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Mega cruise ships unload thousands of passengers onto the island each day, cruel and unethical wildlife encounters and large-scale resorts. This was basically the gist of what we had read about Roatan, Honduras before visiting.
Not really our scene, right?
Our sights were set on neighbouring Utila, but I couldn’t resist the stunning beaches of Roatan, so we tacked on a few days here and decided to give it a go.
I’m so glad we did.
There are two completely opposite sides to Roatan, and the island was nothing like what we expected. We really loved Roatan and were so surprised at how much it had to offer independent, mindful travellers.
If you’re anything like us and want to experience the best of Roatan, without participating in the unsustainable and tacky tourist scene, I’ve got you covered.
From beaches that belong on a postcard with some of the bluest waters in the Caribbean, a thriving underwater world for diving and snorkelling, and laidback island vibes, there are so many great things to do in Roatan.
I’ve compiled a list of my 18 top Roatan activities that are actually worth doing. I’ll also share some tips on the things NOT to do in Roatan, to avoid participating in animal cruelty.
Don’t have time to read this whole post? Here’s the lowdown 👇🏼
If I could only choose 5 of the best things to do in Roatan, here’s what I would do:
- Visit West Bay Beach, literally a postcard tropical paradise
- Go scuba diving (Sun Divers) or snorkelling (this tour)
- Hang out on the beach at Half Moon Bay and swim out to the iSoar Fun Boat
- Explore West End town. Eat baleadas at Calelu’s, visit the Roatan Chocolate Factory and catch a sunset from Playa West End
- Rent a car for the day and drive to Camp Bay Beach
Roatan in less than 30 seconds
🏖️ Not sure if Roatan is right for you? Check out our Roatan vs Utila comparison post to help decide which island suits you best (spoiler: you should visit both!)
18 Best things to do in Roatan, Honduras
To help make this list more digestible I’ve divided it into different categories. I’ll cover the best beaches, must-do water activities, and land activities in Roatan.
Beaches in Roatan
1. Float in the aquamarine waters of West Bay Beach
If you were daydreaming of crystal clear, vibrant blue waters, soft white sand and swaying palm trees when planning your trip to Roatan, get yourself straight to West Bay Beach.
This stretch of sand has got to be one of the best in Central America. I don’t know if we just got lucky with perfect weather, and calm seas, but I’ve never seen water a brighter blue than at West Bay. (Tobacco Caye in Belize was probably a close second).
The downside is that it can be jam-packed with tourists. I mean, I get it, it is incredible and we still loved it despite the crowds, but the beach can be seriously busy.
To combat this, check what days cruise ships are arriving in port. This is a very popular stop for cruise passengers, so if you can plan your visit for a day with no ships in port, that’s ideal.
We visited in February (peak time) and there were no days without a ship arriving. If you have the same problem, I would suggest going first thing in the morning, or later in the afternoon. We went around lunchtime and it was quite busy, but by around 2 pm, people started clearing out and heading back to the ship.
Although the shore is lined with resorts, beach clubs and restaurants, we weren’t interested in spending any money. (This is one of the more upper-scale areas of Roatan with the fanciest resorts, so it can be pricey here). We were quite happy finding an open patch of sand with some shady palm trees and laying down our towels.
You will be offered a lot of different activities, like snorkelling, kayaking, banana boat rides, snorkel tours etc. But the best thing to do is simply enjoy the beach. Laze on the sand, warm up in the sun and dunk yourself into the blissful water. Repeat.
Assuming you’re staying in West End, the best way to get to the beach is via water taxi. Head to the dock located here, and you’ll usually find a captain waiting. It is $5 USD per person one way, or the equivalent in Lempira.
We didn’t book a return trip, we just took note of where we got dropped off on the beach at West Bay and came back to that area when we were ready to leave and flagged someone down.
2. Relax at Half Moon Bay
In the heart of West End, Half Moon Bay is a gorgeous beach shaped like (you guessed it!) a half-moon.
The curved shoreline is lined with palm trees, the water is calm, and it gets deep quickly in spots so you can swim.
The beach is absolutely stunning, and it doesn’t have the same hectic busy vibe as West Bay Beach.
The sand does fill up throughout the day, but there aren’t too many vendors, and not a lot of restaurants right on the beach.
At least not at the southern end, which we thought was the nicest part. The section opposite Bean Crazy around here was our favourite spot.
There are beach lounges on the sand you can rent from one of the hotels across the road. When we were there, it was only $5 USD per day which is very reasonable.
Otherwise, there are plenty of empty sand patches for your towel and lots of shade from the palm trees. We loved waking up in the morning, having our coffee on the beach and going for a swim.
If you move north around the bay, there is less sand and more beach bars and restaurants, but still a very relaxed vibe.
3. Enjoy a quiet beach at Playa West End
For an even quieter beach, try Playa West End.
This tiny strip of sand is inconspicuous from the road, but despite being right in the centre of West End, we had it to ourselves many times throughout our stay.
It’s only a very small beach, but it’s lined with a dense palm grove, and clear, calm shallow waters for a dip. There were some fallen logs on the sand, which made for a perfect place to sit, and we enjoyed many hours lazing here reading books, watching the sunset and swimming with no one else around.
Our favourite section was just across the road from Creole’s Rotisserie Chicken, located here.
