General
Roatan is a mountainous ridge of an island located 30 miles off the north coast of Honduras. It is roughly 40 miles long, and about 4 miles at its widest. The principal economic activities are tourism and fishing. Roatan is located along the largest barrier reef in the Caribbean (second worldwide only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef), providing plentiful opportunities for marine activities like diving and fishing. Accessible neighboring islands include Utila, Guanaja, and Helene, also known for their excellent diving, fishing, and plentiful marine life.
Language
While Spanish is the legal language for Honduras, due to its long history as British territory, English is the primary language on Roatan.
Currency
The Honduran currency is called the lempira. US Dollars are accepted virtually everywhere on the island. The exchange rate is approximately 24 lempiras per dollar.
Getting to Roatan (RTB)
Delta flies from Atlanta weekly. American flies from Miami and Dallas with multiple flights each week. United flies from Newark (seasonal) and Houston (year-round) with multiple flights weekly.
Avianca flies to Roatan daily through San Salvador (SAL). Airlines with connections into San Salvador include Avianca, American, United, Delta, Copa, and Mexicana.
An alternative route is through San Pedro Sula (SAP). From SAP, there are multiple flights daily to Roatan on Islena (Avianca), Sosa, CM, and Lanhsa. Avianca, Spirit Airlines, and Aeromexico fly daily to San Pedro Sula.
Sunwing runs charter flights from Toronto, Canada.
Air Transat has seasonal winter service weekly from Quebec.
Cayman Airways runs a twice weekly flight from Grand Cayman, possible to connect from Denver.
Europe Air runs a weekly charter to Roatan from Milan, Italy.
If you are interested in visiting Roatan from La Ceiba (LCE), the Galaxy Wave high speed catamaran ferry is an attractive option, with two trips daily. There are also multiple daily flights offered by Sosa and CM Airlines.
As of this writing, all these airlines accept online bookings. However, if you have any trouble arranging tickets for your stay at Casa Vista Verde through La Ceiba or San Pedro Sula, we are happy to reserve the tickets for you to be picked up upon your arrival at these airports.
Travelers are reminded they will need a valid passport with at least six months to expiration.
| American Airlines – www.AA.com Direct from Miami (Sat & Wed) Direct from Dallas (Sat) | United Airlines – www.united.com Direct from Newark, Houston (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun) | Delta Airlines – www.delta.com Direct from Atlanta, GA (Sat) |
| Avianca Airlines – www.avianca.com Direct from San Salvador (Daily) | CM Airlines – www.cmairlines.com | Sunwing Airlines – www.flysunwing.com |
| Spirit Airlines – www.spirit.com | Air Transat – www.airtransat.ca | Cayman Airways – www.caymanairways.com |
| Galaxy Wave Ferry – www.roatanferry.com |
Climate
Roatan is located in the western Caribbean roughly 40 miles from the Honduras mainland north coast, very safely south of the main hurricane belt.
While we do see tropical storms occasionally, rainy season on Roatan (which usually runs from early Oct to mid Dec) usually involves rainfall at night when the air cools off, clearing early to mid-morning.
It’s always a beautiful day on Roatan, no matter what the weather!
Activities
Activities on Roatan include:
Black Pearl Golf Course
Opened in 2010, Pete Dye’s latest challenging 18-hole course is located 20 minutes from Casa Vista Verde on 450 landscaped acres of waterfront property. www.pristinebayresort.com/golf/.
Anthony’s Key Resort Dolphin Encounters, Sandy Bay
Enjoy a day of swimming, snorkeling, or diving with Dolphins at Roatan’s Marine Institute located in Anthony’s Key. www.anthonyskey.com/dolphins/roatan-institute-for-marine-sciences.htm.
Big French Key
11 1/2 acre private island- white sandy beach crystal blue waters, restaurant, bar, snorkeling walls, kids center, kayaks, and more. Located on the French Cay community.
Contact: www.bigfrenchkeyroatan.com for more information or for snorkeling and diving visit www.keydiversroatan.com
Butterfly Garden, Sandy Bay
Roatan contains some of the most exotic plant life, butterflies, and birds. See the beautiful array of colorful insects and flowers at the Butterfly Garden.
Contact: www.RoatanButterfly.com for more information.
Gumbalimba Park, West Bay
If gardens, birds, and monkeys or snuba diving, snorkeling, or clear kayaking is your thing, you should visit Gumbalimba Park. www.gumbalimbapark.com.
