Honduras · Bay Islands

Roatán.

The largest of the Bay Islands

3 places
2 open
1 unconfirmed
checked Oct 2026
14 sources

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.

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: This guide does not calculate road routes or travel times and offers no arrival points. Ferries to Roatán (Dixon Cove terminal) leave from the Muelle de Cabotaje in La Ceiba, according to their operators (pages checked in October 2026, 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.

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3 places with their status. Open a pin for details and sources, or use the list.

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Open
Status unconfirmed

Groups: the number in the middle is the total of places; the ring shows their statuses. Open a group to see the breakdown.

The “Open and seasonal” filter covers open (2) and seasonal (0) places. Check dates and conditions on each place.

Map: © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

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Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

3 places
Western Roatán
West Bay beach, with unconfirmed status, and two private places that publish their hours and prices: Gumbalimba Park, in West Bay, and Carambola Botanical Gardens, in Sandy Bay.
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The place, in context

Everything you can do

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

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Showing 3 of 3 · 1 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 2

WildlifeOpen
Gumbalimba Park
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
Entry
adult, Park Experience US$45
Hours
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., daily
Booking
Not stated
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.
Source: Gumbalimba Park – Pricing («current as of 2026»; modificada sep. 2026) · 2026 · +1
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.
Nearby: West Bay beach (1 km) · Carambola Botanical Gardens (5.2 km)
Sources: Gumbalimba Park – Pricing («current as of 2026»; modificada sep. 2026) · Gumbalimba Park – Hours & Directions (publicada ene. 2026, modificada jul. 2026)
NatureOpen
Carambola Botanical Gardens
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
Entry
self-guided walk US$15
Hours
Mon–Sat, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
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.
Source: Carambola Botanical Gardens – Prices (consulta oct. 2026) · 2026
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.
Nearby: Gumbalimba Park (5.2 km) · West Bay beach (6.2 km)
Sources: Carambola Botanical Gardens – Prices (consulta oct. 2026)

Sea, beach and reef · 1

BeachStatus unconfirmed
West Bay beach
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
Entry
Not stated
Hours
Not stated
Booking
Not stated
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 not confirmed: none of the sources read manages the beach or publishes its status or access conditions. Check before you go.
Source: CM Airlines – Destino Roatán (consulta oct. 2026) · 2026 · +2
Practical details and sources
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) · Carambola Botanical Gardens (6.2 km)
Sources: CM Airlines – Destino Roatán (consulta oct. 2026) · Roatan Marine Park – Bay Islands National Marine Park (consulta oct. 2026) · Roatan Marine Park – Actividades prohibidas en el PNMIB (consulta oct. 2026)

Roatán · Practical guide

The essentials

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

Roatán · Practical guide

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.

Roatán · Practical guide

Practical tips

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. This guide has not confirmed how they are collected today. 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. This guide does not confirm the current situation. Canada notes that the authorities periodically declare states of exception: always carry ID and follow the authorities' instructions at checkpoints.

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. This guide has not confirmed how they are collected today. 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.

Roatán · Practical guide

Sources consulted

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

Before you go,understand the place.

Themed guides

Western Roatán

Everything you can do

Nature and jungle · 2

Gumbalimba Park

Carambola Botanical Gardens

Sea, beach and reef · 1

West Bay beach

The essentials

Where to stay

Practical tips

Safety and precautions

Frequently asked questions

Sources consulted

Other destinations

Before you go,
understand the place.