Is Roatan safe,

[Sanddiver]

- I guess all we can do is ignore them

The interesting thing is that if the OP (in this case me) is asking a question and you have nothing to share in regards to the question - which I have yet to see.....

By all means IGNORE IT. The OP, DST, Asked about roatan safety. It would seem that State department travel warnings, talk of a Coup d'etat, talk of military rule along with Venezuela's president Chavez saying he will mobilize his military to do what he has to along with Nicaragua's Ortega doing the same would raise suspicion in some as to how safe travel to the area is right now, BUT, if you feel that none of this is cause for concern then so be it, I am sure there are those that do, including millions of Hondurans

[dst]

I am reading a lot of threads how people think Roatan is not safe and should only use cruise ship excursions. Can someone elaborate on this, is this true?

 

We will be on Roatan in January and we were thinking of heading to Mayan Princess for the day. We would hire a driver to take us there for a few hours and then a quick peek at the Island. We are not shoppers so we would not be wandering around town.

 

Someone please ease my concerns - is this another Panama?

 

Here is my original post, yes I asked if Roatan was safe, maybe I should have been more specific, I am looking for peoples experiences in Roatan......not travel warnings that I can read for myself.

 

If you can share your personal experience, I would appreciate it however, I am educated enough to be able to go on line and pull negative stories on any country.......dang we have enough right here in our own backyard. I was looking for experiences - do you have a personal experience....if not kindly find another thread to hijack!

[zqvol]

Sand: I did not say we were stupid, we have traveled enough to know that you need to use caution when in other countries (even our own) I also stated that we would not be wandering around.....

 

So back to my original question, if we hired a driver and spent the day at Mayan Princess and then toured the Island.....what can we expect

 

A good time, and the chance to see another part of the world!

 

We have visited once and I had no concern at all for safety. We will be back next month and are going to Tabayana again, not for any reason other than we love the reef there. Would I hesitate to go off on a tour? Not at all.

[dst]

zqvol - thanks for the post, please come back and share you trip to Tabayana, that is what I am really looking forward to. I can not believe we can snorkel right from the shore.......

 

We cruise a lot and we have never been to Roatan so for us it's a real treat to be able to explore another Island/Country!

[USFcrew]

As I speak the Honduran Armed Forces have captured the current President for illegally placing voter booths across the nation. He is being held for illegaly trying to reform the constitution without going through congress. I'm an American citizen living and working on Roatan legally (resident). This country always has had a Democratic background and it shows Honduras will continue to be Democratic. Is Honduras a safe nation? It is like all countries with huge Metropolitan areas they have crime. The question here is if Roatan is safe? Yes Roatan is safe and we have airplanes flying back and forth from U.S.A. almost everyday now so I would say it is safe to visit Roatan whether by cruise or by plane.

[watchdiva]

USFCrew - thanks for your update and also sharing that you are an American living/working on Roatan. We plan on retiring there in 2010 and are traveling there in September to meet with some real estate folks. It's often difficult to tell who has "real time" experience and someone whose experience is more limited (hearsay, limited exposure, etc).

 

Thanks for posting your personal info:D - it certainly adds IMO to your "street cred"!

[dst]

I agree - thanks USF that was great info. I understand a lot of Americans retire there.....we may have to think about it as well; although we are a few years away from retirement.

 

Can I ask what you do for a living that allows you to live abroad - I am jealous!

 

Again thanks for the information

[Sanddiver]

Due to the current unstable political and security situation in Honduras, the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa recommends that American citizens defer all non-essential travel to Honduras until further notice.

 

http://honduras.usembassy.gov/pubanc09_polunrest.html

[BecciBoo]

Sanddiver, just caught the news about the attempted coup. So sorry for you and your countrymen. Hope we can still come in February and that everything works out for the best for Roatan.

[dkalnas]

I was on the Valor on 4/26 and we stopped in Roatan. I never felt threatened however you must be aware of your surrondings at all times.

