Roatán

The largest of the Bay Islands

Before you go, understand the place.

Roatán is the largest of the Bay Islands. In the west of the island are West Bay beach and Gumbalimba Park, and in Sandy Bay, Carambola Botanical Gardens.

By Asesordeviaje.com Editorial Team · updated October 5, 2026

Our view

Is it worth it?: If you don't dive or snorkel, be aware that much of Roatán's appeal lies underwater: the El Águila and Odyssey wrecks, Mary's Place or the Cara a Cara shark dive, all with unconfirmed status. On land, only Gumbalimba Park and the Carambola Botanical Gardens publish their opening hours and prices.
Who it suits: Yes for experienced divers: PADI cites Advanced Open Water as useful training for Mary's Place, and the stern of the Odyssey only allows penetration dives by experienced divers. If you rely on having medical care nearby, bear in mind that emergency care in the Bay Islands is very limited, according to the United Kingdom.
How many days: From La Ceiba, Dream Ferries gives a crossing time of 1 h 30 min, and Galaxy Wave asks you to check in at least an hour beforehand. Organise the island in two blocks: the west, with West Bay, West End and Gumbalimba, is compact, while Punta Gorda, on the north coast, and Oak Ridge, in the east, need time of their own.
The usual mistake: Counting on a cash machine at Gumbalimba Park, which has none: it accepts dollars, lempiras and cards, but no other currencies. Another mistake is anchoring on the reef or fishing with nets or spearguns: the island's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park. Canada also advises avoiding Coxen Hole, Los Fuertes and Suampo after dark.
If you are short on time: On a port stop, stay in the west: Gumbalimba Park, whose Park Experience lasts 1.5 hours, and the Carambola Botanical Gardens in Sandy Bay. Cruise days are usually Monday to Thursday, and on those days it's best to get to Gumbalimba early. The east of the island is left out.

Destination map

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Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

Western Roatán
West Bay beach has unconfirmed status. Gumbalimba Park, in West Bay, and Carambola Botanical Gardens, in Sandy Bay, are private places that publish their hours and prices.
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Diving and wrecks
Of the four dive sites, the El Águila wreck, off Sandy Bay, and the Odyssey, off the north coast, are freighters sunk as artificial reefs, and Mary's Place and Cara a Cara, the shark dive, are off the south coast. Their pins are the positions published by Reef Smart Guides and PADI. The Idabel submarine, docked at Half Moon Bay, descends into the Cayman Trench, according to its operator. All five have unconfirmed status.
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Towns and Garifuna culture
In the west is West End, beside Half Moon Bay, and on the south coast, Coxen Hole, the department's capital. In the east are Punta Gorda, the Garifuna community where hundreds of Garifuna arrived from Saint Vincent on 12 April 1797, according to La Prensa, and Oak Ridge, facing its cay. The Roatán Museum, at RIMS, publishes no hours or prices and its status is unconfirmed.
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Nature and wildlife
In French Cay is Arch's iguana farm, and between Coxen Hole and French Harbour, Manawakie Eco Park, a private park that publishes its hours but not its prices. In the east are Port Royal National Park, co-managed by the NGO BICA, and the mangroves of José Santos Guardiola, toured by boat from Oak Ridge and Jonesville Point. All four have unconfirmed status, and BICA publishes no visiting conditions for the general public.
Open the full guide

Plan your visit

The practical information you need to plan your visit

The essentials

Best time to go: According to Canada, the rainy season runs from May to November and can cause flooding and landslides, and the hurricane season from early June to the end of November in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. It is an approximate national pattern, not a climate record for each region or a guarantee for the islands. Follow COPECO's alerts.
Getting there: Ferries to Roatán (Dixon Cove terminal) leave from the Muelle de Cabotaje in La Ceiba, according to their operators (with no stated validity): Galaxy Wave daily at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., returning at 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.; Dream Ferries at 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., returning at 6:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., with a 1 h 30 min crossing. Aerolíneas Sosa publishes flights to Roatán from La Ceiba, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, without naming the airports or a validity date. According to their operators, Gumbalimba Park is in West Bay and Carambola Botanical Gardens in Sandy Bay.

