THIS WEBSITE MAKING YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT ROATAN
ROATAN IS A BEAUTIFUL PARADISE IS THE MOST DEVOLOPED AND VISITED OF THE BAY ISLAND OF HONDURAS.
A LONG, FORESTED RIDGE RISING FROM THE CARIBBEAN SEA LOCATED IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN, BETWWEN THE ISLAND OF UTILA AND GUANAJA IT IS THE LARGEST OF THE MANY ISLAND THAT MAKE UP THIS BEAUTIFUL TRIO. SINCE IT IT SITS ON AND IS SURROUNDED BY THE LARGEST CORAL BARRIER REEF IN THE CARIBEAN SEAS THIS A HAVEN FOR SNRKELERS AND DIVERS OF ALL SKILLS LEVELS. THE STUNNING BEACHES,WIDE DIVERSITY OF WILDLIFE, RELAX ATMOSPHERE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE WARMTH OF THE PEOPLE OF ROATAN ARE SOME OF THE REASON WHY THIS IS SUCH AND ATTRACTIVE GETAWAY AND A VERY SPECIAL PLACE FOR THE ” ISLANDERS!!!
SIMPLY PUT THIS PARADISE, ROATAN LONG REGARDED AS A DIVER PARADISE, IS THE MOST POPULAR OF THE BAY ISLAND FOR MANY REASON LOCATED APROXIMATELY 35 MILES FROM THE MAINLAND HONDURAS, ROATAN SITS ON THE SOUTHERN CORNER OF THE MESOAMERICA REEF THE SECOND LARGEST BARRIER REEF IN THE WORLD.
ITS LAID-BACK CULTURE WHITE SAND BEACHES AND SPECTACULAR OCEAN LIFE MAKE IT ONE OF THE CARIBBEAN MOST ATTRACTIVE GETAWAYS.
WHERE YOU WILL DISCOVER THREE ISLANDS GUANAJA,ROATAN,UTILA FIVE SMALL OUTLETS AND 65 CAYS PRONOUCED KEYS,
AND ALTHOUGHT THEY BELONG TO HONDURAS THESE, TROPICAL GEMS MOVE THEIR OWN RELAXED BEAT. ROATAN IS THE LARGEST OF THE THREE AND REST BETWEEN ITS SISTERS, WITH UTILA TO THE SOUTH WEST AND GUANAJA TO THE NORTH EAST, THE BAY ISLAND ARE AN ESCAPIST DREAM AND A WATER LOVER PARADAISE .
etc
A UNIQUE IX NATIVE ISLANDERS CALL THIS PLACE HOME. MOST OF THEM OF THEM ARE MIXED ANCESTRY, WHICH INCLUDES AFRICAN,CARIB,EUROPEAN AND INDIAN.
THEY SPEAK ENGLISH EVEN THOUGHT SPANISH IS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF HONDURAS, AND THEY CO-MINGLE PLESANTLY WITH THE MIX OF RESIDENT LOCALS HAILING FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE.
Roatan has a hot season and some rainy seasons. Although it is humid year around, rain fall can be scarce during the hot season, resulting in many beautiful, sunny days. During the rainy seasons, there may be several downpours in a day, beginning and ending abruptly. Unlike other areas of the world that stay overcast and rainy for days on end, Roatan can change quickly from rainy to bright sunshine, even during rainy season. Don’t let rainy season prevent you from coming. There is no guarantee that it will rain on any given day, it is simply that the likelihood of encountering rainy weather is much greater during rainy season.
Choose hiking, bicycling, motorcycling or horseback riding – Roatan has mountains, jungles and many tropical treasures to explore.
“Tons” of wild iguanas live on Roatan; you can see hundreds of them and many varieties at the Iguana Farm at French Key.
Scuba diving package
Scuba diving package dive programs are readily availablethroughout Roatan Island, Honduras. The Roatan Vista Villas offers it guests the opportunity to select their diving with any operator or resort on Roatan.
