Getting from Placencia to Roatan?

[jac8724]

On my upcoming dive trip I plan to spend some time in Placencia before heading over to Roatan, but I'm not finding a ton of information online for getting to Roatan easily. I really dont want to hop and skip from Placencia down to Independence, Punta Gorde, Puerto Barrious or Puerto Cortes, to LeCeiba, to Roatan....with all my stuff and dive gear over the course of a day and a half.

I read somewhere that there is a ferry from Placencia to Puerto Cortes, but that it only travels there on Fridays at 9:30am for $50 (US?). I would love to take this ferry, but the timing doesn't work, at all! If it's even accurate. Ill be arriving in Placencia on a Thursday, and want to leave on Sunday. I could even stay till Monday morning if it was possible to get to Roatan that same night.

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[diversteve]

BelizeBus Blog - #10 lists options between Belize and Honduras.

I would think (haven't checked) that you could fly from Placencia to BZE and then onto SPS on Maya Air. From SPS you can either fly to Roatan via Taca or take the Hedman Alas bus to La Ceiba and catch the Galaxy ferry to Roatan. You won't be able to do any of this the same day however - you'll likely arrive in either SPS or LCE too late and have to overnight. I have read of people arriving around noon at SPS and hiring a private car to LCE to catch the ferry - but it's really tight. I'm not sure if it's possible to get from Placencia to Roatan the same day.

You might also check BZE->LCE on Maya - maybe it's possible to skip the SPS stop.

The ferry you're referring to is called the D-Express. It only leaves on Friday morning afaik.

 

[jac8724]

That is a very nice, well organized blog of how to get in/out of Belize, thanks for sharing!

Yeah, I just checked and Maya doesnt fly to LCE or Roatan or SAP from either of Belize City's airports, so doesnt help me get over there. Tropic doesnt go into Honduras at all.

I wish someone ran a ferry from the Bay Islands to the Caye's in Belize! Having to do the ferry-bus-ferry-bus-ferry dance down the coast over two days just to get to Roatan is a pain-in-the-butt! I'm going to have to pay to have my gear shipped from the states to Roatan so I dont have to drag it along. That, plus the cost of the buses/ferrys, plus the time out of my trip would make me very willing to pay quite a bit for a direct ferry service (in case anyone with a boat looking to start a business is reading ) I think a lot of divers would like to dive both locations too!

 

[Gaz]

Unfortunately its not easy getting from Roatan to Placencia there used to be several airline that had flights from Belize to Honduras such as Maya and Atlantic Airlines but the route just did not work out I, afraid at this point the only option is to check the regular Airlines as some continue onto Roatan from Belize and you may be able to board in Belize City for a flight to Roatan.

Other than that its the overland ferry option not sure about the boat but Ralph and Hank live donw that way and I am sure when they see this they can provide additional info.

Gaz

 

[Gaz]

Just found this info and am re-posting it if it helps unfortunately everything I have found departs on Fridays ONLY

THE EXPRESS WATER TAXI: (Tickets available at the Placencia Tourism Center)

Departs Placencia: Fridays - 9:30 a.m. Arrives Big Creek 10 a.m. Departs - 11:00 a.m. Arrives Puerto Cortez, Honduras, 2 p.m. at Laguna.

Departs Puerto Cortez , Honduras Mondays - 10 a.m. Arrives Big Creek 12 noon. Departs - 1:30 p.m. Arrives Placencia 2 p.m.

Phone: 202-4506 or 523-4045

Also

you would have to take the bus from P C to LaCeiba then you can take the 4:30p.m. ferry, M. V. Galaxy, from Muelle de Cabotaje to Roatan, 1 1/2 hours. The ferry docks at Dixons Cove.

e-mail safeways_galaxy@yahoo.com,
phone:504 445 1795 504 445 1795 504 445 1250 504 445 1250

All those numbers are available on Skype too

hope this helps

Gaz Cooper

 

[diversteve]

Another (probably pricier) option.