The animals and pirate museum cave of Gumbalimba Park
The trail to the top of Carambola Mountain

Where to stay

West Bay: According to Gumbalimba Park, most West Bay resorts are within walking distance of the park.
West End: Home to the Roatan Marine Park EcoStore, where you can make the voluntary contribution to the marine park.

Tips and precautions

The Bay Islands Tourism Free Zone Law (Decree 181-2006, art. 25.2) sets fees for environmental conservation and security: 6 dollars per foreign passenger or visitor arriving by air from abroad, 2 dollars per passenger arriving by sea from abroad and 1 dollar per passenger on a domestic trip by air or sea. Under its regulations (art. 45), a trip with a previous stop at a Honduran airport within the same itinerary does not count as domestic, and passengers on Central American flights treated as domestic under special agreements pay the domestic fee. How they are collected today is unconfirmed. Separately, the NGO Roatan Marine Park asks for a voluntary 10-dollar contribution to protect the reef, in exchange for a bracelet; it is not an official fee.
Roatán's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park. According to the NGO Roatan Marine Park, fishing with nets or spears, taking lobster and conch, fishing herbivorous species, cutting mangroves, anchoring on the reef and building are prohibited there.
According to the United Kingdom, there is a hyperbaric chamber on Roatán and recompression facilities on Utila, but emergency medical care on the Bay Islands is extremely limited.
Gumbalimba Park has no ATM; it accepts US dollars, lempiras and cards, but no other foreign currencies, according to the operator.
Galaxy Wave publishes the one-way La Ceiba–Roatán fare at US$31 in regular class and US$35 in first class (ages 5 to 10, US$13 and US$17; up to age 4, free); according to its fare table, the «Seniors (60+)» fare is for Honduran citizens and residents only (its policy refers to people over 60 and over 80). It asks passengers to check in at the terminal at least one hour before with a valid photo ID (a passport or residence card for foreign visitors). Before buying, check Galaxy Wave’s conditions for changes, reservation credit and cancellations. Dream Ferries publishes no fares on its timetable page and warns that it may change the timetable because of the weather.

Safety and precautions

According to the United Kingdom, Honduras has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America and incidents can also happen in tourist areas. The Bay Islands are generally safer than the rest of the country, but there have been attacks on visitors, including on the ferries to and from the mainland, and petty theft is a problem on Roatán, Utila and Guanaja.
If you visit Roatán, the United Kingdom advises travelling with a reputable guide. This is advice, not a legal requirement, and this guide does not vouch for any guide.
Canada considers the Bay Islands generally safe, with less violent crime, although petty crime sometimes occurs. While there, it advises avoiding the Coxen Hole, Los Fuertes and Suampo neighbourhoods after dark, and avoiding isolated beaches and areas.
Spain (update of 12 May 2026) rates insecurity in Honduras as very high, advises against travelling by road at night and rates Copán Ruinas, Lake Yojoa and the Bay Islands as medium risk. It reports robberies of cars and buses on the road sections linking the El Florido and Agua Caliente crossings with Guatemala City, advises not to drive them after dusk and advises against stopping in La Entrada, Santa Rita and El Paraíso (Copán).
The US Department of State advises reconsidering travel to Honduras because of crime and terrorism (level 3, advisory of 25 August 2026) and advises against travel to the department of Gracias a Dios (level 4).
According to state television TNH (20 September 2026), the National Defence and Security Council decided on 18 September not to apply a new state of exception; Honduran media date the end of the regime begun in December 2022 to 26 January 2026. The United States advisory of 25 August 2026 still described it as in force in 226 of the 298 municipalities. The current situation is unconfirmed. Canada notes that the authorities periodically declare states of exception: always carry ID and follow the authorities' instructions at checkpoints.

