Bad news, West End. Yesterday’s Roatan Municipal meeting confirmed the worst fears of local restaurant and bar owners: no booze is to be served or consumed at any time during Semana Santa (Holy Week— the week leading up to Easter). Beginning on 5 April 2009 and ending on Easter Day, 12 April 2009, the sale and public consumption of alcohol is forbidden on the whole of Roatan. My advice? Stockpile.

Coconut Tree Divers is proud to participate in the 3rd Annual Golden Buoy competition to raise money for the SOL Internation Foundation. Each year, local dive shops compete in a challenge to raise the most money for the SOL International Foundation. The winning dive shop will be honored with the coveted Golden Buoy at Oasis Bar on 16 April during the second annual Dive Shop Olympics. The SOL International Foundation is working to initiate and support community-based programs designed to promote education and increase the quality of life on Roatan. Through the support of grants and initiatives they are committed to enhancing the standards of education, arts and athletics in lesser developed areas. Click the link below to donate to » read more «

Oh yeah, baby, I will rock you! To paraphrase Queen, “I am the champion.” At least I’m the champion versus the nine-year-olds from the Sandy Bay Alternative School at Rock Band. I was absolutely nasty (if I do so say myself), my fingers shredding the five colored fret buttons while wailing on the wammy bar of my Xbox 360 electronic guitar, all whilst relishing the sweet salty tears of my elementary-aged competition as I rocked them a new one.

For the first time in two years, Roatan has sobered up. As opposed to the time-honored tradition in America of getting absolutely blitzkrieged on booze whilst enduring the endless onslaught of CNN poll results on Election Day, Honduras prohibits all alcohol sales over election weekends. Given the volatile mix of machetes and machismo that permeates Honduran culture, the separation of Booze and State is probably a good idea. Between the irate Mainlanders barricading the rain-soaked streets and the Gringos drowning their frustrations while “trapped” in the bars, the continued sale of alcohol during the RECO protests earlier this month fueled island tensions to a stupid level. The game of politics is already mankind at our lowest; better to leave alcohol » read more «