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Roatan, one of the premier reef diving locations in the world, boasts no less than 24 scuba diving operators. Many of the 30 or so preferred diving locations on the island are within swimming distance of the northwest and west shores of the island, sheltered from the prevailing easterly winds that buffet the western Caribbean year-round.

To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.

Freya Stark

Roatan, Honduras 02.14-28.08

Water, sun and boats are the prevailing reality of Roatan for tourists, the largest ialand in the Bay Islands off the north coast of Honduras.

Advantage Roatan: This island, off the north coast of Honduras, a Central American nation that proved to be a stalwart ally of the U.S. through the last days of the Soviet Union's attempts to influence politics in neighboring Nicaragua, shows no sign of its geopolitical heritage. Instead, it is a microcosm of our world's problems. Mainland immigrants arrive in hordes drawn by the promise of jobs available to build housing for and cater to the whims of North American ex-patriots seeking warmer climates. Given this reality, Roatan is a quintessential Caribbean experience, marked by pleasant and picturesque seaside resorts while hidden on its tropical mountainsides are squalid, ramshackle slums.

Guarded response: One doesn't have to be on Roatan long before learning the term "watchiman" or some similar spelling thereof, which refers to a professional class of local residents who ensure that whatever they are guarding will not be looted by unidentified liberators of personal property. It is a prevalent if not acknowledged subject of concern among expats who hope to maintain an American lifestyle on Roatan.

Sunsets are a constant fascination on the west end of Roatan.

Law and disorder: There are police and then there are police on Roatan. The national police are impressive with their military-style uniforms and weaponry. The local police are the poor country cousins, getting by without law-enforcement basics such as vehicles. If the chief is called to a crime scene he often has to take a taxi. And if you're unfortunate enough to end up in the island's jail, pray you have someone who will bring you food, because no meals are provided.

The Westminster dog show should take note of a new and distinct breed on Roatan - what is widely referred to as the "island dog," a generally mid-sized breed of varying color patterns, but displaying a short coat of fur and a universally deferential demeanor.

Strange sights are plentiful on this island. Visitors to the local zoo are confronted by an army of uncaged iguanas lazing blissfully on the toasty pavement of its entrance road. Coconuts generally are brown and nondescript in appearance, but they look like orange party balloons on Roatan.

Power to the people: Electricity is a precious and capricious commodity on Roatan. The antiquated diesel-fired power plant constantly runs at near capacity, resulting in daily and sometimes hours-long blackouts. Residents seem resigned to the situation. The persistent construction of beachfront gringo housing replete with air conditioning seems to ensure the problem will only get worse. The government sought a new power plant operator, and a Texas billionaire apparently won the contract with promises to renovate the aging facility, but there was rumors of bribery at the highest levels, and the Dominican Republic on the other side of the Caribbean suddenly became the operator apparent.

Third-world signs are often intriguing, and Roatan's are no exception. Fishermen obviously took exception to an official-looking sign on a West End beach announcing regulations concerning the harvesting of lobsters and conches. The name of a favorite dive spot elicits second glances at Sandy Bay resort, especially because of the ghostly typography.

Another colorful sunset beckons beach revelers into the surf for some twilight volleyball.

Rain or shine: As with any tropical locale, rain comes fast and hard and departs as suddenly, a necessary reality in places with lush vegetation, which Roatan certainly has. A result is puddles. They're everywhere on an island that has many dirt roads and scant road maintenance. The main street of West End, an entertaining village in which every other storefront seems to be a bar, is pocked with a jarring succession of muddy holes capable of testing the sturdiest axles. The result is a constant slow-moving parade of vehicles bobbing and weaving its way from the main highway to the far end of town where the street dead ends and back.

On a mountainous island where no road is straight or flat for long, the shortest distance between two points is sometimes by water. Water taxis, small open boats propelled by powerful outboard engines and piloted by ragtag crews constantly ply the surf between popular beaches in search of passengers offering lempira, the Honduran currency, which trades at upwards of 20 to the U.S. dollar. Here a tourist inquires about passage aboard a catamaran about to motor back to its marina mooring.