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Strung in a gentle curve less than 60km off the north coast of Honduras, the Bay Islands ( Islas de la Bahia ), with their clear, calm waters and abundant marine life, are Honduras's main tourist attraction. Resting on a coral reef, the islands are a perfect destination for cheap diving, sailing and fishing, while less active visitors can sling a hammock and relax in the shade on the many palm-fringed sand beaches. Composed of three main islands and some 65 smaller cayes, this sweeping 125km island chain lies on the Bonacca Ridge , an underwater extension of the Sierra de Omoa mountain range that disappears into the sea near Puerto Cortes. Roatan is the largest and most developed of the islands, while Guanaja , to the east, is an upmarket resort destination with some wonderful dive sites. Utila , the closest to the mainland, is a target for budget travellers from all over the world. Even old hands get excited about diving the waters around the Bay Islands, where lizard fish and toadfish dart by, scarcely distinguishable from the coral; eagle rays glide through the water like huge birds flying through the air; parrotfish chomp steadily away on the coral; and barracuda and harmless nurse sharks circle the waters, checking you out from a distance. In addition, the world's largest fish, the whale shark (which can reach up to 16m in length) is a resident of the Cayman Trench, which plummets to profound depths just north of the islands. It's most frequently spotted in October and November, when dive boats run trips to look for it, but can be encountered close to Utilan waters year round. The best time to visit the islands is from March to September, when the water visibility is good and the weather is clear and sunny; the rains start in October, while November and December are usually very wet, with squally showers continuing until late February. Daytime temperatures range between 25 and 29°C year round, though the heat is rarely oppressive, thanks to almost constant east-southeast trade winds. Mosquitoes and sandflies are endemic on all the islands, and at their worst when the wind dies down; lavish coatings of baby oil help to keep the latter away.
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