Frequently Asked Questions – Roatan
Where is Roatan? How does one travel there? What documents does one need?Roatan is an island in the Western Caribbean sea, below Belize, about 40 miles off the mainland of Honduras. Continental, Delta, Taca have direct flights to Roatan from the US from Houston, Atlanta and Miami. Also continental, Taca , Spirit Air and American fly into San Pedro Sula on the mainland and you can get flights to Roatan at www.flyislena.com or Sosa Airlines. You need a valid passport with no less than 6 months remaining before the expiration . A $35 exit fee is charged on your departure from the country.
What is the language spoken on Roatan? How big is Roatan?English is the language most widely spoken, however, the official language of Honduras is Spanish. Most islanders do use the English language. The Spanish population of the island primarily uses the Spanish language. Roatan is approximately 32 miles long and 3 miles wide. Most main roads are easy to travel around on by car or taxi.
What money is used and does the island accept US dollars?
The official money of Honduras is the Lempira. The exchange rate is approximately 19.89 lempiras to $1 US dollar. US dollars are accepted widely around the island. It is not necessary to exchange for lempiras, however, it is best to have smaller denominations of bills as change is not normally readily available. Most larger businesses and restaurants accept credit cards, however travelers checks are normally more difficult to cash on the island.
What is the weather like?
The weather on Roatan is tropical. Normally during the day the temperature averages 85 degrees. At night averages from 75-85 degrees. The driest months are normally March through September. The rainier season months are normally November through January, but still plenty of sunshine, too. Roatan is off the main path of hurricanes, so hurricanes are not normally any problem.
What clothes should I bring? What about bugs?
Roatan is very casual, so casual, comfortable, cool clothing is recommended. Shorts, lightweight pants, t-shirts, sundresses, sandals, flip flops are the predominant faire. There are sand flies at the beaches and some persons can be bothered by them, but repellant such as Deet or OFF is very effective.
What activities are available on the Island?
Roatan has world-class scuba diving, snorkeling right off the white, powdery sand beaches, fishing charters, deep sea and also flat fishing, horseback riding, zip line canopy tours, animal and bird parks, sailing, dolphin encounters, swimming and just beach bumming, lots of casual restaurants and bars for nightlife, moonlight walks on the beach as just some of the activities available. A Pete Nye Golf Course is opening this year mid-island.