For those who visit and holiday in Roatan, names like West End, West Bay and Half Moon Bay are often the first that are spoken of in introduction.  And there’s good reason for that.  All these areas are well developed and provide many, if not all, the amenities needed and appreciated by tourists and travelers alike.  However, there’s another side of Roatan that’s rarely visited by the cruise ship crowds and vacation rental dwellers.  For those looking for a different perspective of Roatan, the island’s east end provides a glimpse of what may have been centuries ago.  Tales of pirate bounty and shipwrecked sailors abound in this area of the island that was a popular hiding spot in the 17th century.  Come to Roatan’s east end and discover Port Royal, Roatan and pirate legend.

The East End Of Roatan

Roatan’s East End is a throwback to what the island looked like before it became a cruise ship destination.  A single 15 mile road leading to the East End provides amazing views of both the north and south coasts.  Dotted with tiny fishing villages and cattle farms surrounded by jungle, this sparsely populated side of the island allows tourists a glimpse of Roatan from another era.  Traditional housing, sitting overtop of the ocean, provides shelter for the Garifuna people, descendants of the indigenous Arawak and Afro-Caribbean transplants.

Although you won’t find the crowded beaches and large numbers of tourists that the western side of the island is famous for, it’s not like you’ll be completely out in the wild.  There are still high end accommodations, funky restaurants and lively bars to keep you sheltered, fed and watered.  After a day spent on a deserted beach, amenities like these are well regarded.

Old Port Royal

In the 1600s, Old Port Royal was the vibrant home to as many as 2000 pirates and 500 houses.  An easily defended harbor with an extensive reef system that offers only a couple of deep sea entrances provided a great hiding place for those on the run from the Spanish rulers of the Caribbean.  The bay was fought over for centuries and ended up in the hands of both the Spanish and the English several times over.   Nowadays, there are only some ruins that lend a hint as to what existed here hundreds of years ago.

Pirate’s Treasure

Because of all the pirate activity that occurred in the area, there have been many treasure hunters who have come to this part of the island to seek their fortune.  This first became popular at the beginning of the 20th century with the discovery of treasure chests and other valuable artifacts.  In the 1960s, the famous writer, Robin Moore, worked with a treasure hunter to find more valuables and wrote a book about their adventures.

Modern Day Treasure Hunting

The fact is that all these early treasure hunters made off with their finds illegally.  So while the possibility of becoming rich by finding treasure in the East End is now virtually nil, this area is more accessible than ever.  For a look into what Roatan once might’ve been, Old Port Royal provides an interesting portal.