Several US airlines offer non-stop flights to Roatan on weekends. Continental Airlines offers direct flights from Houston (Daily). Delta flies non-stop from Atlanta (Saturdays only).
Americian, Delta and Continental offer flights to San Pedro Sula on the mainland, from which you can get connecting service to Roatan.
TACA, a group of five regional airlines, offers service from Miami, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC with connecting service to Roatan, including mid-week flights. TACA also offers non-stop flights from Miami (Sundays only).
There are also local airlines such as SOSA, Atlantic, and Islena connecting the island with La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, and Tegucigalpa. Prices are all over the map due to fuel costs and inflation.
The Galaxy Wave is a new ferry that travels to/from La Ceiba on the Honduras Mainland. The ferry is clean, comfortable, and very reliable. It departs twice daily, once in the morning at 7:00 and once in the afternoon around 1:30PM and it costs about $25 US (500 lempira)for a one way trip. Prices have risen significantly recently.
There is currently (2008-2009) a Catamaran that operates a direct daily ferry service between Roatan and Utila. ( see [http://aboututila.com/TravelInfo/Roatan-to-Utila/index.htm Roatan<->Utila ferry] for details) Your other options are traveling on The Galaxy Wave between Roatan and La Ceiba and then The Utila Princess between La Ceiba and Utila. Your other option is to charter a boat from one of the locals. Normally the best way to go about this is to approach one of the dive shcools as they normally aren't using their boats in the afternoons. Find other travelers who want to do the same and go in a group of 4 or 6.
The island is visited by some cruise lines, such as Princess or Royal Caribbean. [http://princess.com]
The prices have increased recently, and a cab from the airport to the West End is about $10-15. On your way back to the airport, you can negotiate for $5 or so.
There are water taxis that link West Bay and West End for 50 lempiras each($2.50) or about five dollars per party.
Renting scooters is a very economical (and fun!) way to see the island. The asphalt road is reasonably well maintained and there is lots to see on Roatan besides the West End so hire a scooter and start exploring. The rental agencies will happily provide you with detailed maps and explanations on how to best see the island. Scooter rentals are abundant in West End. Captain Vans is a reliable source for those.
Buses run every 15 minutes between Coxan Hole and West End during the day. They depart from opposite the market in Coxan Hole. Buses run every hour to Oak Ridge, stopping at the new ferry terminal and passing through French Harbour, Polly Tilly Bight, and Punta Gorda on the way. These buses leave from opposite the HB Warren supermarket in Coxen Hole.
The US Dollar is generally accepted all over the island, however, your change is mostly given in Honduran lempiras. This method of money exchange is not recommended generally but if you're only stopping for the day from a cruise ship, it's an easier option to changing money that you may not use up.
Coxen Hole is a pit but after you get used to it, there are most of life's necessities there. French Harbor has some good restaurants and resorts.
The West Bay has plenty of restaurants and places to stay. It also is much prettier and nicer than the West End. It is recommended to spend beach time in the West Bay and bar time in the West End.
Most tourists do not venture further east then French Harbour, which is only about the mid point of the island. Past this point are a few newer beach resorts and communities. Many of the restaurants and bars on this part of the island are frequented more by locals and expats than tourists. One point of interest would be Jonestown and the infamous Hole in the Wall restaurant. Sundays and Wednesdays feature all-you-can-eat lobster and steak for a reasonable fee. You must take a small water taxi from Jonestown to reach it.
Shortly after the fork in the road to Oak Ridge, the paved road ends and you can continue to Port Royal which was originally founded by English pirates. Past this there lies a few small villages and a handful of homes mostly occupied by expats. Eventually you will reach Camp Bay which is about the furthest you can go in a car. Past Camp Bay are the mangroves which are quite beautiful when navigated by boat. There are many tours through the mangroves which can be chartered from various points on the island.
English is widely spoken, especially in the West End and West Bay communities and is the native language of Roatanians of British and African descent (except for the Garifuna). Spanish is spoken natively by all residents who have come from mainland Honduras and is the second language of many of the native English speakers. Spanish is the official language of Honduras and as such is the primary language of the school system. Garifuna is spoken by the Garifuna people who are descendants of the Kalipuna peoples of St. Vincent. There is also 'Island Talk' spoken by the native Caribbean people.
Most individuals living on Roatan are bilingual (English/Spanish).
Dine at one of Roatan's Excellent Restaurants or Cook and Eat at Home
Check out local and mainland Honduras tours
Horseback Riding on the Beach at West End - Shirkey's Barrio Dorcas Ranch
Horseback Riding - Ticketing Agent - Transportation Included
Shop for Central American Arts and Crafts, tee-shirts, cigars, and much more
Visit B.J.s Backyard in Oak Ridge and Tour the Mangrove Canal
Visit Roatan's great Microbrewery
Roatan has FOUR zipline jungle canopy tour adventures
Dive with the Dolphins at Anthony's Key
Visit the Iguana Farm near French Harbor
Kayak trips around the Island
Visit Marine Science Museum at Anthony's Key Resort
Watch Dolphin show at Anthony's Key Resort
Mini-Golf in Sandy Bay, Cold Drinks & Burgers
Tour the Garifuna Village of Punta Gorda
Shop at Woody's Grocery Store and have a cookout
Check out the Cameo Factory in Coxen Hole
Whites Beach is supposed to be beautiful
Kayak through the mangroves on the east end of the island
Enjoy an off the beaten patch view, dinner and drinks from the Windsong cafe
There is great snorkeling and diving to be found here and many dive shops to go out with. Coconut tree dive shop in West End has cheap dives, $20 per dive, and go out 3 times per day.
