Travel/POI: Wonder of the Seas 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise - 3. Roatan & Puerto Costa Maya 海洋奇蹟號7晚西加勒比海郵輪之旅洪都拉斯的羅阿坦島, 墨西哥的科斯塔瑪雅

The 7-night Western Caribbean cruise that we went in December 2024 started in Orlando, Florida, and stopped at CocoCay in the Bahamas, Cozumel in Mexico, Roatan in Honduras, and Puerto Costa Maya in Mexico, with two sea days included. The cruise then returned to Orlando. Let me show you what we did at the last two ports.

2024年12月我們這次選擇的七夜加勒比西海岸遊，從弗羅里達州的奧蘭多出發，中間停巴哈馬的可可灣、墨西哥的科蘇梅爾島、洪都拉斯的羅阿坦島，以及墨西哥的科斯塔瑪雅，其間有兩日的海上巡航日，再回到奧蘭多。現在讓我介紹我們在最後兩個港口的玩況。

Roatan, Honduras 洪都拉斯的羅阿坦島

Roatán is the largest of the Bay Islands in Honduras, stretching 48 miles (77 km) in length and up to 5 miles (8 km) at its widest point. Roatán's claim to fame is its coral reef, part of the Mesoamerican Reef—the second-largest in the world after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The island is renowned for its snorkeling and diving opportunities.

The rainy season typically begins in October and lasts through January, although rainfall usually comes in scattered showers. Fortunately, we were lucky and didn’t encounter any rain during our visit.

Most of the island’s infrastructure is concentrated on its western half. The most populous town is Coxen Hole, the capital of the Roatán municipality, located in the southwest. As of December 2024, the U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 3 Travel Advisory for Honduras due to crime concerns. For safety reasons, we chose to stay near the cruise docking area close to the port and did not venture into town.

羅阿坦島是宏都拉斯海灣群島中最大的島嶼，長 77 公里（48 英里），最寬處 8 公里（5 英里）。羅阿坦島以珊瑚礁聞名，它是中美洲珊瑚礁的一部分，也是僅次於澳洲大堡礁的世界第二大珊瑚礁。這個島以其浮潛和潛水勝地而聞名。

雨季通常從十月開始，持續到一月，但降雨通常為零星陣雨。慶幸的是，我們去的時候運氣還不錯，沒有遇到下雨。

島上的大部分基礎設施都集中在西半部。人口最多的城鎮是位於西南部羅阿坦市首府科克森霍爾(Coxen Hole)。截至 2024 年 12 月，基於犯罪問題，美國國務院已向宏都拉斯發布 3 級旅行警告。出於安全考慮，我們選擇在靠近港口的遊輪停靠區附近看看，並沒有冒險進城。

Photo Date: 2024.12.05

Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico 墨西哥的科斯塔瑪雅

Puerto Costa Maya is a small tourist region in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Located near the capital city of Chetumal, it lies close to the border with Belize. The area has experienced rapid growth since the construction of a large pier designed to accommodate cruise ships.

Xcalak is approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of the Costa Maya cruise port. The world’s second-largest barrier reef runs just offshore from Xcalak. This reef, designated as a Mexican national reef park (Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak), is an excellent destination for snorkeling, scuba diving, and fly fishing.

The fishing village of Mahahual is only about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) away. It features soft sandy beaches, grass-thatched palapas, and a coral reef called Banco Chinchorro located a short distance offshore. Mahahual also offers several bars, restaurants, and shops.

During our visit, we stayed at the port rather than venturing far. In addition to the shopping mall, the central plaza features saltwater pools, swim-up bars, and various amenities, along with numerous excursion activities.

In 2024, Royal Caribbean announced its purchase of the port and the surrounding area, with plans to convert it into a private resort exclusively for its customers.

科斯塔瑪雅港是墨西哥金塔納羅奧州的一個小型旅遊區。它位於首都切圖馬爾附近，靠近貝里斯(Belize)邊境。自從建造了一個專為容納遊輪而設計的大型碼頭以來，這地區經歷了快速成長。

艾克斯卡拉克(Xcalak)位於科斯塔瑪雅遊輪港口以南約 60 公里（37 英里）處。世界第二大堡礁位於艾斯卡拉克的近海。這個珊瑚礁被指定為墨西哥國家珊瑚礁公園 (Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak)，是浮潛、水肺潛水和飛釣釣的絕佳地方。

Mahahual 漁村距離科斯塔瑪雅港僅約 3 公里（1.9 英里）。這裡有柔軟的沙灘、茅草棚和距離海岸不遠的 Banco Chinchorro 珊瑚礁。 Mahahual 還擁有多家酒吧、餐廳和商店。

我們停在這個港口玩時，我們只留在港口而沒走遠去別的地方。除了購物中心外，中央廣場還設有海水游泳池、「池畔」酒吧和各種設施，以及許多遊覽活動。

2024年，皇家加勒比宣布購買該港口及週邊地區，並計劃將其改造成專供其客戶使用的私人度假村。

Photo Date: 2024.12.06

The Danza de los Voladores ("Dance of the Flyers"), also known as Palo Volador ("Flying Pole"), is an ancient Mesoamerican ceremony and ritual that is still performed in Mexico today. The ritual involves a combination of dance and the climbing of a 30-meter (98 ft 5 in) pole. From the top of the pole, four of the five participants launch themselves, descending to the ground while tied to ropes. The fifth participant remains at the top of the pole, dancing and playing a flute and drum. According to one myth, this ritual was created to appeal to the gods to end a severe drought. In recognition of its cultural significance, the ceremony was designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO to ensure its preservation and continuity in the modern era.

Danza de los Voladores（「飛人之舞」），也稱為 Palo Volador（「飛桿」），是一種古老的中美洲儀式，至今仍在墨西哥沿用。儀式包括舞蹈和攀爬 30 公尺（98 英尺 5 英寸）長的桿子。五名參與者中的四名從桿子頂部跳下，綁在繩子上下降到地面。第五名參與者留在桿子的頂部，一邊跳舞一邊吹笛子和鼓。根據一個神話，這個儀式的創建是為了祈求眾神結束嚴重的乾旱。鑑於其文化意義，這儀式被聯合國教科文組織指定為非物質文化遺產，以確保其在現代的保存和延續。

Saltwater pools, "swim-up" bars

海水游泳池、池畔酒吧

Aviarius. Besides the flamingos (free to view), there are many exotic birds available to see on the excursion for a fee. My daughter participated in an excursion and she said it was worth it.

鳥園除了紅鸛(火烈鳥)免費觀賞外，付費的遊覽還可以觀賞許多奇異的鳥類。我女兒他們去參觀了，她說很值得。

We strolled through the streets outside the port, where many taxi drivers were actively touting for business. Not far away, I spotted a replica of a Mayan temple. Finding little else of interest nearby, we decided to return to the port.

我們走到港口外的街道看看，許多計程車司機在兜攬生意。不遠處看到一座複製的瑪雅神廟。附近沒有什麼好逛的，我們便走回港口。