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

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 day★ 4.8
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) · 9:00–16:00★ 4.7
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 · 11:00–21:00★ 4.5
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