We enter through a pirate cave where life-sized pirates stand at attention; chests of treasure, old weapons, pictographs and maps conjure up those days in the mid-17th century. In the coolness of Coxen’s Cave, we consider English buccaneer Henry Morgan, who established his base here. Then, pirate hordes of over 5,000 had sheltered their sloops and schooners around Roatan’s protected Bay islands.
Emerging into warmth and sunlight, we stroll in the natural world along pathways looping through profuse botanical gardens. In a shady grove, we chat with zip-liners alighting on a platform after ‘flying’ from tree-top-to-tree-top across the lush canopies above. One breathless gal points upward, “We started on top of that mountain and after 10 traverses, we’ll end up on that beach way down there—very cool!”
Brilliantly colored parrots and macaws enliven the air, squawking and shrieking raucously. Glancing upward, we spot flashes of scarlet, yellow and lime against cloudless blue skies as they flit, float and fly to gnarly perches below. Crossing a rope suspension bridge over a pretty lagoon filled with turtles, we descend along a leafy trail to where many fellow visitors pause for souvenir pictures with these friendly, feathered fellows sitting on shoulders, outstretched arms, and even heads. (to be continued)