The Roatan Vista Villas are located at Spooky Channel, Sandy Bay, Roatan Island, Honduras. Spooky Channel is one of several dive locations on the western tip of Roatan. There are over 132 recognized dive sites on Roatan and further information is contained in our Tourist Guide Navigator above.
All dive packages are subject to weather and sea conditions permitting safe operations. Our dive package program allows our guests to reserve from a single dive up to a weekly program. Daily programs do not need to be confirmed. All weekly programs and certification courses should be confirmed to assure availability. During a weekly vacation, divers are not permitted to dive on the day of departure if they are traveling by air. Divers should not plan for more than 3 dives each day. The dive rates listed below include local taxes, tanks, and weight belts. Rental equipment normally means regulator and buoyancy compensator. Guests typically bring their own mask, snorkel, fins and light weight wet suit if desired, (these items may be rented). Our dive packages are offered by some of the premiere dive operators on Roatan. Guests pay for their confirmed dive packages directly to the dive operator. Most dive operators will pick up and return you to our dock. Each of the dive operators typically dive with groups. However, our dive program also offers you the flexibility to choose private guided diving. If you do not choose a package with your lodging reservation, you may sign up for any number of dives after your arrival briefing. This will allow you 100% flexibility in selecting your dive program.
Unlimited snorkeling is available off our dock. Masks, fins, and snorkels may be rented from our management or from any dive operator on Roatan.
You must bring your dive certification card. Certifications are available at all levels and only the basic certifications are listed below. Our operators offer a PADI open water beginners’ course. Beyond the basic programs which are listed below, advanced NAUI and PADI courses are available on entry level Nitrox ( 2 day course with 2 dives), advanced Nitrox (2 day course with 4 dives), decompression techniques (4 day course with 6 dives), extended range (6 dives), and Tri-Mix 1 and 2. Pre dive qualification is required on all advanced courses. Dive certifications courses must be confirmed and reserved with rental bookings. Entry level PADI certifications range from $200 to $345 for open water courses.
Daily single tank dive rates range from $20 to $40 with tanks and weights included. Weekly dive programs consisting of 10 dives is approximately $300. Weekly rates with ALL equipment included range from $415 to $485. It is customary to tip the boat operators, dive guide or instructors. Tips generally range from 10 to 20%. All operators accept payment in the Honduran Lempira or US dollars. Credit cards are becoming generally accepted at dive shops.
Courses — Approximate Costs |
|
Beginning dive course | $280 |
Advanced dive course | $280 |
Medic First aid | $100 |
Rescue | $330 |
Dive master | $700 |
Resort course (non certification) | $100 |
Discover Scuba | $100 |
Dives |
|
Dive single | $20 – 40 |
Night dives | Add $5 to 10 to regular dive rate |
Snorkel rental (24 Hour) | $10 per set |
Marine Reserve Fees |
|
Add $1.00 per dive for the Marine Reserve. The Marine Reserve fee applies to training and fun dives. The maximum fee charged for the Marine Reserve is $10/person per visit to Roatan. There is a voluntary $1.00 fee for snorkeling visits in the Marine Reserve. |
The new dive regulations and fees require that with boat dives, a Dive Master be in the water to monitor divers at all times, and that a boat crew member MUST remain in attendance at the dive site.
