Zipline Canopy Adventure: Zip from tree to tree, enjoy a thrilling soar high above the lush jungle floor, with any of the Roatan Zip lining Canopy Companies: “Pirates of Caribbean” (30 minutes from the pier), “South Shore Canopy” (15 minutes from the pier) or “Gumbalimba Canopy” (20 minutes from the pier). Roatan's jungles are beautiful with awe-inspiring awesome ocean views and scenery.
Water Activity:
Kayaking
Take time to explore the island via kayak. Most resorts offer kayaks, or they can be rented along West End Beach, West Bay Beach, Brick Bay and Palmetto Bay Plantation. A fun day trip for kayakers is from Palmetto Bay to West End or West End to West Bay Beach.
Sports Fishing
A full range of deep sea fishing and fly fishing is available on Roatan. There is no fishing license requirement for shallow or deep sea fishing. The use of spear guns and slings is prohibited in Honduras. Deep sea fishing charters will treat you to a day of catching tuna, mahi-mahi, marlon, king fish and you will find Tarpon, Permit and Bone Fish on your adventure in the shallows.
Dolphin Activities
Anthony's Key Resort, one of the Bay Island's most popular dive Meccas, has for years been developing a dolphin program through their Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences located on the property. Trained dolphins perform daily shows of acrobatic leaps and spins. In another beachside enclosure on nearby Baily's Key, the Dolphin Encounter offers the chance for you to wade into the water and play with the dolphins. The Dolphin Swim is available for those who want a more intimate experience with these intelligent marine mammals. Anthony's Key Resort also offers divers the opportunity to dive with the dolphins.
Sailing
The catamaran "Grazia Felice", the longest in the Caribbean and the Jolly Rodgers Catamaran offer daily trips with food, beverages, snacks and snorkeling. Now, also from West Bay Beach you can go on short sailing trips of just a few hours.
For Info: (504) 3336-5597
Diving
The Bay Islands is part of the second largest reef system on the planet, making it a popular attraction for divers. Caves and crevices, thousand-foot walls, wrecks, abundant sea life, sharks, whale sharks and the largest number of sponges in the Caribbean , make Roatan, and the Bay Islands, one of the most desirable diving destinations in the world. The West End and West Bay area of the island and offer the best diving and are closest to the Port.
Snorkeling
Whether it is sailing, water skiing, jet-skiing, wake boarding or snorkeling you're after, Roatan offers it all. Snorkeling is available in West End, West Bay, Brick Bay of French Harbour. Most dive and snorkel sites are close to shore, which makes them fun and easy for guests to enjoy. Snorkeling is varied and beautiful all over the island. Snorkels, fins and masks can be rented from dive shops, resorts, vacation rentals and through activity providers.
Shark Dive
Reef Sharks, all female, displaying a daytime schooling behavior known only to a few species of sharks. Typically about 6 to 9 feet long and several hundred pounds each, these are handsome, powerful fish – healthy hunters of the reef in natures system of checks and balances.
The dive is held among a beautiful reef of hard and soft corals between 60 – 70 feet (18 – 21 meters). Visibility is usually more than 80 feet as the site is located a ten-minute boat ride from Roatan's shore and thus not diminished by rain or other factors.
Divers descend along the mooring line (there is often current) to a small wall where divers arrange themselves kneeling or standing, back to the wall and facing the Divemaster and anywhere from 10 -20 sharks. A snack of fish (1-2 pounds) is kept in a bucket to keep the sharks interested, divers watching the sharks circling the area.
Sun & Beach: Roatan boasts many of the most pristine and beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. While West End and West Bay are the most visited and populated beaches, there are many stretches of sand where you may find yourself a quiet, isolated beach, such as Camp Bay Beach. Sandy Bay Beach, just five minutes away from West End, has long stretches of semi-deserted beach with great snorkeling just offshore.
Island Tours: The best way to spend a day on the beautiful Island of Roatan is with an island tour. Enjoy an East End or West End Island tour with tour guides that were born and raised in Roatan. Services offer the visitor a comfortable, informative and exciting tour of Roatan. Several tour operators also offer tours to different parts of the island, including the Garifuna community of Punta Gorda.
Island tours and transportation Services are offered for Visitors and Cruise ship Passengers.
Nature:
Horseback Riding
There are several good stables in the area. The Tabyana Resort in West Bay Beach and Keifito's Plantation Retreat half way between West End and West Bay both offer rides along the beach and into the hills.
Scooter and Motorcycle Rentals
A great way to get around the island is by scooter or motorcycle; a mode of transportation that allows you to discover many hidden marvels. The paved road that leads from West End and West Bay, all the way to Oakridge, offers scenic views of both sides of the island and many places of interest.
Roatan Butterfly Garden
This enchanting garden is filled with thousands of live butterfly species, all native of Honduras. The entrance fee includes an information chart for your self-guided tour. There is also a nice souvenir shop with lots of butterfly memorabilia. Outside the butterfly house are a variety of tropical fruit trees, including cashew, hog plum and breadfruit. Located at the entrance to West End, behind the old Online Cafe. Open daily except Saturday from 9am to 5pm.
Carambola Gardens
Offering a relaxing stroll through a diverse collection of flowering plants, ferns, spices, fruit trees, hardwood trees and orchids, the Carambola Gardens is worth setting aside a couple of hours for. Apart from the small, well-tended garden, trails lead up the pretty valley through the arid tropical forest, past the iguana wall where iguanas and parrots breed, and up to the top of Carambola Mountain, where you can soak in the gorgeous colors of the coral reefs below and see all the way out to the island of Utila.
Gumbalimba Park
Some of the park's attractions include:
- Animal preserve with jump-on-your-shoulders monkeys, free-flying exotic birds, friendly turkeys, iguanas and other exotic animals.
- Botanical gardens with over 200 colorful plant and tree species, numerous waterfalls and fountains, with a picturesque hanging bridge over the pond.
- Peaceful sandy beach with lounge chairs for the sun lovers and hammocks hung among the trees for shade lovers. Showers and bathrooms
- "Coxen's Cave" history tour and pirate's cave, with artwork and history painted on the cave walls, life-size pirates, treasure, weapons and maps.
- Restaurant with lobster buffet located on the beach. Excellent local shopping and authentic Honduran cooking.
- Convenient water activities offering snorkeling & kayaking. This excursion could only be purchase onboard the ship.
