★★★★★
The sloths, chocolate, rum and West Bay day
The monkeys, the chocolate and rum tastings and a relaxing beach; our guide even took my daughter on a short walk.
Julie W. · Family · August 2026
Roatan Honduras Sloth, Chocolate and Rum Tour with West Bay Beach Time
Sanctuary and beachBeach time in the fareSanctuary entry in fareTastings in the fare
The whole island sampler in one shore day. You meet outside the port 20 minutes after your ship arrives. Then comes the highest viewpoint, sloths and monkeys at Manawakie Park, chocolate and rum tastings, and two hours on West Bay Beach. The fees and taxes are paid, so the only cash you need is for lunch.
The animals, the tastings and two hours on the sand
An early start
The meeting time is 20 minutes after your ship arrives, so the day is long.
Manawakie Park
Monkeys, sloths and scarlet macaws, with a park guide, entry in the fare.
Two tastings
Chocolate made on the island, then the rums and rum cakes.
About two hours at West Bay
Time to swim and snorkel off the island's best-known beach.
Step-free where it counts
The van and the surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and infant seats are on offer.
4.8 from 785 reviews
A day planned for cruise guests, in a group of 30 at most.
Twenty minutes after the ship arrives
The crew set the meeting time at 20 minutes after your ship arrives, or as soon as you can get off. At the Port of Roatan (Town Center), leave through gate 1 and look for the Let's See Roatan sign. At Mahogany Bay (Isla Tropicale), walk two to five minutes out of the terminal, or pay US$2 for a taxi to the meeting point. The day ends back where it started.
Expect a busy gate. Alexandra G. had to pass a few excursion promoters, who pointed the way, and Nader F. warns that the meeting point is outside the port, so there is a short walk. Staying on the island? The van collects you from your hotel or rental instead. Both ports are explained on the cruise port page.
The viewpoint and the animals near Coxen Hole
The first stop is the highest viewpoint on the island, with the sea on both sides of the hills. Then the van moves on to the first animals near Coxen Hole: sloths, monkeys and macaws, about 45 minutes for photos.
The same animals, and more of them, wait at Manawakie Park, the day's sanctuary. Its entry is in your fare. The park guide puts sunflower seeds in your open hands and a monkey hops across to take them, as Don S. found. On a day with several ships in, Pamela C. and Patty C. found the animal area crowded. Which sanctuary each day uses is set out in our guide to the sloth and monkey stops.
Chocolate, and rum with a view
The chocolate stop is a small factory shop, not a production line. Try the frozen pineapple dipped in chocolate, which Hillary D. calls the one thing not to miss. Lesley N. would have swapped it for more beach time, so keep it short if the sand is your goal.
At the Roatan Rum Company you taste the flavoured rums, banana, mango and coconut among them, and the rum cakes, for about 30 minutes. Take your family photo on the terrace before you leave.
Two hours on West Bay
West Bay is the long white beach at the western tip, and you get about two hours there to swim, snorkel from the shore or sit in the shade. The beach itself is public. The fare pays for getting there, not for a resort day pass, and JEREMY H. found you rent a chair if you want one. Whether it is worth paying for a pass is in our post on whether West Bay is free.
Weather decides this stop. When rain set in, Mary R.'s and Misti L.'s groups skipped the beach and the guides found other stops, and Jimmy A.'s group still fitted everything in after a wet morning. Annietra U. wished for more sand time but knew the ship set the clock. The months with the least rain are on the weather page.
The Roatan sign, and back on ship time
On the way back the van stops at the painted Roatan sign for a group photo. Your guide keeps an eye on the ship's clock: Lesley N.'s family was kept on ship time all day. The listed length, four to five hours, includes the drive to the beach.
How your four to five hours run
- Twenty minutes after arrival. Outside gate 1, or a short walk out of Mahogany Bay.
- The highest viewpoint. The island and both coasts below you.
- Animals near Coxen Hole. Sloths, monkeys and macaws, about 45 minutes.
- Manawakie Park. The sanctuary visit, about 45 minutes, entry in the fare.
- The rum company. Tastings and rum cakes, about 30 minutes.
- West Bay Beach. About two hours to swim and rest.
- The Roatan sign. A photo stop, then back to your port or hotel.
Who this suits: first-time cruise visitors who want a bit of everything
Book this if
It is your first call at Roatan and you want the animals, a taste of the island's chocolate and rum, and a swim, all in one shore day. It suits families (infant seats are available), travellers who use a wheelchair, and anyone who wants every fee paid before they leave the ship.
Book something else if
You want your own vehicle and a slower pace: the private wildlife, chocolate and rum day is $56 a head. If the beach is the point, the West Bay and sanctuary day gives you about three hours on the sand for $58. Every private option is compared on private tours in Roatan Honduras.
What the fare covers
In the fare
- Air-conditioned transport
- All fees and taxes
- The highest viewpoint on the island
- The wildlife sanctuary at Manawakie Park
- Chocolate factory and Roatan Rum Company tastings
- About 2 hours at West Bay Beach
Not in the fare
- Lunch and drinks
- Gratuities
Meeting outside gate 1, or up from Mahogany Bay
At the Port of Roatan, leave the port through gate 1 and look for the Let's See Roatan sign. At Mahogany Bay, walk two to five minutes out of the terminal to the meeting point, or take a US$2 taxi if you would rather not walk. The meeting time at both is 20 minutes after your ship arrives, or as soon as you can get off.
Hotel and rental guests give the name of the place when they book, and the driver collects them at the time they choose. The day ends back at the meeting point. The gates, the walks and the taxis are on the Roatan map.
Know before you go
- Bring cash for lunch. Lunch and drinks are not in the fare.
- A chair costs extra. The beach is free; a lounger at West Bay is rented on the day.
- Pack a towel. Two hours on the beach, and no towel in the fare.
- Plan for crowds. On a day with several ships in, the animal stop gets busy.
- Rain changes the plan. In a downpour the guides swap the beach for other stops.
- Tips are extra. Gratuities are outside the fare.
What travellers say about the sloths and beach day
★★★★★
The sloths, chocolate, rum and West Bay day
Bad weather in the morning, and we still fitted in every stop.
Jimmy A. · August 2026
★★★★★
The sloths, chocolate, rum and West Bay day
Our guide explained island life in depth; the sanctuary was fun and we stopped at local shops.
Annietra U. · August 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is West Bay Beach free?
The beach is public, and the fare gets you there for about two hours. A chair is rented on the day. Our post on West Bay explains the day passes.
Can we do this privately?
Not this day, which is shared with up to 30. The private wildlife, chocolate and rum day gives you your own vehicle, without the beach.
Is the sanctuary entry included?
Yes. Manawakie Park is in the fare, with the other fees and taxes.
Is it suitable for wheelchair users?
Yes. The van and the surfaces are wheelchair accessible. Infant seats are also available.
What happens if it rains?
The guides keep the day going. When a downpour ruled out the beach, groups were taken to other stops instead.
What if I need to cancel?
You get the full fare back if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start. Inside those 24 hours the fare is not refunded.
Other ways to spend a day on Roatan
Ready for the sloths, the rum and West Bay?
Check the dates still open for the sloths, chocolate, rum and West Bay day, with every fee and tax in the fare, and free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
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