Roatan, the largest and most developed of the Bay Islands, is located in the Western Caribbean Sea. It is part of Honduras, lying about 35 miles from the Northern coast of the mainland. The island is 30 miles long and three miles wide. It is surrounded by a rich barrier reef (the second largest in the world) making it a true paradise with world class diving and snorkeling.
The island has a rich history from the days spanning from Indian inhabitants, to the days of piracy and looting, to fighting over which nation owns the island, to independence and modern times.
Old Port Royal played a very important part in the History of the Bay Islands and Roatan. In 1642, English pirates from modern day Belize had occupied Old Port Royal. The Spanish, desiring to rid the area of pirates so they could transport the New World gold to Spain in peace, attacked Port Royal with four war ships in 1650. The pirates successfully defended Port Royal, forcing the Spaniards to return to the mainland for reinforcement. Eventually, greatly outnumbered and with fierce fighting, the pirates were conquered. A number of descendants with English names and heritage live there today.
To this day the ruins of a pirate fortress, located on Fort Key, which was used by Henry Morgan along with many other notorious pirates who roamed the shores of the island can be seen from Villa Royale. Some islanders say they see ghost of pirates roaming the hills and keys of Port Royal looking for their buried treasure.