If you are a good swimmer, and keep an eye out for motorboats, you can swim straight out from west end towards the white buoys for about 200 meters, you will arrive at a 10-30 foot deep reef that is great for snorkeling and freediving. Slightly further out the reef gets much deeper and you hit the wall.
You can walk along the beach to West Bay from West End in about 45 minutes, and can take a water taxi back if you like. They seem to stop running around sunset unfortunately, so make sure to catch them before it is too late.
A new cruise ship stop named Coral Cay opened up recently outside of French Harbor. As of Aug-2006 they only get ships twice a month, and the rest of the time the place is open for people to come enjoy. The beach is free as long as you eat at the restaurant (~$8-10), though it seemed highly unlikely that anyone would particularly notice whether or not you ate there. The beach is nice and the setting amazingly surreal, with 2 rusting shipwrecks within view.
Renting a scooter and driving to Punta Gorda takes about an hour each way, and goes through some beautiful countryside. It can be nice to get away from the touristy areas and get back into places that look and feel like Honduras. The town is friendly and you may run into a beach party if you are lucky.
Another great place to visit in Roatan is Anthony's Key Resort. It is a quaint little village with huts to rent and many options for activities on the island. You can do just about anything from swimming with dolphins to scuba diving/snorkeling to getting married. The resort is well kept and maintained along with a very friendly and hospitable staff. The setting is serene and peaceful with a beautiful and spectacular views of the ocean.
Oak Ridge is a small village on the eastern end of the island. On arrival, you'll be offered water-taxi tours to the Hole-in-the-Wall restaurant, neighbouring communities, and around the harbour, but it's also pleasant to walk through the village, which has many brightly colored the wooden houses on stilts along the shore.
If you are up for an adventure, visit the east end of the island past Oak Ridge. The road changes from a somewhat dodgey pavement to an even more precariously rutted dirt/gravel mix and continues on to Punta Blanca and Camp Bay. A 4-wheeled vehicle is recommended for the journey although you'll see many locals driving compact cars over the partially washed out and bumpy road. This end of the island is home to many locals and some expats. Electricity has not reached the far end of the island but it is slowly moving towards Camp Bay. There are a few interesting stops such as the Windsong Cafe & Bar (best view on the island) as well as Marble Hill Farms where wonderful local jams & jellies are made. Asylum bar & grill is located on a palapa literally over the calm waters in Camp Bay which can sometimes feel like the restaurant at the end of the universe after the long journey of getting there. Luckily there is always beer on ice and grilled food which makes the trip worth it. If you're looking to get off the beaten path and out of the tourist ridden West End, this is it!
The restaurants you will find along the West End beach are slightly more expensive than similar restaurants on the mainland but the food is of a very high standard. Seafood abounds and you can find top quality lobster for dinner for around $10 US. The Argentinian steak house is very nice, and the size of the steak they serve has to be seen to be believed.
There is a small food caravan located on the main road hosted by an ex-pat Aussie. The food is cheap, and he is open late which is perfect for when you return home from one of the West Ends night spots.
Gio's is in French Harbor and is one of the nicer dining experiences on the island. It's a longtime mainstay for expats and islanders who can afford to dine out. Seafood is the specialty of course.
If you venture to the less populated east end of the island, stop in at the Windsong in Punta Blanca for a wonderful meal and a spectacular view. Have a Sunday barbecue with cold beer at Asylum [http://www.asylumroatan.com/] on Camp Bay Beach which is also called La Sirena [http://www.asylumroatan.com/]. It's an interesting palapa bar/restaurant built out over the blue water which is a few miles further east of Windsong. Jimmy, the proprietor, can arrange other activities for guests as well. As with most remote destinations, it's better to call ahead of time to make arrangements.
There are excellent accommodations ranging from $4 to $400 per night. Condos are available as are beach cabanas. There is an old farm where they have great accommodation for a decent price at West End.
Roatan boasts a wide array of experiences for night life depending on your taste. Since the arrival of cruise ships, prices have risen somewhat and restaurants and bars cater to cruise passengers as well as North American and European tourists. These types of establishments are relatively easy to find as they are mostly located in and around the West End. Prices here are generally higher than in most other places on the island.
Luckily there are still parts of the island that harken to past times when Roatan was more of a remote destination. Although development is spreading to all parts of the island, one can still find more rustic settings and establishments east of French Harbor. Keep in mind that traveling to the far eastern end of the island can take time due to road conditions. Those staying around the West End of the island should expect at least an hour of travel time to reach Camp Bay in a car.de:Roatan