General Travel Information
Roatan - Roatan is one of three large islands and over 60 small islets and keys that form the Bay Islands. Located in the western Caribbean, about 35 miles north of the northern coast of Honduras.
A mere
two-hour flight from Miami, Houston or Dallas, the Bay Islands is one of the closest
Caribbean destinations, offering a perfect and unspoiled
Caribbean vacation.
English is widely spoken throughout the Islands, though the official language is Spanish.
For
flight information, and to see what airlines service the Bay Islands,
please go to the FLIGHTS link.
Over three
miles across at its widest point, the island is served by a meandering
paved road, which winds along the southern coast and inland (in places)
for about 35 miles. Rental cars and trucks are available at the airport
and the various hotels and resorts offer shuttle service to and from the
airport.
Once on the island, inexpensive taxis, public bus service, and water taxis can get you to any destination. Be careful though, because driving on the island can be pretty tricky.
Travel and your health
Roatan
has two small hospitals and several smaller clinics that will be able to
handle smaller general ailments and medical problems.
There is a fair amount of really good hospitals on the mainland, in
La Ceiba (15 minutes from Roatan), San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa.
In
case of emergency, there are air ambulance services, which are able to
transport you to the mainland in under 30 minutes.
There is also a medical helicopter that will be on standby during
the race. It should be
noted that the cost of medical supplies is about 40% less than in the US,
and you could expect to pay in the region of $20 for a consultation with a
doctor.
A decompression chamber for scuba diving enthusiasts is located at Anthony’s Key Resort.