Anyone ever go to the Mayan ruins in Roatan?

[caly603]

We'd like to go to the Mayan ruins, but we're booked in Belize for cave tubing. I see ruins in Roatan, but I'm not sure how do-able they would be if we are coming by cruise ship. The 8-23 Glory changed it's itinerary and we can't access any excursions for Belize or Honduras so we're trying to find out info on our own. Any recommendations would be highly appreciated.:D

[Rolling Stoned]

I didn't know there were ruins in Roatan. I had a great time on that island though. It wasn't all built up like alot of places. Lots of beutiful veiws. I remember an iguana farm where you just hang out and feed these iguanas. They also had a cool coral reef on one end of the island and ziplines. Only bad thing was the humidity, make sure they turn the A/C up.

[bunny1954]

We'd like to go to the Mayan ruins, but we're booked in Belize for cave tubing. I see ruins in Roatan, but I'm not sure how do-able they would be if we are coming by cruise ship. The 8-23 Glory changed it's itinerary and we can't access any excursions for Belize or Honduras so we're trying to find out info on our own. Any recommendations would be highly appreciated.:D

 

I have to agree with the other poster that I don't recall anything about any Mayan ruins in Roatan. We were there on the Glory last year. We did the all day tour to the ruins in Belize. There are also the ruins at Tulum that you can visit on an all day tour from Cozumel.

[firefly333]

Roatan is a island off of the mainland of Honduras. I think we went all over Roatan and didnt see ruins, you probably have to go to the mainland Im guessing.

[julieoregon]

I believe you have to go to the mainland to see the ruins..........They are at Copan.

[krissy72]

Does your ship stop in Cozumel? If it does, Cozumel has the San Gervous (sp?) ruins.

[caly603]

Yeah, we're going on the Glory and we know about the ruins in Cozumel but didn't want to spend 4 hours on a bus for 3 hours of ruins. The Belize ruins sounded fun but our itinerary has changed and excursions are not able to be viewed or reserved for Roatan or Belize. We booked the cave tubing for Belize directly through the company- it was recommended that we do that for a better tour. The price is considerably less :D Anyone else out there wants to go on the tour, give me a heads up. It's cheaper by the dozen...

I had read that there were ruins in Roatan, but just couldn't make heads or tails out of the distance to and from the ship. We might just scrap the ruins this time <pun intended> and shoot for next time.

Thanks for the heads up and if anyone else has feedback, let me know...

 

Caly

[Host Kat]

... Anyone else out there wants to go on the tour, give me a heads up. It's cheaper by the dozen...

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[caly603]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll correct and repost :o

[capncarp]

Back in 2005, my DW and I purchased some jade necklace/pendant pieces from a couple of very nice ex-cruiseline employees who went native on Roatan. They said that the bulldozers of the developers were uncovering lots of such things and locals were collecting them for sale to the tourists. So I would imagine that the Mayan/Payan island inhabitants of yesteryear have left some more substantial remains as yet-unheralded ruins sites.

[switch49]

There are ruins only in the mainland of Honduras. The best ruins are in Belize.

[caly603]

Back in 2005, my DW and I purchased some jade necklace/pendant pieces from a couple of very nice ex-cruiseline employees who went native on Roatan. They said that the bulldozers of the developers were uncovering lots of such things and locals were collecting them for sale to the tourists. So I would imagine that the Mayan/Payan island inhabitants of yesteryear have left some more substantial remains as yet-unheralded ruins sites.

 

Wow, did you ever have them appraised? Are they pendants or just the jade was recovered and then made into pendants? I bet they are lovely!!

[capncarp]

Wow, did you ever have them appraised? Are they pendants or just the jade was recovered and then made into pendants? I bet they are lovely!!

 

Nope, no appraisal-- they're pieces of jade carved into simple bird-shapes, with a hole through each to allow a thong or cord to pass through to be worn around the neck. I also got a potsherd (potshard?) from these same gentlemen: it appears to be the handle from a terra cotta bowl.

 

These and a small wooden ring I got for a total of $40 USD. I was very happy with my purchase and I appreciated the pleasant conversation DW and I had with these fellows, who weren't professional merchants at all, just had a little stand in front of their home, almost like a yard sale table.

[caly603]

Isn't that something? They look quite large in the picture, but you said they're pendants. Never know what kind of find you will come across I guess. Did you say they were found on Roatan?

[capncarp]

Isn't that something? They look quite large in the picture, but you said they're pendants. Never know what kind of find you will come across I guess. Did you say they were found on Roatan?

 

The larger bird is about 6" - 7" from beak to tail and has a little "ring" of jade through which the cord would pass; the smaller bird is about 3" long and has a hole from its throat to the back of its neck for a cord. Yep, on Roatan. Apparently the hills that are under development were used by the Mayans as a lookout post.

 

One of my other purchases was from Yaba Ding Ding-- a modern manufacture by traditional methods of a "jaguar" pot, made by local women from traditonal techniques and materials.

[caly603]

Thanks for including the pictures. That would have been my next request.;)

Is Yaba Ding Ding fairly close to the dock? I am limited in mobility, but that was one of the places that intrigued me. And did you dicker the price there? Or anywhere else for that matter, lol! I could use all the hints I can get :D

[capncarp]

Thanks for including the pictures. That would have been my next request.;)

Is Yaba Ding Ding fairly close to the dock? I am limited in mobility, but that was one of the places that intrigued me. And did you dicker the price there? Or anywhere else for that matter, lol! I could use all the hints I can get :D

 

IIRC, It's about 1/2 mile walking to the right of the dock gate--head into town and it will be about 7 city-block equivalents on the right hand side of the street. And they have air -conditioning, which can be a godsend in high temperatures.

 

Yaba Ding Ding is strictly retail, and apparently some of the profits go to support the local women who make many of the pottery and fabric objects for sale there. Our young guide said that the shop also supports the local school he attended (the school is the pale yellowish building in the background directly above/behind our guide.) Yaba Ding Ding is across the street and a little further up.