4. Visit the secluded Camp Bay Beach
Once you’ve experienced some of the more popular beaches, the next stunning stretch of sand to discover on Roatan is Camp Bay Beach.
This beach is located on the far east side of the island and is peaceful, quiet and secluded. Almost totally undeveloped, there are just a handful of restaurants and a few lodging options here.
The beach stretches on for miles, and it’s the perfect place for a long beach walk. You can enjoy powdery white sand and vibrant blue waters and laze under palm trees with virtually no noise or bother from any vendors.
For lunch, head to La Sirena de Camp Bay, a wonderful overwater restaurant. The atmosphere is fantastic, with hummingbird feeders all over, beautiful water views and great food.
With hindsight, I wish we stayed longer on Roatan and included a few nights at Camp Bay for a relaxing and peaceful escape. Camp Bay Lodge is a fantastic place to stay right on the beach. They also allow day visitors to their restaurant and to use their facilities. I believe they have a $20 minimum spend on food and drinks, which is so reasonable!
The best way to get here from West End is to rent a car and drive yourself. Expect the journey to take at least 1.5 hours, and the roads get quite bumpy towards the end. There are a handful of car rental places in West End.
Water activities in Roatan
5. Go scuba diving
Roatan and the entire Bay Islands area are famous for scuba diving.
Honduras hosts a piece of the vast Mesoamerican Reef. The second largest barrier reef in the world, stretching from southern Mexico through Belize, a small part of Guatemala and ending in Honduras.
Scuba diving in Utila is renowned as some of the cheapest in the world, so scuba junkies have long flocked there for underwater adventures.
However, you can go diving in Roatan just as cheaply as in Utila, and the quality of the reef and diving experience is SO much better in Roatan (in my opinion).
We had a week of diving planned in Utila, so we only did one dive in Roatan to have a comparison. Damn, I wish we changed plans!
Our one dive in Roatan was so much better than all the dives we did in Utila combined. The reef was in much better condition, and we actually saw marine life (which surprisingly we did not see in Utila at all).
Our dive site, Lighthouse Reef, was only a 5-minute boat ride from shore, so I was pretty sceptical, but we ended up diving along a stunning wall, dropping off over 30 metres. We spotted a turtle, eagle rays, the biggest moray eel I’ve ever seen, big groupers protecting their caves and hundreds of blue creole wrasse.
We dived with Sun Divers and were very happy with the experience. Their gear was in great condition, our guide Ricky was really friendly and knowledgable, and they do most of the set-up for you (which I’ll never complain about!).
We paid $53 USD (the equivalent in Lempira) for a single-tank dive with all gear included.
I have also heard great things about Roatan Divers. We opted to avoid Roatan Dive Centre for their approach to the Roatan Shark Dive (offered by one external operator on the island, but promoted via many dive shops).
6. Take a snorkelling tour
If you’re not a diver, don’t worry, you can still enjoy Roatan’s beautiful underwater world on a snorkelling tour.
While it’s possible to snorkel from the shore (more on that next), the best way to see the reef is to jump on a boat and get out further.
This tour gives you the option of 1, 2 or 3 snorkel stops, depending on how long you want to be in the water.
The crew will choose the best snorkel sites on the day based on the conditions, but they usually try to take you to the Blue Channel, The Aquarium and Turtle Crossing.
The Blue Channel is one of the best spots to go snorkelling in Roatan, with a deep channel filled with towering corals, lots of hidden crevices and caves and a ton of marine life.
We always love snorkelling in deeper channels, and have the best luck seeing marine life where the deeper water meets the shallower reef. Like at Hol Chan Channel in Caye Caulker, Belize.
The tour leaves from West End, so if you’re staying in town you can meet at the dock. If your accommodation is in another part of the island, they will pick you up.
🐢 Book your Roatan snorkelling tour
7. DIY snorkelling from the beach
In addition to taking a snorkel tour on a boat, you can also do some self-guided snorkelling from the beach. I wouldn’t say the reef is as nice, but it’s still a fun activity to do, and won’t cost you much.
There are two main areas around West End that you can walk in from the beach and snorkel:
- 🤿 Half Moon Bay: the southern part of Half Moon Bay has a nice little reef. The area where the bay curves around into the rocky point has some nice corals. Walk all the way to the end of the beach, near Ginger’s Caribbean Grill and jump in there.
- 🤿 West Bay Beach: at the very southern end of West Bay Beach, the sand runs into a rocky wall. There is a reef all around this area. Because there is so much boat traffic around the beach, there are dedicated entry points for snorkellers, marked out with buoys. There is one right in front of the Infinity Bay Resort, and another in front of the Grand Roatan Resort.
If you don’t already have your own snorkel gear, you can rent from dive shops or tour operators all over the island. However, if you’re staying in West End, I’d encourage you to rent from the Roatan Marine Park store. It’s an easy way to support this non-profit that does important conservation work for the reef.
8. Swing from the iSoar Fun Boat
If you’re on the sand in Half Moon Bay, you’ll see a big colourful ship docked offshore, with things sticking out of it at all angles.
This is the iSoar Fun Boat. Super random, but very fun, a local engineer repurposed this old sailboat with rope swings, platforms and ladders, and anchored it to the ocean floor.
It’s totally free, and you can swim out, climb up and enjoy swinging off and jumping in. It’s actually a pretty high rope swing and we both had tons of fun!
