Regions in Brief

Coxen Hole

Coxen Hole, the largest city and capital of the department of the Bay Islands, isn't the idyllic beach paradise that you might expect to find in Roatán. It's more of a, well, hole. Whether you like it or not, though, chances are you are going to pass through the city, which is home to the airport and the ferry and cruise terminal, and functions as a transportation hub for buses and taxis. Apart from a few small hotels and restaurants, there isn't much in the way of tourist amenities -- you're probably better off basing yourself in another part of Roatán.

One of the highlights of visiting this part of Roatán is Yaba Ding Ding (Bonilla Building on the waterfront; no phone; www.yabadingding.com), which is one of the best craft shops in all of Honduras. Named after the local slang for pre-Columbian artifacts, the store stocks excellent Lenca pottery, straw baskets and weavings from the highlands, Garífuna art, and more. It's open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

French Harbour

French Harbour was once better known as the home of one of the largest fishing fleets in the Western Caribbean, but is quickly becoming engulfed by the onslaught of tourism and residential developments aimed at foreigners. While the compact town and port hold most of the town's population, the area as a whole is more spread out and self-contained than the West End and West Bay. Most of the hotels are fairly isolated and have their own private beaches, dive centers, and restaurants, so most visitors find little reason to leave their individual compounds or venture into town.

For scuba diving here, try Coco View Resort (tel. 504/911-7371; www.cocoviewresort.com) or Fantasy Island Resort (tel. 504/455-7499; www.fantasyislandresort.com).

Sandy Bay

Sandy Bay is a tranquil town on the north coast that has become a popular stop on many cruise ship tours, which come to experience the cultural highlights of the islands. Standout attractions here include the Roatán Museum and Institute of Marine Sciences, and a dolphin encounter. Note that, while the beaches in the reserve are stunning and surrounded by some of the most dramatic coral formations in Roatán, the beaches in town are murky and scruffy.

For scuba diving and snorkeling, try Sandy Bay's most popular resort, Anthony's Key Resort.

West End

West End, so-called because it is on the west end of Roatán, is the tourist center of the island and is home to the most hotels, restaurants, bars, dive shops, tour operators, and general tourist amenities. From the highway, the town hugs the road and the beach in both directions for just a mile or two. The town itself is quite small and has a sort of thrown-together feel to it, since buildings are scattered about with no apparent order. Prices tend to be cheaper here than in the West Bay, thus attracting plenty of backpackers and die-hard divers, although it is still more upscale than anywhere on Utila.

Getting There & Getting Around -- The West End can be reached by bus from Coxen Hole for L40 ($2/£1), by a water taxi for L30 to L38 ($1.50/75p) from West Bay, or by a regular taxi from anywhere on the island. There is a taxi stand near the entrance to the highway where a few cabs (which charge L200/$10/£5 to Coxen Hole) are usually waiting.

Visitor Information -- If you want to explore the island for a day or two, a great option is to rent a mountain bike, scooter, or motorcycle. Captain Van's (tel. 504/403-8751; www.captainvans.com) has locations in both the West End, on Main Street near the Baptist Church, and the West Bay Mall. Prices begin at L171 ($9/£4.50) per day for a bike and L741 ($39/£20) per day for a scooter.

West Bay

About 2km (1 1/4 miles) southwest of the West End sits a 1.5km (1-mile) stretch of powdery white sand, set against the mellow tides of a perfectly turquoise sea. This is West Bay, the finest beach in all of Honduras and one of the top beaches in all of the Caribbean. If your idea of a good vacation is to lounge around in the sand and sun with a continuous rotation of tropical drinks being brought your way, look no further. The focus here is less on diving -- although diving is still a big deal -- than general beachgoing activity. When you decide to move from your palm-fringed slumber, you can ride jet skis, take a boat tour, or browse the souvenir stands sprinkled across the beach. If you want to snorkel, you can rent gear almost anywhere and walk a few feet into the water to spot all sorts of colorful fish swimming around a good tract of coral reef.

Almost the entire beach is chockablock full of hotels and condos, the majority of which have no more than a few dozen rooms. Although the town is currently lacking in other tourist amenities like restaurants, that's changing -- West Bay has so many new tourist projects in the works that it sometimes feels more like a construction site than a resort area. When a cruise ship is in town, the place can get downright crowded, but for much of the week, West Bay is still an idyllic beach resort.