Arriving by cruise ship

According to Gumbalimba Park (July 2026), Roatán's cruise ports are in Coxen Hole and Mahogany Bay. Carnival now calls its Mahogany Bay destination «Isla Tropicale» and advertises a beach, a chairlift and a pool with a bar there. Which cruise lines dock at each port is unconfirmed.
According to the United Kingdom (entry requirements for its citizens, updated on 29 July 2026), cruise passengers may enter Honduras with a «short pass», which lets them go ashore while the ship is docked, usually less than a day; anyone who stays longer needs a visa.
The Bay Islands Tourism Free Zone Law (Decree 181-2006, art. 25.2) sets a fee of 2 dollars per passenger arriving by sea from abroad. How it is collected from cruise passengers today is unconfirmed.
According to Gumbalimba Park, cruise days are usually weekdays, Monday to Thursday, and it advises arriving early on those days. According to the Moon guide, souvenir stalls open in Satuyé Park in Punta Gorda only on cruise-ship days.

Sources for this topic

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fee for visiting the Bay Islands?

The Bay Islands Tourism Free Zone Law (Decree 181-2006, art. 25.2) sets fees for environmental conservation and security: 6 dollars per foreign passenger or visitor arriving by air from abroad, 2 dollars per passenger arriving by sea from abroad and 1 dollar per passenger on a domestic trip by air or sea. Under its regulations (art. 45), a trip with a previous stop at a Honduran airport within the same itinerary does not count as domestic, and passengers on Central American flights treated as domestic under special agreements pay the domestic fee. How they are collected today is unconfirmed. Separately, the NGO Roatan Marine Park asks for a voluntary 10-dollar contribution to protect the reef, in exchange for a bracelet; it is not an official fee.

How much does Gumbalimba Park cost?

According to the operator, in US dollars and «current as of 2026»: Park Experience (1.5 h), adults US$45 and children 12 and under US$25, with infants free on this experience only; zipline US$45 adults and US$40 children; park and zipline, US$65 and US$60. There is no ATM; it accepts US dollars, lempiras and cards.

What is prohibited in the marine park?

Roatán's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park. According to the NGO Roatan Marine Park, fishing with nets or spears, taking lobster and conch, fishing herbivorous species, cutting mangroves, anchoring on the reef and building are prohibited there.

Sources

Information checked in October 2026. Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

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Showing 19 of 19 · 13 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 7

