Customs in Roatan

[NDH]

My wife and I are going in Oct. and wanted to know what to expect when we get their.

Long lines?
What type of food we can bring, like health bars and such?
Any advice on getting through customs?

We are staying at CoCo view so we have transfer, but do they wait with a sign or do you have to go outside to find them?

How much different is it from cozumel?

We are also talking about taking several 2 liters of coke for our morning caffine in our carry on, can we get through customs? :06:

 

[mjh]

We just returned from CoCo View, I posted the very long trip report, you can find in this section. Nora will meet you at the Airport, typically just inside the door from the "flight deck". If you don't see her right away just ask any of the locals and they will point her out. You give her all of your passports and papers. She will clear you thru Customs. After you give her your papers you just go and pull your bags off the belt. Typically there will be someone to help, run your bags thru the scanner in the middle of the room and then place your bags with all the other CoCo View bags. They will handle them from there.

Since we have dove with smaller operations in Coz we had to wait in the Customs lines and then get ourselves to the hotel. With CoCo View everything is taken care of. It is much more informal than Coz.

Don't know about the Cola issue, but there is plenty available on the island.

 

[DandyDon]

Your health bars and soft drinks will get thru customers fine, if you really want to mess with it. You should be able to get plenty in the cafe, though. You want cola for breakfast? No problem.

It's wonderful diving, but there are things you need to know - available by running a search for ROATAN, and reading reports. I always take lots of strong Deet, anti-malria meds, sun block, a cap - anytime of the year, current tetnus shot, hep-A shot, DAN insurance, trip insurance - especially in hurricane season, and of course - my passport.

Have fun

 

[MB104]

My wife and I are going in Oct. and wanted to know what to expect when we get there.
QUOTE]

This may be a bit off topic, but...

TAKE MY ADVICE....DO NOT....I REPEAT..DO NOT EAT THE "FRESHLY COOKED" FOOD PREPARED BY THE LOCALS ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD. It may be much cheaper than the restaurants and taste "authentic", but you will be very very sorry later (hint...it will start in the middle of the night)

 

[Dee]

You don't need to worry about Malaria on Roatan or at CCV. The meds can be just as bad as the disease! If you are going on any excursions to the mainland for white water rafting or such, then check with the DDC and see where the high malaria areas are. Double check with your doctor about any side effect of the meds to make sure you understand them all.

You shouldn't have trouble with the Coke but the do sell Coke™ there in the bar. If you want to take your own, I'd carry it in your carry one to protect it from the pressure in baggage!

Don't worry about customs going in, they really aren't too worried about it. Nora will meet you at the airport, take you passports and return airline tickets....it's OK, really! You know those hot pick tags they give you for your luggage? The men from CCV spot them and pull your bags as they appear and of course, you can pull your own off the conveyer belt. All bags are set aside together and when Nora double checks them with your luggage claim tags, they go on the truck to CCV as you take the CCV bus.

One tip....keep your DEET forumla bug spray in your carry on and apply it at the airport, before you get to the CCV dock to catch the boat over. That's the worst place I get bit every year. I think the no-seeums line up and wait for 'fresh meat' to get off that bus!

 

[DandyDon]

Well, Dee is certainly a lot more experienced diver than I am, and knows CCV about as well as anyone, so you couldn't ask for better information.

I must differ on two points, though:

(1) The CDC does indeed suggest malaria preventative for Roatan. I didn't bother the first time I went, then I worried for a year - especially when I'd get a chill or fever. Had a number of bouts that year, too. Until I find a better source than CDC, and stop hearing about cases of malaria on the island, I'm taking their counsel. BTW, they offer a lot of good travel info here:

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/

(2) The malaria preventative for other parts of the world can make people ill, but the once a week pills suggested for Central America are pretty benign. See you physician and pharmacists for details.

In addition to spraying deet at the airport, I kept a can in my dive locker and a can in my room, and sprayed before leaving either., every time. Once, after a night dive on the Prince Albert, the skeeters got me anyway, but a hot shower fixed that pretty well.

Don't worry about bats if you see them flying, as they're good guys - eating tons of skeeters. Just don't touch one if you see one on the ground, ever! You don't want what he's got.

Carry a flashlight if you walk at night. I didn't the first night, and I kept feeling crunches under my feet. The next night, I carried one and walked around the tree hermit crabs that come out at night.

And - I know I am more of an alarmist than most, but really - it's a safe adventure with the proper precautions, and a wonderful adventure at that. "Where did you go on vacation this year?" "Oh, we did Six Flags, Sea World, etc. And you?" "Oh, we flew to a banana republic island most have never heard of and spent 6 glorious days diving the loveliest reefs in the wester hemisphere."

 

[Cudabait]

Dandyd D's info is good. Deet, once a week malaria regimen (the stuff we use begins before the trip and continues a little after the trip) Our hep-A shots are good for about 10 years. Good to have. Oh, and keep the deet away from any cameras and equipment....it will melt the cameras and dislove the equipment.

Regards,

 

[fishnchips]

Deet isa harmful toxic chemical. I use citronella oil. It is natural oil from grass and very effective. I had it with me through my years of island hopping in the Caribbean, South East Asia, and trekking in the rain forest, it worked great.

Another good mosquito repellent is the oil from citrus fruit. One time after a huricane, I was trekking on USVI St John but forgot my citronella oil. And the mosquitos were fierce after the storm. Luckily there were some wild lemon tree branches on the path, we rubbed the lemon peels on us and it was a great repellent!

 

[Cudabait]

Deet isa harmful toxic chemical. I use citronella oil. It is natural oil from grass and very effective. I had it with me through my years of island hopping in the Caribbean, South East Asia, and trekking in the rain forest, it worked great.

Another good mosquito repellent is the oil from citrus fruit. One time after a huricane, I was trekking on USVI St John but forgot my citronella oil. And the mosquitos were fierce after the storm. Luckily there were some wild lemon tree branches on the path, we rubbed the lemon peels on us and it was a great repellent!

NDH,

Dee is correct.....Take something with DEET in it. You will not be sorry. The sand flies in the Bay Islands are reknown! Take a soft pak of baby wipes....They are indispensible when needed.

Regards,

 

[Hank49]

My wife and I are going in Oct. and wanted to know what to expect when we get their.

Long lines?
What type of food we can bring, like health bars and such?
Any advice on getting through customs?

We are staying at CoCo view so we have transfer, but do they wait with a sign or do you have to go outside to find them?

How much different is it from cozumel?

We are also talking about taking several 2 liters of coke for our morning caffine in our carry on, can we get through customs? :06:

When I enterd Roatan this year at about 5 in the evening, there was no one there. We just walked through to the man waiting from CCV. And on the way out they just put and entry stamp in our passports and that was that. Totally laid back.
Coke? No need. Coke is everywhere in the world. And, I've lived in third world countries for 18 years, never had more than a hepa A shot and, had no problems except for some gastro intestinal bouts in the Philippines. Just eat only thoroughly cooked food and drink only bottled products...like lots of beer.