Roatán and Copán Ruinas, Honduras — The woman on the plane studiously memorizes tropical fish. She pores over a picture of a blue tang, contemplates the features of the banded butterfly fish and wins respect by focusing on the mean-looking six-gill shark.

She is a diver, she says, and she wants to know what she is seeing in the sea.

MELISSA BURDICK HARMON/Travel Arts Syndicate (ENLARGE)

Thanks to Sherman Arch, many iguanas escape becoming stew.

MELISSA BURDICK HARMON/Travel Arts Syndicate (ENLARGE)

Horseback riding is popular at the eco-friendly Hacienda San Lucas in the hills above Cop?n Ruinas. A Honduran created the lodging by restoring her grandparentsÕ farm.

MELISSA BURDICK HARMON/Travel Arts Syndicate (ENLARGE)

Travel Arts Syndicate Mayan-influenced recipes, spectacular sunsets and lots of candlelight are all part of a stay at Hacienda San Lucas in Cop?n Ruinas.

MELISSA BURDICK HARMON/Travel Arts Syndicate (ENLARGE)

Lloyd Davidson, a Tennessean who has long lived in Honduras, gives saved and rescued birds a home at Macaw Mountain.

She will see a lot, since the coral reef that surrounds Honduras' Bay Islands is one of the largest and most diverse in the world, home to as many as 800 types of fish.

As the plane circles the slim, green, 40-mile-long island of Roatán, the largest of the Bay Islands, the water is so clear it is possible to see the soft frills, the pinks and deep scarlets of the reef and the dark outlines of fish congregating around it. It feels a little like landing in an aquarium.

Roatán is at that delightful stage where enough people know about it that it has an adequate infrastructure — including a couple of luxury hotels — but its beaches and attractions are still blessedly undercrowded. That is, of course, unless you happen to arrive when one of the cruise ships is in port.

The combination of a major cruise terminal under construction, nonstop flights from a rapidly growing number of U.S. cities and a mini-real estate boom raise• What to know if you go

Roatán and Copán Ruinas, Honduras — The woman on the plane studiously memorizes tropical fish. She pores over a picture of a blue tang, contemplates the features of the banded butterfly fish and wins respect by focusing on the mean-looking six-gill shark.

She is a diver, she says, and she wants to know what she is seeing in the sea.

She will see a lot, since the coral reef that surrounds Honduras' Bay Islands is one of the largest and most diverse in the world, home to as many as 800 types of fish.

As the plane circles the slim, green, 40-mile-long island of Roatán, the largest of the Bay Islands, the water is so clear it is possible to see the soft frills, the pinks and deep scarlets of the reef and the dark outlines of fish congregating around it. It feels a little like landing in an aquarium.

Roatán is at that delightful stage where enough people know about it that it has an adequate infrastructure — including a couple of luxury hotels — but its beaches and attractions are still blessedly undercrowded. That is, of course, unless you happen to arrive when one of the cruise ships is in port.

The combination of a major cruise terminal under construction, nonstop flights from a rapidly growing number of U.S. cities and a mini-real estate boom raises alarms that sleepy Roatán may soon become wide awake.

While most of Roatán's visitors take diving lessons — the Bay Islands are said to be among the least expensive places in the world to learn to dive — I tour. My driver shows me his home, a stilt house in a colorful, beachfront village. It has a friendly, old-fashioned island feel. Yet I can't help noticing that real estate signs line the winding roads. I ask about them.

"Here, I will show you," he says, pulling into a complex called Parrot Tree Plantation. "They want to charge $250,000 for one of these houses," he exclaims, pointing toward something that looks as though it belongs in Portofino.

"Well, no," I think to myself, having read the sign. "They want to charge $250,000 for a one-bedroom apartment in one of these houses." The Americans are arriving, and the bargains are disappearing.

Resuming our tour, we come to an artificial cave littered with pirate decor at Gumbalimba Nature Park. There I learn that the Bay Islands were successively visited by Columbus in 1502, a hot bed of piracy, fought over by Spain and England and, for some time, a British colony. Even today, English is the predominant language in the islands, though Honduras is an otherwise Spanish-speaking country.

