The beautiful Caribbean island of Roatan in the Bay Islands of Honduras offers some of the world's best SCUBA diving. The island is surrounded by the world's second largest coral reef, hugging most of the shore. This provides calm, clear beaches for swimming and snorkeling, and many varieties of sea life.
On your western Caribbean cruise vacation, if your ship docks at Roatan Honduras, you will find many interesting, fun activities to pursue on our beautiful, charming island. Your cruise ship offers many shore excursions to enjoy, but for those of you who prefer to make your own day, Roatan offers many interesting things to do. There are plenty of scuba dive operators, and our beaches are great for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. Renting a car, motorcycle, or moped can provide you with the means to explore all the hidden places and see the island as it really is; since there is only one paved highway on the island, it isn't easy to get lost. Or you can hire a taxi at the dock to take you where you want to go.
1. Go on a Zip-Line Tour
This exciting excursion is great for virtually all ages and fitness levels. Enjoy this fun filled day of gliding through the jungle canopy.
Bodden Tours
He offers a Zip-in-Dip tour which includes a little of everything:
"Zip-N-Dip" Group Excursion ...with others from your ship:
-Depart Roatan's dock 30 to 45 minutes after your ship begins disembarkation.
-25-minute scenic drive to the Mayan Jungle Canopy Zipline/Victor's Monkey Business.
-Zipline/Monkey Interaction time varies by tour group (approximately 1 hour to 1½ hours)
-10-minute drive to beautiful West Bay Beach
-Return to Roatan's dock from West Bay Beach 2 hours before your ship is scheduled to leave.
"Zip-n-Dip" Cost: $65 per person
"Skip-the-Zip" pricing for those in your group that choose NOT to zipline: $25 per person
You can also have him arrange to take you to South Shore zipline course which is said to one of the best in Roatan.
504-9910-5217
South Shore Zip Line Tours
(The Best Zip-Line Course in Roatan)
504 - 9967 - 1381
http://www.southshorezipline.com
2.Go Diving or Snorkeling
A day sailing with some snorkeling or a day diving. These pristine waters with white sand beaches cannot be missed! Best Beaches are located on West End!
Popular Dive Sites at Roatan Honduras:
| Calvin's Crack | A plateau atop a shallow reef facing a wall, Calvin's Crack runs through the reef along narrows, widening to an exit along the outer wall. |
Spooky Channel | This diving site is a little deeper, a former river valley formed this channel which opens to the barrier reef at 100 feet with a cathedral-like scenario. The side walls of the channel rise up to almost touch each other but still allow light to illuminate your way. |
| Barbareta Wall | 3 miles offshore from Roatan, the uninhabited, hilly island of Barbareta offers undiscovered reefs replete with coral gardens, a dramatic mile-long wall, while the island is framed by white sandy beaches and coves; the wall is a continuous drop-off that usually offers great pelagic encounters. |
| West End Wall | A spectacular precipice borders a deep blue abyss, with pillar corals, Azure Vase Sponges and barrel sponges, while in the deeper water divers are likely to find themselves among schools of pelagics and Eagle Rays. |
| Enchanted Forest and Insidious Reef | West of Romeo's Resort, these two dives are part of a larger reef associated with an offshore bank. The drop-off begins from a series of rolling reefs that drop to 70' - 80', with Creole Wrasse and groupers in abundance among the diverse sponge and coral growth. |
Connie's Dream | 3-min from Romeo's Resort, this sloping drop-off provides tube and vase sponges among both red and purple tube sponges, while a seemingly endless system of tall coral heads and deep sand channels fall into the abyss. |
| Doc's Elbow | Directly in front of the entrance channel to Brick Bay Resort, this popular night dive provides divers with a variety of life, including octopus, reef crabs and lobsters. A short swim leads divers to the wall. |
| Mary's Place | Perhaps one of the most popular dive sites off Roatan, the dive starts at a permanent mooring buoy on the reef shelf, along a vertical crevice that drops from 40', with a hug e section of the wall broken away from the main section to form a wide slit. Many smaller crevices invite exploration among bouquets of Rope and Tube Sponges, deepwater seafans and Black Coral. A sand shelf drops from 140' to 200', offering a magnificent underwater view. |
| Trunk Turtle Bay Beach | On Barbareta Island, great for snorkeling and shallow dives |
| Pigeon Cays | Three islets off Barbareta's south coast, with undiscovered dive sites. |
| Wreck Diving - "Prince Albert" | 140' tanker |
| Wreck Diving - "El Aguila" | 210' cargo boat perfectly sunk at 100 feet of water on a sandy bottom full of Deep Garden Eels. It has been adapted for penetration diving so you can descend onto open large compartments where you can surprise a number of fish in their homes. Adjacent to the boat runs the wall to finish off the dive among the shallow water tropical fish.