We were a bit confused about how to get there, as it’s a decent swim from the main beach.
We walked as far around Half Moon Bay as we could (even when the beach ended) and found ourselves at the Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration (aka Stanley Submarines) dock.
We were a bit unsure if we could jump in here, or if it was private, but a nice guy came out and said it was okay that we left our stuff on their dock and swam out from there. The person who created the boat was from the Deepsea Exploration, so I think they’re happy for people to make the most of it.
We bought our snorkels with us, as it was still a decent swim and that made it easier. Once we climbed up on the boat we could leave our snorkels there while we played.
9. Go kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding
The waters around West End and West Bay in particular are usually pretty calm, being sheltered by the reef, making them the perfect place to go kayaking or paddleboarding.
You can rent for an hour just for some fun out on the water, or organise a longer rental and take yourself for a mini west-side island tour if you’ve got some experience.
In West End, you can rent kayaks from Cannibal Cafe. I think from memory it was around $25 USD per hour for a double, but I could be wrong, sorry! Steve’s Paddle Shack can organise SUP rentals here.
On West Bay Beach, there are tons of places offering kayaks or paddleboard rentals along the sand. Just wander around and compare a few prices.
10. Join a lionfish spear-hunting expedition
If you’re interested in reef conservation and want to do something to contribute to protecting Roatan’s beautiful marine world, you can learn how to spear hunt lionfish with Roatan Marine Park.
Lionfish are an invasive species in the Caribbean putting major stress on the reef and native fish species.
Lionfish breed like rabbits (even faster than rabbits!), with females laying eggs every few days, up to 2 million per year. They eat anything and everything, taking food sources from native species and even eating the fish themselves. They have no natural predators, so are becoming the top of the food chain in the Caribbean.
Basically, these introduced species muck up the delicate ecosystem of the reef and can have detrimental flow-on consequences.
Roatan Marine Park runs lionfish hunting workshops, which results in you getting a permit to spearfish inside the marine park for lionfish. Spearfishing is normally illegal inside any Honduran marine park, but with this course, you get a license to spear the invasive lionfish.
The workshop teaches you more about lionfish and the threat to the reefs, as well as physical skills for hunting them and how to spearfish.
Once you complete the workshop, you will get your permit and you can join a hunt. Most dive shops around the area offer lionfish hunting dives.
The workshops are currently scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:00 pm. Please book online in advance via their website.
11. Day trip to Cayos Cochinos
Something I really wish we did during our time in Roatan is visit Cayos Cochinos. (Although we did visit Water Cay from Utila which definitely gave us a similar vibe!).
This remote archipelago lies between the Bay Islands and the Honduran mainland and is virtually untouched.
If you want to experience a slice of Caribbean paradise, with stunning beaches, crystal clear waters, thriving reefs and no crowds or cruise ships – Cayos Cochinos is for you.
There are two main islands in the group, Cayo Mayor (aka Cayo Grande) and Cayo Menor, as well as 13 smaller cays. The islands became a marine protected area in 1994, and basically all development has been restricted since then. There is a population of just over 100 people living across the cays.
Most of the cays are completely untouched, but there are a handful of basic hotels, a few private mansions of wealthy Hondurans, as well as a small Garifuna settlement on one of the cays.
Tours from Roatan are a full day, and depending on sea conditions, the journey can take anywhere from 1 – 3 hours. The cays are located almost 40 km / 24 mi from Roatan.
You’ll spend the day snorkelling in pristine reefs with no other boats around, lazing on quiet beaches, and getting an insight into the unique culture of the Garifuna people.
There aren’t a lot of operators offering tours from Roatan, given the distance, but Ruthless Roatan Charters are a fantastic option.
Do note that due to the long ocean journey, this tour is weather-dependent and can be cancelled at short notice if the conditions are not right. Best to plan it for early on during your time in Roatan, to have some flexibility for future days if it needs to be changed.
Land activities in Roatan
12. Explore West End
Considering Roatan is quite a touristy destination, and West End is one of the best places to stay, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed the town.
Everyone hyped up the nightlife in West End and complained about how touristy it was, but we didn’t find this at all. I think I was expecting a Cabo or Cancun vibe, but West End is nothing like that.
It’s a lovely little town, spread along one main road (West End Road). It definitely caters for tourists, but it felt so laidback and there was none of the tacky, resort vibe we were expecting. We slept soundly at night with no noise and were barely bothered by vendors or anything like that. It was actually quieter than Utila.
Make sure to dedicate a couple of hours to exploring the town on foot. The colourful clapboard Caribbean buildings, palm-lined streets, cute hand-painted signs and murals, and constant ocean views are worth seeing before you rush off to an activity or tour.
🌴 Read our complete West End travel guide
13. Catch a sunset
The clue is in the name, the sunsets from West End and West Bay Beach are fantastic!
You can pretty much turn up at any patch of sand in the afternoon, and watch the flaming sun drop down below the horizon.
West Bay Beach is a great spot, but unless you’re staying in that area, you probably don’t want to organise a water taxi in the dark.
Fear not, you can head to Half Moon Bay in West End for a great view too.
