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Roatan Honduras Travel News: The United States has issued a travel alert recommending that American citizens avoid all non-essential travel to Honduras due to the current political unrest. Honduras experiences demonstrations and rioting with road blockages from time to time, sometimes shutting down major roads. As a result, cruise ship stops and flights to Roatan are occasionally cancelled. Left-wing leaders from the Americas have been expressing support for the deposed left-leaning President of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, who was trying to force a constitutional vote change in defiance of the Honduran Supreme Court and Congress. Zelaya was trying to change the Honduran constitution to permit him to continue in power just as his close ally Chavez of Venezuela had done. Left-wing socialists Barack Obama and Hugo Chavez join Fidel Castro in supporting the ousted President, with whom they are ideologically aligned. Miles de personas se manifestaron en contra de Manuel Zelaya (thousands of Hondurans demonstrate against Zelaya) Despite the widespread support in Honduras for the removal of Zelaya, military intervention from other American countries is possible to restore the Chavez ally to power. About Roatan
Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands, which are a part of Honduras, lying just over 30 miles from the northern coast of the Honduran mainland.
Parrots, iguana, and monkeys live in the wild on this tropical island. An iguana farm east of French Harbor provides a refuge for thousands of iguanas and is open for tourists. Roatan has a mild climate year around with sea temperatures fine for swimming all year. The weather does not always permit swimming, however. Stormy weather brings rough and dangerous seas, but that is more like to occur during the rainy season. Thousands of tourists travel to Roatan each year. Visitors from around the world enjoy Roatan's relaxed lifestyle, beautiful sea, mild climate, and friendly people. As more people become acquainted with Roatan each year, more decide to make the island their home. Roatan is experiencing a real estate boom and the associated housing growth. At the same time, more people are moving here from the mainland of Honduras to take advantage of the economy and better paying jobs. |
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Coxen Hole is the largest town on Roatan. It is home of government offices, the airport, and the cruise ship dock. It streets are narrow and crowded with people and honking cars. Street vendors offer peeled oranges, a variety of other fruits, newspapers, and souvenirs for tourists. In this photo, a customer is paying one Lempira (a little more than 5 US cents) for a peeled orange to a Coxen Hole street vendor. Coxen Hole is one of the less attractive communities of Roatan. French Harbor is the second largest community on Roatan. It is a thriving business center, with one of the largest grocery stores, banks, real estate offices, shrimp boat docks, and shipping companies. A new shopping center is under construction in French Harbor. It will feature the island's first Wendy's restaurant. Punta Gorda has the largest settlement Garifuna people. The Garifuna have a fascinating culture, preserving their African roots. They beat African drums and still speak the Garifuna language, which is very unusual sounding. West End is the tourist side of the island, with dive centers, hotels, restaurants, and tourist shops. West End has rental properties and condominiums available for travellers who choose to stay longer on Roatan. |
Exchange Rate buy 18.9 |
Lempiras have been holding steady compared to the US dollar for a couple of years or so (Feb 09). Roatan Emergency Phone Numbers Phone Directory for Roatan and the Bay Islands National Weather Service, Roatan Time Difference Between Honduras and Other Cities of the World |
The Honduras government had been a stable democracy, but has been shifting away from the United States and leaning left, reaching out to Venezuela's Chavez. Honduras recognizes the value of Roatan tourism and foreign investment to the nation's economy. Accordingly, Honduras passed laws protecting the environment and encouraging foreign investment and ownership of property. Travel Brochures: Please note that Travel-Roatan does not have any travel brochures to send out. |
Travel-Roatan.com assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this website. Honduran laws related to immigration and other matters change. For the latest information, contact the appropriate Honduran authorities. all rights reserved by travel-roatan.com |
Roatan
is a beautiful tropical Caribbean island with stunning views of the
sea with its shades of blue, lush vegetation, and gorgeous sunsets. It
has the contour of a gentle mountain ridge rising from the sea and
stretching from the southwest to the northeast. 
Roatan is known around the world for its scuba diving. The
reef surrounding the island attracts beautiful tropical fish and snorkelers
alike. Dive
attractions include sea walls, shipwrecks, and night diving. Sea
turtles, dolphins, and whales swim in the waters of Roatan. 
You may spend either Honduran Lempiras
or American dollars on Roatan. Some businesses give better
exchange rates than others, so ask what exchange rate they give before
you spend dollars here.