Roatan Island: All You Need To Know

If you’re looking for turquoise blue waters, culture and beautiful sunsets then Roatan island in Honduras is where you’ll find it. I’m half Honduran (mom’s from Honduras) but had never visited the 40 mile long island. Having just visited this piece of heaven this summer, I want to share all you need to know! From taxi rides to excursions and the best beaches on the island.

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West End, Roatan

West End is a beautiful beach town village on the west side of Roatan island. It’s home to bars, restaurants and hotels. The town has a lot of boutique hotels and small shops. During the day, locals and tourists enjoy the warm waters and fishing boats go out to work. While quiet during the day, at night it’s known as the party side of town. 

The beach waters are calm and perfect with little to no waves. West End is ideal if you have kids or if you’re not a strong swimmer but would still like to be in the water. The street is a narrow two lane street where cars are not permitted over the weekend because of the busy nightlife.

I recommend staying here if you want to be close to the night scene and calmer waters. I stayed on this part of town during my trip and really enjoyed it. You get to be close to the locals, yet in the midst of all the tourist attractions. I slept through the night and didn’t hear much of the party scene haha

West Bay, Roatan

For scenic views and Caribbean waters then make your way to West Bay! This is the most beautiful beach in Roatan island and the busiest. The beach is lined with resorts and restaurants, some of the best can be found there. A unique experience if you’re in the water is seeing a lady walk through with a canoe selling pineapples, which she prepares right there on the canoe. 

Most water activities can also be found here like jet skiing, snorkeling, parasailing and others. The beach chairs here are free, if you’re on a budget just bring some snacks and you’re set! 🙂 I recommend spending an entire day at this beach if you’re staying somewhere else. A water taxi charges between $3-$5 per person from West End to West Bay and vice versa.

Punta Gorda, Roatan 

Punta Gorda is on the northeast point of Roatan island and home to the Garifuna people. The Garifuna tribe are descendents of West African slaves who arrived in the Caribbean islands in the 1600’s. Today the Garifuna culture is a big part of Roatan and visitors are welcomed to experience the culture on weekends. 

If you’re leaving from West Bay or West End a taxi will charge you about $100 for roundtrip and will wait about 4-5 hours to allow you time to explore. Not a bad deal if you’re with a big group. I recommend going on a Saturday or Sunday from 3pm-9pm. This allows travel time, a meal in Punta Gorda and you can watch the Garifuna people perform punta. 

The Garifuna people make most of their money as well as the rest of the islanders on tourism, therefore, I encourage you to support them. They usually sell banana bread, coconut bread, bracelets and different kinds of artisan goods. Your USD goes a long way for them in supporting their families as they are one of the poorest communities on the island.  

Roatan Snorkeling 

Fun fact about Roatan island is that it has the second largest barrier reef system in the world. It’s home to beautiful marine life with many experienced divers making their way to the island every year. You can snorkel by hiring a boat to take you out on the water for $35 for two hours. The price can be negotiable but that’s the base price for it. Enjoy the colors of the sea and be ready to capture every moment. 

I suggest bringing your own snorkeling gear and a waterproof case to take videos and photos.  Snorkel gear is usually provided but not thoroughly cleaned and waterproof cases tend to be more expensive on the island. 

My favorite snorkel gear here 
My favorite waterproof case here

Roatan Zip Lining & Animal Encounter 

Zip-lining on the island is a great experience and I enjoyed doing it. It’s $45 for 16 zip-lines as well as an encounter with a sloth, toucans and other animals. You have two guides with you and a photographer. One guide will always go ahead and one will always be with you, they also show you fun tricks and things you can do while on the zip-line. I suggest going early in the morning to avoid the crowds. 

The photographer captures you doing the zip-lines and will sell you about 30-40 photos for $35 at the end. This is a great option if you want to remember the experience but don’t want to lose your phone while on the zip-line. If you’re with a group you can always split the cost and you will all get photos. 

The animal encounter happens right after the zip-lines and it’s about a 30-40 minute experience. There will be a guide with you to give you some information about the animal and to help you interact with it as well. You will encounter deers, sloths, monkeys, toucans, guinea pigs, and a few macaws (the Honduran national bird) among other animals. A photographer is also with you and will see you about 30 photos for $20. 

I bought both photo packages and I’m really glad I did. I think it’s worth it, you don’t have to worry about losing your phone or capturing special moments. It allows you to be fully present and helps support the establishment.

Roatan Horseback Riding 

If you have to pick just one activity to do on your visit I would suggest you do horseback riding. It’s an absolutely beautiful experience where you begin in the lush green vegetation, go through the streets of Flowers Bay, ride through the water and end up back at the ranch. It’s $55 per person for about 1.5 hours. 

The horses are trained and well behaved, my horse’s name was 300 haha. I had a great experience with our guide Rigo too, he knew the horses well and the surrounding area too. My favorite part was riding through the water, the views are scenic and make for great photos as well!

Mangrove Tour in Roatan

The mangroves in Roatan island are a beautiful intricacy. The boat that took us snorkeling made a stop at the mangroves to show us the beautiful trees. It wasn’t much of a tour, our guide just showed us the mangroves, we took some photos and off we went. We weren’t able to go through, I recommend going if you’d like to see them but it is underwhelming. Not much of a tour if you ask me.

Roatan, Honduras Weather

The weather in Roatan is warm year round with an average of 85°F! However, something to note is that there is a rainy season between October and January with the island seeing heaviest rainfall in December and January. The best time to visit the island is in May & September. Fewer crowds and ideal weather. Just a reminder that it is HUMID so bring your sunscreen, portable fan and bug repellent!

What should I pack for Roatan Island?

I recommend packing light because you will most likely be in the water or doing some activity in Roatan’s humidity. Depending on how long you’ll be visiting, bring a lot of bathing suits (because who wants to wait until it dries?) shorts, tanks and one or two going out outfits. 

The island vibes are extremely chill and anything overdone will be too much, unless that’s the look you’re going for 😉 To find a detailed packing list then download my custom packing checklist where you’ll find exactly what to bring according to the season and/or destination!

Overall Thoughts on Roatan, Honduras

Roatan island has got to go on your bucket list! If you want to disconnect and truly unwind then this is the place to do it. There’s a lot of activities you can do, beaches to explore and budget friendly to luxury hotels. It’s not as developed as other touristy places in the Caribbean like Cancun, but that’s what adds charm to Roatan.

If you visit now, you’ll get to experience it before developers and investors commercialize the island. I recommend going a minimum of 5 days to relax and enjoy activities. You will fall in love with the people, the culture and the scenic views in every corner.

FAQ’S About Roatan 

1. What’s the name of Roatan’s airport? 

• Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport (RTB) 

2. Is Roatan safe? 

• Very safe. Islanders live off of the tourism industry, therefore take care of all visitors. Heavy police presence at all times. 

3. What currency is used in Roatan?

• Lempira 

4. How big is Roatan? 

• 40 miles long and 3 miles wide.

5. When is the best time to visit Roatan? 

• The best time to visit is in May and September 

6.  Is Roatan expensive? 

• Roatan can be expensive since they get everything imported from the mainland. Some items may be cheaper than in the US.