Things to do in Roatan on a budget
Roatan, Honduras
A magical Caribbean island off the northern coast of Honduras. The largest of the bay islands, found in between Utila and Guanaja.
Before this trip I had never heard of Roatan, I had never even really given much though to the country of Honduras in general. But damn, I am glad I did.
Honduras is not an expensive country to travel. However, islands are always a bit pricier and Roatan is no different. Do not let this deter you! Roatan is too good to miss, and can 100% be done on a budget.
I spent 6 weeks in Roatan, I did so much and didn't break the bank...
Rope swings
Potentially my favorite of activities to do in Roatan, all completely free!
Went End - iSoar
This one you cannot miss. There is a boat sitting in the middle of Half Moon bay in West End, called the iSoar. You can grab some snorkel gear and swim out to the boat, climb aboard, and spend an afternoon jumping and swinging off of this bad boy. Chances are you will run into some local kids out there who have some awesome flips and tricks off of this thing! Brave little bastards.
West Bay - Hidden rope swing
Okay, this one is wicked cool. Although this hidden gem is on private property, you may get lucky enough to get permission from the owner to use it!
It is a beautiful setting, and beware.. this rope swing is tougher to hold on too than the iSoar.. but way more fun!
COST: FREE
Soak up the Sun in West Bay
Beacher's Bar and Grille
West Bay is a gorgeous beach, without a doubt. The sand is white and the water is crystal clear, turquoise blue and calm. The downside, it's a tourist trap and expensive. There will be people everywhere trying to sell you massages, hair braids, excursions etc.
All of the resorts dominate the shore line and require you to pay for sun chairs, or purchase drinks in order to utilize their beach front. But good news.. head to Beacher's Bar and Grille where there is NO charge to use their sun chairs! The other option would be to walk to the end of the bay and lay a towel down on the beach!
Pro Tip: Cruise ships dock in Roatan a couple times a week.. Do not go to West Bay on these days. The beach is swarmed with cruise goers looking to escape from the cruise deck and everything is more expensive!
COST: FREE
Taco Tuesday & Wing Wednesday@ Off The Hook
Who doesn't like Taco and Wings? Every Tuesday at Off the Hook in West End you can grab some delicious tacos for 25L ($1) AND every Wednesday you can grab wings for 5L ($0.20) a piece as you catch the sunset over another day in paradise. Taco and wings aside, this is the place to be from some delicious sea food and tex mex in an killer location with an awesome view! Located right by the round about in West End, make sure to look up as it is on the second floor!
Pro tip: This place has the BEST coconut shrimp and fresh catch fish
COST: $1.00 a taco $0.20 a wing
Rent a Car and Go to Camp Bay
Camp Bay is a beautiful deserted beach on the East side of the island. It is not the most accessible, requiring a few bumpy dirt roads and an hour drive from the West End. However renting a car on the island is easy and when you get a few others to go in on the expense, it doesn’t break the bank. It's worth the drive and a nice way to get away from the crowds.
Pro tip: Make a pit stop at Elden’s grocery store on the way there to pick up lunch and snacks for the day!
Other than that, relax and soak it in..
COST: $7 a person plus a couple bucks for gas
Hole in the Wall
While you have the car...
Why not make a stop to visit Capitan Ed at the Hole in the Wall, a bar/restaurant accessible only by boat ride through some man groves. This hidden gem is well worth the visit. All you have to do is place a call to the restaurant (+504 9813-4004) and they will send a free boat over to pick you up. The character this place eludes is authentic and just plain chill. Captain Ed has a million stories and a snarky charm that kept us entertained for hours as we sipped on local beers and relaxed in the hammocks over the edge of the restaurant dock.
COST: $2.50 Beers
Snorkeling
There are numerous snorkeling excursions you can sign up for in Roatan. However you don't need to pay for a guide or a boat to have an excellent snorkeling experience. Grab a mask and fin, you can rent from your hotel, and head to West Bay. Walk to the very end of the bay, far west side, and hop into the water along the cliffs edge for some killer reefs and swarms of fish. The crystal clear water is amazing.
You can check out sandy bay for some excellent snorkeling as well.
COST: FREE
Baleadas
It's all about the Baleadas in Honduras. A local dish made up of a thick tortilla folded in half filled with beans, cheese, egg, meat etc. Delicious, and cheap! One of these bad boys will fill you up. In the evening there are Baleada stands set up in the street for cheap. Or head to Calelu's in West End for some of the best and least expensive baleadas/food in West End, awesome smoothies too!
