Bay Islands Originals

Holiday Hours / Horario del Feriado

It's CARNIVAL TIME!!! Feeling a little festive? Why not show it with a snazzy HAWAIIAN SHIRT! Available in S-XXL.

NEW STOCK!!! Nathy’s Paradise fresh HONDURAN CI**RS from the north coast town of Trujillo. Hand rolled with love, and an absolutely gorgeous presentation with hand-crafted red wood boxes and work-of-art labels. Available individually or by the box, sizes include CHURCHILLS, TORPEDOS, TOROS, & ROBUSTOS.

Also check out our other well-known Honduran labels like SANTA ROSA, DON MELO, FLOR DE COPAN, SANTA ROSA, HOYO DE MONTERREY.

We also carry a few Cuban labels like COHIBA & GUANTANAMERA. And remember that Honduran to***co originated from Cuban seed.

A visit to Honduras would not be complete without trying this local claim to fame. And any of these ci**rs will make a much appreciated gift for that cigar aficionado in every family.

Just in... Colorful baskets for Easter, wall decor, everyday use, the perfect gift. These works-of-art bowls (tortilleras) and hot pads (islantes) are hand-made by a women's cooperative in Santa Barbara, Honduras.

Announcing the arrival of another shipment of FRESH, HAND-ROLLED TO***CO for the aficionados out there, and also those who just want to sample some of the WORLD’S FINEST CI**RS.
The list includes HONDURENOS & HABANOS in various sizes: Coronas, churchills, torpedos, toros, robustos, señoritas, and sabores.
WELL-KNOWN BRANDS include: Flor de Copán, Santa Rosa, Don Melo, Casa Copán, Nathie's Paradise, De Marquez, Cohiba, Guantanamera, Romeo y Julieta.

ATTENTION LADIES!!! It’s that time of year again. The best weather days are here!!! Are you ready for SUN & FUN?
We currently have a great selection of BIKINI SETS & COLORFUL SARONGS, dozens of styles of SUN DRESSES & COVERUPS in different sizes, colors and designs. Stop by and let us show you all the options available in your size! 🌴👣🧜‍♀️👙👒🐠🦀🐢🦈🪸🌞⛱🧉🔥🌊🤿😎

How well do you know your fish, corals, sponges, & other marine life? Why not be an expert? These FIELD GUIDES are a must have and will help make your diving and snorkeling adventures more enjoyable and memorable!

The FISH ID CARDS are a great quick reference to take with you on the dive boat.

This CARIBBEAN REEF LIFE field guide (Latest Edition) is packed with stunning color photos of every creature or plant you will likely see here in the Bay Islands. The author even lives here and has discovered many of them personally! 🤿🐠🦀🐡🐙🐬🦈🐢🪸🪼

ATTENTION CIGAR AFICIONADOS! Check out these VINTAGE CUBANOS! Part of a 20+ year-old private reserve now being offered to the public, the brands include HOYA DE MONTERREY, ROMEO Y JULIETA, H. UPMANN, MONTECRISTO, RAMON ALLONES & TRINIDAD. These aged ci**rs are a rare treat at a great price. Hurry in as SUPPLY IS LIMITED!!!

If you know someone who might be interested, by all means please share this post with them.

Photo of the day: On the pretty streets of Utila, Honduras 🇭🇳
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3DPrnqODTS/?igsh=MXZwY2ljNTJ2YzRweg==

JUST IN: Unisex Rash Guards & Long Sleeve Tees! Also Ladies Tees, Unisex Tank Tops and Tropical Hawaiian Shirts! 🌴🤿🌊🌺🪸🌞

Our followers & friends here already know at Bay Islands Originals we have more than just a little passion for Utila’s sea turtles. (More about this in several posts below.) It’s an ongoing effort thanks to a local environmental NGO and many supporters. Here is one more report and brief glimpse into this amazing journey we began 3 decades ago...

Greetings again friends of Utila’s Sea Turtles! Once more, another nesting season is behind us as the last of the 2023 hatchlings have now made it to the sea. The final numbers are still being tallied so there will be more on that soon. Meanwhile, here’s a short first-hand account of something amazing that happened this year and thought it was time to share more about it along with some images. There’s additional description with each of the video clips for more explanation.

Happy New Year!!! We look forward to your visit soon.
¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Esperamos verte pronto.
🙂🌴🌎🤿🐠🐬🐋🦀🐢🪸🌺🌦🌈☀️🏝⛱

Still looking for gifts? This holiday season, let us help you find just the right thing for those special ones on your holiday shopping list. Here are a few ideas to make the decisions easier.

