Safe way to get to other side of Isle of Rotan

[jtwanabe]

Friend says that I need to get to the other side of the island.

Is there a stop and hop bus service? Is it safer to hire a cab if you are

cruising solo?

 

Please advise. :confused:

[kona_wahine]

We did an excursion to Tabyana beach. Is that where you are going? I personally would do it thru the ship. They had buses heading back every half hour so you could go back when you wanted.

[D4]

We love Roatan, but it is one of the places that the cruise lines recommend taking ship excursions because of violence against tourists. Some cruisers that have gone off on their own have been robbed.

 

Although we love going off on our own, we book shore excursions in Roatan, Belize, and Panama.

 

What is your friend telling you to do on the other side of the island? Roatan has a beautiful port at Mahogeny Bay. There is a beautiful beach within the port facility.

[deadmoney]

I(and many, many others) recommend Victor Boden tours

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=463744

[cmecruise1962]

I did an excursion with Victor Boden tours and it was amazing. I highly recommend this, but I think you would need to hook up with other people (as I recall). When I went it was just my son and I so may be wrong.

[vamartha]

Use Victor Bodden. Trustworthy and proven. We traversed the entire island with his driver Ben Hernandez when we were there.

[Guest 2000]

The answer to the question is: yes.. there is a bus system.

 

If your ship is docking at Mahogany Bay, don't bother with the bus, there is no schedule and one need to switch buses on Coxen Hole.

 

If you ship is docking in Coxen Hole, ya have to walk in to town near the local market to catch the mini bus to West End (the village on the other side of the island), then one can take the water taxi to West Bay.

 

Of course this all depends on where "on the other side of the island" you wish to go.

 

I am a solo female traveler and have never had so much as a whiff of worry on the mini bus any of the many numbers of times I have taken it. This by no means suggests you will not, what it means is, if you understand you are in a third world country and behave accordingly there is fair chance you will be fine.

[jtwanabe]

I'm on the Oct. 4th Magic to Mohogany Bay. Friend had been there and said that the other side of the island was much prettier and interesting.

Is the Boden tour a tour or simply a bus service.

 

I just want to buy a good cigar walk along the beach and maybe have a

memorable lunch.

 

 

Thanks,

 

JT :rolleyes:

[skittl1321]

We love Roatan, but it is one of the places that the cruise lines recommend taking ship excursions because of violence against tourists.

 

What places does the cruise line NOT do this? They use this scare tactic in every port.

 

I'd use a taxi in Roatan. I have not been there by cruise ship, but as a dive destination for vacation.

[katiel53]

I haven't ever seen a warning for St Thomas, St Maarten, Aruba, Curacao etc. etc etc. I do take their warning seriously as Honduras is on the State Department Lists to only take reputable tour companies, be it the ship or others.

 

I think you may need to do a bit more researching. Just because you were there and nothing happened to you, doesn't mean it's a safe area. I guess, super chicken that I am, would only do the cruiseline tours should I wish to go somewhere in Roatan.

 

If life is so wonderful in Honduras and so safe, why are so many illegals coming here? I am not trying to get into politics, but think about it.

[#1TravelMom]

Actually, mainland Honduras is on the list. There is MUCH less crime in Roatan. We have been there 10+ times. We were just there last week and spent the day with Rony - owner of Ronystours.com. We felt 100% safe with him. He was born on the island and is well respected. I wouldn't hesitate recommending him and his service.

[skittl1321]

I haven't ever seen a warning for St Thomas, St Maarten, Aruba, Curacao etc. etc etc. I do take their warning seriously as Honduras is on the State Department Lists to only take reputable tour companies, be it the ship or others.

 

I think you may need to do a bit more researching. Just because you were there and nothing happened to you, doesn't mean it's a safe area. I guess, super chicken that I am, would only do the cruiseline tours should I wish to go somewhere in Roatan.

 

If life is so wonderful in Honduras and so safe, why are so many illegals coming here? I am not trying to get into politics, but think about it.

 

I've seen warnings to only use cruise line excursions in EVERY port I've been to. Because cruise lines want to make money. (And being on a cruise line excursion doesn't make it safe; cruise line excursions have been held up and robbed in various locales.)

 

I would not travel to mainland Honduras, though some people choose to. I wouldn't be out alone after dark in Roatan. But during the day, I have no problem taking a taxi from one major tourist destination to another. Roatan has a lot of tourist protection that the mainland does not have.

[crewsweeper]

Friend says that I need to get to the other side of the island.

Is there a stop and hop bus service? Is it safer to hire a cab if you are

cruising solo?

 

Please advise. :confused:

jtwanabe,

 

Go out to your rollcall. Find out if any one else is going to West End or West Bay using a Victor Bodden or Rony's Tours. And they are indeed both tours. These two guys have websites and list all the different types of tours they offer. Both are very reputable. But both would be expensive for a solo traveler. So a taxi might be your best option if all you want to do is grab a cigar and walk along the beach.

There's a good small cigar shop/bar in West End called Frank's. Next to Reef Gliders. And then walk down to Sundowners for a nice drink and lunch. They have a small menu, though. There are other places along the way like Cannibal Café or even head up to Half Moon resort.

 

BTW, you can also get cigars at the cruise port shopping area. And take a walk down to the beach via the "trail" that goes behind Fat Tuesday's (you'll see the swing and benches) and then down to the water along the beach at MBCC. The beach will be crowded though and you might get stares and deriding remarks if you're puffing a stogie. There's a restaurant there and you can sit in the shade, have a beer and something to eat which will be a bit more Americanized.