COST: $1.50-$3
Hug a Sloth
Okay this one gets a tad bit pricey but guysss look...
So adorably ugly. So wonderfully worth it. Anyone who knows me knows I am not the biggest animal person but this was truly a magical experience. These little critters can be found at Daniel Johnson's Monkey resort in French Bay. They all live and hang out in this big tree over the water. Watch out, the nails on these guys are a little sharp!
COST: $10 entrance fee plus about $5-6 cab ride round trip
Get Launched to the Moon at Palapa Papas
Palapa Papa's - West End
Brace yourself, this is not for the faint of heart. But if you've seen the movie Heavy Weights you have always dreamed of getting launched off a massive blow up balloon. I cannot lie, this was exhilarating yet terrifying and left me a bit bruised, but damn this was fun!
COST: $2.50 and have to sign a waiver
Stay in a Hostel
From what I have gathered there are three hostels on the island.
Valerie's in the heart of West End, Buena Onda right next to West End, and Roatan Backpackers Hostel in Sandy Bay. These are great places to mingle with other like-minded travelers and gather travel tips!
I stayed at Roatan Backpackers Hostel, as I was volunteering there in exchange for accommodation. It is a great little place with a much needed pool! However it is located about a 10 minute drive from West end.
Plus side: peace & quite, plus pool.
Down side: everything is a cab ride away.
So based on what you would want to do, you may want to stay closer to West End.
COST: $7-10 a night
Public Transportation
The island is crawling with taxis. Super convenient, however they will try to rip you off. Ask a local how much you should be paying. Then hop in the cab without asking the price, and hand him the amount you researched before hand with confidence as you exit the cab. If you are staying in West End your need for a cab will be less frequent. From Sandy Bay the fare to West End should be 30L a person. More if its late at night.
The other option is to take the collectivos, AKA mini buses that drive from Coxen Hole to Sandy Bay to West End. This will run you 18-20L, all you have to do is flag them down and holler when you want to hop out. There are no set bus stops.
From West End there is a water taxi for $3 US dollars. Everywhere on the island accepts US currency, but it is highly advisable to carry smaller bills, ($1's, 5's, 10's & 20's) as almost no one accepts $100's. However, paying with local currency gets you a slightly better price. Yes, you will feel like a "high roller" carrying around L100 & L500 notes, as that translates to $4 & $20 respectively. Also, paying with plastic, is not smart... most places charge upwards of 18% for the use....
However the best way to get to West Bay is…
COST: 75 cents-$3
Walking from West End to West Bay
About a 45 minute walk down quite beaches and over some rocks will lead you from West End to West Bay. It's a beautiful walk with virtually no one else around. Hell, half the time I didn’t even make it to West Bay and set up shop under one of the palm trees and enjoyed what felt like my own private slice of paradise.
Disclaimer: Some people on the island believe this walk to be unsafe. While I have never had any problems walking alone, it is best to do this walk in a group.
COST: FREE
Karaoke Thursday's @ Blue Marlin
MY FAV NIGHT.
I do not even know how much the beers are, probably between $1.50-2.00.. but you know what's free.. singing your favorite song up on stage. The whole town is there, tourists, locals and expats. Go, sing, make a fool of yourself, HAVE FUN.
COST: Feel FREE to sing your heart out.
Catch a Sunset at Lands End
A little walk outside of the main strip of West End will lead you to Lands End. A hotel bar and restaurant with a large ocean front deck and salt water pool. It has a killer view with steps through the rocky coast into the ocean. Hands down one of the best stops to catch the stunning sunsets Roatan has to offer. It's a little off the beaten path of West End, giving it a tranquil vibe that I just loved. Plus, the happy hour is a pretty great deal!
COST: $1.50 happy hour beers
Scuba Diving
Yes, this is by far the most expensive thing on this list..BUT.. it's Roatan. It's all about the diving here. So if your feeling up for it, definitely get your scuba dive on. The underwater world is in fact.. a whole other world. It is fascinating and one I personally would not want to miss! There are so many quality dive shops on the island, you have plenty to choose from! You can read all about my time diving with Coconut Tree Divers HERE.
Cost: $35
Roatan is great. Lots to do. Lots to see. You can read more about my time spent on Roatan HERE.
Enjoy your Roatan vacation!
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