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Roatan Overview
 Roatan's Mahogany Bay is Now Open -- Get the Details
Imagine a place where lobster is a common lunch fare, traffic lights don't exist and you can hail a taxi on the water. Welcome to Roatan, largest of the Bay Islands, 30 miles north of Honduras. Almost 40 miles long and just 2.5 miles at its widest point, the remote island boasts white sand beaches, pristine bays and spectacular coral reefs.
Roatan is a true melting pot. Its 40,000 people are a mix of Spanish, British, Paya Indian and African, the result of a stormy history that includes conquistadors, pirates and slave traders. In the mid-17th century, the Spanish relocated the Paya Indians in an unsuccessful attempt to rid the island of British pirates. In the late 18th century, the island was repopulated when British troops deported thousands of Black Caribs who had sided with the French during a battle over St. Vincent. Another group of immigrants arrived from the Caymans in the 1830's.
Today, tourism has overtaken commercial fishing as Roatan's top industry. Part of the world's second largest barrier reef system, Roatan's waters are teeming with colorful coral and sponges. Divers and snorkelers swim alongside schools of fish as well as whale sharks, barracuda, mantas, dolphins and turtles. The water feels like your bathtub, averaging 80 to 84 degrees, and snorkeling here is like watching high-definition television, with visibility a fantastic 80 to 120 feet.
Dozens of world-class diving and snorkeling sites are accessible from sandy white beaches around the island and through numerous operators, congregated on West End village, the hub of the island's activity. Marlin, tuna and wahoo lure anglers year-round, and for the annual fall bill fishing tournament. Roatan is also a mecca for water sports. Kayaking, waterskiing, sailing and wakeboarding are popular activities.
The former pirate haven offers travelers unspoiled charm and exceptional marine life. Like many of its Caribbean neighbors, the island is transition. Expensive new homes and resorts stand in sharp contrast to clapboard tin-roofed houses. In addition to cruise ships, direct flights from Miami and Houston and weekly charters from Milan are bringing large numbers of tourists. Word is that Hollywood's Leonardo DiCaprio and Francis Ford Coppola have already bought property and Julio Iglesias is developing a golf course. Our advice? Enjoy it now.
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Other Western Caribbean Cruise Ports:
Belize City • Costa Maya • Cozumel • Galveston • Grand Cayman • Havana • Key West • Mobile • Montego Bay • New Orleans • Ocho Rios • Playa del Carmen (Calica) • Progreso • Roatan • Tampa
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Language
Though Spanish is the official language of Honduras, most people on Roatan speak both Spanish and English.
Currency & Best Way to Get Money
The official currency is the Lempira (named for a martyr who fought the Spanish), approximately 18 to the U.S. dollar. The dollar is widely accepted as are credit cards and traveler's checks. In Coxen Hole, Banco Credomatic (open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon) provides cash advances on credit cards and features a 24-hour ATM.
Where You're Docked
You'll be anchored on the south side of Roatan at Coxen Hole, the largest city and capital of the Bay Islands. This busy gateway is named after the pirate, John Coxen.
Hanging Around
Besides Internet access, an ATM, a small shopping mall and a handful of restaurants, there's little here for tourists. It's a good place to buy cold drinks and sandwiches before venturing east toward French Harbour and Oak Ridge, and west toward Sandy Bay and the West End.
Getting Around
A paved road runs north from Coxen Hole to West End and east to French Harbour. An unpaved road continues east to Paya Bay and Camp Bay. Taxis, rental cars, motor bike and buses are available in West End, Coxen Hole and French Harbour.
Renting a Car: Sandy Bay Rent a Car (504-445-1710) with locations in Sandy Bay and West End, rents 4x4 vehicles for Roatan's unpaved roads. Captain Van's in West End rents vans, mountain bikes, and scooters (captainvans.com). Caribbean Rent a Car is located along the main road near French Harbour (504-455-6950). Rates start at $50 a day for cars and $30 for scooters.
By Taxi: Some unscrupulous cab drivers have taken advantage of cruise passengers. Before entering a taxi, confirm the fare. If the driver says 20, make sure he's quoting Lempiras, not dollars. A water taxi from West End to West Bay Beach runs about $1.25. Most cabbies accept both U.S. dollars and Lempiras.
By Bus: Mini buses run in either direction from Coxen's Hole. Flag down a bus, and pay the driver's assistant -- about one U.S. dollar on most routes.
Don't Miss
 Snorkeling and Kayaking: After paddling down the coastline at either Half Moon Beach or West Bay Beach, leave your kayak onshore to explore the magical coral reefs with your mask and snorkel. Snorkeling equipment is available for rent through tour operators as well as dive shops, some restaurants, and gift shops.
Wing it at the Butterfly Farm, located just before the entrance to West End. A couple of hundred exquisite butterflies representing 15 to 20 species flit around a 3,000-square-ft. enclosure. This is also home to stunning hummingbirds, parrots and toucans (guided tours, open daily except Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Don't forget your binoculars and camera.
