Roatan: West Bay and the reef in 6 hours

A reef day: taxi to West Bay Beach, snorkelling over the world's second-largest barrier reef, and lunch in the dive village of West End.

ExploraGo Team

Published on September 29, 2026

Duration: 6 hours
Budget: mid-range
Best for: friends
Style: adventure
Season: Year-round

Stops

1
transport
Port of Roatan terminal (Coxen Hole)
20 min · — · On arrival
Ships dock at Coxen Hole (Town Center); the other pier, Mahogany Bay, is Carnival's. The taxi association posts its rates in the parking area.
Tips
Check your programme to see whether you dock at Coxen Hole or Mahogany Bay
Taxis usually do the round trip and wait for you
Take care
Vendors outside the port are pushy: agree the fare before you get in
2
transport
Transfer to West Bay
30 min · ~US$25 round trip (1–2 people) · By reservation
Half an hour across the island to the best beach in the west; the taxi waits and brings you back to the pier.
Tips
Agree the price and the return time up front
For groups, the rate rises by ~US$10 per extra person
3
activity
West Bay Beach
130 min · Free (chair and umbrella ~US$15) · All day4.8
White sand and shallow, calm water; the reef lies just metres offshore, so you can snorkel straight from the beach.
Best time: 8:00–11:00
Tips
Rent a chair and umbrella from the beach clubs
Restaurants and showers line the shore
Take care
Bring water shoes for the coral
4
nature
Snorkelling on the Mesoamerican Reef
60 min · ~US$20–25 (gear and guide) · 9:00–16:004.7
West Bay sits beside the world's second-largest barrier reef: reef fish, turtles and coral in shallow water.
Best time: Morning, when the sea is calm
Tips
Rent gear and a guide right on the beach
Use reef-safe sunscreen and don't touch the coral
Take care
There are currents in places: snorkel with a guide if you are not experienced
5
food
West End: lunch and a stroll
70 min · ~US$15–20 · 11:00–21:004.5
A dive village with waterfront restaurants, dive shops and a wooden boardwalk; a water taxi to West Bay costs ~US$3.
Tips
Grilled fish and ceviche are the speciality
The water taxi between West End and West Bay is ~US$3
6
transport
Return to Coxen Hole pier
25 min · — · Before all aboard
Head back with a margin: traffic between West End and Coxen Hole thickens in the afternoon.
Tips
The reef and beaches are in the west: allow for the drive back
Take care
Cruise guests must be back at the pier an hour before departure