Cayos Cochinos: the protected Hog Islands

What Cayos Cochinos is

The archipelago belongs to the Bay Islands department and to the municipality of Roatán, but it lies much closer to the mainland coast of Atlántida. It is made up of two small islands, Cayo Mayor (also called Cayo Grande) and Cayo Menor, and 13 sandy coral cays, some of them little more than a few palm trees. There are no roads, cars or bikes.

In 1994 a group led by Stephan Schmidheiny and Honduran business people created the Honduras Coral Reef Foundation (Fundación Cayos Cochinos) to protect the area, after consulting the Smithsonian Institution. Today the Cayos Cochinos Archipelago Natural Marine Monument is managed by the foundation with the Forest Conservation Institute (ICF) and the Honduran Navy. In 2009 its buffer zone was expanded from 489 to 1,220 km²; industrial fishing is banned, while artisanal fishing by local communities is allowed.

On land, the islands are known for a pink-colored boa found nowhere else, and their beaches are nesting sites for hawksbill sea turtles.

How to get to Cayos Cochinos from Roatán

Organized day trips from Roatán take about an hour each way by speedboat and last around eight hours in total, usually leaving early in the morning and returning between 4 and 5 pm. Many run only on certain days of the week, need a minimum number of guests and are cancelled when the sea is rough, so book ahead and keep a spare day. Many include lunch, snorkeling and pick-up from West End, West Bay or the cruise ports; check whether the park fee is included.

For cruise passengers the timing is tight: you need a long port day and an operator that guarantees your return. People staying on the island can compare it with other boat trips from Roatán.

Getting there from La Ceiba and Nueva Armenia

From the mainland, boats leave from La Ceiba, Sambo Creek and the Garifuna village of Nueva Armenia, the closest departure point. Crossings from La Ceiba take roughly 1 to 1 h 30 depending on the sea; from Nueva Armenia local boats leave early in the morning, so travelers without a car usually sleep there the night before.

Tour operators in La Ceiba sell full-day trips with transport and lunch. If you are coming from Roatán to the mainland anyway, the ferry to La Ceiba is covered in our Roatán ferry guide.

Park fees and rules of the protected area

Every visitor checks in at the foundation's welcome center on Cayo Menor, open from 8 am to 5 pm daily, watches a five-minute introduction video and pays the admission fee. The official rates are $10 plus tax for non-residents arriving with a certified tour operator, $20 plus tax for non-residents visiting privately, and $5 plus tax for Honduran residents. Carry cash, as your tour may not include it. Mask and fins can be rented at the station for $15.

The rules are simple: do not litter, do not touch or stand on coral, do not remove shells, coral or plants, keep your distance from wildlife and never feed or chase it, and respect the fishing restrictions and zone boundaries. Use reef-safe sunscreen and bring a reusable water bottle, since anything you bring has to leave with you.

Chachahuate and the Garifuna communities

About 250 Garifuna people live in Cayos Cochinos, in the fishing communities of East End on Cayo Mayor and Chachahuate, a tiny cay lined with fishermen's houses. The Garifuna descend from West and Central Africans who mixed with the Carib and Arawak peoples of St. Vincent; their music, drumming and food are an important part of the culture of the Honduran coast. Many day trips stop at Chachahuate for a lunch of fried fish, and the community has a small eco-lodge and offers traditional dance performances.

Remember that it is a home, not a stage set. Ask before photographing people, especially children, buy food and crafts from residents, and keep noise down. On Roatán itself, the Garifuna village of Punta Gorda on the east end is a good place to learn more.

Snorkeling, diving and conservation

The reefs around the cays are part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, and snorkeling stops are usually close to the cays; scuba diving is arranged with dive centers in Roatán, Utila or La Ceiba. Compare Roatán's own options in snorkeling and diving tours or look at Utila, whose dive shops also run trips here.

The foundation runs coral restoration, lionfish removal and hawksbill turtle monitoring from its scientific station on Cayo Menor, which has simple cabins for researchers and volunteers. The best weather for a trip is in the drier months; see Roatán weather and the best time to visit, since the rainy season runs from October to January.