Things to do at Roatan/Honduras

[Tigger007]

There will be 8 of us on the Spirit going o Roatan in Oct.

 

Wonder what is the best thing to do.

 

Should we rental vehicles to get around the island? How are the taxis?

 

Can we snorkel anywhere just off the beach?

 

Thanks

:)

[richtersl]

You may get more responses of you post your question on the CC Ports of Call Forum. Just scroll to the bottom of that page and click on the link for Roatan.

[douglinc@msn.com]

Here is another pretty good link for Roatan.

http://www.roatanonline.com/index.html

 

Doug

[richtersl]

I tried posting this on the Ports of Call Board for Roatan but have not heard anything so I was wondering if anyone here ever booked a tour with these folks?

 

http://www.roatancabtours.com/

[dosi]

They will pick you up at the ship and bring you back any time you want. Gorgeous uncrowded beach, neat rustic outdoor bar and beautiful water and snorkeling. Make sure you bring insect repellant though b/c there are sand fleas....you won't see them, but they'll surely find you!!!! :eek:

[SeaPA]

For snorkeling right off the beach, there are two very good places that are easily accessible. You could go to Half Moon Bay cabins in West End community; the reef starts almost right at the water entry & the wall is a reasonable swim away. They also have good food & cold beer at the restaurant, and a fresh water shower for when you get out.

Or go to West Bay Beach (you can get their either direct by cab OR by taking a cab to West End & catching a water taxi from Fosters Bar). When you get to West Bay, walk all the way to the extreme western end of the beach, where the rock/iron shore comes up to the beach. At that spot the reef starts almost immediately upon entry into the water. There are a number of bars & restaurants along West Bay Beach, which is considered to be the nicest on Roatan (there are a couple of others that are as nice but not as easily accessible).

Not sure what the cab situation is like on cruiseship day; I've been to Roatan a dozen times but all on trips where I flew in & stayed on the island for awhile.

[shannonh]

Our ship visited Roatan last week and it was definitely the highlight of our trip. This was our second time to Roatan and we loved our day. Five years ago we went on the ship's excursion to Tabayana. The snorkeling there was the best that we have ever done and we have done quite a bit. We booked this cruise just to be able to get back there. This time I researched a lot and with the help of others from this board, came up with the plan. We left the ship, walked outside the gate and down the street just a little, ignoring all of the taxi drivers asking us if we needed a taxi. Finally, a driver came up and we asked what it would cost for us to hire him for the day. His first offer was $60 (there were four of us), but I knew that this was too expensive. I offered to pay $40 and he agreed. I made it clear that we would not pay him until we were delivered back to the ship in the afternoon. He took us to the canopy tour first, but we found out that it wasn't open until 9:00 a.m. With about 45 minutes to go, he said, "Oh, I know where I could show you." He took us to see some gorgeous lots for sale and to a group of houses with a gorgeous view. We stopped in the driveway and took pictures and talked about life on Roatan and his past. Then back to the canopy tour we went. Halfway through the canopy tour, Jonas, our driver had positioned himself so that he could watch and yell encouragement. At the end, he was waiting for us. We then asked him to take us to the Mayan Princess Hotel. The hotel allows visitors to walk through and the beach is public. It happens to be virtually "next to" Tabayana beach. We were able to snorkel out over the exact same reef that those who took the ship's excursion. Peddlers on the beach sell great Honduras beer for $2 a bottle. We had been told on the ship that it was best to take the ship's tour because the peddlers on the beach would drive us nuts. That was not true. Only a few came up to us; most just had their wares at tables and we chose to look. The prices were much better there than at any other ports. My son wanted a hammock and was able to get it down to $10 on Roatan. He opted not at that point and then couldn't find it at anywhere near the Roatan price in Cozumel or at any of the other ports. Anyway, the beach was absolutely paradise!! We found shade under a palm tree on the beach to lay our stuff and spent most of the time out in the water. We had told Jonas to be back at 1:00 to pick us up and he was there when we returned to our agreed upon spot. Then he took us to the downtown shopping area, where we paid him, shopped and walked the short distance back to the ship. It was definitely one of the best days of our lives! I really hope this helps you with your plans! We would do it again in a heartbeat!

[Lisa0719]

Book Victor Bodden, victorbodden@yahoo.com. He will give you a tour of the island and just about anything else. Victor will be there waiting for you at the pier. He is a wonderful, conciensious man trying to make a living and will treat you well. We used Victor two year in a row and were very happy with his services.

[pondfam]

I will be traveling to Roatan on the NCL Spirit 10/31. How safe are the taxis?

I am tentatively planning on spending the day at the Spa and they charge $15. per person for transportation. Since there will be 2 of us, I thought I might be able to save a few bucks and get a taxi. Any help/information would be appreciated.

[kfleming]

pondfam, I'd love to know the same thing. Can anyone help?

[MartiniMama]

I don't know about the safety aspect of the taxis but I did find a link to the cost of taxis.....http://www.roatanisland.net/tourist_tips.htm

 

P.S. I'm leaning towards Fosters West Bay Resort.....for $10/person you get access to a beautiful beach, restrooms/showers and beach chairs. Plus they have a drinks & food reasonably priced. The taxi for 5 of us should only be $10 each way.

[chanur]

You can find a huge list of activities and lots of photos, including one of the posted taxi prices on the cruise ship dock, at http://www.roatanonline.com/cruise_ship.htm. Regarding those taxi prices, they are supposed to be "round trip" and you pay when returning to the dock. If you want to arrange your own day on Roatan, you'll see lots of things to choose from and helpful information.

[newmexicoNita]

I personally would feel very safe using the Roatan taxies. That's just my opinion. The island is poor, but the people are ever so friendly and the island lovely!!!

 

NMNita

[mnsawyer]

Can you give me some details on the Mayan Princess Hotel? Found the website but how much does it cost to rent snorkel equipment, beach chair, umbrellas, papalyas, etc.? Also, what about the food? Cost as well as restrooms. How much is a taxi from the pier to Mayan Princess?

 

Thanks!