Photo: Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0
Gumbalimba Park
WildlifeOpen
A private park in West Bay with animals, a pirate museum cave, an insectarium, a beach and pool, and a zipline course, according to the operator.
Practical details and sources
Entry
According to the operator, in US dollars and «current as of 2026»: Park Experience (1.5 h), adults US$45 and children 12 and under US$25, with infants free on this experience only; zipline US$45 adults and US$40 children; park and zipline, US$65 and US$60. There is no ATM; it accepts US dollars, lempiras and cards.
Hours
Every day, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., including major holidays, according to the operator.
Source
Gumbalimba Park – Pricing («current as of 2026»; modificada sep. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Nearby: West Bay beach (1 km) · West End village (2.4 km) · Half Moon Bay beach (2.5 km)
Sources: Gumbalimba Park – Pricing («current as of 2026»; modificada sep. 2026) · Gumbalimba Park – Hours & Directions (publicada ene. 2026; modificada jul. 2026)
West Bay, Roatán, according to the operator. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.2.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Carambola Botanical Gardens
NatureOpen
A botanical garden begun in 1985 beside Mahogany Creek, with flowering plants, ferns, spices, fruit trees, Honduran mahogany and native orchids; from the garden, a trail climbs to the summit of Carambola Mountain, with a viewing deck, according to the operator.
Practical details and sources
Entry
Self-guided walk US$15 per person, with an introduction and for the whole day; one-hour guided tour US$25, according to the operator.
Hours
Garden: Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., according to the operator.
Time needed
According to the operator, the climb to the summit is a comfortable walk of about twenty minutes.
Source
Carambola Botanical Gardens – Prices · 2026
Nearby: Roatán Museum (0.6 km) · El Aguila wreck (0.9 km) · Idabel submarine (Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration) (2.9 km)
Sources: Carambola Botanical Gardens – Prices
Sandy Bay, Roatán, according to the operator. The pin is the garden in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.3.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Photo: Nakedape13 (Commons); original signature: Annick McIntosh · CC BY-SA 3.0
Idabel submarine (Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration)
AdventureStatus unconfirmed
Dives in the Idabel submarine, which according to its operator, Stanley Submarines, descends to 2,000 feet (610 m) in the Cayman Trench and has taken the public since 1998. According to the McCurtain Gazette (June 2025), the sub docks at Half Moon Bay, in West End, and its builder, Karl Stanley, planned to keep taking passengers.
Status unconfirmed: the operator's website publishes no prices or schedule, and the latest news is a press article from June 2025.
Practical details and sources
Booking
The operator gives a phone number and email; it publishes no prices or booking system.
Source
Stanley Submarines – Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration · 2026 · +1
Nearby: Half Moon Bay beach (0.3 km) · West End village (0.4 km) · El Aguila wreck (2.7 km)
Sources: Stanley Submarines – Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration · McCurtain Gazette – Karl Stanley and Idabel Submersible Continues to Explore (16 jun. 2025)
Half Moon Bay, West End, Roatán, according to the operator. The pin is the operator's point in OpenStreetMap.1.3 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Photo: L. Richard Martin, Jr. · CC BY 2.0
Arch's Iguana Farm
WildlifeStatus unconfirmed
A property in French Cay, just outside French Harbour, home to about 3,000 iguanas, some up to 1.5 m long, according to Lonely Planet, which describes it more as the home of an iguana enthusiast than as a farm. The website Lonely Planet links to uses the name Arch's Iguana and Marine Park.