Fly Maya or Tropic Air (note the luggage size restrictions on Tropic) to BZE.

Fly TACA from BZE to SAP. Since I don't know when you're going, I used Sun. Oct. 03.

airline company Taca Intl Airlines (TA 415) Operated by another airline
dep: 17:20 - Belize City (BZE)
arr: 18:25 - San Salvador (SAL)

airline company Taca Intl Airlines (TA 574) Operated by another airline
dep: 19:30 - San Salvador (SAL)
arr: 20:20 - San Pedro Sula (SAP) terminal A

or earlier:

airline company Taca Intl Airlines (TA 411) Operated by another airline
dep: 12:30 - Belize City (BZE)
arr: 13:35 - San Salvador (SAL)

airline company Taca Intl Airlines (TA 222) Operated by another airline
dep: 14:30 - San Salvador (SAL)
arr: 15:35 - San Pedro Sula (SAP) terminal A

Monday morning fly TACA - SAP direct to RTB.

1 Daily flight:
Taca Intl Airlines (TA 728) Operated by another airline
dep: 10:30 - San Pedro Sula (SAP) terminal A
arr: 11:25 - Roatan (RTB)

 

[diversteve]

Departs Placencia: Fridays - 9:30 a.m. Arrives Big Creek 10 a.m. Departs - 11:00 a.m. Arrives Puerto Cortez, Honduras, 2 p.m. at Laguna.

Also you would have to take the bus from P C to LaCeiba then you can take the 4:30p.m. ferry, M. V. Galaxy, from Muelle de Cabotaje to Roatan, 1 1/2 hours. The ferry docks at Dixons Cove.

e-mail safeways_galaxy@yahoo.com,
phone:504 445 1795 504 445 1795 504 445 1250 504 445 1250

Good advice except that it's not possible to get from Puerto Cortes to La Ceiba (It's over 150 miles afaik) in time to catch the 4:30 ferry - from a post on Trip Advisor:

The distance is too far to make it from Puerto Cortes at 2pm and get to La Ceiba at 4:30pm to make the ferry. Its about 3- 4 hours in car..(from Puerto Cortes) to La Ceiba and add a little more time if you're on a bus.

You will probably have to catch a bus going to San Pedro Sula and then from there use Hedman Alas ::: Leaders & Innovators of land transportation in Central America Since 1952 ::: for La Ceiba. Maybe there are directs from Puerto Cortes to La Ceiba.. not sure.

You'll probably have to spend the night in Ceiba and catch the first ferry in the morning to Roatan

Ferry details are on their website: Safeway Maritime Ferry - Roatan to La Ceiba
We've done it twice - the extra few dollars for first class is worth it. (upstairs, AC, soda and a movie)

 

[Gaz]

Yeah Steve your right I was actually following up on that as I thought the distance would be too far to make the 4.30 ferry.

Like I said the best is going to be the TACA option although I also think some flights fly direct to Roatan after dropping off passengers in Belize but I am not up to date on which airlines but I would start with Continental and AA

Gaz

 

[seacreatures]

I have done it the other way. And depending on when I know it can be done. I used ATA and Continental and it was an all day deal with many stops

 

[jac8724]

Thanks for all the tips!

I checked out the airlines, and I still couldn't get there in one day cause I'm not finding direct flights.

On Maya Air from Placencia to BZE - $94
On Taca from BZE to SAP - $340
On Taca from SAP to RTB- $156

It would still take a day and a half, but just be more luxurious, and expensive! Id have to stay in SAP that night, cause the flights don't get in till late (with layovers in San Salvidore and such). Anyways, it just would cost way too much money, more than my round trip flight from Chicago to Honduras!

And I'm working with the resort on Roatan to get my dive gear down there in advance, so I wont have to make this journey with a full set of gear. Looks like I'm stuck with the multiple ferry's and buses! I wish they served drinks!