Who to deal with when going to Roatan, and no we are not getting paid to say this.

Subway Watersports
Best Car Rental (at the airport)
Turquoise Bay Resort
Lands End Resort
Bay Island Airways
Gumbalimba Park

Roatan Island, Honduras is an unspoiled adventure traveler's vacation paradise in the Caribbean. Roatan has blue skies, sun drenched clear turquoise water, and year round temperatures in the high 70's and low 80's.  Imagine stepping back in time to the 1950's.  Roatan Island lies 30 miles off the coast of Honduras and is 33 miles long and 4 miles wide.  You won't find four star high-rise hotels, golf courses, shopping malls, or fancy stores.  Roatan Island offers first class scuba diving, scuba certification and outstanding snorkeling. 

Roatan water activities include deep sea fishing, fly-fishing on the flats and mangroves, swimming with the dolphins, and ocean kayaking.  Land activities include riding horses, exploring lush tropical scenery, shopping for island crafts, eating at some of the best restaurants in Honduras, and viewing the butterfly and floral gardens. The island has full service resorts and small, personal low-key resorts or you can rent a private home.  The best thing out of all of it, is that it's really cheap - food, diving, property, you name it! 

How to get there?

Getting to the Bay Islands is an easy task these days: Isleña Airlines, Sosa Airlines and Atlantic Airlines all have service to all three major islands on a regular basis, in addition, Roatan has ferry service provided on the M.V. Galaxy Wave, and Utila also has service provided by the Utila Princess Ferry, both of these from La Ceiba. For schedules - click here.

Houston and Miami are the main "hubs" for Continental and Taca airlines non-stop flights to Roatan. From either of these cities, Houston being the most common, you can be in Roatan in less than three hours. They are also working on direct flights from Canada from what we have heard. Either way, Roatan is not far at all, if you are living in North America. Roatan is a must-dive destination before your time is up.

When to dive?

Roatan offers a favorable tropical climate all year round. The north is hot and humid, with coastal regions at times cooler due to sea breezes. The south is hot and dry and the central regions are the coolest areas in the country, due to their elevation above sea level. Roatan's wetter months are between August and December.

You can dive in a rash guard all year, but bring your 3mm just in case.

Currency - (Exchange Rate)

The local currency is the Lempira. You will recieve a better exchange rate if you convert your dollars to Lempira and pay for purchases. Banks and some resorts exchange money. Roatan is now tax free. Tipping of 10-15% is customary, although frequently included in your bill as a service charge. Roatan is a very inexpensive island, and did we mention, tax free?

Where to Stay?

There are many places to stay in Roatan. If you want to get away, and seriously just relax in a resort with a private beach, with only a couple other tourists around, and a dive shop just down the hill (Subway Watersports), then check out Turquoise Bay Resort. They are brand new, not to many people know about them, which is ideal for the perfect relaxing vacation.

If this isn't for you, and you want to hit up the nightlife and party the night away, then there's no question that you have to stay at Land's End Resort. Very inexpensive and right near West End (where all the action takes place, and I mean action). No matter where you stay on Roatan, you will eventually make your way to West End. West End is the main part of the island, with no paved roads, 70's style atmosphere, small theatre, restaurants on the docks and a lot of friendly people from all over the world with amazing stories.

Time Zone

Honduras is in the Central Time Zone and does not observe daylight saving time. Honduras is 6 hours behind Greenwich mean time (GMT).

Hook-Ups

Treat this information like it's your best friend...well I guess that all depends on what your best friend is like. Anyways, for diving in Roatan, Honduras, you will need some tips and local contacts, so here goes.

Roatan:

Okay so before you go to Roatan, email Pat Zingg from Subway Watersports, and tell him that you would like to dive with them. They are the only shop with 3 locations on the island, making it very easy to meet up with them. They also have a wider selection of dives. Being that they have 3 locations, it sounds like they have a big operation, where you will be treated like a heard of cattle, doesn't it? Well, this is not the case with Subway Watersports. You will most likely be diving with 2 - 4 other divers, which is ideal.

And, if you have Boris as your boat captain, tell him that Dive Zero says hello, buy him a couple beers, and he will take you to cool spots on the island, where the average tourist just wouldn't see otherwise. Trust us, this is a must do, he is a very great connection to have while on Roatan.

Throughout Honduras and the Bay Islands, 110 volts, 60 MHz, is the standard -- the same as the United States and Canada.

When you arrive on the island, just before you leave the airport, talk to Noel Bonito of Best Car Rental, and also tell him that Dive Zero says hello, you never know, he may give you a really good deal. Renting a vehicle on Roatan is a must, as you would be paying more if you get a taxi everywhere you go. Unless you are just hiding away at the resort the whole time, then there are no worries, right?

If you feel like dining out in a nice restaurant on the water, then drive over to French Harbour and check out Gio's King Crab Restaurant, if you can't find it, then phone up Noel from Best Car Rental. That's the cool thing, is that they all know eachother there.

Honestly, before you go to Roatan, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Issue #2. It includes the best dive spots, commercials from the best companies on the island, so you get to know who you are dealing with before you go. It also includes all of the hidden must-see spots, just incase you can't find Boris. Plus a ton more, including aerial views and full tours.

Have fun in Roatan!