Announcing our HOLIDAY HOURS. We look forward to your visit and wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Anunciamos nuestro HORARIO DE OPERACION para el feriado. ¡Esperamos su visita y les deseamos a todos unas felices y seguras fiestas!
🎄🎅🌴❄️⛄️🎀🎁

'Tis (almost) the season. If you've got greetings to send afar for the upcoming holidays, do it soon. Check out our selection of island-themed cards. There's even a Post Office on the island again! 📬

25 years continued (from post below)…

Although there was no official opening date we can remember, at some point the shop sign was hung out and the first customers straggled in. Then without much notice, pending tragedy appeared on the horizon. The incredible sense of relief after reaching a milestone was quickly replaced by a deep sinking feeling of losing everything. A powerful hurricane had just formed to the east and was headed west for the Bay Islands!

What else to do but find some last untapped strength, batten down the hatches and hope for the best. It was a long several days holed up & hunkered down, watching the Weather Channel predict total destruction anywhere in the path. The storm appeared as a red doughnut on the map.

Turns out the forecasters were wrong as the storm took a different path. Although it didn’t come for Utila this time, the island was still severely beaten and battered along with the spirits of the entire community.

As for the upper islands, the situation was much worse. For several days straight, the eye of hurricane Mitch unleashed unprecedented fury on Guanaja and anywhere close. Guanaja island, the east end of Roatan, and much of the mainland were destroyed (way too much to list here). Little Utila was indeed very lucky.

The resilience of this amazing community is what I remember most. Make the best of what you got. Share. Take care of each other. Check on your neighbors. Many elders had been through this before. Most of the bridges on the mainland, the supply line to the islands, were washed out. It was at least 8-10 days before any international food drops hit the island.

(Photo) The store after weathering some 100 mph winds and a storm surge that washed up over Main Street. The ocean regurgitated all the junk people used to fill in their ocean front lots.

A few more pics in the comments...

Looking at the calendar, it appears as though we can officially say we’ve been at this thing now for 25 years! Yes, TWENTY-FIVE YEARS!!! Construction began back in 1996, and the shop opened its doors for the first time in 1998.

It’s a good time to reflect on this journey and feel the enormous sense of gratitude for all the forces that guided this micro-endeavor to get started, and to those along the way that have since been involved in the perpetuation of this little shop.

Backing up a bit, this biz actually started a year or two before the store was built, and with barely two-hundred dollars. Having just completed a 3-year service on the island as a US Peace Corps Volunteer, this new entrepreneur was testing the waters to see what the response would be to a t-shirt/gift shop.

All the artwork for the shirts was locally-inspired out of a sincere love for this island, its nature & people. The designs were all hand-drawn in a little jungle house hideaway on a hill above Sandy Bay. The originals were sent off by small plane to be printed on the mainland. And the orders arrived a few weeks later the same way. Then, via bicycle the shirts were distributed to local shops & dive centers. Slow but sure the demand caught on and just began to grow.

Although true that time flies, we’ve seen our share of rough spots as it hasn’t always gone smoothly. Over the years we’ve been through hurricanes, earthquakes, countless political problems, and most recently a global pandemic. Each event resulted in a severe drop in tourists/customers, but somehow we’re still here.

Grateful indeed, to all involved along the way, from the construction crews to the shop staffers, those often unseen who produced our goods, and particularly all the customers over the years. And if you’ve read this far, this likely means YOU! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!

Happy Semana Morazanica! We're OPEN normal hours all week!

Mon-Fri
9 am-1 pm, 2 pm-6 pm

Saturday
9 am-12 pm (noon)

Have a safe & enjoyable holiday!

ATTENTION!!! ATTENTION!!!

These exclusive and original designs are now BACK IN STOCK!!!
Available in T-SHIRTS and TANK TOPS, RASHGUARDS & KIDS SIZES.

Also, our NEW RASHIES are also just in. Three different, simply colorful options to choose from.

You’ll find us on Main Street Utila, on The Point, across from Che Pancho’s Restaurant.
WE’RE OPEN: Mon-Fri 9-1 & 2-6, Sat: 9-Noon. Closed Sundays.

Here are a few of our rashguards, both imported and locally inspired. Whether for work, rest or play, above or below the surface, you’ll be in style… Utila Style!

Just in... Fresh to***co for the aficionados out there! Ten different aromas from which to choose, and, select Cuban and Honduran brands in individual tubes. These all make great gifts if not a treat for yourself.

💥The tropical Caribbean sun can be brutal this time of year!💥Protect yourself with just the right hat. We recently received a new shipment with more of our best-selling EMBROIDERED CAPS and BOONIE HATS in a variety of Utila inspired designs and colors. We have HUNDREDS to choose from.

One of our old favorite t-shirt designs is back in stock, the Bay Islands Map Shirt with all the original names of places and towns. Available in 4 shirt colors, sizes from Medium to # # . It's a classic!

You asked for them. Here they are!

Back in stock! Bay Islands notecards featuring paintings by local artists.