The beaches on Roatan are quite different depending upon your location on Roatan. All beaches on Roatan are supposed to be open to the public but some resorts “think” they own the beach and can make you feel unwelcome by charging $10 to 15/person to enter their property. The West Bay resorts are the worst for charging even to use their restaurants! West End however is wide open and there are no entry fees on the beach. If you really want to get to West Bay, either pay the fee or take the water taxi for a few dollars from West End and arrive at the public beach in front of the West Bay resorts. Here’s a hint to enjoy West Bay and avoid the entry fee charges. Go to the San Simon Beach Clubwhich is the same area as the cruiseship tours in West Bay. They have an excellent restaurant and you can catch water taxis, the para sailing tour, or just go snorkeling. They also have a beach right next to the cruiseship beaches. The southern shore of Roatan, as a generalization, can be characterized as a volcanic rocky shore with limited water access. There are a few sandy beaches at some of the “private” resorts (you have to pay to get in …. you have to cross a small bridge with a guard) along the southern shore. The western and northern shores of Roatan have mostly sandy beaches and a few mangrove and volcanic areas. From a tourist perspective, most tourists head to Half Moon Bay, West Bay, West End and the many less crowded beaches along the northern shore line. Tabyana Beach Resort and the Henry Morgan Resort in West Bay are considered the “hot spots” for cruise ship passengers. Half Moon Bay is the second hot spot for the cruise ship passengers. The beaches in the West Bay area offer beautiful sand and good snorkeling but tend to be very crowded on cruise ship days. The first two beaches below are near the Henry Morgan Resort area in West End. The pictures below are during an un crowded time of day. Expect large crowds when a cruise ship is in port.
|
|
On the other hand, there are many other readily accessible secluded beaches on Roatan. Tanya shown below found a beach without the crowds. Please note that at many of the beaches there are no services so bring your own supplies as you may be the only person there. There are many beaches along the northern coast and a taxi drivers can easily find you a remote beach. Best to “hire” the taxi for the day because when I say remote, you will need to have the taxi driver wait for you while you play and snorkel at the beach. Expect to pay about $100 to hire the taxi (price for typically up to 4 people) for the day tour. You can explore on your own and easily find an un crowded beach. Please be mindful of using public access to get to the beach and taking your trash with you.
|
Snorkeling in West Bay can be difficult if you are not a good snorkeler. You may find the best snorkeling in approximately 25 to 30 ft of water just on the other side of the shallow coral heads and formations. Be careful not to touch the coral as you find you way to the deeper water where you will find a good variety of sea life. If you want to get away from the crowds, you could seek out one of the many tour boats for a snorkel trip to a less crowded beach. One tour operator that specializes in small groups is Crystal Beach Cabins.
You can find more maps in greater details in the locator maps on this web site. Resort beaches are easily accessed from Lawson’s Rock to Anthony’s Key and from Half Moon Bay to West Bay. You should contact the resorts directly to see what services are available. There may be costs associated with using their facilities and you will need to hire a taxi or take the bus to the resort. Water taxis are readily available in the area from West End to West Bay to visit the crowds. You will want to check the costs of taxis land and sea on this link.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING
LOVE AND RESPECT
What do people do when they visit Roatan?
There are many things to do on Roatan, be sure to bring your camera. Listed below is only a small sample of the typical activities that cruise ship passengers and visitors enjoy. If you are arriving by ship and looking to retire on Roatan, then our realestate info may help guide you. If you purchase a “sim” card for you cell phone or have cell phone service, you might want to check our telephone directory. Also check web links of the tourist attractions. The phone numbers listed below are local Honduras numbers. Cell numbers have 8 digits.
