5 Things to Do on Roatan

The first thing that comes to mind when considering a trip to Roatan is sun. Then beach. Then sand. It turns out there are quite a bit of other things to do on the island, besides lounging around. Of course, hanging out by the beach is also much recommended especially when you are coming from and returning to somewhere cold!

Visit a Private Beach

We visited several private beaches during our stay, but my favorite was Little French Key. Our hotel provided free transportation and access to the private island of Little French Key. We took the hotel shuttle and then a 5 minute ferry ride to the island.  

The property was beautiful and cleaner than some of the other beaches we visited. 

While we mostly hung out on lounge chairs and did some swimming, Little French Key has many activities on offer, including snorkeling, kayaking, a mini zoo, massages and dining.

Hug a Sloth

One of my favorite animals has always been the sloth. Getting to see one in person has been a dream of mine. I had no idea that this was going to happen on my visit to Roatan!

We visited Daniel Johnson's Monkey and Sloth Hangout and it was definitely the highlight of my trip. We got to hold a gentle female sloth. There claws are killer though and she was digging into my back a little, but it was worth it!

We got to meet a few other animals, including some birds and little white-faced monkeys. They're super rambunctious!

Eat at Gio's

Gio's Restaurant is located in French Harbour, specializes in seafood and is most famous for its king crab. We enjoyed a nice dinner away from the hotel and ate our fill of king crab.

The famous king crab platter was gigantic!

I had king crab with pasta. So delicious, although I did find a couple of shell pieces in my food.

Snorkel the Second Largest Barrier Reef in the World

While I was aware of the fact that Roatan was on a large barrier reef and is known for its high quality snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities, I did not realize that it is actually the second largest barrier reef in the world.

I fell ill the day before we were supposed to go on our snorkel excursion and was not able to experience the snorkeling on this trip, but if you find yourself on Roatan, it is a must-do! 

Shop Locally Made Crafts

Spend some time in the West End and you can certainly find some cool locally, hand-made crafts to bring home. 

The Rusty Fish is a cool store that specializes in recycled art, including wall hanging and magnets. 

My best find, however, was this locally made mask that I purchased from Waves of Art. In addition to hand carved wood items, the gallery features paintings by local artists, jewelry, pottery and more. Plus, it is located in an adorable Victorian building.

Even though Roatan was not on my list of places to visit, I am glad I was able to go and see some of what the island has to offer!