The Island of Roatan, Honduras

Roatan Shore Excursions

Roatan is a little island in the Caribbean Sea, which is a part of Honduras.  I've been to Roatan twice, both visits on cruises.  On my first visit to Roatan, I participated in an activity typical of cruise port of calls: zip lining.  Zip lining was not offered by the ship, so I booked our excursion with a Roatan based company for $40 each, including transportation from and to the pier.  It's my understanding that zip lining often includes rides through the canopy of a forest.  However, on Roatan this was not the case.  On Roatan we zip lined over a valley down to the ocean.

One of the platforms part of the zip lining tour, with the Caribbean Sea in the background. 

The zip lining company on Roatan we used had its main building located at the peak of a mountain facing the south shore of the island.  After a video safety briefing and getting fitted with our harnesses, gloves, and helmets our journey down the mountain began.  Our group consisted of two couples (us included) in their 20s and two guides.  As we traversed from platform to platform one guide went ahead to help us off the cable when we arrived at the new platform, and the other guide followed us, helping us onto the cable at the beginning of each line.  

Coming into a platform as I zip line hundreds of feet above the valley floor.

Most of the platforms were located directly on or very close to the ground, as they were situated two parallel ridges on either side of a valley.  Each time we left the platform, within seconds we would be hundreds of feet above the valley floor with an impressive view of the Caribbean Sea.  The zip lines zig zagged from ridge to ridge across the valley down to the ocean, where we were loaded into a van, for a ride on a dirt road back up to the main building at the peak of the mountain.

Holding a baby monkey at the zip lining main building.

On this first day in Honduras, one more treat was in store in the form of  baby monkey that lived at the zip lining tour.  Tour operators allowed us to hold the baby monkey (briefly) and to pose for a photo.  We then took another taxi (included in the tour price) back to the port and our cruise ship.  We spent the remainder of our time in port meandering around the shops surrounding the port and enjoying a beer at the tiki bar on the pier.  

A marooned ship off the coast of Roatan Honduras.

The second time we visited Roatan, we opted for an island tour through an independent company.  We booked the tour right at the port.  I can't remember how much the tour cost, but it was somewhere between $15 and $20.  In truth, the island tour consisted of a series of tourist traps, beginning with viewing a sunken ship.  We just piled out of the van, looked at the ship, and then piled back in to go to the next tourist trap.

Feeding and petting iguanas at the iguana farm.

The second tourist trap of our island tour was a visit to an iguana farm.  I saw large iguanas, as we saw at the iguana farm, in other parts of the Caribbean, but never as close.  At the farm we were able to feed and pet the iguanas.  Also located at the farm were caged monkeys that were none too friendly and ocean enclosures that featured tarpon and other large fish.  While petting and feeding the iguanas was a unique and fun experience, the rest of the farm was a bit sad.

Enjoying some cold tasty coconuts in the hot summer.  

After the iguana farm were a series of shopping-focused stops, at a small mall like structure and other collections of stands, including one on the peak of a mountain that featured icy cold coconuts and a view of the island.  

Roatan is a small island without much to do other than zip lining or laying on a beach.  I am in no rush to revisit Roatan, but when I return I will focus on finding a snorkeling or scuba diving excursion, so I can see the oceanic side of Roatan.