4/29

Roatan.

The port is small and is chaos when you arrive. We walked off eventually found a tour. We did the Island Tour for $25 (do not remember company) and had Saed Sanchez as our driver. Nice guy and would highly reccomend. He drove us around the island stopping at various points of interest. He will take you anywere you want. After the tour we went to the Marketplace outside the port gates. As the afternoon gets later the area outside the port starts getting sketchier. I was offered to purchase drugs no less than half a dozen times. I finally felt uncomfortable when we went to stopped to get a drink and a child of about 12 years old offered me drugs. While Roatan is nice landscape I wouldn't want to visit the island again. Just not much to do.

[USFcrew]

Due to the current unstable political and security situation in Honduras, the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa recommends that American citizens defer all non-essential travel to Honduras until further notice.

 

http://honduras.usembassy.gov/pubanc09_polunrest.html

 

Sanddiver, if the U.S. Government tells you to jump off a bridge will you?

Listen buddy we are not in Iran or North Korea, this country is actually standing up against a communist movement or Chavez regime and of all people the U.S. can do is say they don't support a new President, it's a shame. Plus, Roatan is far away from this political madness I do not understand why you keep pushing people away from a beautiful place.

[USFcrew]

I was on the Valor on 4/26 and we stopped in Roatan. I never felt threatened however you must be aware of your surrondings at all times.

4/29

Roatan.

The port is small and is chaos when you arrive. We walked off eventually found a tour. We did the Island Tour for $25 (do not remember company) and had Saed Sanchez as our driver. Nice guy and would highly reccomend. He drove us around the island stopping at various points of interest. He will take you anywere you want. After the tour we went to the Marketplace outside the port gates. As the afternoon gets later the area outside the port starts getting sketchier. I was offered to purchase drugs no less than half a dozen times. I finally felt uncomfortable when we went to stopped to get a drink and a child of about 12 years old offered me drugs. While Roatan is nice landscape I wouldn't want to visit the island again. Just not much to do.[/quoteting

Don't give up on Roatan just yet. We are growing and more and more tours and activities are starting up such as snorkeling, zip-lining, diving, new golf course etc.

[dst]

I hope that Roatan keeps is quite laid back atmosphere - we have enough Jamaica's :)

 

I am looking forward to finding quiet beaches with lots of undeveloped land

[dkalnas]

I was on the Valor on 4/26 and we stopped in Roatan. I never felt threatened however you must be aware of your surrondings at all times.

4/29

Roatan.

The port is small and is chaos when you arrive. We walked off eventually found a tour. We did the Island Tour for $25 (do not remember company) and had Saed Sanchez as our driver. Nice guy and would highly reccomend. He drove us around the island stopping at various points of interest. He will take you anywere you want. After the tour we went to the Marketplace outside the port gates. As the afternoon gets later the area outside the port starts getting sketchier. I was offered to purchase drugs no less than half a dozen times. I finally felt uncomfortable when we went to stopped to get a drink and a child of about 12 years old offered me drugs. While Roatan is nice landscape I wouldn't want to visit the island again. Just not much to do.[/quoteting

Don't give up on Roatan just yet. We are growing and more and more tours and activities are starting up such as snorkeling, zip-lining, diving, new golf course etc.

 

 

I hope Roatan does succeed I really do. It is a beatutiful landscape and for the most part the citizens are great.

 

However in my honest opinion the island has a long way to go. I know others will feel different but thats what honest opinions are for.

[dst]

 

 

I hope Roatan does succeed I really do. It is a beatutiful landscape and for the most part the citizens are great.

 

However in my honest opinion the island has a long way to go. I know others will feel different but thats what honest opinions are for.