Status and recent visits unconfirmed.
Practical details and sources
Source
Lonely Planet – Arch's Iguana Farm · 2026
Tip: According to Lonely Planet, the best time is midday, when the iguanas are fed.
Nearby: Mary's Place (3.7 km) · Manawakie Eco Park (7.2 km) · Jonesville and Oak Ridge mangroves (8.7 km)
Sources: Lonely Planet – Arch's Iguana Farm
French Cay, Roatán, according to Lonely Planet. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.16.7 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Manawakie Eco Park
WildlifeStatus unconfirmed
A private park that presents itself as a sanctuary for sloths, monkeys and hummingbirds and a place to learn about the culture of the island's first inhabitants, with a garden of medicinal plants, according to the operator.
Status unconfirmed: the operator's website publishes hours but no prices.
Practical details and sources
Hours
Monday to Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed on Sunday, according to the operator.
Booking
The operator asks you to book the visit in advance by phone or WhatsApp.
Source
Manawakie Eco Park – web oficial · 2026
Nearby: Odyssey wreck (3.8 km) · Mary's Place (4.5 km) · Coxen Hole (4.7 km)
Sources: Manawakie Eco Park – web oficial
Roatán, between Coxen Hole and French Harbour. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.10.2 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Port Royal National Park
NatureStatus unconfirmed
A 499.59 ha protected area in eastern Roatán, with mixed Caribbean pine and broadleaf forest, savannah and scrub, habitat of the yellow-naped parrot; more than a dozen streams run down to the coast and form waterfalls, according to BICA, the NGO that co-manages it.
Status unconfirmed: BICA publishes no visiting conditions for the general public; it only mentions guided walks for students.
Practical details and sources
Source
BICA Roatán – Port Royal National Park · 2026
Tip: BICA lists urban development, logging, illegal hunting and the risk of forest fires among the threats to the park.
Nearby: Camp Bay beach (2.4 km) · Oak Ridge and its cay (5.7 km) · Punta Gorda, Garifuna community (6.1 km)
Sources: BICA Roatán – Port Royal National Park
José Santos Guardiola, Roatán, according to BICA. The pin is the centre of the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.31.8 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Photo: gruntzooki · CC BY-SA 2.0
Jonesville and Oak Ridge mangroves
NatureStatus unconfirmed
Mangroves in the municipality of José Santos Guardiola, where most of the island's mangroves are concentrated, toured by boat from Oak Ridge and Jonesville Point on a 30- to 45-minute trip, according to El Heraldo (2019).
Status unconfirmed: the source describing the trip dates from November 2019, and no manager publishes the status of the mangroves or visiting conditions.
Practical details and sources
Time needed
30 to 45 minutes by boat, according to El Heraldo (2019).
Source
El Heraldo – Manglares de José Santos Guardiola, una joya invaluable de Islas de la Bahía (8 nov. 2019) · 2019 · +2
Tip: The Moon guide mentions local boat trips through the mangrove tunnels from Punta Gorda, about US$15–20 for an hour. According to Roatan Marine Park, cutting mangroves is prohibited in the marine park.
Nearby: Oak Ridge and its cay (0.9 km) · Punta Gorda, Garifuna community (2.6 km) · Port Royal National Park (6.4 km)
Sources: El Heraldo – Manglares de José Santos Guardiola, una joya invaluable de Islas de la Bahía (8 nov. 2019) · Moon Travel Guides – Punta Gorda: The Oldest Permanent Settlement in Roatan (A. E. Robertson) · Roatan Marine Park – Actividades prohibidas en el PNMIB
Jonesville, José Santos Guardiola, Roatán. The pin is the hamlet of Jonesville in OpenStreetMap; it is not a boat landing.25.4 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Sea, beach and reef · 3