Been There, Done That
Always wanted to learn to scuba dive? Sueno del Mar Dive Center (800-298-9009), voted best on Roatan by Scuba Diving magazine, offers introductory diving lessons. Certified juniors, ages 10 to 15 years, must dive with an adult.
Kids and beginners can join experienced equestrians in a memorable horseback riding trip along the beach and into the hills at West Bay (Keifetos Resort) or between Calabash Bight and Paya Bay on the island's south side (Roatan Ridge Ranch).
Anglers can land mackerel, wahoo, and tuna during half-day or full-day sport-fishing excursions available through many resorts, including Bay Islands Beach Resort and Bonefish Lodge. For deep sea fishing, the boat is licensed; bone fishing doesn't require a license if you release your fish.
Beaches
Best Beach for an Active Day: West End offers beaches, coral reefs for snorkeling, eateries, and water sports like sea kayaking, diving and sailing. At the entrance to West End is palm-lined Half Moon Bay beach. Be prepared for large crowds on cruise ship days.
Best Beach for Families: Best West Bay Beach, near the northern tip of the island, features clear, shallow water (about five feet deep) teeming with coral and colorful fish right offshore. With a dozen stations marked by buoys, the Natural Aquarium Snorkel Trail at the Bay Islands Beach Resort at Sandy Bay is a fun way for kids to see everything from eagle rays to sergeant majors (open daily from 9 am until 4:30 p.m.).
Best Secluded Beach: Camp Bay Beach past the village of Diamond Rock is a two-mile idyllic stretch of white sand with swaying coconut palms perfect for snuggling under. Rent a 4-wheel drive for the unpaved road and don't forget a picnic lunch.
Lunching
Editor's Note: Addresses in Roatan do not exist the way we know them. We've included pertinent location information; locals and cabbies will be able to point the way.
Casual, In-Town Joints: In the center of Coxen Hole, HB Warren Supermarket's 50's-style cafeteria scrambles up eggs, along with fried beans and tortillas (open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m). The Lighthouse, located in West End on the south side of the point, offers some of the best fish tacos, grilled lobster and conch soup on the island (open 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily).
Gourmet Lunching: Las Rocas, set on a rocky point at West Bay, is known for authentic Bay Island dishes like shrimp with rice, chicken in coconut milk, and beef in coconut milk (open for lunch and dinner, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily). Pura Vida, in the center of West End, cooks up homemade pasta, pizza, and seafood (open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily).
Shore Excursions
Best for Nature Lovers: The Iguana Farm on the outskirts of French Harbour is an unusual refuge for over 2,500 reptiles. At lunchtime, hundreds of iguanas of all shapes and sizes duke it out for veggies. Roatan's iguanas have been hunted to near extinction for their meat (open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m). Gardeners will enjoy strolling through the lush Carambola Botanical Gardens in Sandy Bay, home to hundreds of exotic tropical plants, including chocolate trees, orchids and heliconias (open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Best Overall Tour: Bottle-nosed dolphins are the scene-stealers at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences. The Institute uses Anthony's Key Resort in Sandy Bay to care for about a dozen dolphins. The residents put on a show (Monday through Friday) and swim with visitors. The popular marine mammals attract a crowd; best to make reservations at least three to four days in advance. Sharing a building with the Institute, the Roatan Museum features exhibits on the Bay Islands (504-445-1327).
Best for Diving and Snorkeling: Roatan's central coast is off the beaten path, with spectacular snorkeling and diving. Valley of the Kings and Parrot Tree are two outstanding snorkeling sites. Nearby, Mary's Place, with its spectacular black coral, is considered the Grand Canyon of wall diving and the island's premier dive site. A dive master leads visitors down one of two sheer-walled vertical faults cut through the reef. Subway Watersports at Brick Bay Resort offers private snorkeling and diving excursions (www.subwaywatersports.com).
Best for Families: For adventurous families with children ages ten and older, the Tabyana Beach and Canopy Tour combines a great beach and snorkeling experience with the adrenalin rush of a zip line canopy tour. The Tarzan-like adventure starts at Creation Rock, where you are outfitted in a harness, pulley and gloves and attached to a cable. With 11 stretches of cable and 13 tree-top stations towering 18 to 30 feet above the ground, this is one E-ride the family isn't likely to forget.
Staying in Touch
Roatan is the only Bay Island with a telephone system, but pay phones are rare. To call home or check e-mail, try Main Street Mall in Coxen Hole. Paradise Computers & Internet Cafe has two branches: at the JC Commercial Building on Thicket Mouth Road in Coxen Hole and next to Pura Vida in West End.
For More Information
On the Web: www.letsgohonduras.com
Cruise Critic Message Boards: Roatan
The Independent Traveler: Caribbean Bargains and Features
The Independent Traveler: Roatan Trip Report
--by Susan Jaques. Jaques is a Los Angeles-based writer whose favorite travel adventures are with her husband and teenage son and daughter. In addition to Cruise Critic, Jaques' articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Magazine.
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Shore Excursions
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