Whenever you travel somewhere new, it’s a good idea to do some research ahead of time for safety information and advice from your destination. If you’re coming to visit us soon in the beautiful Caribbean, here are some tried and true safety tips for visiting Roatan. We hope you find the information to be useful!
Health and Safety in Roatan
First things first: most tourists who have issues while visiting Roatan will attest to the strength of that tropical sun. No matter how well you tan or how much you love the heat, you need to protect your skin. When visiting Roatan, it is highly recommended that you use sunscreen all day – and do not forget to reapply if you’re out on the beach or on a boat for several hours. If you’re out fishing or taking a boat tour, you are especially vulnerable to sunburns. Be sure to use plenty of sunscreen while you’re out there.
To help protect our beautiful coral reef system, we always ask that you use natural sunscreens with fewer harmful chemicals. Additionally, if you’re in the water snorkeling, scuba diving, paddleboarding, or kayaking, please consider wearing a rash guard or other long-sleeved shirt to protect your skin without needing to slather on loads of sunscreen.
Roatan has tropical bugs! Don’t forget that while lounging in the sand, and be sure to apply bug repellent to protect your skin. Especially around the hours at dawn and dusk, mosquitos will be more active. But, throughout the day, sand flies will be around – especially on more private beaches that might not have constant raking or turnover. Beware and protect your skin as best you can.
Common Sense Tourist Safety
As in all places where you’re a tourist, you should take a common sense approach to try to prevent any issues. If your accommodation has a safe, use it for your valuables. If you are going out snorkelling, don’t leave your purse on the beach unattended.
If you’re headed out to the bars for the night, there’s no need to flash lots of cash and expensive jewelry – we’re a very casual island so let your hair down and leave the precious gems at home.
Here is a long list of some basic safety tips to remember wherever you’re heading on vacation.
Marine-Specific Safety Tips
The best information you can find for all marine safety tips will come from the Roatan Marine Park. Be sure to follow all of their guidelines and recommendations for your visit to Roatan.
Whenever you are in the water, take great care never to touch any coral or marine life. Touching coral is not only incredibly destructive to the eco-system, it can also cause you serious harm. Never grab or touch marine life. Remember that you are a guest in their home, so show respect and do not provoke any potentially negative interactions.
Finally, be aware of boat traffic while you are out on the water. Surface markers are a great idea for snorkelers and divers. Be aware of channel markers and boat lanes, and stick to swim zones wherever they are marked.
We hope you have a fantastic visit to our beautiful island!
Start Planning your Roatan Vacation.