Sundowners Beach Bar is the classic go-to for a sunset beverage. They have happy hour from 5 – 7 pm, and cocktails were really affordable. We paid around 150 Lempira for a cocktail (~ $6 USD). Cash only, and only Lempiras. (It did get a bit of an American redneck old expat vibe as the night went on, so come early for a sunset bev and have dinner elsewhere).
Our favourite place for sunset in West End though was Playa West End. Our quiet little patch of sand had a perfect sunset view, with no one else around. We grabbed some SalvaVida beers from the supermarket (35 Lemps each) and found a spot on the beach.
14. Eat baleadas at Calelu’s
I say all the time that I don’t usually include places to eat on my list of things to do… but then proceed to do exactly that.
BUT, I cannot talk about things to do in Roatan without mentioning Calelu’s. I still dream about these baleadas to this day, and I would be doing you a disservice to not specifically alert you to this deliciousness!
If you don’t know, baleadas are a typical Honduran dish made up of a flour tortilla, filled with mashed fried red beans, cream, and crumbled cheese. This basic option is known as sencilla (simple), but you can add a variety of toppings.
They can be eaten for breakfast, with extras like eggs, ham and avocado. Or for lunch or dinner with savoury options like meat, seafood or vegetables.
I don’t know if it’s because Calelu’s was our first taste of baleadas, or if they really are just that good, but this was our favourite restaurant in Roatan. Probably even all of Honduras.
We had baleadas from here every single day on the island, and without fault, they were all delicious and super affordable, with most basic options less than $2 USD. They’re open from 7 am – 10 pm, 7 days a week.
15. Have some sweet treats at the Roatan Chocolate Factory
One word: carmelitas.
I am a sweet tooth, through and through, so when I found out Roatan had a chocolate factory, I was there.
Chocolate was a sacred part of the Mayan world, and the entire Central American region makes some seriously good chocolate. Honduras is no exception.
The Roatan Chocolate Factory is located in the heart of West End. They offer free (albeit short) tours of their factory and samples of their delicious chocolate. If you’re interested, you can also join a lengthier chocolate-making class.
They are a small, locally owned business using only organic cacao beans grown in Honduras, that support indigenous farmers. They also support a lot of environmental causes too, to conserve the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve on the mainland, where their cacao is grown. I was very happy to support their work and eat and buy a lot of chocolate!
The best part is their cafe downstairs. They make great coffee and also offer savoury dishes. But let’s be real, their hot chocolate and sweet chocolate treats are what I came for.
I’d never had carmelitas before, but oh my goodness this sticky, caramelly, gooey, chocolatey bar of goodness was delicious. I think I had one every day we were in Roatan.
The factory and cafe is open daily from 8 am – 5 pm.
🍽️ Get more info about our 10 favourite restaurants in West End
16. Check out the Roatan Marine Park store
Another worthy cause to support in a sea of unethical activities is the Roatan Marine Park store.
The Roatan Marine Park is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of the Bay Islands National Marine Park, which is Honduras’ section of the Mesoamerican Reef.
They run a lot of great initiatives, including reef research, restoration, community and tourist education and marine patrols.
As a tourist visiting for a brief period, there isn’t too much we can do to help their work, short of the lionfish hunting. But they do run a small store in West End, which actually has some really cool gear to buy. They’ve got great t-shirts, hats and other souvenirs with nice ocean graphics.
If you want to buy some souvenirs, choose to buy them here and know you’re supporting work to protect the reef. The store is open Monday – Saturday 9 am – 5 pm, closed Sunday.
17. Hike in the Carambola Botanical Gardens
So many of the best things to do in Roatan revolve around the beach or reef. But the island’s interior is lush and green, and worth dedicating some time to.
Skip the unethical ‘nature parks’ and ‘wildlife sanctuaries’ and instead visit Carambola Botanical Gardens for a self-guided walk in some gorgeous forest.
Don’t expect crazy beautiful gardens, the property is more like a swathe of natural rainforest, with jungle-style trails. It’s a bit overpriced at $15 per person, but if you’re craving some nature time, it’s worth doing.
(My recommendation would be to spend some time at Lago de Yojoa for some really lush rainforest!).
The owner will give you a map and there are signs around the property. The best thing to do is head for Carambola Mountain, where you’ll find a lookout with a stunning view over the coastline and cays offshore.
It’s about 3.2 km / 2 mi round trip and should take around 1 hour total. It’s nothing too strenuous, but I’d recommend wearing runners as the trails are uneven and slippery in parts.
The gardens are open from Monday – Saturday (closed Sundays) from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. It’s a 10-minute drive from West End, and you could jump in a taxi or on any colectivo heading to the other side of the island if you don’t have a car.
18. Learn about Garifuna culture at Punta Gorda
The Bay Islands are home to a large population of Garifuna people, an Afro-Indigenous community primarily living along the Caribbean coast of Central America, in Honduras, as well as Belize, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. They have a vibrant and unique culture, with their own language, music, and traditions.
Punta Gorda on the northeast coast of Roatan (not too far from Camp Bay) is a primarily Garifuna village and an excellent place to learn more about their culture.
The Garifuna Cultural Centre is an amazing place to start, and you can learn about the history, traditions and modern-day challenges of the Garifuna from a local.
If you can time your visit for a Sunday afternoon, there is a street party in Punta Gorda each week, featuring drums, dancing, and food. It looks like an incredible experience.
