West Bay offers two clear starting points for planning your trip: the white sand of West Bay Tabyana Beach and the activities at West Bay Beach, as well as a guided zipline tour through the jungle canopy at Gumbalimba Park. West Bay Beach is the beach in West Bay on Roatán. If you’re looking for a hotel in West Bay, these different focuses can serve as a starting point for your considerations.
Beach and activities in West Bay
West Bay Tabyana Beach is a natural beach with white sand. Activities offered at West Bay Beach include banana boat rides and glass-bottom boat rides, sea kayaking, parasailing, snorkeling, and jet skiing. The examples range from boat trips to activities such as paddling and snorkeling; they are not an exhaustive list. Individual operators and availability may vary. If a particular activity is important to your plans, check in advance whether it is offered.
At Gumbalimba Park, a guided zipline tour takes you through the jungle canopy. On Roatán, the park also offers walks through tropical gardens, encounters with free-roaming wildlife, and the chance to explore a cave with a pirate history. This brings different types of experiences into focus: beach and water activities, a guided canopy tour, and walks and wildlife encounters in the park.
Nature and scenery on Roatán
Across Roatán, beaches and lush coastal vegetation are part of the landscape. The Carambola Botanical Garden on Roatán offers hiking, ecotours, birdwatching, and nature studies. Plants in the garden include orchids, medicinal plants, exotic spice plants, fruit and nut trees, and a Chocolate Tree. This is a different focus from the beach offerings in West Bay: the garden centers on plants and observing nature.
Arch’s Iguana and Marine Park on Roatán is a wildlife sanctuary dedicated to protecting coral and marine life. More than 4,000 free-roaming iguanas are reported to live in the park. Conservation and wildlife form a distinct nature theme there, separate from the activities at West Bay Beach.
Culture and history
The Roatan Museum on Roatán was founded in 1992 by the resort’s owners, with guidance and expertise from the Honduran Institute of Anthropology. It presents the history and culture of the Bay Islands through artifacts, murals, maps, and historical documents. This offers a look at the history of the island group and its cultural heritage.
Punta Gorda is considered the arrival place of the Garifuna in Central America. The ship that brought them there after their rebellion in San Vicente arrived at this location. The predominantly Garifuna community of Punta Gorda has long been associated with artisanal fishing. The Punta Gorda Carnival is an April celebration connected with Garifuna traditions, as well as punta music and dance.
Marine sciences and getting there
The Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) on Roatán welcomes college and high school groups from abroad for structured programs on marine science, coral reefs, oceanography, biology, and bottlenose dolphins. Colleges, universities, and high schools from abroad visit the institute year-round to study tropical marine ecosystems and bottlenose dolphins.
Visitors can reach Roatán by scheduled flights, cruise ships, domestic flights from the mainland, and a ferry from La Ceiba. Check routes and operators before your trip to make sure your travel plans match the available connections.
Discover more destinations: Coxen Hole, Dixon Cove, Flowers Bay, French Harbor, Jonesville, Guanaja, Gravel Bay, Crawfish Rock.
For the main travel overview: Islas De La BahĂa.