|
Scuba diving is readily available on the island and walk-in visitors do not need a reservation. There are many independent dive operators in West End and they will be happy to see you. There are several resorts that offer cruise ship passenger shore excursion packages. For the do-it-yourself excursions, head to West End. |
Find a remote beach to relax on or join the rest of the cruise ship crowd at West Bay and West End. There are a lot of beaches in Roatan and you will have a lot of fun exploring and snorkeling at any of the sandy beaches. | |
There are several choices for zip line adventures. Two are in the Wet Bay area. Gumbalimba Park and the South Shore Canopy Tour. East of French Harbor is the popular Pirates of the Caribbean Canopy Zip line. They will pick you up at the cruise dock or hotel. Palmetto Hill has 20 platforms, swing bridges, and a climbing wall. There are several other zip lines that have developed in 2012. |
The barrier reef is the second largest in the world and is only a 150 feet from the end of Sunnyside’s pier at Spooky Channel. The barrier reef is protected as a Marine Reserve in the northwestern tip of Roatan. A large variety of marine life will be seen while snorkeling and diving in this area. Click on dive location for a map of the popular dive sites on western tip of Roatan and information about a new Dive and Snorkel Guide of over 78 dive locations in Roatan. |
||
|
Deep sea fishing and flats fishing. This link will give you more information and links for reservation requests for fishing. |
|
At the Carambola Botanical Gardens and nature trails you’ll find a protected iguana and parrot breeding cliff, as well as some archaeological sites dating back to Mayan times. Be sure to ask for a guide as this will make your experience here a lot more informative as the plants are not well marked. The Garden is located on the main road near Anthony’s Key Resort in Sandy Bay. The garden is open 7 days a wek from 7 AM to 5 PM. Their phone number is 2445-3117 and email is [email protected] orwww.carambolagardens.com |
Ocean kayaking is a popular activity on Roatan. Rentals can be found at some resorts and in West End at Cannibal Cafe. While you are there, you might as well stay for Mexican food for lunch or dinner. Good food and low prices! |
|
Visit the Butterfly Garden with approximately 200 butterflies and 20 different species which are native to Honduras. The Butterfly Garden is located along the main road just before arrive in West End, open Sunday through Friday 9-5. Contact them at www.roatanbutterfly.com. |
|
Watch the dolphin show at the Institute for Marine Sciences. Swim with the dolphins at Anthony’s Key Dive center in Sandy Bay. You might even get a kiss from “Bob”. Contact them at www.anthonyskey.com or 800 227-3483 (US number) or 2445-3026. |
|
Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) and the artifact museum of local history at Anthony’s Key Resort in Sandy Bay. Here you will find Mayan and Payan history and artifacts. The RIMS facility is open 7am until 5pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm on weekends. Contact them at www.anthonyskey.com/en/rims/rims.html or 800 227-3483 (US number) or 2445-3026. |
Horseback riding on the beach and in the hills is available from Keifetos Resort in the West Bay area. Water taxis or regular taxis can get you to Keifetos. Horses are also available in Sandy Bay and at Anthony’s Key Resort. El Rancho Barrio Dorcas is located on the road to West End near Gibson Bight. El Rancho Barrio Dorcas does have cruise ship offerings. Contact them atwww.barriodorcasranch.com or cell phone of 9555-4880 or email at [email protected]. If you are in the West Bay area, then Keifito’s Plantation is your choice for horse back riding with a guide. More information at keifitosplantation.com. |
|
Stanley Submarine Adventure is for the serious underwater explorer. Trips range from 1-1/2 to 4 hours and prices range from $400 to $1200. Contact Captain Karl Stanley through this web site or by visiting him in person at Half Moon Bay Cabins. Options include dives up to half a mile deep, on a shipwreck, to underwater canyons, on a seamount, overnight baiting trips, or simply picking a spot on the chart and seeing what’s there. Contact them at www.stanleysubmarines.com |
|
Explore the island by rental car and visit local villages, flower farms, and remote beaches. Rental cars are available by the airport at Coxen Hole, West End or French Harbor. Avis, Budget and several local companies rent cars, trucks or SUV’s for daily or weekly rentals. You couldtour the island, visit the Iguana Farm, Marble Hills Farm, Jonestown, Oakridge, West Bay, mangrove tunnels, etc. Contact www.caribbeanroatan.com or at 2455-6950 or 2455-6951. |
Take a tour to the Iguana Farm near French Key belonging to islander Sherman Archer where you can see more than 2,700 iguanas of many varieties. He also has lobster, tarpon, and turtles in a large pen area at the water side. There is an admission charge. Telephone 2445-7743 or 2445-7482. |
|
