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The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second largest barrier reef in the world, runs along the coast of the island. This makes Roatan a paradise for underwater exploration, with vibrant coral formations, tropical fish, and other fascinating marine creatures. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced diver, there are numerous diving sites and dive shops to choose from. The island’s natural beauty is complemented by its cultural attractions, allowing visitors to learn about the Garifuna heritage, sample local cuisine, and explore historical landmarks. The southern side of Roatán has two ports where cruise ships dock—the Port of Roatán and Mahogany Bay Cruise Terminal. The two ports are close to the island’s most popular attractions, making it possible to combine several shore excursions to make the most of your cruise day.
Top Sights & Attractions for Cruises to Roatan
The cruise ports are well-secured and patrolled by security guards and police officers. The cruise lines also work closely with the local authorities and tour operators to ensure the safety and comfort of their passengers. However, this does not mean that you should let your guard down or ignore the common-sense precautions.
The Best Roatán Shore Excursions
Most charters include necessary fishing gear, native anglers, snacks, drinks, and transportation to and from Roatán Cruise Pier. Even if you’ve never fished before, you can get fishing lessons from experts. Several tour operators offer cruise-day snorkeling excursions that take you to some of the best locations on the island. These can include Starfish Alley, the Big French Key Reef, various shipwrecks, Blue Chanel, and the Coco View Wall drop-off. If you want to escape to nature and enjoy a unique eco-friendly experience, go to the Blue Harbor Tropical Arboretum. A shore excursion to the park includes botanical gardens, bird watching, nature hiking, and fruit orchards.
Catamaran excursions
The island is famous for its beautiful beaches, vibrant coral reefs, crystal-clear waters, and lush tropical forests. The ports of Coxen Bay and Mahogany Bay are popular Caribbean cruise destinations. The island offers cruisers adventure, tranquility, and relaxation. Roatan is renowned for its exceptional snorkeling and diving opportunities, as its coral reefs are teeming with colorful marine life. The island is also home to a diverse ecosystem, with tropical forests filled with exotic birds, monkeys, and other wildlife.
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Posted: Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Shop ‘Til you Drop at The Town Center Coxen Bay
Rum cakes, rum cigars, and, of course, rum are the stars of this excursion. Located between West End and West Bay, the Roatán Rum Company offers samples of unique artisan rums (dark chocolate, spiced, and Caribbean coconut, to name a few) and rum cakes. Maya Key is a small private island that is located 3 minutes from the Roatán Cruise Terminal and 15 minutes from Mahogany Bay Cruise Terminal. The BOSS submersible electric scooter has an oxygen-filled breathing helmet attached. You’ll be able to breathe freely while you scooter around 8 feet below the water surface, viewing the colorful marine life in Roatán.
You will see free-roaming macaws, white-faced monkeys, and iguanas. There are so many options from local cuisine to international food to choose from while you are searching. When it comes to food on Roatán, I like to let my eyes and nose choose what to eat by seeing and smelling what looks great at the moment. Roatán Island also offers plenty of great options for delicious food and quenching drinks. Enjoy a little bit of island paradise while you indulge in the flavors of Roatán Honduras. If you are into kayaking, there are some great options to pick from to explore the water.
This quiet beach in a remote setting is the largest natural beach on all the Bay Islands and is located on Roatan’s northern shore. This beach lies on the southern end of West Bay Beach and is best known for spectacular coral reef snorkeling and sweeping sea views. The Chocolate Factory in Roatan is located in the city of French Harbour. This popular factory offers a wide range of hand-crafted chocolates, from classic favorites to unique specialty flavors. Visitors can enjoy a tour of the factory and learn about the process of making chocolate from bean to bar.
It is a protected area dedicated primarily to the conservation of the ecosystem and for recreation purposes. For Virgin Voyages sailors, check out other helpful information here. Some of the most popular and unique things to buy at the Roatan Cruise Port are high-quality coffee beans, organic cacao, locally-made rum, and freshly-baked rum cakes. At port, there will be many drivers aggressively trying to get you to drive with them.
