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Roatan Attractions
West End
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. 504/2403-8751; 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 L170 ($9) per day for a bike and L740 ($39) per day for a scooter.
West Bay
The 1.5km (1 mile) West Bay Beach is the main attraction here and one of the region's best beaches. The water resembles an aquarium of sorts, since you can see right down to the bottom and watch brightly colored marine life pass you by. Many of the resorts have beach chairs and umbrellas set up in the sand, although you may need to pay a fee and get a wristband to use them. Apart from snorkeling, you can rent wave runners or go parasailing, ride a paddle boat, or water-ski.
Oakridge & Jonesville
Boatmen line the road into Oakridge, flagging down cars and taxis with tourists for informal tours of the mangroves and seaside villages. A narrow channel has been cut through the thick web of mangrove forests for access to some residential areas. Parts are dirty, though lately, the locals have been adamant about trying to keep the mangroves clean. There is fine bird life in the mangroves, even the occasional boat-billed heron. Alligators once lived in these parts, too, though sightings are rare these days. Just watch out for duppies! (Duppies are a sort of island ghost -- for more info,) Sometimes, you have to bargain hard to get a good price. Prices are based on distance traveled. Most will combine a trip to the mangroves (L285-L475/$15-$25) with a stop at the Hole in the Wall restaurant (L475-L760/$25-$40 combined). Ask for Eric for an honest and reliable driver and guide.
6 Results
- Zoo/Aquarium
Arch's Iguana Farm
Several thousand iguanas inhabit this property in French Key, just east of French Harbour, towards Fantasy Island. There are four different species on the farm, all native to the Bay Islands, and they are absolutely everywhere. Watch when you walk -- these things are literally… - Park/Garden
Carambola Gardens
These tropical gardens, across from Anthony's Key Resort, have a nice collection of native plants of the Bay Islands, and are a good spot on Roatán to check out rare iguanas and parrots. You can spend a couple of hours here easy, just taking in the views of reefs below, strolling… - Cooking Class
Central America Spanish School
Mainland Institute, the Central America Spanish School, has two locations on Roatán, at Posada Arco Iris in the West End and at Bananarama Resort in West Bay. Weeklong courses include 20 hours of one-on-one course work and classroom materials. You can add accommodation and even pair… - Cooking Class
Golf
The Pete Dye-designed Black Pearl Golf Club, Roatan's[LS13] first golf course, is an 18-hole, par-72 resort course measuring 7,057 yards. Set at the Pristina Bay, the course opened in 2010 and frequently hosts tournaments and special events. The Sky Lounge and 19th Hole restaurants… - Park/Garden
Gumbalimba Park
Gumbalimba is a good place to come if you have just a day in Roatán and want to experience as much as you can -- which is why the place is often packed when a cruise ship is in town. It's kind of a one-stop adventure shop. There's a zip-line section, a large stretch of beach with… - Zoo/Aquarium
Roatán Butterfly Garden
Try to spare a few hours for a visit to Roatán's butterfly garden. Tours are self-guided through the 278-sq.-m (2,992-sq.-ft.) walk-through enclosure, and they give you a small chart to identify the 30 or so rare butterfly species and tropical plants. Separate from the butterflies…
Roatan Shopping
Coxen Hole
Named after the local slang for pre-Columbian artifacts, Yaba Ding Ding (Bonilla Building, near the waterfront; no phone; www.yabadingding.com) is one of the best craft shops in all of Honduras. The store stocks one of the most complete collections of Honduran crafts, including Lenca pottery, straw baskets and weavings from the highlands, Garífuna art, and more. It's open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm. In town, just beside Yaba Ding Ding, is HB Warren, one of the best supermarkets and general stores in town.
West End
All shops are on Main Street in the West End, but most are little stores selling a mishmash of things. One standout store is Wave Gallery (tel. 504/2445-4303), a bright yellow house on the beach that's worth a browse for its paintings, jewelry, and crafts made by Honduran artists.
The Roatán Marine Park Office (Half Moon Bay, West End; tel. 504/2445-4206; www.roatanmarinepark.com) has an eco-store selling dive maps and some equipment, and offers information on saving the reef and natural sites in the Bay Islands. You can also buy a L190 ($10) Roatán dive tag/bracelet here.
Roatan Nightlife
West End
Apart from the listings in this guide, there's a booze cruise that departs from the water taxi dock on Tuesdays and Fridays at 3pm ($50 open bar; $20 cash bar).
