Typical Roatan Beach

Roatan, Honduras Information
Tom Ogg

Language and Currency
What is Roatan Like?
What is the Weather Like?
Where Does the Ship Dock?
Where is the Shopping?
What is There to Buy?
What is There To Do?
Is There Anything of a “Don’t Miss Quality?
Are There Any Great Restaurants or Bars?

Roatan Port Reviews

Language and Currency

The official language of Roatan, Honduras is Spanish and the currency is the Honduran Lempira. However, dollars are widely accepted and some English is spoken in most of the tourist areas. Knowing a little Spanish is quite helpful as the locals respond to any attempt to speak their language.

What is Roatan like?

Roatan is a small island only two miles wide at its widest and about 35 miles long. It is a tropical island with all the vegetation one would expect. The main town of Coxen Hole is considered to be poor by most visitors, but its population is quite happy and content. One notices that many of its residents are of Caribbean island decent rather than Hispanic. Roatan is blessed with numerous beaches of a fabulous quality, and nowhere on the island are they more beautiful than on the West End.

What is the weather like?

Enjoying a tropical climate, Roatan's weather is consistently wonderful with temperatures in the 80s during the day and 70s in the evening. It can get quite hot if there is no cloud cover, so be sure to bring a sun screen with a high spf rating.

Hint: Roatan's beaches may have sand fleas that leave little red marks after their painless bite. Be sure to pack some Cutters Inspect Repellant specifically for use on Roatan. The sand flea bites don't hurt and you are not aware you are being bitten until in the evening time when small red spots will appear on your legs.

Where does the ship dock?

The ship docks right outside of Coxen Hole (aka Roatan City) the economic and government center of Roatan. Downtown Coxen Hole (such as it is) is within easy walking distance of the ship.

Where is the shopping?

Right outside of the gate at the foot of the pier is a burgeoning flea market and crafts marketplace with dozens of stalls. While Coxen Hole is not a tourist town, there are some stores of interest in its downtown area. Out on the West End of Roatan there are several boutiques and shops that cater to tourists.

What is there to buy?

Local crafts, baskets, wood carvings, shell jewelry and items, tee shirts, sarongs, dried and painted local fish, beach items and lots more.

What is there to do?

Go to the beach! While the marketplace outside the pier and the town of Coxen Hole are interesting, just about everyone goes to the beach for diving, snorkeling, sunning, swimming and so on. All ships offer a journey to Tabyana Beach on the West End. This is set up somewhat like a private island the cruise ships operate and while it is a nice enough beach, you are still with the same crowd that is on the ship and you will not experience much of Roatan's culture.

My favorite thing to do is to take a taxi to the West End Bay. Be sure that you negotiate strongly and agree upon a price before getting into the taxi. It should cost you $10 to $15 per person, round trip to the West End. There is a small hotel called the West End Bay Inn that has a great restaurant and bar right on the water and also rents paddle boats so that one can paddle out to the reefs at the Bay's entrance and snorkel among the gorgeous sea fans, coral and fish. The water is crystal clear and it is very easy snorkeling (even for beginners). You can use the beach facilities (well, not really a beach here, but they do have lounge chairs by the water's edge) and enjoy the sun. It is just a short walk into the town of West End where you will find many restaurants, bars, boutiques and shops catering to visitors. One favorite is Fosters Bar and Restaurant that sits offshore and looks like it is ready to fall down.  This is a favorite drinking hole for divers and others staying at West End's small hotels and resorts.

The beaches and reefs along the West End are legendary among divers and are considered to be some of the best diving in the world. There are dive boats, under water submarines, swim with the dolphin experiences, sailing trips, fishing, organized snorkeling trip and many other ocean oriented excursions available on Roatan. Depending on what you would like to do, you will find it readily available.

Is there anything of “Don’t Miss” quality?

Yes, I would say that snorkeling on the West End 's reefs is something you do not want to miss. West End itself is really cool, but the experience of seeing the reefs up close and personal is something you will remember as unique and outstanding.

Are there any great restaurants or bars?

Fosters Bar and Restaurant, West End, Roatan, Honduras

Fosters comes pretty close to this category as a place to enjoy a libation in the afternoon.

Roatan Port Reviews
(Click on the Review you are Interested in Reading)

Larry; Coco View Resort 
Nancy Zupancic; A Day of Scuba Diving
Debbie Perrone; A Tour with Dolphos Stanley
Ryan; Half Moon Bay
Bill Parkinson; Tour of the City with Bodden
Balann; 1/2 Moon Bay and Luna Resort
Gburau; Tour of Island and West End Bay
George Shimek; Tabyanna Beach Scuba
Nancy Weldon; Tabyana Beach 
Deanna; West End Beach vs. Tabyana
Denise Combs; Roatan By Taxi
John Watson; West End Bay On Your Own 
Nancy; Water Sports at Luna Beach Resort
Gena Steward; Private Island Tour and Advice 
Lesley Green; Taxi Tour
Buck,; Snorkeling at the West End
Ed Aucoin; North West Beach
Stan; A Day of Snorkeling
Hortensia; Sante Wellness Day Spa
Debbie Monds; Tour of the Whole Island
Janice; Private Tour with Victor Bodden
Diane; Private Tour to West Bay Beach
Gaynor Paterson; Trip to Filming Location of Temptation Island
Terry Vaughn; Dolphin Encounter
Marisa Ouzone: Salt and Pepper Restaurant Problem 
Julie Bootsma; Island Tour and West End On Your Own 
Katy Chavez; West End and Shopping   
Wayne Sahsltrom; Half Moon Bay at the West End
Ruth Hunter; Tabyana Beach and Snorkel 
Robert Alcorn; West End and Half Moon Bay 
Gary Samek; Ship's Excursion to Tabayana Beach
Karen Forsythe; Sail & Snorkel Charter at West End
Steve Tscheda; Tabayana Beach by Taxi Tour
Warren Lazurus; Salt and Pepper Restaurant Trip
Lori; Hired Taxi for Half Moon Bay Fun
Rob Horne; Private Charter to West End Beach
Carrie Stappenbacher; Cameo Factory in Town & Ship's Discover Scuba Package
Beth; Tabyana Beach Snorkel and Walk Around Town
Doug Phelan; Organized Hustling in a  Beautiful Island
Cynthia Miska; Great Trip to West Bay on our Own
Jason Javitz; Ship's Kayaking/Snorkeling Excursion
Anne Mamone; Best Beach List: West Bay by Private Van\
Paul Macey; Hired Taxi for Trip to Beautiful West End Beach
Luanne Fhuere; Take Salt and Pepper Club Excursion from Pier
Janice; Ship's West End Kayak Snorkel Trip is Disappointing
Steve Harman; Diving at Roatan Yacht Club
Kenneth Collier; Great Day Snorkeling Fantasy Island & Visit to Iguana Farm
L. Richters; Ship's Island Tour & Fantasy Resort Beach Break

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