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Sail & Snorkel Companies:
Roatan Sailing and Catamaran Charters
https://www.sailroatan.com/Cruise_Ship_Guests.php
4 hour charter which includes:
(Minimum of 4; Max 12)
Water, sodas, Beer, juice and open bar
Snacks and lunch
Snorkel Gear
1-2 snorkel stops.
FREE Transportation to/from cruise ship included
If your ship arrives at 8am and departs at 5pm this is what a sample itinerary might look like: (All itineraries are based on Ship Time - We will send you your own personal itinerary which will be adjusted to your ships arrival & departure times.)
*8:15-8:40 am - Pick up at Cruise Ship Dock. When you come out of the ship you will proceed directly to the "Tour Area" inside the port. Here we will check you in and take care of any payments due. We will take you to the departure location either by vehicle or a short walk to the dock.
9-9:30am Board Sailboat and sail!
1:30-2:00pm Return to departure location
2:30-3:00pm Arrive back at Cruise Ship Dock
Radical Catamaran Adventures
Rate: $100 per person for a half day
(East Side)
Includes pick up and drop off at the Cruise Ship Terminal, lunch, snorkel gear, free Rum Punch and Beers. Minimum 6 people Max 30 people
Dive Companies: (Both top rated, West End)
Coconut Tree Divers
http://www.coconuttreedivers.com/
Tyll’s Dive
MORE INFO:
Taxi Fares Posted at the Cruise Ship Dock - Click here
Click here to see a Port Schedule for Roatan Cruise Ships
Before your Cruise, here are some interesting books about Roatan to read.
Land Based Activities: (These Tours have not yet been reviewed by TravelGirl)
B.J.s Backyard - Take a Scenic Tour of Oak Ridge, Jonesville & Mangrove Canal; ice cold drinks and great island food.
Butterfly Garden - See exotic butterflies and birds in a beautiful tropical garden a short walk from West End.
Caribbean Rent a Car - Make your own Roatan tour
Christopher Tours - Offers island, beaches, zipline, mangrove, and free style excursions
Tour of Mangrove Tunnel - Arrange this in Oak Ridge at B.J.s Backyard
Horseback Riding - Shirkie's West End Village, tour the west end on horseback with native islander guide.
Massage, facials, body wraps, and swimming in our pool or at our private beach, transport included. Luxurious Sante Wellness Centre, Roatan's premier professional spa services located in Parrot Tree Plantation.
Spa Services at Baan Suerte on the beach in Sandy Bay - Massage, facials, and more with a swimming pool, too.
Murphy's Roatan Tours - Exciting island tours including zip line adventures.
Sundowner - Enjoy tropical drinks, snacks, snorkeling, swimming on a beautiful beach a short walk to shopping and diving in West End Village at Half Moon Bay.
Theris' Roatan Tours - Private guided excursions in air conditioned vehicles to Roatan's attractions, activities, and sights.
Yaba Ding Ding - A short walk from the cruise ship dock, carries Roatan's largest selection of Central American arts and crafts, tropical clothing and tee shirts, and Cuban cigars. Also a new location at West Bay Beach
EXTRA INFO
Cruiseship Passenger info & Transportation info
http://www.roatanisland.net/cruiseship.htm