There is a lot to do here, in a leisurely way. Anthony's Key, a favorite spot for divers, allows the more timid to swim with dolphins so friendly you could swear they were smiling at you. Coral Cay Marine and Nature Park allows even non-snorklers to get a good view of undersea life.

West End Beach, a glorious strand of white sand, is lined with T-shirt shops and art galleries and bars. Nearby, West Bay Beach is the place to go to watch the sunset, enjoy a quieter pace and snorkel around a reef only 30 feet from shore.

One of my favorite stops is Sherman Arch's iguana farm. Arch is one of the island's "English" — people of British stock whose families have been in the Caribbean for centuries, and who speak a dialect that takes some concentration to understand.

Some years ago, Arch decided to protect the island's iguanas, which were rapidly disappearing into stew pots. He now has 2,700 of these mini-dinosaur-like creatures. They are tame, if not almost cuddly. And thanks to Arch, they will not turn into iguana stew.

Not wanting just to visit Roatán, I added a couple of days to the trip to see the Mayan ruins in Copán. That involved a flight to San Pedro Sula, Honduras' industrial city, followed by a scenic, winding, 2 1/2-hour drive into the mountains.

Copán, with its superb collection of Mayan ruins from the second to the ninth centuries A.D., rests in a tranquil green setting just six miles from the Guatemalan border. Here unfolds the rich story of the Mayans, including that of 18 Rabbit (who ruled A.D. 711-736), whose handsome face, in full relief, gazes over the Great Plaza.

The side walls of the Ball Court — where games ended in human sacrifice — are decorated with carvings of macaws, sacred to the Mayans. The Hieroglyphic Stairway, built by a ruler named Smoke-Shell, records the lives and times of 15 Mayan kings.

I walked through two of the many tunnels dug during archaeological excavations, allowing me to get the inside story of a culture that built tall. Each king's temple was covered by a new one, created by his successor.

The superb Museum of Mayan Sculpture at the entrance to the site includes a full-size replica of the Rosalila Temple that was found virtually intact beneath one of the pyramids. The replica, covered with stucco and painted in brilliant colors, appears just as it would have in Mayan times. A smaller Museum of Archaeology in the nearby village of Copán Ruinas also contains artifacts from the site.

After visiting the ruins, I headed for Macaw Mountain. There, macaws sport such vivid red, yellow and blue feathers that they look as if they had been lifted from a children's coloring book.

Native Tennessean Lloyd Davidson, a biologist and businessman who has long lived in Honduras, has created this nature park filled with saved and rescued birds.

"All our birds have been recovered from captivity," Davidson said. "People move to Honduras and buy birds and then decide they don't want them. Some are found injured. Some were decorating restaurants. We bring them here — where they are back in their habitat."

Today his collection includes more than 200 birds, representing 100 species.

After meeting the birds, I stopped by the coffee roaster (you can't miss the aroma) for a cappuccino made from coffee grown on Davidson's farm. Elsewhere on the property, there is a full-service restaurant, an excellent shop and an old-fashioned swimming hole, complete with changing rooms.

A Honduran who spent most of her life in Kentucky, Flavia Cueva, also has created a very special place in Copán Ruinas, with the opening of the eco-friendly, extremely comfortable Hacienda San Lucas — her grandparents' farm, lovingly restored, in the hills above town.

Guests here can ride the hacienda's horses up into the hills, do yoga in an open-air studio or walk back to the on-site Mayan ruin, Los Sapos. Later, it's lovely to simply sit in a lawn chair, drink in hand, watching the sun go down over the mountains of Guatemala, just across the border.

Cueva serves fresh food, made with typical Mayan ingredients. After dinner on the front porch, I wandered back to my room and found it flooded with light from dozens of candles — a romantic moment in an unforgettably romantic setting.

Melissa Burdick Harmon has traveled to and written about all seven continents.

IF YOU GO

Getting there

Expect to pay at least $600 round-trip airfare to Roatán, Honduras, from Atlanta. Airfare from Roatán to San Pedro Sula is about $200 round trip.

Where to stay, Roatán:

• Turquoise Bay Dive & Beach Resort in Milton Bight. Just opened, this handsomely decorated resort above a broad beach in the North End, close to great dive sites, is the best on the island. Excellent restaurant. Doubles from $90. 011 504 419-1240, turquoisebayresort.com.

