Oakridge is built on stilts over the water — unique photo subject
Punta Gorda is the main Garifuna community — cultural hub
Garifuna drumming and food if you visit on a cultural occasion
Much less visited — genuine off-the-beaten-path content
Boat taxis required to reach some stilted village areas
About 45 min drive from West End — plan a full half-day
📍 My Saved Spots
Spanish Phrase Sheet
Most locals speak English, but Spanish earns respect
Currency
Lempira (HNL) · USD also widely accepted
Converting
$0.00
= L 0.00
~24.6 HNL per USD · Update at any exchange counter
USD $
⇌
Lempira L
Quick HNL amounts
💡 USD tip: Most tourist businesses (dive shops, hotels, restaurants in West End/West Bay) quote and accept USD. Taxis and local markets prefer Lempira. Always ask before assuming.
🏧 ATMs: Sandy Bay and Coxen Hole are the most reliable. Very few in West End. Withdraw on arrival — ATMs sometimes run out on busy weekends.
Price Reference
Cerveza Salva Vida (bar)$2–3 USD
Beach bar cocktail$5–8 USD
Local comida corriente lunch$4–7 USD
Grilled whole snapper$12–18 USD
1-tank dive (gear incl.)$35–50 USD
2-tank dive package$60–80 USD
Water taxi West End→West Bay$3–5 USD
Taxi airport → West End$20–25 USD
Grocery Decoder
Spanish food labels & Honduran specialties
Restaurants
Log meals as you go — tap stars to rate
Known Good Spots
My Logs
Log a Meal
Name
Area
Type
Rating
★★★★★
Notes
Dive Bars & Beach Bars
Rate and track your go-back spots
Caribbean Seafood Guide
What to order and what to pair it with
Roatan sits on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef — the world's second largest. The seafood is exceptional. Lobster season runs July through February — order it grilled or in garlic butter. Snapper, conch, and shrimp are year-round staples. Red Stripe and Salva Vida beer are the go-to pairings.
Packing List
Roatan — tap to check off
0 of 0 packed
Getting Around
Roatan — island transport guide
📱 WhatsApp — Main Form of Communication
💬
Download WhatsApp before you arrive
It's how the island communicates
Roatan runs on WhatsApp. Taxis, dive shops, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations — nearly everyone uses it over calls or SMS. Save numbers and message first rather than calling. If someone doesn't respond to a call, try WhatsApp.
Reliable, English-speaking driver who knows the island. Message him on WhatsApp to arrange pickups, day trips, or airport transfers. Book in advance for early mornings.
Primary land transport — always negotiate price before riding
Fixed Taxi Routes
Taxis on Roatan run fixed shared routes called "colectivos" — similar to minibuses. Shared rides are ~$2–5 USD. Private/charter taxis are $15–30 USD depending on distance. Always agree on price before getting in.
West End ↔ West Bay
Walking is possible (~25 min via jungle trail). Taxi ~$5–8 private. Water taxi is often faster and more scenic.
West End ↔ Coxen Hole
~$10–15 USD private. Colectivo ~$2–3.
West End ↔ East Roatan (Oakridge)
~$30–40 USD private, about 45 min. Worth hiring a driver for a half-day east island trip.
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Water Taxis
Best way between West End and West Bay
West End ↔ West Bay Beach
~$3–5 USD each way. Departs from the dock at the south end of West End main street. Runs frequently 8am–10pm. 10 min ride. Skip the walk — water taxi is the move.
West Bay ↔ Half Moon Bay
Short hop between the two main western beaches. $2–3.
Oakridge Boat Taxis
In East Roatan, local panga (wooden boat) taxis connect the stilted village sections. ~$1–2 per short hop. Essential for exploring Oakridge.
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Rental Cars & Scooters
Best for exploring the full island
Rental Cars
Available at RTB airport and Coxen Hole. ~$40–70 USD/day. One main highway runs the length of the island east-west. Roads off the highway can be rough — 4WD advisable for east Roatan.
Scooters / Golf Carts
Rentable in West End (~$35–50/day). Golf carts popular for West Bay area. Fun for content but be careful — island roads have no shoulders.
Note on Driving
Drive on the right. Speed bumps ("tumulos") everywhere — slow down. Roads between West End and Coxen Hole are paved and fine. East of French Harbour can get rough.
✈️
Flights — RTB Airport
Roatan International Airport
Domestic — La Ceiba
Aerolíneas Sosa and CM Airlines operate short hops to La Ceiba (~20 min, ~$60–80). Useful for connecting to mainland Honduras.
Island-Hop to Utila
No direct ferry from Roatan to Utila. Fly via La Ceiba or take a water taxi via La Ceiba. Utila is the more budget diving island — day trip from Roatan is not practical.
🏍 West End note: West End is small enough to walk everywhere — the main strip is 10–15 min end to end. Renting anything for West End itself is overkill.
📱 No Uber: Uber does not operate on Roatan. Use Giovani Martinez (+504 8754-9362 on WhatsApp) or negotiate with any local taxi in advance.
Emergency Info
Save these before you need them
🚨 Honduras Emergency
911
Police, ambulance, fire — works island-wide
🏥 Roatan Hospital (Public)
+504 2445-1234
Coxen Hole, Roatan. Basic emergency services. For serious cases, medical evacuation to San Pedro Sula may be needed.
🏥 Wood's Medical Center (Private)
+504 2445-1080
West End area. Better equipped private clinic. Most dive insurance covers here. Has a hyperbaric chamber on island.
🤿 Hyperbaric Chamber (Decompression)
+504 2445-1234
Anthony's Key Resort operates a hyperbaric chamber at Sandy Bay. Critical for dive-related decompression sickness. DAN insurance strongly recommended for all divers.
🇺🇸 US Embassy Honduras (Tegucigalpa)
+504 2236-9320
After hours emergency: same number. For lost passport, arrest, serious emergency. Tegucigalpa is a 6–7 hour drive or 1 hr flight from Roatan.
Emergency Phrases in Spanish
Help!
¡Ayuda! / ¡Socorro!
ah-YOO-dah / so-KO-rro
Call an ambulance!
¡Llame una ambulancia!
YAH-meh OO-nah am-boo-LAN-syah
I'm sick / I need a doctor
Estoy enfermo/a. Necesito un médico.
es-TOY en-FER-mo / ne-se-SEE-to oon ME-dee-ko
My bag was stolen
Me robaron la bolsa
meh ro-BAH-ron lah BOL-sah
I am allergic to...
Soy alérgico/a a...
soy ah-LER-hee-ko/kah ah
Useful Info
Roatan Tourist Police+504 2445-3021
DAN (Dive Accidents)+1 919-684-9111
Drinking waterBottled only — do not drink tap
Electric socketType A/B, 110V — same as US
Pharmacy hours9am–6pm most days (Coxen Hole)
Safety noteWest End/West Bay are generally safe. Avoid Coxen Hole at night. Don't flash valuables.