Editor Pick
Pirates, Birds, and Monkeys of the Caribbean !
- March 12, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
Koala_D from Olympic Peninsula, Washington
What a great place to visit!
Here you can play with monkeys and parrots/macaws, learn the history of the island while inside a "Pirate Cave", ride a zip-line through the jungle canopy, go snorkeling, take a horseback ride, kayak, or just hang out in a hammock or lounge chair on the beach!
I took a tour with an English-speaking guide for this day trip (just a short drive from the cruise ship terminal). The bus drive to the park gave us a glimpse of day-to-day life on the island. I always enjoy seeing the colorful buildings in the Caribbean, and people smiled and waved as we drove by.
After arriving at the park, our guide gave us a tour of the botanical garden areas, which features over 200 different species of plants and trees. He explained how the park got its name... from the Gumbalimba Tree. This tree has a bright red, peeling, smooth bark and dark green leaves. Look for cut limbs from this tree used as fence posts on Roatan. Many of them will be growing into new trees, as the Gumbalimba tree can resprout from a broken branch. I was also fascinated by the Soap Tree. Yes, they really do use it for washing!
Next we walked through "Coxen's Cave" , a man-made pirate's cave with artwork and history painted on the cave walls, life-size pirates, treasure, weapons, and maps. This was very informative, and I learned a lot about Roatan's history.
We exited the cave. and carefully walked across a wood plank swinging bridge. I could see turtles swimming below, and some egrets near the shore. After a short walk we descended to the bird area. Some birds were caged, but most were free-flying macaws. These beautifully colored birds would sit on your shoulder or perch on your arm for a photo. But, don't wear your favorite baseball cap.... they LOVE to pick the little button off the top, and they do it immediately!
I hated to leave these pretty (and friendly) birds, but it was time to walk a little further and visit the monkeys. They are very active, and will jump on your shoulder or try to pick your pockets. You can take a picture if you're quick. I thought it was really cute to see them perched on someone's head with their tail curled around the person's neck for balance. There are different types of monkeys roaming freely. I especially liked the howler monkeys. TIP: Leave anything that looks like it could hold food at the park entrance. This includes backpacks, large bags or purses, and of course... food! (There will be someone to guard your things.) The monkeys were quite friendly, but we were told they can be very aggressive if they think you have food. I did take a small camera bag with money, etc. with me to see the monkeys. No problems.
This completed our tour, and we walked back through the beautiful trees to the park entrance. We were then left to explore on our own. There were frequent buses returning to the harbor, so you may stay at the park as long as you wish. I did not try the zip-line canopy tour, but my friends liked it.
I stayed another hour to explore the beach, and bought a few souvenirs from a local seller. The beach is sandy, but also had some seaweed left behind when the tide went out. A few people relaxed on beach towels, but there are also chairs to use. This beach is not the area with hotels so it is more primitive, but very enjoyable.
I would recommend this trip highly to people of all ages. I don't think it would be possible for wheelchairs to get around to all the places I visited, but there are quite a few things that would be accessible. I think it might be possible to see the monkeys using the path we exited on, but I would ask in advance about wheelchairs.
**Note: I don't think they allow visitors on a walk-in basis when cruise ships are in port. Check with your Excursion Desk or Tour Operator in advance. This was one excursion I thought was worth the price charged by the ship. Plan to spend the entire day here relaxing and enjoying the sights.... you won't be disappointed!
From journal I Want to Go Back Again.... and Again.... and Again....