Guanaja
Guanaja is one of the Bay Islands of Honduras and is in the Caribbean. It is about 70 kilometres (43 mi) off the north coast of Honduras, and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the island of Roatan. One of the cays off Guanaja, also called Guanaja or Bonacca or Low Cay (or just simply, The Cay), is near the main island, and contains most of the approximately 5,538 people who live in Guanaja. The densely populated cay has been described as the Venice of Honduras because of the waterways that run through it. The other two main settlements on Guanaja are Mangrove Bight and Savannah Bight. Smaller settlements includes Pelican Reef, East End and North East Bight.
NASA satellite photograph of Guanaja | |
Guanaja Guanaja | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Caribbean Sea |
| Coordinates | 16°28′N 85°53′W |
| Archipelago | Bay Islands |
| Area | 50 km2 (19 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Department | Islas de la Bahía |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 5538 (2015) |
Ramsar Wetland | |
| Official name | Sistema de Humedales de la Isla de Guanaja |
| Designated | 25 October 2021 |
| Reference no. | 2456 |
The primary source of income for the islanders is fishing and shrimping. Tourism is confined to a handful of small resorts that cater to divers, snorkelers and adventure travellers. The island's warm, clear waters support an extensive coral reef that is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and second only to the Great Barrier Reef off the coasts of Australia. Currently, there is still access to fresh water on Guanaja, and several waterfalls can be seen. Since 2021 the entire island and its cays have been designated as a protected Ramsar site.