Visiting Guanaja

Of the places I visited in Honduras, Guanaja was easily one of my favourites. Unlike the other two main Bay Islands, Guanaja is relatively unvisited and still off the tourist map - meaning you won't find some of the conveniences you might be used to when traveling, but you will find a community of friendly people who will show you the real Guanaja that they love. Many of the locals speak both English and Spanish and will be happy to point out, or more likely take you to, wherever you're trying to go.

As as I mentioned before, while I was there I was able to travel around the island with staff from CEM and the municipality. Two areas we visited were Savannah Bight and Mangrove Bight, two small fishing communities on the eastern side of island. Most of the fishers here go out on day trips in small fishing boats (like those pictured below) to catch whatever is in season and sell it to the local fish houses.

In my down time as able to explore some of Guanaja's other gems — its pine forests and beautiful reefs. While there I stayed a Roland's Garden Guesthouse, a beautiful and secluded two-bedroom house located behind Manati restaurant about a 15 minute water taxi ride from the cay. Roland's house is located up a short trail behind the restaurant, and Roland has also marked out a nice hiking trail heading up the hills behind the house, the "blue point" trail I think he calls it. I ventured out on my own to explore the trail one morning and am glad I did. After a quick ascent up a slick, pine needle covered hillside I found myself in a beautiful tropical forest with views out over the cay and Michaels Rock, a resort literally located on a rock off the coast. Continuing upward, the landscape changed into the wind-whipped pine forest the island is known for. This forest is also unique to Guanaja (compared to Roatàn and Utita) and is responsible for its nickname as the 'green island'. The top of the hike rewards you with views out to Savannah Bight and across some shallow reef areas.

One thing I really wanted to do while in Guanaja was check out some of the underwater life. It is difficult to find anything online about where to snorkel around the island without having to pay for a boat charter, but luckily one of the water taxi drivers I became friends with during my stay offered to take me to a local spot called Michaels Rock.

Located on the other side of the island, towards Mangrove Bight, Michaels Rock is a rock that is often connected to the island, making for easy access right off the beach. You can snorkel out around the point of the rock and basically land right back on the beach where you started. The snorkeling there was amazing — very diverse with lots of different colorful corals, sea grass and marine critters. I would say it was hands down the best snorkel of the trip, and I had the whole reef to myself! Michaels Rock is a bit far from the cay so it is expensive to get back and forth, but there is a great hotel just down the beach called Bo's, owned by Bo Bush, that I would recommmend staying at if you want to visit. Bo's resort also offers convenient access to a hiking trail that leads to a waterfall, which unfortunately I didn't get to visit while I was there.