For those that have been there, the tiny village of Chachauate is the best part of their trip to Cayos Cochinos. So the story goes; The village was started about 200 years ago when a slave boat carrying the Garifuna people from St. Vincents crashed on the tiny island of Chachauate. From that point the Garifuna People have grown to a village of 100 strong. Until quite recently the men and women of this village subsisted on the fresh fish that they caught, conch and rain water which was collected.
More recently the island was introduced to tourism from boats coming from Roatan, Utila and La Ceiba to Cayos Cochinos and a few of the families cook fried snapper or giant lobsters for patrons and perform traditional dances. There is also the option to stay in a little hut overnight for $10 per night. One of the main patriarchs of the island is a woman by the name of Nancy who cooks many of the meals and helps co-ordinate activities. The Garifuna people in Chachauate have managed to maintain their African culture and language over the ages. Positive improvements are constantly being made through the help of NGO´s and donations and the many children of the village go to school in Cayos Major. We send trips to Chachauate every week and would be happy to send donations of clothes, medicine to the families in need.