West Bay beach
BeachStatus unconfirmed
A beach at the western tip of Roatán, with pale sand and turquoise water, according to CM Airlines. The island's waters are part of the Bay Islands National Marine Park, according to Roatan Marine Park.
Status and access conditions unconfirmed.
Practical details and sources
Source
CM Airlines – Destino Roatán · 2026 · +2
Tip: Roatán's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park. According to the NGO Roatan Marine Park, fishing with nets or spears, taking lobster and conch, fishing herbivorous species, cutting mangroves, anchoring on the reef and building are prohibited there.
Nearby: Gumbalimba Park (1 km) · West End village (3.4 km) · Half Moon Bay beach (3.4 km)
Sources: CM Airlines – Destino Roatán · Roatan Marine Park – Bay Islands National Marine Park · Roatan Marine Park – Actividades prohibidas en el PNMIB
West Bay, Roatán. The pin is the beach in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.3.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Photo: rh43 · CC BY 3.0
Half Moon Bay beach
BeachStatus unconfirmed
A beach in West End, in western Roatán. According to Snorkeling Report (updated April 2021), the West End reef lies about 200 m from the beaches, the recommended entry is the south end of Half Moon Bay, sheltered from waves and currents, and you can snorkel without booking a tour or paying an entrance fee.
Status and access conditions unconfirmed; the snorkelling guide describing it dates from April 2021.
Practical details and sources
Source
Snorkeling Report – Snorkeling West End, Roatan (actualizado 19 abr. 2021) · 2021 · +1
Tip: Snorkeling Report flags the boats crossing the bay as a hazard. Roatán's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park, declared on 10 June 2010, according to Roatan Marine Park.
Nearby: West End village (0.1 km) · Idabel submarine (Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration) (0.3 km) · Gumbalimba Park (2.5 km)
Sources: Snorkeling Report – Snorkeling West End, Roatan (actualizado 19 abr. 2021) · Roatan Marine Park – Bay Islands National Marine Park
West End, Roatán. The pin is the beach (Playa Bahía Media Luna) in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.1.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Photo: daarwasik · CC BY 2.0
Camp Bay beach
BeachStatus unconfirmed
A beach on the north coast of Roatán's eastern end, in the municipality of José Santos Guardiola. According to the local magazine Paya (April 2024), it is 1.6 miles (about 2.6 km) long, twice the length of West Bay, still rugged, and there are subdivision projects beside it.
Status and access conditions unconfirmed.
Practical details and sources
Source
Paya Magazine – Construction boom in JSG (T. Tomczyk; 23 abr. 2024) · 2024 · +2
Tip: The Moon guide says you can get there by boat from Punta Gorda for a negotiated fare. Roatán's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park, declared on 10 June 2010, according to Roatan Marine Park.
Nearby: Port Royal National Park (2.4 km) · Punta Gorda, Garifuna community (7.2 km) · Oak Ridge and its cay (7.6 km)
Sources: Paya Magazine – Construction boom in JSG (T. Tomczyk; 23 abr. 2024) · Moon Travel Guides – Punta Gorda: The Oldest Permanent Settlement in Roatan (A. E. Robertson) · Roatan Marine Park – Bay Islands National Marine Park
Camp Bay, José Santos Guardiola, Roatán. The pin is the beach in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.33.5 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Lakes, rivers and waterfalls · 4