Visit Jonesville where a dory water taxi takes you through the mangrove tunnels. There are several small shops in Jonesville with hand made local crafts. Tours can be arranged. |
|
|
Santé Wellness Centre |
Enjoy the following: aromatherapy, four handed massage, reflexology, seated chair massage, lymphatic drainage, European facials, fruit acid facial peels, thalassotherapy body wraps, and therapeutic massages [Swedish, Lifestream, Deep Tissue, Tui-Na (Chinese Sports), Le Stone (Hot Stone)]. Be sure to contact her in advance of your arrival [email protected] or at www.santewellnesscenter.com or 510 455-4232 (US number). |
Captain Van’s Rentals is located in West End and West Bay. Rent vehicles, scooters and motorcycles for the day, week or more. Let them help you see Roatan. Be sure to say hello to Murray when you are there. Tell them this website sent you there. Contact them atwww.captainvans.com or WEST END: 2445-4076 or WEST BAY 2445-5040. Open 9-4pm/everyday. | |
At Yubu the visitors will learn about the descendants of the Garifuna, their history, journey and arrival in Honduras. You will experience the music, songs and dance styles of the Garifuna people which play an important part in their ancestral traditions and are an integral part of their culture. Yubu is located at Politilly Bight, just before the entrance to the Garifuna village of Punta Gorda (about 20 minutes out of French Harbour). Check locally before going.It is open every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 AM – 3 PM, entrance fee is $5 per person. |
Many cruise ship passengers will find Bodden Tours (bus tours) as an excellent way to see the island. They have a good reputation for their service at reasonable rates. Check their web site for more information at www.boddentours.com/tours.htm Contact them at their web site and arrange a custom tour to fit your needs and avoid all the hassles of negotiating a tour upon your arrival. Other information on tours is listed atIsland Tours : Fishing, Taxi, Power Boat and Sailing |
|
|
|
Do It Yourself Excursions See our locator maps |
There are 2 cruise ship ports in Roatan. The Roatan port is located in Coxen Hole. Mahogany Bay (Carnival Cruise ships) port is 4 miles east of Coxen Hole. Walking into Coxen Hole from the Roatan port is very easy. Coxen Hole does not offer a lot for the tourist. However, there are some hand carved wood items from the mainland. If it is highly polished, it is probably not from Honduras. If you are an adventure traveler, then a quick walk into town and catching the mini bus to other island locations should be considered. Check the tours vs taxi information before venturing out. Also, port information and some links to do it yourself excursions can be found at www.portofroatan.com. There are excursion agencies besides the tour on the ship and with a little research you will find direct links to most tourist activities with web sites and phone numbers on this web site. You can find a “contact us” link on the web sites linked here and you will be able to contact the activity of your choice without any middleman! However, if you just want to book an excursion, then the agents at www.roatancruiseexcursions.com orwww.tropicalrez.com/ are two booking web sites that can assist you. |
Maya Key (operated by Anthony’s Cay Resort) offers swimming, snorkeling, shopping, food, etc on a small island off the end of the airport runway. They have two secluded beaches, a 70000 gallon swimming pool, a 5000 square foot lounge deck and garden paths. Their boats will pick you up at the cruise terminal for a short 5 minute ride to the island. You won’t see much of Roatan on this excursion but it is an inexpensive way to just “hang” in a tropical location. The best water activity may be by the pool. You can make reservations on their website atwww.mayakeyroatan.com or contact them at 800-227-3483 or 504-9995-9589 |
|
Roatan Natural Soapworks was created with the idea of creating a local business that provides jobs and training and at the same time provides visitors to the islands with a unique, quality souvenir-product of our beautiful islands.Cruise ship passengers can purchase the soap in a variety of locations or they can visit the factory which is east of French Harbour. Come and see how avocado, lemongrass, madre caco and no see-um soap is manufactured. You can visit their web site for more details or contact them at011-504-2455-7568 or 011-504-2455-7586. |
i think i heard about this not too long ago, still interesting though,
Hello, I see you put a lot of time and effort into your blog. I think you can make it even better by increasing traffic and monetizing it. Here you can download a free guide that most bloggers use – http://bit.ly/WATPSx
Hello , I always read this blog with pleasure, but lately people started to argue about silly things. I would like the moderators to stop this somehow
Where is a good place start a website for business at a very low price?
here is my email contact me [email protected]
Im getting a teeny problem. I cant get my personal reader to pickup your own rss feed, Im using bing reader by the way.
