Hiking -- Being the most mountainous of the Bay Islands does have its advantages. Several kilometers of hiking trails can be found crisscrossing the tiny island, mostly from the northern side. The Big Gully Waterfall is a short hike from Michael's Rock on the north side of the island, through fields of avocado, coco plums, and banana trees. The falls have a small pool at the bottom, but it isn't very deep unless there's a good rain the day before. From the falls, you can continue to the highest point on the island at 408m (1,339 ft.). Between the settlements of Mangrove and Savannah Bights, on the eastern end of the island, there's a small pre-Columbian ruin, one of the very few on the Bay Islands. Signs pointing it out are nonexistent, though, so you'll have to simply keep a look out for it or ask a local where it is.
Swimming -- If Caribbean crowds turn you off, but you still want crystal clear water and coral reefs, Guanaja is the place for you. Miles of sandy white beaches backdropped by untouched lush green hills are the island's specialty. The best beaches are at the northern side of the island near Michael's Rock or at the West End near the West Peak resort. Smaller strips of sand can be found elsewhere, including on the cays that are sprinkled about off the southern coast out from Savannah Bight.
Scuba Diving -- As with everywhere else in the Bay Islands, tourism in Guanaja is oriented towards diving. Every resort on Guanaja has dive masters and boats, and offers packages for divers by the week and sometimes month. The reef here isn't affected by the island runoff like in Utila and Roatán, but some damage has occurred from pollution from Bonacca and Savannah Bight. Still, Guanaja's reef is in pretty good shape and sees very few divers compared with the other islands. Every resort on the island has its own dive outfit and offers accommodation and dive packages. Diving without a room is generally more expensive and will cost about L760 to L950 ($40-$50) per tank. Nautilus (tel. 952/2953-4124; www.usdivetravel.com) offers dive packages and dives without accommodations.
Fishing -- Bone fishing is a popular activity in Guanaja and can be done just off shore all around the island. A world record for largest bonefish was set here not long ago. Every hotel can offer a trip. Deep-sea charters frequently troll for marlin, tuna, wahoo, mahi-mahi, mackerel, and barracuda. Fly Fish Guanaja (tel. 970/708-0626; www.flyfishguanaja.com) has all-inclusive 7-day saltwater fly-fishing trips from Roatán, including round-trip airfare, for L57,000 ($3,000).
Kayaking -- California-based operator Half Moon Bay Kayak Co. (tel. 650/773-6101; www.hmbkayak.com) runs 8-day sea kayaking trips in Guanaja based at Graham's Place for L32,300 (from $1,700) per person, not including airfare. Trips are led by Doug Connor, who has operated Caribbean Kayak Adventures in Guanaja since 1998, and use a motorized support boat so kayakers can return to the lodge each night and start from a new location the following day. West Peak Inn also runs trips that begin and end at their cabins and camp on beaches the rest of the week.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