 

Thanks for sharing - I asked for honest feelings about the Island and I do appreciate it. I also think it is a fairly new stop for cruise ships, which is why we have never been there :)

[sns101]

I just returned off the Valor and was in Roatan on June 30, 2009. The coup had already taken place, and we knew about it, but it did not affect the ship's itinerary. We chose to go ahead with our excursion (ziplining and beach break with Victor Bodden) and are very glad we did.

 

I thought Roatan was a beautiful place and wouldn't hesitate to go back and stay in one of the resorts. I don't think I would wander around the port area, but that's because I don't shop and I hate the "hard sell" around ports whether it's Roatan, Jamaica or anywhere else. The people we met there were lovely and friendly, and we never felt that we were in an unsafe situation.

[julianne74]

 

Thanks for sharing - I asked for honest feelings about the Island and I do appreciate it.

 

We did some sort of Taste Of Roatan excursion (I think it was called that) on a Carnival cruise in May 2008. If I had it to do all over again I would go snorkeling for sure.

 

It was a nice enough tour.....we went to some farm that makes jams and salsas (hibiscus and the like) and took a little boat ride to a ship wreck.... It was very eye opening to see how impoverished the lifestyle was, but at no time did I feel threatened. We were on a guided tour in a van and I would not recommend venturing out into the town myself....

 

The port is fenced in and anything you'd need (like a little tent with crafts for sale...and a makeshift tiki bar) is right there.

[dst]

sns101: Thanks for the information, I am not a shopper either so that part of the Island I will not have to deal with :) How was the zip-line, we considered doing that until we heard about Tabayana and the snorkeling.

 

Jeep: Thanks, we have no intention of going off on our own, we would hire a driver and just allow him/her to show us around. Good to know the port area is fenced off -

[sns101]

sns101: Thanks for the information, I am not a shopper either so that part of the Island I will not have to deal with :) How was the zip-line, we considered doing that until we heard about Tabayana and the snorkeling.

 

We did the ziplining with Victor Bodden, and it was fantastic. Well worth the money. After the ziplining and visiting the monkeys and other animals, our guide took us at our request to the beach. He took us to a free beach that was really beautiful. Several people in our party snorkeled off the beach and said that they saw a lot of things at the reef, about 30 yards offshore.

[momto3sons]

dst,

Our family of seven took a tour with Victor Bodden, we always felt safe in Roatan. Actually, we felt that of all of the places we've been that Roatan had the kindest people we have met. You mentioned that you would like to snorkle, go with Richard on his glass bottom boat. (half moon bay) It was the best snorkeling experince my husband and I have ever had. the rest our our group went shopping with the guide, and Richard took the two of us out. He guided us along the reef and dove down to show us things. He was great. Be sure to tell him of the wonderful comments you have heard about him on cc and watch his eyes light up! It means a lot to him. Have a great trip.

[dst]

Momto3sons:

 

Thanks so much, we are going to take your advice and book with Victor, I will be contacting him this weekend :) What ship were you on? Can you tell me if you spent any time at all near a beach, how long, were you with your group at all before you split to do the snorkeling?

 

Sorry so many questions, but our group may end up splitting as well and this is a great option

[MDSue]

I wish I knew the name of this beach, but its where Richard's boat is docked. I get the impression that Richard takes a lot of Victor's guest out so I'm sure he'll know exactly the spot.

I'll be glad to answer any other questions. It was just a beautiful, laid back day!

Carmen

Was this it? This is a view of the dock where Richard picked us up taken from Half Moon Bay. The West End beaches are n the distance.

This area was just down from the dock

[momto3sons]

Was this it? This is a view of the dock where Richard picked us up taken from Half Moon Bay. The West End beaches are n the distance.

This area was just down from the dock

I'm pretty sure it is. When we left the dock I could see the beach area in the second picture off to our right. I didn't understand why people were using the small beach area and the other, larger beach didn't have many people.

[momto3sons]

MDSue, I just saw your post on the Blue Channel thread. We are definately talking about the same place.

[dst]

What a great picture, it looks like a beautiful Island - THANKS