TJ's BuyRoatan.com Blog

TJ's Top Travel Pick of the Week - Chicago to Roatan!

Another snowstorm in the midwest?  Time for some tropical heat?  If you're in the Chicago area, Delta has a great fare to Roatan starting March 6th, Saturday departure/return.  Check it out...

 

Buying Imported Furniture and Protecting your Investment!

We may not have Costco or Home Depot (yet)... but we sure have some great importers of fine furnishings from places like Indonesia  and the Philippines!  I needed some pieces to finish off a couple of rooms in my place so come with me and see what the Island has to offer you.  Oh, and see my million dollar tip to protect your investment!

 

Surf's Up! Roatan gets Pummeled by Wind and Waves...

Again I say.. IT BEATS SNOW!!!  Another cold front called a "norther" has rolled in bringing high winds from the north last night.  That doesn't stop the beach goers though and the added surf is always a nice change from the normally calm Caribbean waters surrounding Roatan!

 

Spanish or English? Communicating on Roatan!

Roatan's part of Honduras, right?  They speak Spanish in Honduras, right? What about Roatan island?  Do I need to be able to speak Spanish to communicate there?  These questions answered...

 

How to cook Perfect Lobster...

One of my favorite pastimes is gourmet cooking.  And I especially love cooking for friends and family all the seafood delicacies the Bay Islands' reefs have to offer.  Tonight, it is a Lobster Feast, TJ style.  Watch the chef in action...

 

TJ's Top Travel Pick of the Week - Denver to Roatan!

If you're in the Colorado area and are in desperate need of a tropical vacation, take a look at today's Top Pick, available on Delta Airlines from Denver to Roatan...

 

Island Life from a 78 year old's Point of View!

You don't have to worry about retiring in Paradise anymore!  Watch what one "young" resident (less than 2 years) has to say about Island life here!  Margaret is 78 years young and is certainly not pulling any punches when she talks about Roatan.  Take a look...

 

The Machete is Quicker than the Eye!

As if almost one of the body's permanent appendices, Honduran men learn to use the machete at a very early age.  Useful as a lawnmower, can opener, coconut husker, axe and planing tool, these razor-sharp sword like blades are the lifeblood of the male gender here and probably the most invaluable tool used to make a living.  Check out one in action...

 

The Mansion at Costa Tesoro - Coming Soon as Roatan's Premier Boutique Bed & Breakfast!

Looking for the ultimate getaway on Roatan?  Somewhere where you can be pampered like a Rock Star and live out a dream of staying in a Mansion for a week? A place like no other you've ever experienced before? Check out Costa Tesoro... opening soon to a very few select travelers who will only accept the very best! The Mansion begins taking reservations in March.  Oh, and it's available to buy or invest in as well.

 

Roatan's International Airport - Direct flights to our Island, Mon!

Sure, maybe once upon a time it was a dirt runway and a grass hut as the terminal.. and maybe that "time" wasn't too long ago.. but today, Roatan's concrete runway and air-conditioned terminal building is a designated "International" airport... which means it has flights coming in from other countries around the world.  Join me as I show you just what you're in store for if you haven't been here before...

 

Need Staff? Roatan's Workforce is Ready, Willing and Able!

Moving down to Roatan means owning or renting a place to live.  Hiring maids, gardeners and other domestic employees is something most Gringos eventually consider living here.  Today, we talk to local Island gal, Adie Stewart.... a Housekeeper for many years on Roatan with lots to say....

 

TJ's Top Travel Pick of the Week - Newark, NJ to Roatan!

Heading to the tropics from the east coast?  Today's Top Pick is on Continental Airlines with non-stop service from New Jersey to Roatan... once a week, Saturday flights.  Take a look....

 

Beach Business 4 Sale - Only $39K! Be Your own Boss in Paradise!

Nestled in the heart of West Bay Beach - Roatan's Mecca for the tourist population, sits a cute little ice cream and dessert shop called the Caribbean Creamery.  Featuring home made soft serve delicacies, coffees and banana bread, this little business is a gold mine!  Take a look and drop me a note if you're interested in running your own business in the tropics!!!

 

Honduran Coffees - Smooth, Robust and Roasted right here on Roatan!

