Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................ 2 Where is Roatan? ................................... 3 Roatan Life.......................................... 9 Immigrating to Roatan ........................... 15 Buying property on Roatan ...................... 19 For more information .......................... 24
Introduction
The island of Roatan is located just south of the Yucatan Peninsula in the western Caribbean, and has become popular with expats looking for a safe, comfortable, and interesting place to live and invest. As a result, we've prepared this basic guide to living on Roatan that includes information about: Roatan geography Roatan life and culture Immigrating to Roatan Buying real esate
info@bellabayestates.com
Chapter 1
Where is Roatan?
Where is Roatan?
The island of Roatan lies just south of Mexicos Yucatan Peninsula in the western Caribbean, and is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands, or "Islas de la Baha".
Roatan has direct flights from North American cities including Miami and Atlanta and is 90 minutes by air from Florida.
Thanks to its proximity to the Mesoamerican Reef, second longest barrier reef in the world, Roatan and Honduras' Bay Islands have become a mecca for scuba diving, snorkeling and ecotourism.
The Mesoamerican reef stretches more than 1,000 kilometers from the tip of the Yucatn Peninsula (located to the north of Roatan), all the way to Roatan and the Bay Islands of Honduras, which are home to 95% of all marine life in the Caribbean.
" Roatan: home to 95% of all marine life in the Caribbean "
The Mesoamerican reef system includes many protected areas and parks along its length, is the largest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest barrier reef in the world.
The island of Roatan is approximately 50 kilometers miles long, and is less than 4 kilometers wide at the widest point.
Coxen Hole
The commercial hub of the island is Coxen Hole, which with a population of 10,000 is the largest town on the island. Other important towns include French Harbour, West End, and Oak Ridge. Rugged, rainforested hills means there are few roads on the island. Towns and villages on the island offer seclusion and a "tropical getaway" for visitors and longterm residents.
(Fall 2012 - please check for current schedule; all times shown are local)
American Airlines will offer nonstop service between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Roatan's Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport (RTB) in Roatan beginning Nov. 17, 2012.
Chapter 2
Roatan Life
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Weather on Roatan
Roatan enjoys an average daily temperature of 27 C (82 F), and throughout the year temperatures typically range between 21 and 32 C (70 90 F).
Few hurricanes
Due to its location in the southwest corner of the Caribbean, few hurricanes typically reach Roatan.
" Roatans pleasant climate is milder and cooler than the mainland."
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Coral Cay
See a turtle hatchery, a nurse shark, or just rent snorkel gear, a kayak, or swim off to nearby coral reefs and two ship wrecks.
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West Bay
In West Bay, dive to three or 30 feet in comfort using SNUBA technology, without the hassle of dive certification or air tanks (a qualified guide will accompany you).
Dixon Cove
Try diving in the company of dozens of reef sharks. Las Palmas Club in Dixon Cove offers shark dive tours.
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Ecotourism on Roatan
Roatan welcomes visitors, and there are many things to do all over the island. Here are just a few ideas:
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" Tour through a mangrove channel cut between Caribe Point Bight and Jonesville"
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Chapter 3
Immigrating to Roatan
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Immigrating to Roatan " Non-residents may visit Roatan for up to thirty days without a visa"
or getting a 3 month visitor visa . When deciding to live in Roatan, there are a few things you need to know. Non-residents or foreigners may visit Roatan (which itself is an Island in the country of Honduras) for up to thirty days without a visa.
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You must leave the country every 6 months for a minimum of three days if you have not acquired residency. The process in obtaining a residence visa is straightforward, but f you want to avoid the paperwork involved Applying for a residence visa in Roatan To apply for a residence visa, you will need:
with
a passport valid for at least one year from the date of your application a birth certificate a certificate of health a letter of reference from your local police a letter of reference concerning your bank or an employer stating simple details about monthly cashflow three passport photos
acquiring residency, you can easily make a quick three-day trip to a neighboring county.
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Chapter 4
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" If you are buying without the assistance of a local developer, you will need to hire a notary "
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meters (.75 acres) of land. If you are buying land without the help of a local developer there are can be restrictions on purchases within 40 km of the coastline or international borders). To purchase a larger parcel of land, it is necessary to form a corporation.
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Working with a local developer will help bypass many hurdles when investing in Roatan real estate. Some developers offer 100% ownership of titled land, often in a community of white-sand beachfront homes. Legal fees and closing costs vary between owners so we recommend budgeting in the region of 5% of the property value. The addition of financing will incur further costs. Title insurance is available. Annual property taxes are extremely reasonable, currently being less than 0.5%.
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For information about acquiring land title in Honduras, please see: http://bellabayestates.com/land-title-documentation-honduras/
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Roatan lies in the perfect Caribbean location, enjoying great weather, cooling breezes, many sheltered bays, and protection from Caribbean storms. For more information on how to enjoy this Caribbean paradise, see:
http://bbroatan.com/QDX48p
This ebook was sponsored by Bella Bay Estates, a Caribbean retirement and vacation investment property on the island of Roatan, Honduras, selling 100% ownership of titled land in its community of white-sand beachfront homes.