Roatan Through an Outsider’s Lens: Pam Frampton Explores an Island of Beauty and Contrast

In a February 11, 2026 column for The Telegram, journalist Pam Frampton offers a reflective portrait of Roatán that centers on the island’s deep contrasts — between serenity and struggle, tourism and daily life, beauty and inequality.

Frampton opens with scenes from West End at dusk, where warm, humid evenings unfold to the sound of crashing surf, frogs, and fruit bats weaving through the sky. Through these sensory details, she introduces readers to the slower rhythm often described as “island time,” explaining how flexible schedules and a relaxed approach to time can feel both charming and frustrating to visitors accustomed to strict routines. Everyday experiences — from delayed dive boats to shops closing unpredictably — serve as examples of a pace of life shaped more by environment than by the clock.

The column then shifts to Roatán’s natural richness. Frampton describes dense tropical vegetation, colorful birdlife, and coastal landscapes where coral shorelines meet stretches of sand sometimes covered in sargassum. She highlights the ecological appeal that draws travelers and expatriate divers, particularly the proximity to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which continues to position the island as a major Caribbean destination.

At the heart of her piece is the theme of contrast. Frampton writes about the entrepreneurial energy visible in beach vendors, craft sellers, and small tourism services, while also noting the economic realities behind the visitor experience. She cites modest average incomes and the higher cost of living for foreigners, framing tourism as both an opportunity and a dividing line.

Her observations become more pointed as she describes neighborhoods where families live in precarious housing with improvised materials, muddy streets, and limited resources — scenes that exist only a short distance from gated resorts, manicured grounds, and upscale accommodations. This juxtaposition, she suggests, is one of the most striking aspects of Roatán: two very different realities sharing the same small island.

Frampton closes her column on a reflective note, writing that while she eventually leaves through the airport in Coxen Hole, what stays with her is not just the scenery but the coexistence of vibrancy and hardship. Her article ultimately presents Roatán not simply as a tropical getaway, but as a place where natural beauty and social complexity are inseparable, inviting readers to see the island with a more nuanced perspective.