If you’ve rented a car, you can drive yourself here. I’d suggest combining it with a visit to Camp Bay Beach, as they are in the same area. Alternatively, any tour agency in the West End can coordinate a driver for a day if you don’t want to navigate the bumpy roads.
Unfortunately, when we were on the island the cultural centre was closed, so we didn’t visit. So I don’t have any personal tips, but I didn’t want to not mention this great activity!
Things NOT to do in Roatan
Now it’s time for the not-so-fun section of this blog post. Things that you SHOULDN’T do in Roatan.
I’m still astounded at how the tourism industry has developed on this island, and how so many cruel and inhumane wildlife attractions can exist in one place.
The type of tourists visiting Roatan (ahem cruise ship passengers) seem to have zero concept that wild animals don’t exist for our own entertainment and that they shouldn’t perform on demand for us.
You’ve seen how many great activities are on offer around the island that are ethical and don’t pose a serious risk to the environment or wildlife, so there is no reason to participate in any of these cruel activities.
As an animal lover, I know it is so tempting to want to get up close and personal with these creatures. But if you really love them, you’ll understand that being kept in captivity and used as a photo prop for tourists is awful and cruel. Swallow your desire to see the animals and do the right thing.
There are circumstances where genuine animal sanctuaries and wildlife rescue centres are great places to visit and support. But in a place like Roatan, there is so much greenwashing and false claims about ethics and conservation, so you need to err on the side of caution and treat every claim sceptically.
I would suggest avoiding any captive wildlife experience altogether to be on the safe side.
Things NOT to do on Roatan:
- 🐬 Swim with dolphins at Anthony’s Key: they call themselves the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences to make it sound legitimate and ethical, but it’s not. I don’t care what you read, how it’s justified to you, or what someone else said. SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS IN CAPTIVITY IS COMPLETELY UNETHICAL. Research has shown it is actually torture for dolphins to be kept in captivity. Anthony’s Key will sell the experience as ‘wild’ because the dolphins are kept in the real ocean (inside a penned-off cage). If you want to read more about how and why this activity is a no-no, this is a great article.
- 🦥 Daniel Johnson’s Sloth and Monkey Hangout or AJ’s Monkeys and Sloths: ANY activity that promotes holding an animal is cruel, full stop. They will try and justify it to you in different ways, and you will try and justify it to yourself even more, but sloths are not made to be held. There are so many reasons why this is cruel and extremely dangerous for them. You can read more here if you’re interested.
- 🐒 Gumbalimba Park: this ‘wildlife park’ offers visitors the opportunity to take photos holding macaws and monkeys. Again, if someone is selling the chance to hold or take photos with an animal it is NOT ETHICAL. Do not fall for their marketing, just don’t go here.
- 🦜 Mayan Eden: this is another supposed wildlife park, selling photo opportunities with macaws and monkeys. Skip.
- 🐆 Little French Key or Maya Key: resort complexes that sell day packages to cruise passengers. Yes, the beaches are amazing here, but what you need to understand is the awful ‘sanctuaries’ these places are running. Jaguars are kept in cages not even large enough for them to comfortably turn around in. Do not support these businesses, even if you don’t want to go to the sanctuary. Your tourist dollars support and enable their cruelty to continue.
- 🦎 Arch’s Iguana & Marine Park: offering the chance to hold, feed and pat iguanas for photos, no go. They also have some very depressed and mistreated monkeys in tiny cages.
- 🐚 Buy marine life souvenirs or take coral, shells or sand: you will see conch shells for sale, don’t buy them. You will see bracelets and anklets made with corals, don’t buy them. You will stroll along the beach and want to pick up shells and washed-up corals, don’t do it. Number one, it’s illegal, and number two, all these organisms have an important role in the reef and beach ecosystem, whether something is currently living in there or not. Don’t do it, if you’re flying out it’ll be confiscated at the airport anyway.
- 🦈 Baited shark dive: the Waihuka Dive Center is the only operator on Roatan offering a specific shark dive. Most of the other dive shops will promote and book this experience, but it is not run by them. The experience does seem to be tightly regulated, however, the sharks are attracted by chumming, which is thought by many experts to be unethical. The lines are a bit blurry in this instance, and there is valuable and helpful information on the Sun Divers website to help you decide if you think this is right or not.
🦜 If you want to see macaws ethically, visit Macaw Mountain in Copan Ruinas
Where to stay in Roatan
I would highly recommend staying in the West End area. This is the best place for independent travellers, with a good range of accommodations for all budgets.
I expand more on where to stay in West End in my dedicated West End guide, but here are some of our top choices:
💰 BUDGET
💰💰 MID-RANGE
💰💰💰 BOUTIQUE
We stayed at the Seabreeze Inn
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Roatan travel information
For more general travel planning about visiting Roatan, like how to get there, getting around, when to visit etc. check out my West End travel guide.
Although the guide focuses primarily on West End village, this broad travel information is the same regardless of where you’re staying in Roatan, so I would recommend checking that out too.
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Final thoughts on things to do in Roatan
Roatan is a gorgeous Caribbean island, and it’s easy to see why it is the most popular tourist destination in Honduras.
The beaches are like something from a postcard, the diving and snorkelling opportunities on the pristine reef are fantastic and the charming village of West End is a great base to explore the island and try some delicious local cuisine.