• Mayan Princess Beach Resort, on West Bay Beach. Pretty rooms and complete condo units surrounding a large pool, with the beach as a backdrop. Doubles from $190. www.mayanprincess.com.

• Luna Beach Resort in the West End. In the heart of the funky West End, Luna Beach draws a young crowd with its special island-style cottages and value-priced dive packages. Doubles from $106. 1-866-710-5862, www.lunabeachresort.com.

• Anthony's Key Resort in Sandy Bay.This 30-year-old resort offers over-water bungalows and others in the hills above the beach. Very diving-focused; numerous dive boats. Seven-night minimum required; doubles from $1,856 per week, including airport transfers, three meals a day and many activities. The lower-priced bungalows lack air conditioning. 1-800-227-3483, www.anthonyskey.com.

What to do, Roatán:

• Gumbalimba Park, West End. Canopy zip line; flowers, animals and birds; scuba and snorkeling; and a host of other attractions. 011 504 914-9196, 011 504 946-5559, www.gumbalimbapark.com.

• Coral Cay Marine and Nature Park. Created to serve the cruise ships; try to go on an off day. Its 430,000-square-foot natural water park lets you get an up-close look at cute turtles and less cute sharks. www.coralcayroatan.com.

• Roatán Iguana Farm. Sherman Arch's vast iguana collection thrills kids. www.roatanisland.net/iguana_farm.htm.

Where to stay, Copán

• Hacienda San Lucas, Copán Ruinas. A lovely, historic hacienda with a beautiful view, great food, on-site ruins, horseback riding. The best food in the area. Doubles from $100, including breakfast. 011 504 651-4495, www.haciendasanlucas.com.

• Hotel Marina Copán, Copán Ruinas. This older hotel could use a bit of renovation, but it is conveniently located on a cobblestone street in the heart of the colonial town. Well-stocked local craft shops are just steps away. Rooms surround an interior pool. Its Glifos Restaurant serves international and traditional Mayan-style fare. Doubles from $85. 1-877-893-9131, www.hotelmarinacopan.com.

• Hotel Posada Real de Copán, Copán Ruinas. The closest hotel to the ruins, this spotless, modern property offers a large pool and Jacuzzi, sweeping lawns and gardens. Its Restaurant de las Ruinas is known for its steak with chimichurri sauce. 011 504 651-4480, www.posadarealdecopan.com.

What to do, Copán

• Copán Ruins. It is possible to walk from town but easier to flag one of the ubiquitous motorcycle taxis that bump up and down the cobblestone streets. Admission to the ruins, $15; the adjacent Museum of Mayan Sculpture, $7; the archaeological tunnels, $15; and the small museum in town, $3. www.copanhonduras.org.

• Macaw Mountain Bird Park and Nature Reserve. A lovely, restful half-day, deep in the woods, where, in addition to birds of every color, you may see deep cerise wild orchids and other wildflowers, rare traveler palm trees, mahogany, Spanish cedar and fig trees and butterflies. Good light meals in the restaurant and an excellent shop. Winner of the 2004 Honduras Tourism Excellence Award. $10. www.macawmountain.com.

Information

• Honduras Institute of Tourism, P.O. Box 140458, Coral Gables, FL 33114-0458; 1-800-410-9608, www.letsgohonduras.com.s alarms that sleepy Roatán may soon become wide awake.

While most of Roatán's visitors take diving lessons — the Bay Islands are said to be among the least expensive places in the world to learn to dive — I tour. My driver shows me his home, a stilt house in a colorful, beachfront village. It has a friendly, old-fashioned island feel. Yet I can't help noticing that real estate signs line the winding roads. I ask about them.

"Here, I will show you," he says, pulling into a complex called Parrot Tree Plantation. "They want to charge $250,000 for one of these houses," he exclaims, pointing toward something that looks as though it belongs in Portofino.

"Well, no," I think to myself, having read the sign. "They want to charge $250,000 for a one-bedroom apartment in one of these houses." The Americans are arriving, and the bargains are disappearing.