Horseback Riding-Beach Club Roatan
Located next door to Casa Vista Verde, Beach Club Roatan offers 45-60 minute trail rides over hills and on the water. Please contact for prices and reservations.
Contact: Dennis (504) 9665-6707
Iguana Farm, French Cay
Started in 1991, Sherman Arch began collecting iguanas to protect them from being hunted for food. As of today, he cares for about 2700 iguanas that roam freely on the property. This attraction is most interesting in the early afternoon for feeding time where you can feed and handle the iguanas.
Open 8am-4pm
Contact: +504 2445-7743 or www.archsiguanaandmarinepark.com.
Submarine and Glass Bottom Boat Tours, West End
Idabel will take you deeper into the unexplored Cayman Trench than most people have ever ventured— illuminating depths down to 2,000 feet (610 meters) below the surface. Through the submarine’s large plexiglass viewing bubble you will see a wide variety of deep sea animal life rarely encountered by humans.” See the website for interesting photos and video from previous sub tours, and also for information on Glass Bottom Boat Tours.
Contact: Karl Stanley
(504) 3359 -2887
www.stanleysubmarines.com
Spas & Health Clubs
For spa services and pricing, please visit their independent websites.
La Pina Spa and Health Club
lapinaspa@hotmail.com
(504) 3142-5095
Zipline Tours
Pirates of the Caribbean offer exciting zip line tours Prices shown may not include tax, and are subject to change without notice perfect for viewing Roatan’s rugged terrain. Utilizing double lines and Petzl climbing harnesses, zip lines are an adventurous yet safe way to explore the island from above.
www.RoatanPiratesCanopy.com (504) 9992-2033 Irwin Dixon
Dune Buggy Tours
Get wet and muddy exploring Roatan’s wilder side! RoatanX- Expeditions & Adventures has powerful two-seat buggies available for tours ranging from relaxed to extreme. Located in Sandy Bay
Contact: info@roatanx.com
(504) 9781-4377
Sailing and Dive Charters
Amavi Charters is a semi-private Day sail and Snorkel catamaran with lunch and beverages included
Contact: www.amavicharters.com
(504) 3363-5439
Ruthless Charters is a 41 ft Hatteras running out of West End. Fishing, snorkeling, and island cruises are her specialty.
Contact: www.ruthlessroatancharters.com
(504) 9779-7899
Yoga with Ellie Smith
Practice outdoors surrounded by beautiful, peaceful scenery! Meet dockside at Frenchy’s 44
at 9am for skiff transport to the cay.
Contact: ellybythesea@gmail.com
(504) 3377-2448
ROATAN ISLAND BREWING CO
Now open! Experience the best artisanal beer, freshly made on Roatan, in the lush tropical ambiance of Palmetto Bay. Up to 9 types of beer on tap, from citrus juicy IPAs (often made with fresh island fruits), to Pilsners, to a wide variety of Ales. To visit arrange transportation with our manager. You can also visit their web page to be up to date with their weekly brews.
Areas to Visit
West Bay
Considered one of the more picturesque beaches on Roatan,WestBay beach is lined by many of theIsland’s resorts. Large infinity pools and palapa bars are seaside with local vendors setting up tables for tourists to buy souvenirs. Enjoy a hot day at the white sand beach with one of Roatan’s fresh frozen drinks while watching boats pass in the clear turquoise waters!
West End
West End is the furthest point west on Roatan’s north shore and contains many of the Islands dive operations, restaurants, bars, and local shopping. Within a 20 minute walk along the beachsand road, you can find local stores with local wood carvings, stone jewelry, linens, and hammocks, along with restaurants of many different cuisines and popular nightlife spots.
Camp Bay Beach
If you are looking for a secluded beach for privacy and quiet, Camp Bay Beach is the place for you. Located approximately 30 minutes east of the Villa, you can find a white sand beach lined with coconut trees. Be aware the road is unpaved and sometimes requires a high ground clearance vehicle to navigate.
Coxen Hole
For shopping, food, and the busy cruise ship dock, Coxen Hole has a variety of places to try local dishes, shop for souvenirs, and immerse yourself in daily Island Life. Also the capitol of the island, Coxen Hole contains many of the Islands commercial buildings, banks, and hotels. Taxis and van services are readily available to travel, but walking is the best way to visit all the small shops and local stands.