But there is a dark side to Roatan, with awful and cruel wildlife encounters and a lot of unethical tourism businesses. When deciding on things to do in Roatan for your itinerary, please choose wisely and kindly.
MORE ROATAN POSTS
- West End Roatan Travel Guide: Paradise in Honduras
- Our 10 Favourite (Cheap) Restaurants in West End Roatan
- Roatan vs Utila: Which Honduran Island is Right for You?
The Comments
Christopher Rossell
This was a great help in finding things to do and as an avid dolphin and whale lover, I really liked your things not to do!!
Sally Rodrick
Christopher RossellSo glad it was helpful Christopher! The dolphin activities are so awful, so many people who think they are dolphin lovers participate without taking the time to think and understand what damage it is doing. Enjoy Roatan! Sally
j
If you are going to thump the Eco-nazi thing atleast give full disclosure. All animals in the sanctuaries come by the way of injury or other circumstances that require them to stay in the sanctuary rather than be killed or released back into the wild to suffer a similar fate.
And while you claim it’s unethical, you forget that these animals receive the best vet attention and unlike 20 years ago, these sanctuaries take excellent care of their “money makers.”
And for some reason, none of these animals outside of sloths are on endangered or protected status. You dismiss the positive of eco-tourism and promoting education, positive experiences and general well being.
I’ve been all over the world and visited MANY sanctuaries and have only seen 1, out of literally DOZENS that would be considered bad. The rest gave their refugee animals utmost care, concern and vet care.
Sally Rodrick
jHi Jeremiah, I don’t think you need to refer to it as ‘eco-Nazi’ for starters, you already discredited yourself.
I completely understand your point of your view and to an extent I agree. You’re right, these animals have been rescued and can’t be released back to the wild, or they wouldn’t be able to care for themselves. That’s what sanctuaries are and I fully support them, and you’ll see me promote many verified sanctuaries across my blog.
Sanctuaries are NOT allowing hordes to tourists to touch, hold and take photos with said animals. If it really was a sanctuary as the true definition intends, they would understand that this is incredibly traumatic and stressful for the animals. You’ve said it yourself, they are their money makers – money is coming first, instead of animal welfare, so to me, that is not a sanctuary, that’s a for-profit tourist attraction which is a very different thing.
Eco-tourism and REAL animal sanctuaries have a tremendous positive impact, but the ‘sanctuaries’ on Roatan do not fall into this category. You’re kidding yourself if you believe that. As for ‘promoting education’ and positive experiences, demonstrating to kids and ignorant adults that it’s okay to hold wild animals for a social media photo, I can’t think of a more damaging message to spread.
Costa Rica does ‘sanctuaries’ much better and a great example would be the Sloth Sanctuary. They have some fantastic resources on their website about why they don’t allow visitors to hold or touch sloths, yet they still receive many tourists who are genuinely interested in wildlife and their conservation and protection, which in turn brings much needed revenue.
If you really love animals, you’d understand that the activities allowed on Roatan are not ethical. Regardless of the situation the animals were formerly in.
Chad
Hi Sally,
Thanks for the tips on Roatan. Last time we visited, we did paddleboarding and the iSoar Fun Boat. You’re right, that was so much fun!
We are not certified divers (2 adults, 2 teens) but have always thought about trying it. What are your thoughts on trying out an introductory/training dive in Roatan? Or is that better to try at home first? Wouldn’t want to waste our day in Roatan spending time in a pool learning. We’ll be stopping by this time on a cruise. We were looking at that or doing one of the ziplines (just the ziplines, none of the ‘sanctuary’ stuff) and then over to West Bay. The ziplines we are considering are Southshore and King Kong. Are all the zipline locations just tourist traps as well or is it just the Bodden/Daniel Johnson sloth/monkey encounter stuff? I don’t want to support what you described in the Not to do section. Thanks for your thoughts and advice.
Best,
Chad
Sally Rodrick
ChadHi Chad, sounds like you’ve got an amazing family holiday coming up!
When we first went scuba diving (I think the official name is a ‘try dive’ or ‘discover scuba diving’), we didn’t do any training in the pool or anything like that, because we were accompanied one-on-one with an instructor. They literally held our arm the entire time and took care of the buoyancy, depth control etc. we just breathed! It was a great way to try it and it didn’t waste any time of our trip having to do classroom or theory practice. I’m not sure if every dive shop does it the same way, but I’d reach out to ask. I’d also be hesitant to waste any time training if it was just for the sake of one dive, not a proper course. Ask around at a few dive shops, if you can do what we did, I think it’s definitely worth it.
As for the ziplining, we steered clear of all of them because I couldn’t be confident there wasn’t going to be anything unethical. I’ve done a quick Google of both of them and there are mentions of sloths and monkeys. Hard to know if it’s just the way the cruise companies package it up, but personally, I would avoid them. The beaches, snorkelling and West End vibes are so lovely and won’t left a bad taste in your mouth.
All the best, hope you have a great trip!
Sally
Yvonne
Thank you for the information. We are two of the awful cruise ship passengers. We care about the beaches and the animals. Your information helps us to to decide not participate in any animal activities. I think we will go to the chocolate makers and explore the local business then stroll on the beach for the day.
We are traveling with our grandkids but this will be our last cruise of this kind.
