About Guanaja, Honduras.

Guanaja is an island steeped in vibrant culture with a proud People.  Located approximately 43 miles from Mainland Honduras, and 7.5 miles from Roatan, Guanaja is the most isolated and least developed of the Bay Islands.  

Known by many names throughout history, Guanaja was originally called Guanaca by the Payan Indians who lived here.

Christopher Columbus made landfall in Guanaja on July 30, 1502 at Soldado Beach on his fourth, and last, expedition.  Columbus called the island Isla de Los Pinos because of the large proliferation of pine trees found on the Island. To this day, his landing is still celebrated every year with the annual Conch Festival.  

Fun fact: Guanaja is where Christopher Columbus first encountered cacoa.  So for you chocolate lovers, you already have a special connection to Guanaja!

Guanaja has only one road, and at last count, about 40 cars.  The road is 2 miles long.  There are three principle population centers.  Savannah Bight, Mangrove Bight, and what is affectionally known as “The Caye”.

The vast majority of Guanaja’s 5,000+ inhabitants reside on the Caye – a largely manmade atoll off the coast.  Legend has it that the original settlers of the Caye were trying to escape the pesky sandflies that plague the Island.

As an American, the best way I can describe Gaunaja to another American is – imagine you stepped back in time between 20-50 years.  Add a dash of Carribean culture, blended with a community that has largely been isolated from the rest of the World for much of its existence, and you have the Island of Guanaja.  Transportation is mainly by boat as there is such limited options on Guanaja.  This limitation has a host of consequences – both positive and negative.  

While Guanaja once had a relatively advanced tourism industry, Hurricane Mitch parked over the Island for several days in October 1998 wreaking havoc and decimating the Island.  The once busy resorts never rebuilt, and Guanaja tourism all but died.

At present, the primary industries all center around the Ocean.  Fishing, lobstering and shrimping are how most locals make their living.  

However, in recent years, several resorts have opened bringing more modern tourist facilities back to the Island.  While those resorts are not what you would get in larger tourist destinations such as Cancun or Cozumel, they are quaint and offer sufficient amenities that you will find yourself quite comfortable.  One even has a lazy river pool!  One of the others, a secluded private beach, where you may find yourself with your own private beach for the day or even the length of your stay!

For scuba divers, Guanaja is absolute paradise.  Located on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, second in the World only to the Great Barrier Reef, Guanaja offers pristine diving and the opportunity to dive days without seeing another dive boat.  The advantages of diving in Guanaja will be discussed in another post.  

The People of Guanaja are friendly and extremely welcoming of tourists.  Unlike some other places I’ve visited – the People of Guanaja are legitimately happy that you have come to visit and appreciate that you took your valuable time and money to come visit them in Paradise.  

The advantages and disadvantages to Guanaja tourism will be discussed in another post, but suffice it to say – Guanaja offers some unique advantages over other Bay Islands.