Dina's Travels: Caribbean Cruise--Stop 3 at Isla Roatan, Honduras

January 1, 2014 was probably our most exciting day.

We stopped at Isla Roatan in the morning. Roatan, located between the islands of Utila and Guanaja, is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands. "The Bay Islands consist of eight islands and 53 small cays lying some ten to forty miles off the northern coast of Honduras."

For more information on them, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roat%C3%A1n

It was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan and is approximately 48 miles long, and less than 5.0 miles across at its widest point. It has become an important cruise ship and scuba diving center. In previous centuries, it was a pirate haven, in part because of the many bays along the coast.

The four of us went on another Carnival tour to Gambalimba Park, on the very western end of the island.

It is named for the tree of the same name.

Double Gambalimba tree

Rudolph was our guide and very personable. He was fairly young and still lives at home with family.

We went in a van to Gumbalimba Park. It took about 30 minutes along a very windy and hilly road. One of the first thing that Rudolph showed us was a group of small bats in the ceiling of an open area.

We gathered at the guambalimba tree and Ruldolph put the young kids into the roots of the tree.

Near this tree we saw a number of fast-moving hummingbirds feeding.

There is a very similar bird in Israel called the "Yonek Dvash" (honey sucker) but it is not related to the hummingbird.

Rudolph showed us a citrus tree that did not produce edible fruit but the leaves were used for making a citrus-flavored tea.

Zekey sniffing the citrus leaf

The park is beautiful. I would have loved to have had more time to stay there.


Variant hibiscus flower

Timna, in pigtails, wearing the flower Rudolph gave her

Rudolph showed us several kinds of fruit. First was the star fruit. It is available in the US but usually quite sour.

Zekey tasting the star fruit

Rudolph squeezing juice from star fruit

Other fruit that Rudolph showed us included:

Breadfruit is cooked to be eaten, and tastes a bit liked cooked potato.

Cannonball fruit

We then walked through the Insectarium at the park. I was not impressed. There were a lot of insect samples from many different places in the world. It was not clearly marked as to which were from the region.

Then we walked into an exhibit about pirates in the region.

Zekey balancing on a canon replica

The center of the exhibit with the history of pirates had a map of the island, surrounded by real water. In the photo you can see Timna holding Zekey.

The Bay islands were anciently known as Las Guanajas, from Guanaja, which was discovered by Christopher Columbus, in his 4th and last voyage to the New World, on July 30, 1502. The Admiral named it 'Isle of Pines', and claimed it...for Spain

Isla Roatan


Map of Columbus' Voyages

Remnants from older tribes on island

When Columbus arrived in 1502, these islands were occupied by a large population of Pech Indians, considerably advanced in civilization, who kept up a commerce, through the means of large and well equipped boats, not only with the mainland of Honduras, but also with Yucatan, and, it is alleged, with Jamaica. To read more about the history of the islands, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Islands_Department

Piracy was big in the 1600s, 1700s, and early 1800s.

The boys were fascinated about pirate stories and also were excited to get pirate "coins."

We walked on and saw a bunch of iguanas grouped together

Then we crossed a very wobbly "Pirate" Bridge. Savta helped a little girl cross it.


Jonah led the way

The highlight of the tour came next. First we interacted with parrots.

After the parrots, we came across a group of macaws in the trees and on the fence nearby.

Then....MONKEYS!!!

That monkey ("Betty 2") seemed to feel right at home on Jonah's head.

We also saw an agouti and a guinea hen.

We thought we had hit the highlight of the day, but Rudolph arranged for Mommy and Jonah to go zip lining even though Jonah was not yet 8 (or 12??) yet.