Sally Rodrick
YvonneHi Yvonne, I’m so glad this has helped you make the call to avoid them. The cruise ship companies don’t help at all, and I know they constantly market those types of experiences so it’s easy to think it’s okay, but it’s definitely not ethical. It sounds like you’ve got a wonderful day planned – West End is a great little town and the beaches are stunning!! The chocolate shop is to die for, you HAVE to get a carmelita.
I completely get the appeal of a cruise but as far as environmental impacts go they’re not great, and they just don’t bring the same social or economic destinations to the communities they visit, so much of the money is just tied with big cruise companies who don’t need any more!! I get it, but I think if you have the ability to travel in a different way, it can have a much better impact 🙂 Enjoy your trip, Roatan is wonderful!
Dezaray
Thank you so much for all of this info!! So helpful as I was planning my trip. I am thankful I saw “what not to do” before I booked a sloth tour. I appreciate it and can’t wait to snorkel at west bay beach instead!
Sally Rodrick
DezarayI am so so happy to hear this Dezaray 🙂 You will have a much better time knowing you’re not doing an activity that is harmful to another creature. The beach is so stunning! Enjoy your trip, Sally
Jocelyn Richards
Just found your site and absolutely love it. Very,very informative,especially the attention paid to the wildlife on the island.
We leave the end of March for a few weeks and look forward to checking out many of your suggestions. I’m in a wheelchair, so I’ll let you know my view from lower down.
Thank you
Sally Rodrick
Jocelyn RichardsHi Jocelyn, I’m so glad you found me and I’m so glad my site has been helpful! I would very much appreciate your perspective and my apologies that it’s not something I share more details on. It’s something I can definitely improve on in the future. I hope you have a wonderful trip, Roatan is paradise! Sally
Erica
Such an insightful guide and so happy to see fellow travelers promoting responsible and ethical travel! K
Sally Rodrick
EricaThanks Erica. I’m always shocked at how many people are simply misinformed or subconsciously ignorant to these matters – hopefully my blog can change at least one person’s plans ☺️
Frances
Hi Sally,
Thanks to your wonderful article, my husband and I were able to put together a superlative week in Roatan.
The carmelitas, the baleidas, the sticky buns at Sandy’s, the snorkel tour, the gardens, Camp Bay Beach and La Sirena all became part of our tour and fond memories.
We appreciated you!
Frances & Keith
Sally Rodrick
FrancesThankyou so much for the kind message Frances and Keith! Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. You’re taking me back – what I wouldn’t give for a baleada. Beyond pleased my blog was helpful for you ☺️
sam
thanks for speaking on the unethical wildlife practices here in Roatan! Everyone loves to come hold a sloth but no one seems to care about the impact of that on the animals. I love your article. Nice job!
Sally Rodrick
samThanks so much for your kind words Sam. It does amaze me that people never even have second thoughts that holding and cuddling a wild animal is a good idea. But, we all have different backgrounds and experiences and hopefully my blog can spark that thought in someone!
Nancy B
I’m in Roatan right now and have enjoyed your recommendations! We went to camp bay for the day and loved the Camp Bay Lodge! They simply asked we spend $20 in food for our day pass. So reasonable. We are staying in an Airbnb and realized that driving back at night on the one lane dirt roads is less than ideal. Unfortunately that keeps our evening travels to a minimum. We highly recommend Kristi’s Overlook for dinner, which thankfully is nearby. Clean, great food and friendly staff! Our Airbnb did not mention the less than secure surroundings or one lane bridge to get there. Huge disappointment. Highly recommend bug spray, calamine lotion and oil to keep sand flies away! Always an adventure:)
Sally Rodrick
Nancy BSounds like you’ve had a great trip Nancy! $20 for a beachfront day pass redeemable on food is SO reasonable, that’s why this area of the island is a gem! Yes the roads are not amazing anywhere on the island, and the sand flies are all part of the adventure too! Hope you enjoyed yourself. Sally
Christy M
Love the tips. You are so right about the animal cruelty. So many other wonderful things to do in Roatan.
Thank you for taking the time to share this information.
Sally Rodrick
Christy MIt seems so obvious, but people still believe that animals as photo props is okay, it’s crazy to me! You’re so right, there are dozens of other amazing things to do on the island that don’t involve being cruel to animals, let’s all keep promoting them!
CJ
TY for commenting about the less than ethical side of tourism. When I hear someone speak about visiting a place (we know is not kind to animals or the environment) and as they state what a perfect visit they enjoyed, I shudder at the cost of that perfect experience.
Sally Rodrick
CJI couldn’t agree more CJ. It’s hard to know if people are just naive and ignorant, or they know but just don’t care about the impact their travels and activities have on wildlife. I always try and assume people just don’t know, and I’m glad I can use this blog as an outlet to educate and make people think twice about cuddling a sloth or whatever it may be. Happy (and ethical!) travels! Sally
Candace
Love this! I especially love that you listed things not to do. I completely agree with you on all of them.
Thanks for taking the time to share. This was great and helpful.
Sally Rodrick
CandaceSo glad it was helpful Candace and it’s so nice to hear there are lots of people out there who care about wildlife and the impact tourism can have. Have the best trip! Sally
Ken Whitford
Love the genuine concern for the welfare of living creatures!
Sally Rodrick
Ken WhitfordPeople seem to forget about them when they go on holidays! Hopefully this post plants a reminder that animals don’t exist for our enjoyment!
