A shelter from the storm

Off the ‘main drag’

The main hurricane belt in the Caribbean generally tracks north of Roatan. That doesn’t mean the island doesn’t ever get hit or that it doesn’t incur damage from hurricanes. But it’s very rare for a serious storm to directly hit the island. 

Now and then, the island will get a good dose of rain or a good bit of wind from the outer bands of a hurricane or tropical storm. But direct hits, because of where the island is situated, are extremely rare. In fact, the last major “direct hit” was when Hurricane Mitch made landfall in October 1998. 

Even then, the most marked damage was in southern Honduras, thanks largely to flooding. The storm moved over Roatan and dropped torrential rain. Anything not contained blew away, including clapboard houses and tin roofs. But Ocean Breeze Villa was largely undamaged thanks to its durable construction. 

The Mesoamerican Reef

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is the second-largest barrier reef in the world. Only the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia is larger. This giant protective reef offers some serious protection against storm surges that might otherwise swamp Roatan during a big storm. 

And, outside the reef lies the Cayman Trench that reaches depths of more than 25,000 feet. These deep, blue waters are much more difficult to agitate, meaning storm surges are generally modest. 

Close eye to the south

The hurricanes that hit Honduras usually originate in the south. Most hurricanes that travel across the Caribbean originate in the west and track east to west over the sea. But, those rare storms that start off the coast of South America are the ones we keep an eye on here in Roatan. 

And, even then, these storms tend to impact the mainland of Honduras more than they do Roatan. Our island lies in a sheltered nook in Central America, so we usually only see significant hurricanes once every 25 years or so.

Don’t let storms impact your vacation

Living in the Caribbean comes with no small amount of anxiety when it comes to hurricanes. But we’re very lucky here in Roatan, in that big hurricanes having a direct impact on our island are very rare. 

That said, they do happen. And, if you’ve booked a vacation between June and December, there’s always a chance that a hurricane can impact your visit. For that reason, we strongly recommend travel insurance. A good travel insurance policy will protect your trip, reimburse you for canceled flights and missed hotel or resort stays.

But, if you book a stay with us at Ocean Breeze Villa, and a storm prompts you to change your trip, never fear. We’ll honor your reservation at a later date, and you’ll still be able to come and enjoy your chill retreat on Roatan’s East End.