3 Cool Facts about the History of Roatan

Roatan is a cool island, there's no denying it. We have an amazing, well-protected reef, an interesting collection of cultures and a lush, hilly landscape that's unusual for the Caribbean. What else makes Roatan unique? Here are 3 cool historical facts that you may not have known about Roatan!

Fact 1. Columbus "discovered" the Bay Islands

Roatan, Utila and Guanaja were well-populated by the time Columbus came across them in 1502, but it was his "discovery" that first brought in Western influences to the islands. The Spanish and British started mining for silver and gold on the mainland, so the Bay Islands were raided for slaves to work the mines. The original inhabitants of the Bay Islands were probably the Paya people, and those that weren't taken as slaves succumbed to diseases born by the Spanish, like measles and smallpox.

Honduras itself means "depths", from the deep waters that plunge off its coasts. Christopher Columbus is said to have exclaimed, "Gracias a Dios que hemos salido de esas Honduras! (Thanks God we have departed these depths!)," when he entered the to-be-named Cabo Gracias a Dios in Trujillo, which provided calm shelter in the midst of a storm.

Fact 2. Roatan was a pirate hangout

Pirates were certainly not the first Western inhabitants of Roatan, but they were probably the most interesting. French and Dutch pirates used to lie in wait on the Bay Islands for passing Spanish galleon ships so they could take their treasure. Henry Morgan and Blackbeard were among the 5,000 pirates that called the Bay Islands home in the 17th century. Coxen Hole? Named after another famous pirate, John Coxen.

Fact 3. The Garifuna were "deported" to Roatan

The Garifuna are mixed descendants of Arawakan Indians, Island Carib and African people. The British colonialists also referred to them as "Black Caribs".

The Garifuna first started in the late 1700's, when about 2500 slaves were left on the island by the British (the journey started with 5000 people, but half of them didn't survive the journey). Those that didn't move to the mainland started a settlement called Punta Gorda, which is now the Garifuna cultural center of Roatan. As cultures go, they're relatively new, only going back around 200 years on this island, but their mix of British, Spanish and Black Carib culture makes them an interesting and integral part of Roatan and Central American history.

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Did you already know these cool facts about Roatan, or did they surprise you? Let us know what other “3 Cool Facts” you’d be interested in learning, whether it be about scuba diving or Honduras, and let’s get our learning on!

5 Important Packing Tips for Roatan

Ever gotten back from a trip and felt like you’ve only used 10% of what you brought? Overpacking is easy to do, especially when you’re going to hot, tropical climates. Roatan has a very laidback vibe and casual clothing requirements, so to help you out before your trip we’ve put together our 5 most important packing trips for Roatan. Some of these tips will apply to packing in general and some apply to Roatan specifically, so check out our Top Five Tips and get packing!

Tip 1. Lay everything out

Before you start throwing things indiscriminately into your bag, lay everything out so you can see exactly what you're bringing. Making a checklist, preferably in writing, so you can note exactly what you will need for your trip. Packing 20 shirts, a pair of heels and just one pair of shorts may not be ideal for a 7 day trip to a beachy island, but you may not even know that you've packed all that if you're not keeping track.

Once you've laid everything out and made a plan, roll everything up and put it in your bag. Low on space? Head to Tip 2 for what to do next!

Tip 2. Need vs Want

There's a lot of stuff that we want to take on vacation, but how much of that do we really need? If you're visiting Roatan, you don't really need a pair of heels or hiking boots, just a pair of flip flops and maybe sneakers if you like to work out will do. Do you really need a fancy dress if you're staying in a hostel, or four pairs of long pants when the humidity is 90%? If you really want to bring those heels or those fancy dresses, go for it, but make sure that you've taken care of all your needs and that you have adequate space before you start packing your wants.

Tip 3. No shoes, still service!

On Roatan, shoes are a recommendation, not a requirement. Even at the fancier restaurants, like Roatan Oasis or Ibagari, you'll see at least one local sitting there barefoot. Now, your visiting city feet are probably not strong enough for you to wander around barefoot all the time here, but you also don't need to adhere to any strict dress codes here, either.

While this tip applies to everyone visiting Roatan for an extended period of time, it doesn't apply to people traveling on cruise ships. Most cruise ships have a fancy dress night, and we’re pretty sure you can't walk into the cruise ship restaurants without at least a pair of flip flops on, so make sure you pack at least one pair of nice shoes if you're cruise shipping.

Tip 4. Laundry is cheap on Roatan

If you're coming to Roatan for two weeks, you don't have to pack two weeks' worth of clothing. We have laundry shops all over the island, where you drop your clothes off and they'll have them washed, dried and folded by the next day. And we promise, no one around here will notice that you've worn the same shirt twice in *gasp* the same week, so save yourself the heavy lifting and pack light.

As a word of warning, your laundry is charged per pound. It normally runs about 45 lempiras, or $2.00-2.50 per pound, so make sure that you don't bring in sopping wet clothing or else the bill will be way higher. Also, dry cleaning is not an option here, so don't bother bringing down fancy silks. Cotton is the fabric of our lives.

Tip 5. Leave room for souvenirs

Anywhere you go, you're going to want to bring home souvenirs, either as a memento for yourself or as presents for family and friends.

To get some special, not run of the mill souvenirs, you can check out Rusty Fish, where they train locals to take locally sourced materials from the dump, like Texaco oil drums, and turn them into cool wall ornaments and magnets. The Roatan Marine Park stores sell Roatan Marine Park branded t-shirts and sweatshirts and locally made honey, jewelry, vinegars and jams, all benefiting the marine park and local communities. Rusty Fish and the Roatan Marine Park have stores in West End and both cruise ships ports, so whether you're visiting for a day or a week, you'll find an awesome memento of Roatan without being kitschy.

And if you want your friends to really love you, pick up some good ol' Caribbean rum!

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So there you have it, our Top Five Tips for packing for Roatan! Happy packing and we'll see you all soon!