El Aguila wreck
WaterStatus unconfirmed
A 230-foot freighter sunk in 1997 by Anthony's Key Resort as an artificial reef, now lying in several pieces on sand at about 110 feet (33.5 m), off Sandy Bay and just seaward of the northern reef wall, according to Reef Smart Guides. Hurricane Mitch damaged much of the structure in 1998.
Status unconfirmed: the information on the site comes from dive guides, not from a site manager.
Practical details and sources
Source
Reef Smart Guides – El Aguila · 2026 · +1
Tip: According to Reef Smart Guides, several seahorses live by the mooring buoy. Roatán's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park, declared on 10 June 2010, according to Roatan Marine Park.
Nearby: Roatán Museum (0.7 km) · Carambola Botanical Gardens (0.9 km) · Idabel submarine (Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration) (2.7 km)
Sources: Reef Smart Guides – El Aguila · Roatan Marine Park – Bay Islands National Marine Park
Off Sandy Bay, Roatán. The pin is the GPS position published by Reef Smart Guides; the site is not in OpenStreetMap.3.2 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Odyssey wreck
WaterStatus unconfirmed
A 300-foot (91 m) freighter sunk in 2002 as an artificial reef, Roatán's largest wreck, according to Reef Smart Guides. It lies just seaward of the reef wall off the north coast at about 115 feet (35 m); the stern, the tallest part, rises to about 60 feet (18 m).
Status unconfirmed: the information on the site comes from dive guides, not from a site manager.
Practical details and sources
Source
Reef Smart Guides – Odyssey (modificada jul. 2025) · 2025 · +1
Tip: According to Reef Smart Guides, the hull has broken apart and the stern offers penetrations for experienced divers only. Roatán's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park, declared on 10 June 2010, according to Roatan Marine Park.
Nearby: Coxen Hole (3.5 km) · Manawakie Eco Park (3.8 km) · Roatán Museum (4 km)
Sources: Reef Smart Guides – Odyssey (modificada jul. 2025) · Roatan Marine Park – Bay Islands National Marine Park
North coast of Roatán. The pin is the GPS position published by Reef Smart Guides; the site is not in OpenStreetMap.7.4 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Mary's Place
WaterStatus unconfirmed
A dive site in a volcanic crevice on Roatán's south coast, with typical depths of 14 to 33 m (45–110 feet), according to PADI. PADI lists seahorses, cleaner shrimp, glassy sweepers, turtles and, at times, eagle rays among its marine life, and lists Advanced Open Water as useful training.
Status unconfirmed: the information on the site comes from dive guides, not from a site manager.
Practical details and sources
Source
PADI – Mary's Place, ficha de sitio de buceo · 2026 · +1
Tip: Roatán's waters lie within the Bay Islands National Marine Park, declared on 10 June 2010, according to Roatan Marine Park.
Nearby: Arch's Iguana Farm (3.7 km) · Manawakie Eco Park (4.5 km) · Cara a Cara shark dive (5.4 km)
Sources: PADI – Mary's Place, ficha de sitio de buceo · Roatan Marine Park – Bay Islands National Marine Park
South coast of Roatán. The pin is the position PADI publishes on its site page; the site is not in OpenStreetMap.13.2 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Cara a Cara shark dive
WaterStatus unconfirmed
A plateau at 70 feet (21 m) off Roatán's south coast where at least 10 to 15 Caribbean reef sharks live, according to PADI. According to Westbay Tours (2016), the dive is run by Waihuka Adventure Divers, the divemaster opens a bucket of fish to draw the sharks in, and it can only be booked through other dive shops.
Status unconfirmed: the description of how the dive works dates from 2016.
Practical details and sources
Booking
According to Westbay Tours (2016), Waihuka does not take direct bookings: you book through a dive shop, and many ask you to do one or two dives with them first. At the time there were three dives a day, except on Sundays.
Source
PADI – Cara a Cara / Marco's Place Shark Dive, ficha de sitio de buceo · 2026 · +1
Nearby: Coxen Hole (4 km) · Manawakie Eco Park (5.3 km) · Mary's Place (5.4 km)
Sources: PADI – Cara a Cara / Marco's Place Shark Dive, ficha de sitio de buceo · Westbay Tours – Shark Diving on Roatan (26 sep. 2016)
South coast of Roatán. The pin is the position PADI publishes on its site page; the site is not in OpenStreetMap.8.6 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Living culture · 5

