La Ceiba ^27
The following day was Sunday and the city centre dead quiet. A short stroll led to
the beach for lunch and the rest of the day was spent chilling, doing truly little
except laundry.
As La Ceiba was the gateway to the Bay Islands of Roatan, Utila and Guanaja, the
plan was to take a ferry there the next morning. The island of Roatan was a well-
known diving destination, whether snorkelling or scuba diving.
La Ceiba – Roatan - 27 kilometres
We loaded our mobile homes and cycled the short seven kilometres to the harbour,
where a ferry waited to take us to the islands. The islands were located about 50
kilometres off the coast.
About an hour and a half later, the ferry dropped us at Dickson’s Cove. From
Dickson’s, a 20-kilometre cycle ride brought us to West End, which had plenty of
places to overnight, a few small shops, a lovely bay, and crystal-clear water.
Lodging was expensive, but Ernest set off on foot in search of something more
reasonable. He returned with good news as he located digs offering a shared
kitchen, veranda and hammock. The setup resembled a house as the kitchen was
well equipped, providing a microwave, stove, toaster, coffee maker, pots and pans.
Three rooms led off from the kitchen and we met Miriam and Doris (from Austria),
two pleasant people with whom we shared the house.
Roatán is the largest of Honduras’ Bay Islands. It’s approximately 50 kilometres
long and less than eight across at its widest point. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef
surrounds the islands, the most substantial barrier reef in the Caribbean Sea
(second largest worldwide after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef).