What seems like forever ago, Nick and I went on vacation to Roatan, Honduras. Roatan is a small island off the coast of Honduras known for being a great Scuba diving destination as it houses the second largest barrier reef in the world - second only to Australia's. I have to admit, I first heard about this vacation spot by watching House Hunters International and was intrigued. The more I learned about Roatan (outside of what HGTV offered), the more excited I got. When I realized there were easy flights from Boston through Miami to the island, Nick and I talked about scheduling a trip. It was not until we searched TripAdvisor high and low for accommodations and found Tranquilseas that we actually booked the trip.
View from our room...
Tranquilseas offered not only some lovely suites with oceans views, but also an on-site dive shop that had great reviews. Since we don't dive a ton, we still go out with dive masters and rent most of our equipment at each resort, so the dive shop is an important component to our trip planning.
After our easy flight we were greeted by co-owner Chris, who grabbed our stuff and brought us to the resort. I was surprised as we drove from the airport to Tranquilseas how lush and verdant Roatan was. Lately our tropical vacations have featured more of the desert scrub landscape, so Roatan was a nice change of pace. Chris was actually a landscape architect in a previous life, and one look at the grounds of Tranquilseas will tell you that he has put his learning to amazing use - the grounds are stunning. With such a diverse number of plants, you feel like you are in the coolest jungle!
Old Dock down the beach from us...
When looking out onto the water, you can see the huge reef that surrounds the entire island. The water color is so vibrant - its incredible! The shift and water color before and after the reef just highlights how massive it is. Roatan's Marine Park works hard and takes amazing care of their reefs. There is a massive undertaking to educate residents and tourist alike. Our dive master was from Roatan and you could feel the pride he has in the area. Compared to other areas in the Caribbean, Roatan's reefs have been well preserved considering the activity levels in the area.
More views down the beach
The diving was definitely some of the best I have done, almost as great as the Maldives. The water was so clear, and there were so many fish and such diverse coral. Over the course of 8 dives we got to see a ton of the island, never having to go very far from the shore - in fact I think we could always see the shore, that is how close the reef was! While there are no sharks, there were plenty of turtles and rays to keep anyone completely entertained.
A look back at Tranquilseas
The docks with some huge Mangrove trees
Enjoying the views at lunch
One of the suites
There was rain, but it was still beautiful
Couldn't get enough of the views!
The Band!
Enjoying the live music
Music and party from our balcony
Co-owner Monica is from Spain and makes an amazing Paella!
The walk from our room to the pool - like Swiss Family Robinson!
Tranquilseas is located in Sandy Bay, which is a bit off the beaten path. The major tourist area is West Bay, lined with hotels,cruise ships, beach chairs, and restaurants. We went over to West Bay to scope out the scene on one of our days off from diving. It is definitely a fun place to visit and take in some views and people watching.
People watching while bellying up to the bar on a swing is the best!
West Bay Beaches
Tip of West Bay
While the weather was a bit grey some days, Roatan was still beautiful. When it was sunny, it was absolutely stunning!
I would like to go back now!
Sunset!
Gorgeous views
Roatan was such a relaxing, fun trip! If you are at all into diving it should be at the top of your travel wish list, in my opinion. There are also so many great dive shops on the island that it would be a perfect place to learn to dive if you've ever had the itch. The island also has plenty of other activities to do for non-divers as well.
Nick and I will definitely be going back to Roatan soon!