Two feet on Island Time

Welcome to Honduras,

Life is lush on the Bay of Islands. The beaches are gorgeous, the locals are friendly, the water is turquoise blue and the sunsets leave you gasping while you fumble for your camera. Island life is exactly what the doctor ordered. Or was that a self diagnosis?

All of us have, at one moment in our lives, looked at a travel magazine and seen that Utopian image of the Caribbean blue waters, the soft sandy beaches and lush palm trees and immediately felt that longing. We wonder, when will our chance come to step into the image and experience it for ourselves?

I hear people say all the time… “Oh I’ve gotta do that sometime!” “I’m adding that to my bucket list.” “I’m going to go there Someday.”

Well, when is your “someday” going to be today!?!”

We all have that list of dreams, we’ve tuck it away behind an even longer list of ‘more important things’. And so those visions we once created for our selves remain a dream, tucked safely behind a door of  “maybe next year”.

Well, we’re here, knocking on that door suggesting your someday can be today and the bay of islands off Honduras are not that far out of reach.

Open that door, and visualize yourself standing on that beautiful beach. The ocean breeze washing over your senses. Take in a deep breath and fill your lungs with ocean air, let those shoulders drop. Sunshine and soft sand squeezing between your toes. The only question you really need to answer is, would you prefer to relax in a hammock, or swim in the turquoise sea?

You’re on island time now.

Island life takes on a rhythm of its own. You learn very quickly how to slow down, to chill out and relax, or “Chillax”, as I prefer to call it. The stresses of life seem to wash away with the tides. The fresh ocean air blows the mind chatter away and soon you find yourself waving at the locals and smiling at nothing in particular.

Some of us are more adventurous, and for those I say, there’s much more to do on the islands than just relax. Sunset cruises, catamaran rides, zip line tree canopy tours, horseback riding, scooter rentals, paddle boarding, deep sea fishing and nature hikes.

With the second largest reef in the world, you’re guaranteed to find adventure and beautiful scenery under water. Whether you stay on the island of Roatan or venture further to the small island of Utila, there are some amazing dive sites around this area and you’re bound to see a turtle or possibly even a whale shark if you come around April. Or maybe you prefer night diving or swimming with sharks?

 There are dozens of dive shops all offering classes, instruction and amazing opportunities to explore the ocean. Any ones who’s ever experienced breathing underwater can vouch for the awesomeness of the ocean and her reefs. Utila has some of the prettiest dive spots I have ever explored and coming face to face with an octopus was worth the surprise.

There’s a variety of places to stay on the islands. Whether you’re looking for a more all inclusive experience, a local boutique hotel or budgeting for a hostel, there is something for everyone. Though Roatan is definitely more expensive, you’ll find all the conveniences we westerns are accustomed to. Wifi, burgers and of course ATMs with the option of taking out US cash or Lempiras. There’s something for everyone. There’s shopping, there’s tiki bars, there’s banana boat rides and there’s docks fully dedicated to hammocks. Though some beaches are fuller than others with the typical tourist attractions, there are quieter beaches to explore and the over all feeling still remains in paradise.

For some of us, we may only be able to ground ourselves for a week or two on island time, but the benefits last much longer. When we give ourselves permission to root ourselves into island mode, we feel the benefits almost immediately. We give ourselves permission to recover. To let go of the day to day responsibilities and enjoy life. We can sigh out the garbage we’ve been collecting for 351 days of the year. Even if it’s just for a moment or two weeks, we are giving ourselves the opportunity to experience the good things this beautiful earth has to offer us.

Maybe we can’t sit on a beach every day of our lives and be in perpetual bliss, but we can take what we learn from our island friends and integrate these lessons into our own lives. We have the choice to give ourselves these opportunities. The question is do we choose to give this opportunity to ourselves today, or do we shove that dream to the back of our list of priorities. The decision on where we put our two feet and how we step forward is ultimately ours to make.

Ready to open that door? The islands await…

Check out these amazing island opportunities coming this winter. Book now!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *