2009 World Dive Guide - Triple Threat - Honduras

Honduras Even lightning slows in the Bay Islands of Honduras. It pulses long and lazy on the sea's edge, as if uncertain whether to head for the hammock or pop another Salva Vida (Lifesaver) beer. But that's the allure here, where pirates once mingled with indigenous groups of Indians and the Afro-Caribbean Garifuna. The British colonized here — adding English to the Spanish Creole — but they couldn't defeat the "island time" vibe. Then again, who would want to, really? Today, these islands attract mainly divers. That's because the world's second-largest barrier reef — the Mesoamerican, aka Belize — protects these waters. Its backside disappears into the Cayman Trench, attracting pelagics such as eagle rays and whale sharks. Banana-shaped Roatán, the biggest island, scored an international airport, posh resorts and a police-patrolled marine park. Its legendary descent is Mary's Place — a maze of canyons pierced by sunlight, where octopuses, seahorses and nurse sharks shelter. Dolphins are another draw to Roatán. The Institute for Marine Sciences houses more than a dozen bottlenoses at Anthony's Key Resort, which offers encounters and open-water dives with the animals, along with a two-day specialty course. The sleepy, relatively unknown Guanaja boasts the Pinnacle's black-coral forests and Vertigo's 130-foot drop-offs. Utila antes in great nightlife, dorm-style rooms and some of the planet's cheapest dive certifications. But don't dismiss this backpacker outpost: It offers more than 100 named sites. Plus, whale sharks linger near the Black Hills, especially during March, April, August and September. After all the sun and Salva Vida, let the punta rev your pulse again. This Garifuna music weaves drums, rattles and turtle shells, and can be traditional or rocked-up. Either way, its butt-shaking dance drives home the point: An equal number of impressive shows await above and below the surface in the Bay Islands.