Things to do in Roatan
Roatan is a paradise island in the Caribbean. Off the coast of Honduras, this diving mecca also offers visitors an ideal blend of adventure, beauty, and wildlife.
Only 37 miles long and 5 miles at its widest, visitors are pleasantly surprised by the number of Roatan tours and excursions on offer. Thrill-seekers, sightseers, and scuba divers can all enjoy Roatan’s activities, ranging from diving tours to zip-line adventures to precious nature reserves.
What makes a perfect day in Roatan? Well, in the morning, you could cuddle a sloth, take a boat trip along the island’s mangrove channels, and snorkel in the clear turquoise waters. Take in the coral formations of the world’s second-largest barrier reef on a glass bottom boat. After all that action, an afternoon spent relaxing on some of the best beaches in all of Central America will be time well spent.
With hotels and resorts to suit all budgets, and a wide range of quality restaurants and bars to enjoy, Roatan really does provide everything you could want for the perfect vacation.
28 Activities
3h 00min
About Roatan Honduras
Roatan is located 1 hour and 15 minutes by ferry from the Honduran mainland town of La Ceiba. Attracting over a million visitors each year, arriving by air, ferry, or on a cruise liner, Roatan is popular with people in the know, but is still relatively undiscovered in the mainstream.
The island is proud of its strong Garifuna cultural heritage, as well as its profusion of wildlife, plus jungle and beach landscapes, which offer visitors an almost endless selection of activities, excursions and tours.
By day, visitors’ favorite Roatan tours include meeting monkeys, sloths, and tropical birds in the island’s nature reserves and sanctuaries, and flying through the trees on the longest zip-lines in Honduras. By night, the action switches to the restaurants and bars of buzzing West End or the more relaxing vibes of the West Bay.
Cruisers will arrive at one of Roatan’s two cruise terminals, either Coxen Hole Cruise Port, or Mahogany Bay. Both are located in the southwestern section of Roatan, with Coxen Hole in the island’s main town of the same name, and Mahogany Bay is situated between Coxen Hole and French Harbour. Both have great taxi links to all parts of the island, and conveniently, Roatan excursion operators also collect cruise guests directly from outside their port. Check out this handy guide to Roatan’s cruise ports.
Shopping options are diverse, with Mahogany Bay offering local stores, international brands, and artisan offerings, and Coxen Hole Cruise Terminal allowing easy access to the island’s main town of Coxen Hole. West End also has a healthy selection of shopping options, with many vendors selling their wares directly on the beautiful curved beach at Half Moon Bay.
Explore Activities in Roatan The Dominican Republic
Frequently Asked Questions
A guide to some of the most common questions when travelling to Roatan
What are the best things to do in Roatan?
The top things to do in Roatan according to travelers and locals are:
What are the top tours in Roatan?
The top 10 tours in Roatan according to travelers and locals are:
- Community & Culture Experience
- Discover Scuba Diving Excursion
- Glass Bottom Boat, Sloths, & Snorkel Combo
- Floating Tiki Bar Adventure
- Roatan ATV, Snorkeling & Ziplines Combo
- ATV Safari & Horseback Riding
- Extreme Zipline & Horseback Riding Adventure
- Ultimate Horseback, Zipline, & ATV Combo
- Mayan Jungle Canopy Zipline
- Zipline, Sloths, & Snorkel Combo
What is there to do in Roatan, Honduras?
There are so many activities to enjoy in Roatan. Depending on your preference, you could try out:
* Fascinating underwater scuba diving and snorkeling excursions
* Thrilling zip-line courses high up in the forest canopy
* Getting up close to everyone’s favorite animal, the sloth
* Adrenaline-inducing ATV and dune buggy adventures
Is Roatan Honduras suitable for families?
Yes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy, with Roatan excursions aplenty. Kids will love splashing in the ocean and building sandcastles on the beautiful beaches, while Mom and Dad relax and sip on a cocktail. Grandma and Grandpa can indulge in some sightseeing on a relaxing guided **[tour of the island](https://roatantourbase.com/tours/roatan/sightseeing)**. Together, the family can enjoy **[boat trips](https://roatantourbase.com/tours/roatan/boat)** and food tours, and the more adventurous members can try out some speedy **[zip-line](https://roatantourbase.com/tours/roatan/zipline)** tours.
Is it easy to get around Roatan Honduras?
There are plenty of taxis in Roatan, and a water taxi links up the popular West End and West Bay areas, so independent travel is definitely possible in Roatan. But by far the easiest way to get around the island is on a guided island tour, where all the transport between your chosen attractions will be included.