Shopping on Roatan?

[WOODMAN]

I have picked up bits and pieces of info on this matter, but I thought I would address it directly, seeing as how the better half is asking me to do so. I was at Reef House recently, as most of you know, and the wife was looking for some kind of a shopping excursion to add onto the experience. We did get down to a type of MegaMall, and this satisfied her for a little while, but she wants more. The West End is obviously the place to go, but that is a looong way from Reef House. Anybody have any ideas on how to approach this little problem? What options exist for travel back and forth from the West End to Reef House, etc? All ideas cheerfully accepted for consideration. Woody

 

[WOODMAN]

Rats- I misspelled the header, and now I can't fix it. Arggh! Oh well, you know what I meant. Woody

 

[Doc]

Rats- I misspelled the header, and now I can't fix it. Arggh! Oh well, you know what I meant. Woody

Shoiping, the goils loive it.

You can get a cab from Oak Ridge (RHR's landing Wikimapia - Let's describe the whole world!) to take you to the West End... or anywhere else. What they are likely to charge you would vary greatly- maybe best to arrange this with Mike at RHR. I have been charged $7 to get to RHR from the airport, I have had to pay $25 to get back.

Shopping on Roatan is still fairly limited.

The so-called "Mahogany Bay", the new cruise ship market, is just East of the Airport in Dixon's Cove. Wikimapia - Let's describe the whole world! Just West of the Airport is the small town of Coxen Hole, which has a few interesting artsy gift shops scattered through it's main street district.

The West End Wikimapia - Let's describe the whole world! is (obviously) West of Coxen Hole (and a bit North). There are many shops in that area- but be aware of what is the more common Guatemalan import versus the local craft.

Shopping locations follow the tourist's feet. What was once a hot-spot in Coxen Hole has now been supplanted by the relocation of the Cruise Ship Port. This has also caused a boon in local businesses located along the main E-W road nearby, as well as in French Harbour, a small town about 2 miles East.

French Harbour might also be a good place to put on your list for grocery shopping, if that's what you need. The market in Coxen Hole is an option as well.

Honduras is well known for traditional wood works and carvings. Visitors often purchase the famous rag hammocks, local coffee and Honduran labeled prepared foods in the markets. You will find better prices on cigars here in the US, but they do have Cuban products. Flor de Cana rum is a great take-home item, but you would do well to shop as the prices vary widely. The best price is likely in Bario Los Fuertes- rely on your cab driver to know the spot. Know what you are buying, the types, quality and prices.

Shopping, because of the very fluid and changing nature of the location of Roatan's visitors, changes pretty often... I'll defer to true locals with immediate first-hand experience.

 

[diversteve]

now I can't fix it

But I can...

 

[salth2owannabe]

We were told the best souvenir type shop is in the upper level of the Plaza Mar (sp?) grocery complex near Coxen hole behind the gas station and Bojangles chicken. We purchased a few items there and they have a pretty good selection. Speaking of Bojangles, they have very good chicken, better then KFC for sure. I thought the grocery store at French Harbor (in the mega mall) was much better than Plaza Mar, and a better selection. Most every road side souvenir stand had the same items. Some had dried sea horses, local or not it would be nice to see the marine reserve put the stop to the market of those on the island. 5 minutes in West End was enough for me. I was disapointed that you really can't get any local cigars on the island. We met a gal that had some local cigars she had gotten at Hole-in-the-wall (keep a jar for customers) and thet were pretty good.

 

[RTBDiver]

I was disapointed that you really can't get any local cigars on the island.
.

Can you get Roatan Cigars elswhere? What do you mean by local? If they come from the mainland they are still imported to the Island for the main purpose of selling to tourists at a very high profit. Most in North America can but Honduran cigars much cheaper at home and know they have been kept somewhat in an environonmentally controlled environment, If you want a good deal on Honduran cigars you gotta go to the mainland and not the most touristy area of the country

 

[Doc]

I think the "local cigars" are the ones sold in cloth tied bundles. They look like scraggedy-assed 1/2" thick, dark black dog-poopie logs, about 5" long.

I believe that the overall taste was similar.

 

[salth2owannabe]

I think the "local cigars" are the ones sold in cloth tied bundles. They look like scraggedy-assed 1/2" thick, dark black dog-poopie logs, about 5" long.

I believe that the overall taste was similar.

Yup that's them, pretty ugly but they smoked pretty good.

Since Roatan is just a stones throw from the mainland one would think you could get good Honduran cigars, all be it maybe at an inflated tourist price. Never saw a single Honduran cigar offered in any store on the island. In fact the only cigars I found were some dried out Cohiba that they wanted so much for no one had bought any. Since there isn't much for tax on tobacco products on the island (cigarettes are dirt cheap) you would think you could get good "local" cigars that the islanders (indigenous or transplants) would purchase. Evidentially they don't smoke cigars?

 

[Doc]

No, very few locals smoke cigars. They are very expensive especially when compared to cigarettes, an entirely different jones.

At CoCoView, they keep both the fancy Hondurans as well as those described bundles for sale to the guests. As far as finding them elsewhere on the island, they are out there, but as RTBDiver says, they are priced insanely high. Look at the cruise ship "straw market".

There were a couple of duty free shops that have come and gone, one of them was located in Coxen Hole itself. A few years back, the CH Police Chief owned a cigar store, but as I said- all things change. They're out there, ask and look around.

Thompson cigars out of Fort Lauderdale is where I buy mine. It does feel kind of odd, re-importing them to Honduras when I'm Southbound. I once brought a bunch back North with me that I didn't burn while on the island. The US Customs guy questioned me, suspecting importation. I said, "You'd have to be crazy, I buy these in the States". He smiled knowingly.

 

[georoc01]

I remember there was a cigar bar that sold cigars in the west end. I have no idea on the quality or price of what they sold.