West End village
CultureOpen
A village at the western end of Roatán, beside Half Moon Bay. Roatan Marine Park has its EcoStore and its sailboat moorings there, according to the NGO; the West End reef lies about 200 m from the beaches, according to Snorkeling Report (2021).
Practical details and sources
Entry
Roatan Marine Park asks for a voluntary contribution of US$10 to protect the reef; in return it gives a bracelet or token, sold at its EcoStore in West End and at partner dive shops and resorts, according to the NGO.
Source
Roatan Marine Park – Voluntary User Fee · 2026 · +2
Tip: For sailboats, Roatan Marine Park rents 25 mooring balls in West End: US$10 a day, US$50 a week or US$150 a month, and asks you to check availability; anchoring in the marine park is prohibited, according to the NGO.
Nearby: Half Moon Bay beach (0.1 km) · Idabel submarine (Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration) (0.4 km) · Gumbalimba Park (2.4 km)
Sources: Roatan Marine Park – Voluntary User Fee · Roatan Marine Park – Marine Infrastructure · Snorkeling Report – Snorkeling West End, Roatan (actualizado 19 abr. 2021)
West End, Roatán. The pin is the village in OpenStreetMap.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Coxen Hole
CultureOpen
Capital of the Bay Islands department and Roatán's largest town, with 8,307 inhabitants in the 2021 census, according to Wikipedia. Founded in 1835 by British families from the Cayman Islands, it is named after the pirate John Coxen; Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport is there.
Practical details and sources
Source
Wikipedia – Coxen Hole · 2026
Nearby: Odyssey wreck (3.5 km) · Carambola Botanical Gardens (3.6 km) · Roatán Museum (3.8 km)
Sources: Wikipedia – Coxen Hole
South coast of Roatán. The pin is the town in OpenStreetMap.5.6 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Photo: daarwasik · CC BY 2.0
Punta Gorda, Garifuna community
CultureOpen
A Garifuna community on the north coast. According to La Prensa (2018), on 12 April 1797 hundreds of Garifuna arrived there by boat from the island of Saint Vincent; the Moon guide describes it as Roatán's oldest permanent settlement, with a statue of the Garifuna leader Satuyé at the entrance to the village.
Practical details and sources
Source
La Prensa – Satuyé, garífunas y Punta Gorda (21 abr. 2018) · 2018 · +1
Tip: According to the Moon guide, the anniversary of the arrival, on 12 April, is celebrated in the village with Garifuna from all along the coast, and souvenir stalls open in Satuyé Park only on cruise-ship days.
Nearby: Jonesville and Oak Ridge mangroves (2.6 km) · Oak Ridge and its cay (3 km) · Port Royal National Park (6.1 km)
Sources: La Prensa – Satuyé, garífunas y Punta Gorda (21 abr. 2018) · Moon Travel Guides – Punta Gorda: The Oldest Permanent Settlement in Roatan (A. E. Robertson)
Punta Gorda, José Santos Guardiola, Roatán. The pin is the village in OpenStreetMap.26.6 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Photo: Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view · CC BY 2.0
Oak Ridge and its cay
CultureOpen
A town on the south coast of eastern Roatán, facing Oak Ridge Cay. According to the local magazine Paya (January 2024), the cay was settled about 170 years ago, has no bridge to the island, has about 40 houses, some wooden and on stilts from the 1960s and 1970s, and is Roatán's most populated cay.
Practical details and sources
Source
Paya Magazine – A Time Capsule from Another Era (T. Tomczyk; 23 ene. 2024) · 2024 · +1
Tip: According to El Heraldo (2019), Oak Ridge and Jonesville Point are the communities from which the municipality's mangroves, where most of the island's mangroves are concentrated, are visited.
Nearby: Jonesville and Oak Ridge mangroves (0.9 km) · Punta Gorda, Garifuna community (3 km) · Port Royal National Park (5.7 km)
Sources: Paya Magazine – A Time Capsule from Another Era (T. Tomczyk; 23 ene. 2024) · El Heraldo – Manglares de José Santos Guardiola, una joya invaluable de Islas de la Bahía (8 nov. 2019)
Oak Ridge, José Santos Guardiola, Roatán. The pin is the town in OpenStreetMap.26.2 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Roatán Museum
CultureStatus unconfirmed
A museum created in 1992 within the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS), at Anthony's Key Resort, showing the history and culture of the Bay Islands through artefacts, murals, maps and documents, according to RIMS; the institute says it holds one of the best collections of pre-Columbian artefacts in Central America.
Status unconfirmed: RIMS describes the museum, but publishes no hours, price or visiting conditions.
Practical details and sources
Source
Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences – Roatan Museum · 2026 · +3
Tip: RIMS, founded in 1989 by the owners of Anthony's Key Resort, also runs programmes with bottlenose dolphins on Bailey's Key, one of the resort's two cays, according to the institute; it does not publish prices.
Nearby: Carambola Botanical Gardens (0.6 km) · El Aguila wreck (0.7 km) · Idabel submarine (Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration) (3.2 km)
Sources: Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences – Roatan Museum · Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences – Instalaciones · Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences – About · Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences – Dolphin programs
Sandy Bay, Roatán, according to RIMS. The pin is Anthony's Key in OpenStreetMap, as a reference for the resort; it is not the museum's exact location.3.6 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Before you go, understand the place.

Our view

Themed guides

Western Roatán

Diving and wrecks

Towns and Garifuna culture

Nature and wildlife

Plan your visit

The essentials

Where to stay

Tips and precautions

Safety and precautions

Arriving by cruise ship

Sources for this topic

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Everything you can do

Nature and jungle · 7

Gumbalimba Park

Carambola Botanical Gardens

Idabel submarine (Roatan Institute of Deepsea Exploration)

Arch's Iguana Farm

Manawakie Eco Park

Port Royal National Park

Jonesville and Oak Ridge mangroves

Sea, beach and reef · 3

West Bay beach

Half Moon Bay beach

Camp Bay beach

Lakes, rivers and waterfalls · 4

El Aguila wreck

Odyssey wreck

Mary's Place

Cara a Cara shark dive

Living culture · 5

West End village

Coxen Hole

Punta Gorda, Garifuna community

Oak Ridge and its cay

Roatán Museum

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