Sights in Roatán
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Roatán Marine Park
Thousands of divers and snorkelers come every year to explore the magnificent reefs just a few yards offshore. Three dive schools operate at the western end where there's excellent snorkeling, though the reef is starting to show damage.
Avoiding contact with the coral is extremely important. Coral has an invisible covering of slime that protects it, much like skin on other animals. Touching the coral can damage this protective covering, exposing it to infection and disease. Large segments of coral can be killed by a single brush of a diver's fin.
Under ideal conditions, most coral grows about 1cm (less than half an inch) per year; even the fastest growing sponges grow onl…
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Carambola Botanical Gardens
Across the road from Anthony’s Key Resort, the Carambola Botanical Gardens has well-maintained trails through 40 acres of protected forest, extending up a hillside known as Carambola Mountain. It’s about 1km to the ‘summit, ’ where you can see all the way to Utila on a clear day and, at the right time, down into the dolphin show at Anthony’s Key Resort. Along the trail you’ll encounter dozens of species of native plants, including orchids, spice plants, medicinal plants and fruit trees. You’ll also pass Iguana Wall, a cliff favored by iguanas and parrots, as well as remnants of pre-Colombian settlements. Reservations are required for guided tours.
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Yübu – the Garífuna Experience
Yübu – The Garífuna Experience is an utterly artificial cultural center that was built as a tourist trap for cruise-shippers, and which seems to be working its magic perfectly well. The experience begins with a 30- to 35-minute historical talk about the Garífuna’s beginnings and their brutal passage to Roatán. After that, a dance demonstration ought to be uplifting, but the dancers are obviously not having much fun. You can also shop in the gift shop, learn to make casabe (a traditional yucca flatbread) or eat Garífuna specialties at the small comedor, but the food, like the overall experience, is pretty bland.
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Mary's Place
Fissures in the coral form a deep, sheer-faced maze at this one-of-a-kind dive site. Winding through, you'll likely see jacks, lobsters and crabs, and huge schools of silversides; near the mooring, keep an eye out for seahorses. Mary's Place is near French Harbour, and is usually combined with another south-side dive and lunch at Hole in the Wall restaurant.
A one-time 10.00 park fee should be added to equipment hire. Please only use shops that are part of this effort - there's a list of member shops at the marine park's website. The money goes toward anti-poaching and reef protection programs. It costs a little more, but one dive will show you why it's so important.
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Roatán Museum & Dolphin Show
This smallish historical center has displays spanning island history from prehistoric times and Mayan occupation to Columbus' arrival and the beginning of the colonial period. There's also a resident population of some 20 bottlenose dolphins. It's worth checking out the dolphin show held twice daily.
You can sign up for one of several programs; from the Dolphin Beach Encounter where you wade and interact with a single dolphin in waist-deep water to a Dolphin Snorkel or Dolphin Dive, which include interacting with a group of dolphins in the open water.
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Roatán Butterfly Garden
Lady Slipper, Queen and Sunset Langwings, Helicopter, Common Owl and Orange Dog are just a few of the 30-plus species of moths and butterflies at the Roatán Butterfly Garden, a 900-sq-meter enclosure a few hundred meters from the West End turn-off. The best time to visit is noon or early afternoon, when the sun is hottest and the butterflies are most active. The garden also has a large collection of orchids and other tropical plants, as well as bird enclosures with keel billed toucans, collared aracari and several species of parrots.
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Arch’s Iguana Farm
The impressive Arch’s Iguana Farm in French Cay is just outside of town. Less a farm than the house of a serious iguana-phile, everywhere you look you see iguanas – on the driveway, in the trees, under bushes, everywhere. In all, around 3000 iguanas live here, some as long as 1.5m. Midday is feeding time, and the best time to visit. There’s also an enclosed pool with a school of huge fish, several small sea turtles and dozens of conches. It’s a worthwhile stop.
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Roatán Museum
Roatán Museum, housed in Anthony's Key Resort, is a smallish historical center with displays spanning island history from prehistoric times to Maya occupation to Columbus’ arrival and the beginning of the colonial period. There’s surprisingly little on Garífuna history though, in which Roatán played an important role. Overall, however, the artifacts and displays (in Spanish and English) are quite good. A visit takes about 30 to 45 minutes.
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El Águila Wreck
The Águila was a good dive until Hurricane Mitch came along and broke the ship into three pieces - now it's even better. As you descend, you may draw a crowd of resident moray eels and huge groupers looking for a snack. Cool to see, but a good reason not to feed animals while diving or snorkeling since they can get annoying - and sometimes even aggressive.
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Mangrove Canals
Water taxis at the Oak Ridge dock take visitors on a pleasant tour through mangrove canals to Jonesville, a small town on a nearby bight. You can stop and eat at the famous Hole in the Wall restaurant, which has an all-you-can-eat shrimp feast on Friday and Sunday (Sunday only in low season). If you do stop, offer your boat driver a good tip for waiting.
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Texas
Part of the West End Wall, Texas is so called for its wide open terrain and Texas-sized barrel sponges. A deep, strong current means you can sometimes fly over the reef at four knots without lifting a fin. It's not uncommon to see free swimming morays, large groupers, and even the occasional hammerhead. You may even spot elusive sargassum triggerfish.
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West Bay Beach
West Bay beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the country and is great for snorkeling too. Frequent water taxis make it a quick and easy trip over. You can also walk there - just keep heading south along the beach - although it's not recommended to do so alone or at night.
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Sandy Bay & West End Marine Park
Sandy Bay & West End Marine Park is a marine preservation office with a small exhibit on the marine park and island ecology.
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