A stunning island in the Caribbean Sea is barely big enough for a game of football, but its beach is a hidden, secluded gem.
Cayo Chachahuate is a cay among the stunning Cayos Cochinos archipelago off Honduras’ mountainous northern coast. This protected marine park contains 15 Cays of different sizes.
Most of them are privately owned, though others, like Chachahuate are home to the local Garifuna tribe.
The Garifuna are descendants of African-Caribbean populations from St Vincent who were exiled to the Honduran coast in Victorian times.
Travel blogger Angel Castellanos visited the projected islands and said that the community of “several hundred people still lives on the beaches and builds their homes out of wood and thatched palms,” though other visitors suggest that fewer than a hundred people live there permanently.
“Many of them have stopped fishing for income and have turned to tourism,” Castellanos wrote back in 2019, as he hailed the beauty and laidback atmosphere of the “picturesque” islet.
The village is truly tiny and can be toured in five minutes, but it has a big reputation for being warm, welcoming, and stunning to behold.
Cayo Chachahuate is also known for its rich marine ecosystem, which makes it a great destination for diving and snorkelling.
Like other islands and islets, Chachahuate is surrounded by abundant coral reefs packed with colourful fish and other marine life, as per Evendo.
The island doesn’t have any hotels, though it is possible to book a room via Airbnb. Given how small the cay is, visitors often stop by to see it while staying on one of the larger islands.
One TripAdvisor reviewer who visited the Cayos Cochinos archipelago in 2019 said it was one of the “most memorable” places they’d been to.
“It is important to mention the efforts that go into preserving the culture, marine life, and wildlife,” they continued.
“Without people who care, we could lose this hidden gem. Definitely recommend this as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I plea to all that we respect and participate in the preservation of these Cayos.”
Temperatures on the islands and cays remain consistently hot even during the winter months, with highs of 28.76C and lows of 27.0C, according to Weather and Climate.
The largest of the islands, the Roatan, is a more popular travel destination. Próspera, the island’s private, for-profit start-up city, has recently made headlines with its semi-autonomous city, which has its own government, which courts foreign investors through low taxes and light regulation.
As a Zone for Employment and Economic Development (ZEDE), the city even has its own laws, legal system, and police force.
Everything, from education to healthcare and public services, is private. A California company offers a Montessori education for around 60 students.
A private firm of armed guards provides security, while an arbitration centre staffed by three retired Arizona judges handles dispute resolution.
The city-state has been a dream of libertarians and anarcho-capitalist thinkers for decades.