David
I like everything on your NOT TO DO LIST. Thanks for suggesting!
Sally Rodrick
DavidIf commercialising and using wild animals for profit and human entertainment is your idea of fun, staying home would be the best place for you.
rose
no horse back riding. I was told about that and was looking for it.
had to listen to too many friends talk about it. now it’s time for me.
hello roatan!!!
Sally Rodrick
roseI don’t feel like I know enough about the operators to say whether the horse riding on the island is ethical or not. Given the other attractions on the island, I’d be hesitant to take it up unless you were certain the horses were well-treated. Enjoy your time! 🙂
Ht
Wiw. Rude comment on cruise passengers. Please don’t judge.
Sally Rodrick
HtThere is indisputable evidence that large cruise ships have detrimental impacts on the environment. And these unethical wildlife activities exist on Roatan to cater to cruise ship passengers. Unfortunately there is a strong correlation, but understandably not everyone is the same so I understand your sentiment and I apologise. Sally
Mary-Anne
Thank you for your insight especially about these animal parks. I will not go to any of them as animals etc should be free. Will check out your accomodations site.
Thank you
Sally Rodrick
Mary-AnneGreat decision Mary-Anne. There are plenty of other ethical things to do in Roatan that don’t come at the expense of wildlife. Enjoy your trip. Sally
Kim
Thanks so much! Chock full of good information. When I was researching things to do, of course so many animal related activities came up for Roatan. I wanted to know which ones were ethical because I care for the welfare of all beings. Glad I read this and I will stay away from all non-natural animal activities.
Sally Rodrick
KimGood on you Kim for thinking about that and being aware at how harmful some of these activities are. It’s so disappointing Roatan has developed such an industry for this, because it’s an otherwise beautiful place to visit. But now you know what to avoid, there are so many great things to do that don’t impact on wildlife 🙂 Enjoy your time! Sally
Desiree
So many amazing tips. And thank you so much for mentioning the unethical animal tourism! When planning our trip, I was looking into sanctuaries and when I saw the pictures it was extremely obvious to me that these places are unethical so we crossed them off of our list right away!
Sally Rodrick
DesireeHi Desiree, glad you’ve got the critical thought so see that photos cuddling animals is not ethical and the ‘sanctuary’ label is a total greenwash. Unfortunately most travellers aren’t as discerning 🙁 I hope you have a wonderful trip, there’s plenty of great things to see and do on Roatan that aren’t unethical. Enjoy! Sally x
viviana
What do you think about the recent ban on holding wildlife?
I’m conflicted about supporting wildlife sanctuaries with a history of mistreatment, even with the current ban on holding wildlife. I’m struggling to find ethical tour packages on Viator.com (my boyfriend’s recommended site for our cruise trip) that don’t involve sloth or wildlife activities. Should I risk booking nothing in advance and finding activities upon arrival, or would that be unwise? We’re already snorkeling elsewhere, but perhaps another snorkeling excursion would be worthwhile here. I am new to cruises so sorry if this is a naive question.
Sally Rodrick
vivianaHi Viviana, I don’t travel via cruise so I can’t give any tips in relation to that. However I think you are wise to be wary of any of the sanctuaries. Honestly, I would recommend avoiding them altogether. Just because they are now obligated by law to not let tourists hold the animals, it doesn’t mean they are being treated well. I would instead do a snorkelling trip, or even just a day in West End exploring the cute village and going to the beach. If you’re not feeling good about something, trust your gut – I don’t think any of the so called ‘sanctuaries’ in Roatan are ethical and you will end up having a bad experience. In regards to finding a tour, Viator is a good platform but yes you’re right, many include sanctuaries. I would recommend finding someone that is essentially just a driver for the day and you can customise the stops and ask to avoid any wildlife parks. Good on you for making a positive choice to avoid these awful practices. I hope you have a great trip! Sally
Elizabeth
Excellent article! Thank you! My husband & I are definitely budget travellers and lucky enough to have as much time as we want in the winter for a relaxing, snorkel filled (at least for me) holiday. At first, I was researching Belize and Caye Caulker and managed to find a fully equipped cabin in Hopkins for about $2200 CDN./month. That is, until I remembered I have credit with an airline that flies to Roatan. This might be a crazy question, but do you think a month on Roatan would be “too long”? Seeing as how you’ve been to Belize, where would you recommend spending a month? Belize/Caye Caulker or Roatan?
Sally Rodrick
ElizabethHey Elizabeth, how absolutely wonderful! This sounds like a great plan – no matter where you choose. Comparing the two islands, Roatan is much bigger than Caye Caulker so I think you’d have more to explore over the course of the month. However if you’re comparing Roatan to Hopkins, in mainland Belize, I think there are a lot more day/weekend trips you could take from Hopkins. Belize is a lot smaller and easier to get around than Honduras, so you could very easily explore the whole country on mini-trips. It’s around 2 hours on the ferry from Roatan to the mainland, and then a lengthy journey by bus to get anywhere else worth visiting in Honduras (except for Pico Bonito which isn’t too far from the port). In saying that, you have Utila and Guanaja on your doorstep, and as I said, a lot to explore on Roatan itself as it’s a pretty large island. Sorry that’s not too helpful – honestly I don’t think you can go wrong with either option, we adored both destinations – they are tropical heaven! All the best, Sally