Things to Remember while visiting Roatan
Roatan is one of the largest islands in the Caribbean, located near the northern coast of Honduras. Because of being situated near the largest and one of the most ancient coral reefs, the Mesoamerican Barrier reef, Roatan has a thriving marine life across its coast. The crystal clear waters and the awesome atmosphere attract thousands of tourists every year.
When all these are combined with the various attractions in Roatan, like snorkeling, scuba diving, para-sailing, wind surfing, submarine, kayaking, glass bottomed boating, etc, the trip becomes even more awesome, making the visitors wish to stay for longer duration. Another unbelievable part about this awesome holiday destination is the unbelievably low and affordable vacation rentals in Roatan, be it of hotels or condos, etc.
But, there are certain things which need to be remembered when you visit Roatan. Some of these guidelines are regular but important to let the nature remain in its purest form. Now, without much ado, let’s quickly go through these guidelines:
Plastic Waste: It is strange that tourists are attracted by the beauty of the coral reef but knowingly or unknowingly end up spoiling it by throwing wastes of all kinds. It doesn’t matter if you are only leaving a small tissue paper behind or big piece or plastic or metallic waste; all these damage the coral reefs in one or the other way. Even your cosmetics, including sun screen, can damage the marine life because these contain chemicals which may prove extremely damaging.
The solution: Carry cloth bags, bigger and re-useable plastic containers and bottles. This way, you will not throw away the plastic waste comparatively sooner. Avoid using travel size packing. As for cosmetics, you can buy certain cosmetics from local dive shops which are very much eco-friendly and are also not much heavy on the pockets too! You can see the minimal additional amount as your contribution towards sustaining the nature and natural marine life!
Food Options: We all know that certain animal and bird species have either gone extinct or are on the verge of extinction. Same goes with marine life. While some aquatic creatures like sea horses have gone extinct, many are on the verge of extinction. But, some of these are still available as food options in various restaurants across Roatan.
The solution: The solution to help the extinct marine species become thriving again is to refrain from ordering such fishes and other sea creatures. Some of such extinct sea creatures are Conch, Grouper, Snapper, etc. For more details, you can refer to ‘Responsible Seafood Guide’ available locally.
Purchases and Souvenirs: When you go shopping, you may require a plastic bag to carry all the items you buy. You may even buy sea shells, etc or things made of various materials sourced from the sea. These things and raw materials might be unethically sourced.
The solution: It will be great if you carry a cloth bag whenever you go out shopping and also make sure to inquire and be assured that all the sea materials were sourced ethically, or better still, refrain altogether from buying all such things whether for yourself or as souvenirs.
For more information about anything related to the marine life, you can contact Roatan Marine Park.
Wish you a pleasant and amazingly Eco-friendly stay!