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Caribbean Paradise: Scuba Diving in the Honduras Bay Islands
Author: Mike Brown
What's your image of a tropical paradise? Maybe it includes beautiful white beaches, palm trees, and clear blue water. What if it had no crowds and included some of the world's best scuba diving? That pretty well describes the Honduras Bay Islands.

Located in the western Caribbean off the coast of Honduras, the Bay Islands are one of the few unspoiled tropical paradises left on earth. They consist of the islands of Roatan, Utila, Guanaja and over 60 smaller islets resting on top the world's second largest barrier reef.

The islands feature a laid-back lifestyle, a friendly English-speaking population, and a great vacation opportunity for both scuba divers and non-divers.

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
The Bay Islands have become one of the Caribbean's best diving destinations because of their large reef system and great variety of sea life. The water has good visibility and little current. Diving depths vary from reefs in 15 feet of water (great for snorkeling) to sea mounds that slope down 200 feet.

The largest of the Bay Islands is Roatan, which stretches for 42 miles in length and is 2 miles wide. Both Roatan's northern reef and southern fringing reef boast around 40 dive sites each, offering spots for both novice and experienced divers that are characterized by plummeting walls, crevices and caverns.

Roatan also features some great shore diving sites, including the famous Spooky Channel. The channel is an ancient streambed that forms a cut through the reef. Spooky Channel can be reached from the pier Bay Islands Beach Resort. While snorkelers can explore the 8-foot crack at the top of the reef, divers can swim through shafts of light in the much wider interior of the channel.

The island of Utila has gained a reputation among scuba divers as a great place for beginners. It offers the least expensive dive certification courses on the planet, and has become something of a Mecca for low-budget travelers. Competition between dive shops has brought prices down to between $125 - $150 for an open water certification course or an advanced open watercourse.

Utila is also one of the best places in the world to see whale sharks, the world's largest fish. Don't worry, despite their name, the whale shark is harmless. March, April and May are the best months to see these giants. You can also dive and swim with dolphins.

Other Activities
While scuba diving is the main attraction, there is much more to see and do on the Bay Islands.

Families will love the Tropical Treasures Bird Park on Roatan. The park contains one of the most extensive collection parrot species in Central America.

Carambola Gardens offers a relaxing stroll through a diverse collection of flowering plants, ferns, fruit trees and orchids. Kids love Roatan's Iguana Farm, where the green iguanas that laze about.

Many companies also offer sea kayaking from Roatan's West End, another way to experience the beautiful coastline. From half-day rentals to one, two or 6-day tours, sea kayaks offer the most adventurous way to get around to the island's best snorkeling spots.

Non-divers can get a close look at the coral reefs with the C-BUG mini-sub. Located on Roatan's West End, this two-person submarine will take you down as far 700 ft. below the surface.

Getting There
Continental Airlines flies directly from Houston to Roatan. Continental also flies from Newark to San Pedro Sula on the Honduran mainland, with a connection to Roatan.

You can also fly either American Airlines or Continental Airlines via Belize City to San Pedro Sula and catch a connection to Roatan.

TACA Airlines, the low fare Latin American carrier, flies directly to Roatan from both Miami and Houston. The airline also flies from Los Angeles, New Orleans and San Francisco, with connecting flights to Roatan.

Sol Air is a new airline that has recently launched and flies direct to Roatan from Miami and Dallas.

Once on the islands you can get around by inexpensive taxis, bus service and water taxis.

Where To Stay
The islands feature a number of resorts, including Anthony's Key Resort on the north shore of Roatan Island and the Coco View Resort on the south shore. Most Bay Islands resorts blend in with the environment, and none are built higher than the tallest palm tree.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

TropicaRez.com , a central reservations and booking service specific to the islands can help you with accommodations.

Roatan Realty offers property listings and organizes real estate investor tours.

Bay Islands Tourism has a very useful schedule of national flights to the islands.

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