Punta Gorda is a small Garifuna fishing village on Roatán's north coast, about an hour by road from West End, and the oldest Garifuna settlement on the Central American mainland. The houses are wooden, painted in bright colours; the language spoken on the street is Garifuna rather than Spanish; the food and the music are distinct from anywhere else on the island.
The Garifuna Museum (small, a couple of rooms) is worth a look. Sunday afternoons are the best time to visit — drumming and punta dancing usually happen on the beach. Several local women cook machuca (mashed plantain in seafood soup) to order if you call ahead. Tour operators in West End run organised day trips; you can also drive yourself or hire a taxi for a half-day.