Roatan in a day
A one-day plan for Roatán: West Bay Beach and Gumbalimba Park, then West End village, Half Moon Bay and the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Roatan in 1 day
Day 1
West Bay Beach
Long white-sand beach on the island's west tip with calm water and a reef close to shore for snorkelling.
Gumbalimba Park
Private nature park with gardens, monkeys, parrots, zip lines and a small museum on the island's pirate past.
West End Village
Small village at the west end of the island with dive shops, restaurants and bars along a sandy road by the water.
Half Moon Bay
Sheltered bay in West End village with a small beach, calm water for snorkelling and restaurants along the shore.
Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences
Marine research centre at Anthony's Key Resort with a small museum and dolphin encounters and dives.
Watch: Roatan
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Roatan
The dry season, roughly March to September, has the calmest seas and the best diving. October to February brings more rain and wind, and the hurricane season runs from June to November. Cruise-ship days are busiest all year.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Roatan on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Roatan on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Roatan on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Honduras from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Roatan
- West Bay is crowded on cruise-ship days; go early in the morning for a quieter beach.
- Water taxis run along the shore between West Bay and West End.
- Do not touch or stand on the coral, and use reef-safe sunscreen when snorkelling.
- Bring insect repellent for the sand flies on the beaches around dusk.
- US dollars are widely accepted alongside the lempira, but change is often given in lempiras.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Gumbalimba Park: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences: Geoff Alexander, CC BY 2.0
- West Bay Beach: Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
