Photo: Czech village in Roatan, ©communications-unlimited.nl
By Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
Did you know there’s a thriving Czech village tucked away on the tropical island of Roatan, Honduras? This community, sparked by one man’s vision nearly 25 years ago, has blossomed into a vibrant enclave for Czechs in search of sun, sea, and a different way of life.
Czech businessman Iri Maska first envisioned bringing his fellow Czechs to Roatan in 1999, making him the island’s first Czech resident. With Czechia being landlocked, Roatan’s stunning beaches and access to the world’s second-largest coral reef offered an irresistible paradise. Today, a Czech community has grown in Roatan, with a Czech Village now established, home to a growing number of Czech residents.
When Iri Maska first arrived, he launched two ambitious ventures: a brewery and a full-sized replica of Henry Morgan’s pirate ship, the Black Pearl, intended to provide family entertainment. However, both businesses faced challenges—the brewery struggled with competition from the Honduran beer market, and the Black Pearl unfortunately sank.
Jiri George Czerny, the honorary consul of Czechia in Honduras, credits Maska for inspiring his own move to Roatan and fostering the Czech community. The heart of this community is the charming “Czech Village,” which spans the hills of Jonesville Point. Over the years, hundreds of Czechs have purchased properties in the area. Czerny, who owns the Czech Village residential project, describes it as a place “for all who love life, sunshine, warmth, diving, the sea, and the natural beauty of an ever-green Caribbean island… This is Roatan, the pearl of the Caribbean.”
Photo: nature of Roatan, ©communications-unlimited.nl
While the original Czech Village remains modest, new commercial developments in the area are expanding and diversifying rapidly. The community continues to grow, attracting more Czechs who are drawn to Roatan’s unique blend of natural beauty, adventure, and a strong sense of camaraderie. What started as one man’s dream has blossomed into a thriving community, where the Czech spirit lives on, surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.
Author: Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska is an award-winning international journalist, TV correspondent, author, chief editor of international journalism centre, Central and Eastern Europe Centre, president of the European Institute on Communist Oppression and a sworn translator. She was born in Warsaw, Poland, holds an MA title in American culture and has graduated from post MA journalism studies. She has Armenian blood and roots in Lvov, which is part of Ukraine. She has been living in Heerlen, the Netherlands since 2005.
