The still air of a day after a storm holds the peace and beauty of this island as a time capsule, then the breeze rustles the palms, the panga boat motors rev through the crystal blue waters and the cool air brings you back from that mesmerized state.This island has so many angles and edges to it. The rich but masked history of this spec on the map barely surfaces at first glance. Four days into our trip and we are finally seeing the beauty and truth reveal itself without pretension.
[box type=”info” style=”rounded” border=”full”]#roatan is the largest of #honduras‘ Bay Islands and is surrounded by 2nd largest reef in the world making it a divers haven[/box]Roatan is a small (35 miles x 5 miles) Honduran island bound to teach a person a thing or two if you allow it the opportunity. This island has a healthy dose of complicated local culture built alongside its attraction for tourists for its massive reef system, 2nd largest in the world. Hundreds of thousands of tourists descend on this beautiful little island each year via the cruise ships and diving communities. Most visitors only see the #paradise they want to experience during their short stint on Roatan but Giving Scene was ready to dig in and truly get to know the island #national geographic named one of top 10 best summer trips 2011.
As we sat on the Beachers Restaurant deck overlooking the calm beaches of West Bay trying to schedule our plans and visits, a local business woman, Sue-Ann Solomon, sat and spoke with us about what to do on the island. Luck would have it that Sue-Ann is the premier concierge service on Roatan (AtYourServiceRoatan.com) and knows EVERYONE. We talked about our purpose and need for exploring the islands socially conscious communities and charities. It took seconds for our new friend to dial a number, explain who/what Giving Scene does and hand the phone over. Within minutes, we had a full schedule of interviews for the following day with some AMAZING individuals who have inspiring stories of social good to share.
The actions and progress of the three organizations we visited are having such impact on this community on an international level and we don’t want you to miss out on the details so our story will be written in 3 parts. So tune in for part 2 & 3 to discover Clinica Esperanza, SOL International Foundation & Roatan #marine park.
*Note – If you decide to visit Roatan, please keep in mind that any of these organizations would be very grateful to receive any supplies to help their mission; backpacks, school supplies, medications, baby formula, etc.