TRANSPORTATION
The international airport at Roatan is well served by a variety of carriers – TACA, Continental and Delta have direct flights to Roatan from the US. On Saturdays, Continental has two direct flights from Houston, Delta flies from Atlanta to Roatan on Saturday, and TACA flies Miami-Roatan on Sunday. There is also a direct flight from Milan to Roatan via Alitalia.
TACA, Continental and American Airlines have daily flights to mainland Honduras (San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa). From here there are many connections by local carriers such as Islena, Sosa and TACA on to Roatan. European airlines – Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa and Alitalia – also fly into San Pedro Sula. While the direct flights are more convenient, the flights via the mainland are quite interesting. From San Pedro Sula, smaller planes, which fly at lower elevations, provide a spectacular view of the major agricultural region of Honduras. It is fascinating to fly along this narrow northern coastal plain with the Caribbean to the north, tall rugged mountain ranges on the south and the perfectly geometric fields of banana and pineapple plantations below.
You may also arrive in Roatan by ferry from La Ceiba and you can have your car shipped to French Harbour from La Ceiba ($60 US) or from Miami or Tampa ($600 US).
There is one paved highway that runs about three-quarters the length of the island from West Bay Beach and West End to the turn-offs for Punta Gorda and Oak Ridge. Buses run along the highway providing very inexpensive transportation from 7 a.m. until late afternoon.
Taxis, however, are the major means of transportation. Taxis generally cost a couple of dollars per person between centers, but are slightly more expensive after the buses stop running. Simply stand anywhere along the road and passing taxis will honk to see if you want a ride. Establish the fare when you get in the cab, as there are no meters. Our Rental Manager can tell you the approximate fares to various island destinations.
There are also car, motorcycle and bike rentals available. Car rentals tend to be rather expensive. The best deals can be achieved by letting our Rental Manager know that you would like to rent a vehicle. An older model 4-wheel vehicle can usually be rented for about $40 per day. The vehicle can be brought to Sundancer for you, or you can pick it up at the airport. A 4-wheel vehicle is recommended as the roads off the paved highway may be in poor condition due to steep topography and the occasional heavy rainfalls.
