WRITTEN by JOHN MORRIS
And you may find yourself somewhere between Utila and Guanaja
In 1997, the Indigo Girls released their album Shaming of the Sun which featured the song Get Out the Map.
Here are some of the lyrics:
Get out the map
Get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down
We’ll leave the figurin’ to those we pass on our way out of town
Don’t drink the water
There seems to be somethin’ ailin’ everyone
I’m gonna clear my head
I’m gonna drink that sun
I’m gonna love you good and strong
While our love is good and young
Why is this song relevant? Because Roatan is now on the map and radar of many folks looking for a vacation spot or investment opportunity.
Where the hell is Roatan? was a favorite saying here in years past. No so much anymore.
So why the increased popularity of our island paradise?
Sure, the diving is some of the best in the world and cruise ships continue to grow in numbers and size… but I think the real catalyst lately has been HGTV.
You see, HGTV loves Roatan. They film here year round on various series including Caribbean Life, Beachfront Bargains and International House Hunters. They choose Roatan because it is different from most Caribbean islands.
Sure, it is absolutely beautiful here but the island’s appeal goes beyond that.
It is much less commercial than most and more importantly, it is more affordable. That’s right – you can live the island dream without breaking the bank!
My wife and I recently had the pleasure of filming a show with HGTV that just aired in October.
When we received the notice of the air date, we formed a small group at the house with our clients from the show (now good friends) and gathered in front of the TV to watch.
The ones who were onscreen worried about the fact that TV always adds 10 pounds!
Then the program started, and so did a thunderstorm. Now, our cable TV provider relies on a dish signal and dish signals do not like thunderstorms so in the end we only saw a fraction of the show… but what we saw we loved.
We later caught up with it on YouTube and watched it a gazillion times. Only 21 minutes of fame but now we really understand why folks are flocking to Roatan. HGTV does a great job in editing and presenting the story of buying a property and moving to Roatan.
During the filming, we made friends with the crew and still keep in touch with some of them. They were professional, pleasant and downright fun, making the sometimes tedious job and long hours of filming much more bearable.
In case you missed it, look for Episode 3 in Season 18 and it can be streamed on HGTV.com if you have a cable TV subscription.
So make some popcorn, get comfy on the couch and watch.
Then get out the map… because paradise awaits you!
This Week’s Related Links:
Treetops custom home featured on HGTV – Caribbean Life
HGTV-Caribbean Life – Episode with our client!
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