Resuming our tour, we come to an artificial cave littered with pirate decor at Gumbalimba Nature Park. There I learn that the Bay Islands were successively visited by Columbus in 1502, a hot bed of piracy, fought over by Spain and England and, for some time, a British colony. Even today, English is the predominant language in the islands, though Honduras is an otherwise Spanish-speaking country.

There is a lot to do here, in a leisurely way. Anthony's Key, a favorite spot for divers, allows the more timid to swim with dolphins so friendly you could swear they were smiling at you. Coral Cay Marine and Nature Park allows even non-snorklers to get a good view of undersea life.

West End Beach, a glorious strand of white sand, is lined with T-shirt shops and art galleries and bars. Nearby, West Bay Beach is the place to go to watch the sunset, enjoy a quieter pace and snorkel around a reef only 30 feet from shore.

One of my favorite stops is Sherman Arch's iguana farm. Arch is one of the island's "English" — people of British stock whose families have been in the Caribbean for centuries, and who speak a dialect that takes some concentration to understand.

Some years ago, Arch decided to protect the island's iguanas, which were rapidly disappearing into stew pots. He now has 2,700 of these mini-dinosaur-like creatures. They are tame, if not almost cuddly. And thanks to Arch, they will not turn into iguana stew.

Not wanting just to visit Roatán, I added a couple of days to the trip to see the Mayan ruins in Copán. That involved a flight to San Pedro Sula, Honduras' industrial city, followed by a scenic, winding, 2 1/2-hour drive into the mountains.

Copán, with its superb collection of Mayan ruins from the second to the ninth centuries A.D., rests in a tranquil green setting just six miles from the Guatemalan border. Here unfolds the rich story of the Mayans, including that of 18 Rabbit (who ruled A.D. 711-736), whose handsome face, in full relief, gazes over the Great Plaza.

The side walls of the Ball Court — where games ended in human sacrifice — are decorated with carvings of macaws, sacred to the Mayans. The Hieroglyphic Stairway, built by a ruler named Smoke-Shell, records the lives and times of 15 Mayan kings.

I walked through two of the many tunnels dug during archaeological excavations, allowing me to get the inside story of a culture that built tall. Each king's temple was covered by a new one, created by his successor.

The superb Museum of Mayan Sculpture at the entrance to the site includes a full-size replica of the Rosalila Temple that was found virtually intact beneath one of the pyramids. The replica, covered with stucco and painted in brilliant colors, appears just as it would have in Mayan times. A smaller Museum of Archaeology in the nearby village of Copán Ruinas also contains artifacts from the site.

After visiting the ruins, I headed for Macaw Mountain. There, macaws sport such vivid red, yellow and blue feathers that they look as if they had been lifted from a children's coloring book.

Native Tennessean Lloyd Davidson, a biologist and businessman who has long lived in Honduras, has created this nature park filled with saved and rescued birds.

"All our birds have been recovered from captivity," Davidson said. "People move to Honduras and buy birds and then decide they don't want them. Some are found injured. Some were decorating restaurants. We bring them here — where they are back in their habitat."

Today his collection includes more than 200 birds, representing 100 species.

After meeting the birds, I stopped by the coffee roaster (you can't miss the aroma) for a cappuccino made from coffee grown on Davidson's farm. Elsewhere on the property, there is a full-service restaurant, an excellent shop and an old-fashioned swimming hole, complete with changing rooms.

A Honduran who spent most of her life in Kentucky, Flavia Cueva, also has created a very special place in Copán Ruinas, with the opening of the eco-friendly, extremely comfortable Hacienda San Lucas — her grandparents' farm, lovingly restored, in the hills above town.

Guests here can ride the hacienda's horses up into the hills, do yoga in an open-air studio or walk back to the on-site Mayan ruin, Los Sapos. Later, it's lovely to simply sit in a lawn chair, drink in hand, watching the sun go down over the mountains of Guatemala, just across the border.

Cueva serves fresh food, made with typical Mayan ingredients. After dinner on the front porch, I wandered back to my room and found it flooded with light from dozens of candles — a romantic moment in an unforgettably romantic setting.

Melissa Burdick Harmon has traveled to and written about all seven continents.