Next time you visit your local Starbucks, think about this video.  Now you'll know exactly what it takes to make that black gold that wakes up America!!  Today, we visit "Cafe Buenos DIas".... a locally operating Coffee Processor that controls every aspect of their gourmet product... from owning the plantation where the coffee beans grow, to roasting, grinding and packaging.. it's all done right here on the Island!  Owner Ron Cummins spends a few minutes and shows us around....

 

Canadian Tourists Loving and Buying into the Roatan Lifestyle!

Whether it's your first time here, or you're a 'seasoned' frequent traveller to the Islands, Roatan offers something for everybody!  And when the fever strikes... you may be looking to become Roatan's newest property owner.  More and more people come to the Bay Islands in search of paradise and wind up staying longer, coming back or even buying a piece of land, house or condo before prices start rising once again. Let's hear what some Canadian tourists have to say about our little Caribbean hideaway...

 

Relocating to Roatan - Residency and Working in Honduras

Ok.. this is probably the most important Post of the year!  So many people are buying Roatan property now and relocating, or planning to in the future.... and the questions of the day are.... so  Can I work?  What about getting legal residency so I don't have to leave the country every 90 days?  What is the process?  What's the cost?  I spoke with legal residency expert and attorney, Lic. Cesar Gonzalez today and got the skinny for you....

 

Pack Your Bags! Things you'll want to Bring to Roatan!

For everyone who's ever planned a trip to the tropics, you know by now the questions that pop into your head as you're leaning over your open suitcase on your bed.. Do I need this?  What if we go out one night?  Is this going to be too warm?  What about my DVD player?  Do they have plug ins?  If you're anything like my wife, you almost ALWAYS pack way too much and never really need half of it anyways!  Watch as I run through my list of things you'll definitely want to bring along to Roatan...

 

TJ's Top Travel Pick of the Week - Miami to Roatan!

Surfing the internet and finding the best, and cheapest route to Roatan from the USA is your travel agents job.... ya, right!  Here's my Top Pick of the Week...

 

Roatan Electric Company (RECO) - Who What When Where and Why!

Roatan island is electrified by one utility -- Roatan Electric Company or RECO for short.  I was privileged today to meet with the big kahuna himself, Mr. Richard Warren - General Manager of RECO, and learn first hand WHO they are, WHAT they are doing, WHEN they are going to do it, WHERE they came from, and WHY they do what they do.  Watch this very informative and revealing interview...

 

In Tow, in Tow... For Car Repairs I'll Owe!!

Yep, even in Paradise.... cars break down... some are easy fixes.. and some aren't.  Mine isn't and needs to be towed!  Not only that, it can't be fixed here on Roatan soooo what's a guy to do?  I'll explain more here...

 

Work from Home on Roatan! 3G, Fiber Optics & Broadband at your Fingertips!

Spurred on by a growing trend -- made popular by tech-savy corporate America -- more and more people are trading in their 2 hour commutes on concrete fastlanes in their tiny metal coffins and cramped shared office cubicles for the more relaxed, pajama-laiden work-from-home lifestyle.  With the on-flux  of technology, broadband internet, 3G and 4G access-anywhere, virtual meetings and Smartphones, what was once considered a "dream" is becoming reality for more and more professionals... but would it work here?  I mean, could someone sit in a hammock with their laptop on a beach in, say, Roatan, and be just as productive as back home?  Roatan's TOP tech guy, Mitch Cummins, sheds light on Roatan's cyber world....

 

Need a Doctor on Roatan? Check out the Medical Facilities...

One of the first questions I'm asked as a Realtor in the Bay Islands is "How is the medical care there?" What happens if you get sick here?  What about the doctors?  Hospitals? Are there ambulances?  What about pharmacies?  Whether you're here for the day on a cruise ship, a week, or maybe considering moving or retiring here... these questions are REAL, so here's some REAL answers....

 

Roatan's Reef Police - Whatcha gonna Do when they come for You?

Arguably, Roatan's greatest natural resource has in it's "popularity arsenal" is the barrier reef system that surrounds the Bay Islands.  Divers have been coming to Roatan to gaze in awe at the coral, swim with the marine life dependent on the reef, and photograph the splendor of the rainbow of colors it offers.  The Roatan Marine Park was established to preserve, educate and conserve Roatan's precious coral reefs and has done an excellent job keeping predators at bay... ensuring sustainability for generations to come.  What kind of threats to this fragile ecosystem does the Marine Park monitor? The answer may just shock you...