Getting around in the Bay Islands? Ferry?

[nwflyboy]

What are the options for getting around between the Bay Islands, and going between the islands and the mainland?

I see some references to a ferry that apparently runs between La Cieba and Utila. Is this a practical way to get around? How about getting from Utila to Roatan - is there any ferry/boat service scheduled?

Also, how involved is the trip between San Pedro Sula and La Cieba?

We're looking at flying from the US to/from San Pedro Sula. After a week diving and playing in the Bay Islands, we want to spend a couple days on the mainland, at the ruins at Copan. Ideally we would get a flight that went in to Roatan, and returned back from San Pedro Sula....but that's very spendy. Simply flying to/from San Pedro Sula is much more reasonable, but that leaves us with the last leg of the trip to Roatan going in, and getting back to the mainland coming out. To complicate things, I'd like to minimize the short-hop flights, since that requires waiting 24 hours between diving and flying.

I know we can catch the puddle jumper from SAP -> RTB, and we probably will (since it wouldn't involve any waiting after diving - at that point, we won't have been diving!). What I'm wondering about is getting between islands, and getting back to the mainland...without having to wait 24 hours after diving.

This would be our fist trip to the Bay Islands, and I think I'd like to try splitting our time between Roatan and Utila (both sound great). I figure it makes sense to start the trip with the flight from SAP -> RTB, then maybe take a boat to Utila (assuming there is one) - avoiding the 24 hour wait between diving and flying - then after a few more days diving Utila, take the ferry to the mainland (again, avoiding having to wait 24 hours after diving). But the ferry from Utila would put us in La Cieba, and our next destination would be the ruins at Copan.

Would it make sense to rent a car in La Cieba, drive to Copan for a day or two, then drive back to San Pedro Sula, drop the car there, and fly home? Whew!

Is this all doable? Does this make sense? Am I completely nuts? (don't answer that last one)...

Thanks for any advice/tips/suggestions!

 

[Doc]

I see some references to a ferry that apparently runs between La Cieba and Utila. Is this a practical way to get around? How about getting from Utila to Roatan - is there any ferry/boat service scheduled?

Your post is kind of old, so... Do a "search" here, several older threads lay this out.

Would it make sense to rent a car in La Cieba, drive to Copan for a day or two, then drive back to San Pedro Sula, drop the car there, and fly home?

Driving in Honduras makes no sense whatsoever and is ill advised for any number of reasons. Take your pick from: Absolute and Extreme Liability of a Gringo in any incident all the way through rotten roads, bad drivers and non-existant trauma care.

Don't misunderstand, Honduras is a hoot, just understand that it isn't Ohio.

 

[NorthernMelody]

Following along his ideas...how hard IS it to get from Utila to Roatan....other than flying, how does one go about island hoping?

oh and 58 more sleeps till I arrive!!!!

 

[nwflyboy]

NorthernMelody,

Apparently, it's not that easy to go inter-island. I've gone looking for answers elsewhere, and these seem to be the options...

1. Fly. No scheduled service, but a local guy will fly you between islands in his 4-seat Cessna for about $160. That's for 1 to 3 passengers, and very limited luggage.

2. Find someone to run you over on their boat. Price is reportedly not much cheaper than the Cessna.

There are no scheduled flights or scheduled boats between the islands. There is, of course, air service between Roatan and La Cieba, and also between Utila and La Cieba. You *could* go from one island to the other via La Cieba, ut that would be either stunningly expensive, or take the better part of a day.

So the options appear to be limited. I'm probably going to go for the chartered Cessna hop. There are just 2 of us, so we should be OK with our bags - plus i like flying (I assume we can stay low, to avoid issues after diving).

Seems like there ought to be a way to get between the islands more easily, though. I guess I'll see how much I like it there - if I do, maybe I'll go start an inter-island ferry business.

Of course, if you find out any info that contradicts this, please let me know!

Hope that helps.

 

[NorthernMelody]

Thanks, good to know! Go for the inter island business, there is definately a demand!

 

[ShanChan]

The best tip I can give you: Get "Honduras Tips" - its a travel guide published by the Honduran government. Its the best travel guide I've ever seen (it waaaay beats any Lonely Planet), and its definitely the best for Honduras.

I see some references to a ferry that apparently runs between La Cieba and Utila. Is this a practical way to get around?

I took that ferry in July. I thought it was great - very comfy, and it was only an hour or so from La Ceiba to Utila.

Also, how involved is the trip between San Pedro Sula and La Cieba?

I've done quite a bit of backpacking, and I thought the trip was very easy - I joked to a friend that its like "backpacking lite" and "backpacking for the over 30 crowd". Then I had a beer, depressed because I'm now in that crowd.

I got into SPS too late to catch a flight to La Ceiba, so I took the luxury bus. Here's a tip: Hang out at the airport until the next bus arrives. I didn't know that the bus picks people up at the airport, so I took a $20 taxi into town to the bus terminal.

The bus is definitely a "luxury" bus - bathroom, snacks, drinks, a movie, and a very smooth ride. I'd recommend it to anyone. The scenery was beautiful.

Once in La Ceiba, I had to stay overnight (I got there too late to catch the ferry). Found a nice hotel, watched TV, called home, showered, oogled over the fact that I woke up in Chicago and was going to sleep in La Ceiba...

On the way home, I had to stay the night in SPS. I stayed at a nicer hotel (PM me, and I'll try to remember which one), because I was so paranoid that I'd have safety problems. However, the hotel was lovely, the restaurant's food delicious, the staff curteous and friendly, and my room was only $35. I was very impressed. I'd recommend a night in SPS if you have to buy souvenirs. The Guamalito Market (I KNOW I spelled that incorrectly) has great souvenirs at good prices.

We're looking at flying from the US to/from San Pedro Sula.

I flew Miami to SPS. If that's your flight, you are in for a real treat! The plane flies over the FL Keys, Cuba, the Caymans, and then over mainland Honduras - you get to see the mountains and these great snaking rivers. It is a gorgeous flight.

Would it make sense to rent a car in La Cieba, drive to Copan for a day or two, then drive back to San Pedro Sula, drop the car there, and fly home?

Don't know nuthin bout drivin, but the luxury buses are cheap, go everywhere, and have no hassles. They were even on time!

Good luck and have fun! I loved Honduras, the diving, the people, the scenery, the wildlife.... I'm dying to go back.