and West End areas –- just a three-dollar water taxi ride from one to the other.