SHOPPING
A mangrove excursion allows you to explore the beauty and diversity of these ecosystems up close. Experienced guides also provide fascinating insights into the island’s past. However, if flying isn’t your thing and you’re not claustrophobic, a submarine tour might be better. Underwater tours from Half Moon Bay and West End take you to depths of 2,000 feet (610 m) to explore the seafloor that never gets natural sunlight. Other attractions of the eco-nature reserve include a freshwater pool, botanical gardens, pirates cave, access to Tabyana Beach, and ziplining. The zipline adventure features 17 platforms for the canopy and around 13 lines through the rainforest canopy and over stunning lagoons.
However, its reliance on imported goods is also a significant factor impacting the cost of food, supplies, and products. You can find out the list of what’s included in individual cruise excursion packages. Shaun Hammond is the owner and author of The Traveling Drifter, a travel blog that has a focus on Charleston, South Carolina, Cruising, and Hiking/Backpacking. Shaun is a has lived in Charleston since 2007 and is an expert about the city. He has spent much of his time exploring and discovering Charleston to help travelers and locals get the most out of their Charleston experience. As you can see from the information I have provided, there are many things to see and do while visiting Roatán Honduras on a cruise.
The Island of Roatan has a rich and diverse history that begins with the Garifuna people. This tour will give you information about the history of the Garifuna people, their customs and traditions, and teach you about the land they live on. You can have a fresh pineapple or mango for a refreshingly sweet treat without having to go much further than the port gates. Stop in at one of the shops at the docks for a bottle of tajin or other spice to add some extra flavor to your fruit. These small carts are run by locals who supply their own fruits and flavors from around the island. The area is lined with palm trees that usually have a few coconuts growing at the top, which some locals will take down and drink the sweet milk from.
Visitors can learn about the Garifuna culture through traditional dances, music, and art. While the West End is known for famous beaches and dive spots, the East End, specially Punta Gorda, is known for being home to Roatán's indigenous Garifuna peoples. In the 18th century, the British exiled slaves from the island of Saint Vincent to the island of Roatán. The best time to visit Roatán on a Caribbean cruise is usually during the dry season, from mid-November to mid-April. During this time, you are guaranteed sunny skies, cool breezes, and ideal beach weather.
From local seafood dishes to international cuisines, there are plenty of restaurants and food stalls to satisfy your cravings. Don’t forget to try the island’s signature dish, “Baleada,” a traditional Honduran street food consisting of a flour tortilla filled with beans, cheese, eggs, and other ingredients. AJ's Monkeys and Sloths offers a tour for $35 per person that includes round trip transportation from the pier. Other companies, like Victor Bodden Tours, allows you to find your own ride to the sanctuary via taxi and charge $15 per person for admission. Roatán is generally safe for cruise passengers, especially if you stick to the popular tourist destinations. You may get pestered by street sellers if you walk around Coxen Hole, but a polite “no thank you” is enough to be left alone.
To get to places like West Bay Beach or West End you will need to take a taxi. You will find that taxis usually run around $20 for one passenger and an additional $10 for each other passenger. I personally love to find small restaurants or bars on West Bay Beach. It just feels great to sit at an outside location with the water about 100 feet from you taking it all in. If you don’t feel like venturing out too far from the ship, you will be able to find plenty of shops at Mohagany Bay or the Port Of Roatán. This is the spot to hit if you are in search of some real retail therapy.
In addition to cruise ships, direct flights from Miami and Houston and weekly charters from Milan are bringing large numbers of tourists. Today, tourism has overtaken commercial fishing as Roatan's top industry. Part of the world's second-largest barrier reef system, Roatan's waters are teeming with colorful coral and sponges. Divers and snorkelers swim alongside schools of fish, as well as whale sharks, barracudas, mantas, dolphins and turtles. The water feels like what you'd find in a bathtub, hovering around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and snorkeling there is like watching high-definition television, with fantastic visibility.
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