I would like to link to this article from my blog, can one moderator please inform me if this would be a problem ?
I think the author has good writting skills . I love reading the articles on this website
Homeschooling Environment – The Benefits to Children. Best Stress Medications Revealed. The Quest for Truths in Popular Topics About Fitness and Health. Basketball Shooting-3 Tips to Improve Your Ability. https://plus.google.com/109400820899148461509/posts
This is the best blog I’ve read in a while.. u are Good at this !
The next time I read a blog, I hope that it won’t fail me as much as this particular one. I mean, Yes, it was my choice to read, but I actually believed you would probably have something useful to say. All I hear is a bunch of complaining about something you could possibly fix if you weren’t too busy searching for attention.
always a huge fan of linking to bloggers that I really like but don
below you
We are the #1 Cruise provider on the Internet. Book your vacations with us and Get up to 80% off your cruise. Our vacation specialists will give you that personal touch you can trust! Count on WeCruze.com for all your vacation needs. Call (855) We-Cruze (855) 932-7893 or visit us at http://www.wecruze.com.
Lovely post. Congratulations !! It is a pleasure to visit your site and I like that your server is blazing fast. This page loaded in half a second 🙂
Here are a number of the web sites we advocate for our visitors
Great, thanks 😉
Here are several of the web pages we suggest for our visitors
Great, thanks 😉
New generation blogs! Thanks
very few sites that come about to become detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly very well worth checking out
one of our visitors recently suggested the following website
just beneath, are quite a few absolutely not associated sites to ours, nevertheless, they’re certainly worth going over
Other countries censor content and not just rogue regimes such as the Iranian mullocracy. Poor people! http://www.baidu.com
that will be the finish of this post. Right here you
Today, I went to the beach with my children.
I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her ear and screamed.
There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She
never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell
someone!
usually posts some really fascinating stuff like this. If you
usually posts some incredibly intriguing stuff like this. If you
below you
we like to honor several other world-wide-web web sites around the internet, even when they aren
usually posts some extremely intriguing stuff like this. If you
always a major fan of linking to bloggers that I appreciate but don
that could be the finish of this article. Here you
we like to honor a lot of other world-wide-web internet sites around the net, even if they aren
we prefer to honor several other world-wide-web internet sites around the internet, even when they aren
below you
below you
woot. thanks for this post, kind of sad didn’t see it before.
below you
check beneath, are some entirely unrelated websites to ours, however, they are most trustworthy sources that we use
always a large fan of linking to bloggers that I appreciate but do not get a good deal of link enjoy from
I see you share interesting content here, you can earn some additional money, your website
has huge potential, for the monetizing method, just type in google
– K2 advices how to monetize a website
I read a lot of interesting content here.
Probably you spend a lot of time writing, i know how
to save you a lot of time, there is an online tool that
creates unique, SEO friendly posts in seconds, just type in google
– k2seotips unlimited content
If some one wants expert view concerning blogging afterward
i propose him/her to visit this website, Keep up the fastidious work.
I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I am now not sure whether or not this submit is written by way of him as no one else know such targeted about my difficulty.
You’re amazing! Thank you!
Becoming an astronaut in 1986, he was essential in many technical aspects of NASA.
Each exhibit area is more fascinating than the last, but the museum really outdid itself in my opinion in Lying in State, which is a re-creation of
the setting when Lincoln lay in state at the Old State Capitol.
In order to take this energy from the non-physical realm of thought and intention to the physical
realm of concrete manifestation, you must act on the
leads the Universe sends you.