Where is Roatan?
Where is Roatan?
Roatan is situated 65 kilometers off the northern coast of Honduras in Central America and is part of the Bay Islands and located between the two other major islands Utila, and Guanaja.
Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands and in the past was known as Ruatan or Rattan.
Roatan Geography
Roatan’s geography is remarkably diverse, considering how small of an island it is. The island is approx 50 km (or 32 mi) long and less than 8 km (or 5 mi) wide at its widest. It has long stretches of coastline consisting of white sandy beaches, mangroves, small coves, and a rugged iron shore, a small mountainous ridge runs down the spine of the island and reaches elevations that can go as high as 270 m (or 890 ft).
The island is covered in a mixture of forested areas and areas that were cleared in the past for farming. The island is surrounded by the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System which is the second-largest reef system in the world.
Coxen Hole is the capital of Roatan and one of the island’s main commercial centers and home to shopping, banking, government offices, and the Port of Roatan cruise ship dock. Nearby communities include Gravel Bay and Flowers Bay which run west along the shoreline from the Port of Roatan, to the east you will find the Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport, and continuing on eastward you will find other major communities including Mount Pleasant, French Harbor, Jonesville, Oak Ridge, and Punta Gorda
Roatan is the largest of the Bay Islands which consist of eight major islands and 53 small keys, as the largest island Roatan is still somewhat small and covers only 83 km2 (or 32 sq mi).
Roatan is home to some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, including West Beach Bay, Camp Bay Beach, and Half Moon Bay in West End. The island’s reefs and crystal blue waters have made it a popular destination for divers and snorkelers. Although some parts are developed or developing you will still find many quiet and underdeveloped areas especially on the East End of Roatan.
