Bay Islands, Honduras Travel Tips

The Bay Islands of Honduras is an emerging scuba diving and tourist destination. The Bay Islands are near the entrance to the Gulf of Honduras and near the Belize Barrier Reef a portion of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef complex.

Most of the Bay Island scuba diving is around Islas de la Bahía concentrated around Roatán and Útila islands. These islands have great fringing reefs and easy access to the barrier reefs.

In this page you will find practical information to plan a scuba diving trip to Bay Islands, Honduras:

Where to stay?

The islands are not overly developed, so do not expect the major international resorts and hotels to be here.

However, there is a wide range of accommodations available for a range of budgets. Diving is close to shore either the fringe reefs around the islands or the nearby barrier reefs. As such, Honduras is not a destination with a selection of liveaboards.

 

Activities and excursions in Bay Islands, Honduras

Tourism to the Bay islands is all about the water. Scuba diving and snorkeling is high on the list of things to do. The beaches are world class and that is what most of the cruise ship passengers do when they visit the islands. There is also a wide variety of water sports and some hiking.

Guest who are staying on the islands for a number of days might want to take a day trip to the mainland and visit some of the ancient Mayan ruins.

Best time to visit Bay Islands, Honduras

Data provided by WorldWeatherOnline.com

The Temperatures in the Bay Islands vary little over the course of the year, the biggest weather impact would be the amount of rain. The rainy season runs from October to December. However, you will notice that while the amount of rain is high, it does not rain on about half of the days.

Most accommodations define high season as just before Christmas until after Easter. This is also when the cruise ships start visiting the island most frequently.

The majority of the tourist are from North America or Europe. They come to the islands to escape the harsh weather at home. Airlines have the greatest variety of direct flights from the U.S. and Canada.

The months of May, June, July and August typically represent a mid or shoulder season. The rest of the year through early December is priced for low-season rate.

Health and Safety

The Bay Islands has limited medical facilities.There are some clinics and a hospital but are crowded.  La Ceiba is an alternative to the limited Medical facilities currently available in Roatan.

La Ceiba is about 1 ½ hour ferry trip away. The La Ceiba Medical Facilities are some of the best in Central America with the D’Antoni Hospital being a flagship of medical services in the country, and the Medi Centro Clinics offering world class diagnostics equipment and labs.

For scuba divers the situation is better, there are two decompression chambers in the Bay Islands, one each on Roatán and Útila islands.

On the question of safety, the Bay Islands are considered a safe destinations. While there is some crime against tourist, it is not wide spread. Mainland Honduras is another matter.

Honduras as one of the highest murder rates in the world and armed robbery of buses are common outside of the cities. As with any travel destination, it is best to read the travel advisories issued by the major nations of the world.

If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Bay Islands, Honduras, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.

Where is Bay Islands, Honduras located in the world?

Honduras is a Central American country that is bordered by the Caribbean Sea on the east, Guatemala to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean on the southwest and Nicaragua to the south.

Belize does not share a land border with Honduras, however, it is across the Gulf of Honduras to the north. Near the opening of the Gulf of Honduras are the Bay Islands.

The Bay Islands are made up of three groups of islands. The Swan Islands is the most northerly group near Belize. Islas de la Bahía (with the main islands Roatán, Guanaja and Útila, and numerous small islands) are 120 km to the south and about 48 kilometers/30 miles off mainland Honduras.

The Cayos Cochinos group is further south. In total there are eight islands and 53 small cays.

How to get to Bay Islands, Honduras?

Honduras has four international airports, in San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, Roatán, and La Ceiba. Your best option would be to fly direct to Roatán for the Bay Islands.

Most flights into Roatán are from US Gateways, however, there are seasonal charter flights from Europe. You can get to the Bay Islands by ferry from La Ceiba, however, that airport has very limited international connections and no scheduled flights from the United States or Europe.

San Pedro Sula does have many international flights, however, you would need to make a change to a domestic flight to reach the Bay Islands.

Cruise lines also call on Roatán.

Do I need a visa for Bay Islands, Honduras?

Visitors from the United States, the European Union, Canada and any other country not listed below are allowed to enter Honduras for 30 days without a visa. They will just need proof of onward travel and a passport with 6 months remaining.
Citizens from the nations below should obtain a visa prior to travel:

Afghanistan Islamic State
Albania
Algeria
Angola Republic of
Armenia
Asmara Eritrea
Bangladesh Peoples Republic of
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi Republic of
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
China People’s Republic
Comoros
Congo
Congo Democratic Republic of
Cuba
Djibouti
Dominica
East Timor
Ecuat Guinea.
Egypt Arab Republic of
Eritrea State of Asmara
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
Grenada
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Indonesia
Iran Islamic Republic of
Iraq Republic of
Ivory Coast
Jamahiriya Libyan Arab
Jamaica
Jordan Hashemite Kingdom of
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea Democratic Peoples Republic of
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Lebanon
Lesohto
Liberia
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Micronesia Federal States
Moldova Republic of
Mongolia
Morocco Kingdom of
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Niger
Nigeria Federal Republic of
Oman
Pakistan Islamic Republic of
Palau
Palestinian Authority
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Roanda
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Samoa
Senegal
Serbia and Montenegro
Seychelles
Sierra Leone Republic of
Somalia Democratic Republic
Sri Lanka Democratic Socialist Republic of
Sudan Republic of
Suriname
Swaziland
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania United Republic of
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Getting Around

Getting around the islands is best done by taxi. There are a couple of mini-bus routes if your destinations are near them. You may rent a car, however, unless you are frequently visiting different places a taxi or your resorts shuttle may be the best option.

The taxi fares are reasonable, however, they are double after 6pm. If your destination is along the shore, a water taxi may be the least expensive and fastest way to get around. There are ferries between the islands and to the mainland.

The Bay Islands are a wonderful vacation paradise for those looking for fine beaches, water sports and scuba diving without the fake commercialism of some other Caribbean destinations. The people are friendly and while Spanish is the official language English is widely spoken.

Bay Islands, Honduras Photos

Scuba diving

You will find all information about sea life, best time to visit, top dive spots, etc. in our review: Bay Islands, Honduras Diving