Roatan - A Tropical Caribbean Island of Natural Beauty

Roatan is a lush Caribbean island off the coast of Honduras. Roatan has a thriving tourism industry which has grown dramatically with the opening of a cruise ship dock in recent years. It is little wonder that tourists keep returning to Roatan. Many come for the spectacular scuba diving.

The coral reef surround the island is the home of brilliantly colored tropical fish and an underwater world of other sea life. The reef is also the resting place of a number of shipwrecks.

Roatan's history includes Mayan Indians that left pottery and carvings that are still unearthed in the hills of Roatan. Later, settlers of European descent arrived on Roatan, some as peaceful farmers and others as pirates, who plundered Spanish gold ships that sailed the Caribbean on their way to Spain. Garifuna, a mixture of people of African descent and Carib Indians, established a village in Punta Gorda. Garifuna is still spoken in Punta Gorda today.

Roatan offers a change of scenery and an escape from winter weather in other countries. Swimmers enjoy the sea year around. Tropical fruit grows and flowers bloom all year. With its relaxed atmosphere and stunning beauty, Roatan is inviting. Hammocks are strung in patios overlooking Caribbean sea views with tropical breezes making the adding to the tranquility.

Seafood harvesting remains an important part of Roatan’s economy. Boats from Roatan trap lobster and net shrimp and fish. Seafood is processed here for export.

Fishing is also important to the lives of many islanders on a smaller scale. Fishermen still use traditional wooden dories to net fish as their livelihood, although many of the dories now have motors. Dories are an important part of island transportation in some areas where houses are accessible by water rather than by road.

Tourists are not the only people who have discovered Roatan - retirees and wealthy people looking for a Caribbean island setting have settled here, calling Roatan home. As more people discover Roatan, more houses and condominiums are going up. Some homes are built as investments due to rising real estate prices. Many investors also make money renting their properties to vacationers.

Are you ready to call Roatan home? Pick your building site - perhaps a hilltop with panaromic views of lush tropical vegetation and Caribbean sunsets blazing a path in the sea, or perhaps a seaside condo with beach frontage. Martinez Construction can build that Caribbean island home of your dreams.