Roatan Maps & Neighborhood Details

Sandy Bay  Sandy Bay is the cultural center of Roatan. It is here where the Institute of Marine Sciences, The Roatan Museum, the Carambola Gardens and Marine Reserve are located. This small community located, as its name appropriately states, on a sandy bay, offers a lot to do. Whether you are planning to spend your vacation on Roatan in this part of the Island or not, you should definitely plan on visiting the area and its attractions.The famous Anthony’s Key Resort is located in the area.

The largest city and capital of the department of the Bay Islands, Coxen hole is the most important city from the point of view of politics. Although there are not many tourism attractions as such, the rich afro antillean influence lend a unique atmosphere to this community. It is also the main gateway to Roatan: The airport is located just east of Coxen Hole and the Cruise Ship dock is located on the western part of town. In addition, many of the better souvenir shops are located here. There is regular bus and van service leading both, east towards French Harbour and Oakridge, as well as west towards Sandy Bay and West End.

French Harbour Perhaps the most bustling community on the island, French Harbour is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the Western Caribbean and is the economic motor of the Island, with many of the banks in the island located precisely here. BGA, Lafise, Banco Atlantida all have offices here. BGA and Banco Atlantida offer cash advances on your Visa Card.

In French Harbour you can find many hotels, of which the following are worth mentioning: Fantasy Island, Casa Romeo’s, & El Faro. Nearby is H2O, one of the disco’s on the island, which is open from Thursday to Sundays.

Continuing east bound, and only a short distance away, are the Fantasy Island Beach Resort and Marina and the Coco View Resort. These two are amongst the most exclusive on the island. The Marina at the Fantasy Island offers various water sports, which include deep-sea fishing, sailing and wave runners.

Palmetto Bay Resort, located on the opposite side of the island from French Harbour, offers outstanding accommodations that include finely appointed rooms, extremely well groomed, extensive gardens and a lovely Caribbean beach to enjoy. They have already become a favorite for those looking for first class accommodations in a private, secluded environment away from the crowds.

Parrot Tree Plantation A residential – tourism development that is well under way just east of French Harbour and West of Jonesville and Punta Gorda. This area is without doubt the best planned development in Roatan, possibly even in Honduras and for that matter, Central America. Plans include the development of a Hotel, condominiums, private homes, marina and a recreational area that is great for snorkeling or just laying around soaking up the tropical sunrays.

Oakridge / Punta Gorda Continuing on the road towards the east, you will arrive at Oakridge, located on the southern end of the island. Oakridge is a small and very picturesque community with a strong afro antillean influence. Up until recently, access to this part of the Island was somewhat limited, and therefore, Oakridge has not changed much with the passing of time.

On the south side of the island you can find a variety of communities, fringing the coast, starting with Jonesville, Oakridge and Calabash Cay. All three are very picturesque and interconnected by a series of canals through mangrove forests. Fishing here is outstanding. Although services to tourists are scarce, the Reef House Resort, located on a small key, just across from the main dock at Oakridge offers first class accommodations and restaurant service. Also the Blue Bayou Hotel is located here.

At Calabash Bight you will find the Tropical Beach Resort, a small, intimate 5 cabin establishment offering fishing and great off shore diving. Also, Roatan Ridge Ranch is located in this neighborhood and offers horseback riding tours in the area between Calabash Bight and Paya Bay. The tour includes an English speaking guide and good horses and is rapidly becoming popular.

On the opposite side of the Island (The North Coast) is the Garifuna community of Punta Gorda, the only true Garifuna community on Roatan. Punta Gorda was actually the first Garifuna settlement in Central America. The Black Caribs or Garifunas were marooned in Roatan by the British in 1796 and first settled in Punta Gorda. To commemorate their arrival to Roatan, the Garifunas at this community have a carnival every year on the 12th of April. If you happen to be in the Island on this date, it is well worth your while to visit and enjoy the carnival.

Paya Bay Perhaps one of the last frontiers in Roatan, but easily accessible by car via the dirt road that continues east beyond Oakridge, Paya Bay is a small hotel and restaurant located on a lovely cove on the northern coast of the island. It is the ultimate hideaway, where you will find that you can be pampered with exquisite food, good rooms and a unique setting.

Tours are offered to the neighboring islands of Helene, Morat and Barbareta, and can be arranged easily from the resort. In addition, one of the most beautiful beaches in Roatan can be found just east of here.

West End Village A nice little beach town with a sandy raod next to the beach. This is where most hotels, restaurants and dive shops along with car and scooter rentals, kayak rentals, submarine ride and internet cafes and the best place to come and have a drink and meet people from around the world at one of the many small bars located along the main strip.

West Bay Beach West Bay is renowned as one of the best beaches in the Caribbean with a white powdery sandy beach, warm turquoise waters that is protected by a spectacular reef just seconds away from the shore. The shallow and warm waters , which are perfect for swimming and snorkling, make it a great place to stay for the day or stay in one of many Hotels or Resorts.

Utila Utila is the smallest of the Bay Islands at about seven miles long and two and a half miles at it’s widest. Most of the island is unpopulated with only one large town known as Utila Town which is located on the southern shore in East Harbour. Most of the dive shops, restaurants, hotels and businesses are located along a narrow paved road along this charming Harbour.

There are few roads on the island and getting to other parts of the island usually entails taking a boat.

On the Mainland: LaCeiba The country’s third largest city, is an important port located on the north coast of Honduras and approximaltely 40 miles from Roatan. It is famous for it’s night life, yearly carnival and for many islanders a great place for a day trip by ferry or plane to do a bit of shopping or do a bit of exploring at one of a few beautiful tropical park such as Pico Bonito.

Tegucigalpa The capital of Honduras is the largest city in the coutry with a population of approximately 1,200,000 and located in the hills at an altitude of 3,200 feet. A fairly cosmopolitane city, but with a colonial flair. The downtown area boasts a colonial circuit of churches, museums and city parks. Overlooking the city from El Picacho hill, from where you can enjoy a panaoramic view of the city and the enormous Christ of El Picacho. Like many other cities in the world there are areas that you should avoid at night do to crime. Most Embassies or Consulates are located here and the main offices of immigration. Residency status is granted in Tegucigalpa as are the yearly residency renewels.    

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