VIP Offshore Sportfishing Charter — Roatán
World-class offshore sportfishing from Roatán — marlin, wahoo and mahi-mahi in the Bay Islands' rich Caribbean waters on private vessels.
RTB · MHRO · Honduras
Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport
Roatán — Bay Islands — Roatán. 15 min to West Bay Beach.
Runway
2134m
Surface
Asphalt
Elevation
6m
Hours
6am-8pm
Book your private flight to Roatán
Airport at a glance
Roatán — Honduras
Roatán sits 50 kilometres off the northern coast of Honduras, directly on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef — the second largest reef system in the world after Australia's. The reef runs within a few hundred metres of the shore along most of the island's length, which means the wall, the drop-off and the visibility are all available from a beach entry. That is the entire reason Roatán exists as a destination.
It is also, by a distance, the most internationally connected point in Honduras outside San Pedro Sula. 550,422 passengers passed through in 2023, with direct services from Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Montreal, Toronto, Guatemala City and Belize City.
Runway approximately 2,255 metres, asphalt, at 6 metres elevation, just outside Coxen Hole. ICAO: MHRO. Coordinates: 16°19′02″N, 86°31′20″W. Operated by EHISA / InterAirports. A full port of entry, with a terminal designed to handle roughly 250 passengers an hour.
Twenty-two hundred and fifty-five metres at sea level takes narrowbody jets comfortably, which is why the North American direct services work. For charter operations it is an easy, unconstrained field with none of the weight or baggage limitations that characterise island strips elsewhere in this network.
Getting there
Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport — Getting there
The La Ceiba and Útila hops are the useful ones. The mainland ferry from La Ceiba takes around 90 minutes to two hours and is famously rough in a norther; twenty minutes in the air avoids the question entirely. The Útila connection makes a two-island dive itinerary practical, which by ferry it is not.
| San Pedro Sula | ~35 min | — |
| La Ceiba | ~20 min | — |
| Útila | ~15 min | — |
| Palmerola | ~50 min | — |
| San José | ~160 min | — |
Nearby
Things to do near Roatán
Roatán is about 60 kilometres long and rarely more than 5 wide, running east to west.
West End and West Bay at the western tip hold most of the diving, the best beach and the tourist infrastructure — West Bay's beach is genuinely excellent and West End is the village where the dive shops and restaurants are. Sandy Bay, between them, has the Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences and the Carambola Botanical Gardens.
French Harbour and the centre of the island are working communities — fishing and shipping — and the east end, beyond Punta Gorda, becomes progressively quieter and harder to reach.
Punta Gorda, on the north coast, is the oldest Garífuna settlement in Central America, founded in 1797 when the British deported the Garífuna from St Vincent and landed them on Roatán. Every Garífuna community from Belize to Nicaragua traces back to that landing. The community celebrates the anniversary each 12 April.
The cruise ports at Coxen Hole and Mahogany Bay bring large day-visitor numbers, which is worth knowing when planning — the west end is markedly busier on cruise days.
Diving. The reef is the product. Wall diving off West End and the north shore, the Mr Bud and El Aguila wrecks, and — for the specific case — the shark dive at Cara a Cara. Visibility is routinely 25 to 30 metres, and the water is warm year-round.
Roatán is more developed and more expensive than Útila, 44 kilometres west, which is the budget certification island. Whale sharks are the Útila specialty rather than Roatán's.
Private Excursion to Cayos Cochinos
Exclusive private day trips from Roatán to the Cayos Cochinos Biosphere Reserve — pristine coral, Garifuna communities and total marine wilderness.
Diving the Mesoamerican Reef — Roatán
Roatán sits on the second-largest barrier reef system in the world — exceptional diving with Caribbean reef sharks, massive groupers and 300+ coral species.
Private Snorkeling — Roatán
Private snorkeling excursions from Roatán — calm Caribbean waters, nurse sharks, sea turtles and vivid reef fish in designated marine protected areas.
Sunset Catamaran — Roatán
Private sunset catamaran along Roatán's western coast — open bar, gourmet appetizers and some of the Caribbean's most spectacular sunset panoramas.
Private Island Hopping — Bay Islands
Private boat tours between Roatán, Utila and the outer cays — snorkeling, diving and beach exploration across Honduras's Bay Islands archipelago.
VIP Tour — Maya Key Private Island
Maya Key is Roatán's private wildlife and cultural island — VIP tours with rescued wildlife encounters, zip-lining and Garifuna cultural experiences.
Charlie's Roatan Tours — Exclusive Experiences
Roatán's most celebrated tour operator offering exclusive private experiences — underwater scooters, parasailing, jungle tours and culturally immersive island adventures.
Private Cruise Around Roatán
Full-day private yacht or catamaran cruise circumnavigating Roatán — swim at secluded beaches, snorkel pristine reefs and anchor in deserted Caribbean coves.
When to fly
When to fly
Caribbean pattern. The driest and most reliable stretch is broadly March to May and again around September; the wettest is October through January. Water temperature and visibility are good year-round.
Northers — strong winter trade wind events between roughly December and February — flatten visibility and make the mainland ferry crossings unpleasant. Hurricane season runs June to November, with the highest risk August to October, and the Bay Islands have taken direct strikes.
FAQ
Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport — Frequently asked questions
What is the runway length at Roatán (RTB)?
Approximately 2,255 metres of asphalt at 6 m elevation, taking narrowbody jets. ICAO: MHRO.
How busy is Roatán airport?
It handled 550,422 passengers in 2023, with direct international services from the United States, Canada, Guatemala and Belize.
How do I get from La Ceiba to Roatán?
About 20 minutes by air, or 90 minutes to two hours by ferry — a crossing that can be rough between December and February.
What is the reef at Roatán?
The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest reef system in the world, running close to shore along most of the island.
What is Punta Gorda?
The oldest Garífuna settlement in Central America, founded in 1797 — the landing point from which every Garífuna community between Belize and Nicaragua descends.
Roatán or Útila for diving?
Roatán is more developed, with better beaches and infrastructure. Útila is cheaper, more basic, and the place for whale sharks. They are 15 minutes apart by air.