Areas of Roatan
Sandy Bay
The relaxed, residential stretch between West End and Coxen Hole, home to some of the island's best diving and gardens.
Sandy Bay sits on the north shore between West End and Coxen Hole, with larger plots, mature trees and homes rather than hotel strips. Offshore is the Sandy Bay to West End marine reserve, the island's best-established protected area.
For visitors it is the quiet option and a great base for diving, with well-known sites such as El Aguila, the Odyssey and Spooky Channel off this coast, and the island's hyperbaric chamber at Anthony's Key. For longer stays it is a popular choice: five minutes from West End and peaceful in a way the busier beaches are not.
Come here if
You are here to dive, you want somewhere quiet and residential, or you are staying long enough to want a neighborhood feel close to West End.
Read before you go
Spas and massage in Roatan: where to go and what to bookSpa Baan Suerte is here, with a pool, jacuzzi and paddleboards in its day spa package, which makes it a half day out.
West End vs West Bay: which side of Roatan to stay onSandy Bay is the third option many people discover later, sitting right between the two.
Yoga in Roatan: where to practice and what it costsTranquilseas and Anthony's Key Resort, both in Sandy Bay, have yoga spaces of their own.
Roatan's reef and wildlife: what lives here and how to see itWhat lives on Roatan's reef and the best ways to see it.
On the ground
- Carambola Gardens
- Tropical gardens with walking trails up to a viewing deck, across the road from Anthony's Key. A lovely morning walk.
- The Roatan Museum
- At Anthony's Key, telling the story of the Bay Islands from the Pech to the maritime history, in one compact visit.
- The marine reserve
- The Sandy Bay to West End reserve protects the reef along this coast. Bring reef-safe sunscreen.
- Dolphins
- The Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences at Anthony's Key offers dolphin encounters and programs with its resident bottlenose dolphins.
- Getting around
- Five minutes to West End by road and about twenty to the airport. Taxis are easy to arrange, or rent a car for longer stays.
- The water
- North shore, calm most days, with a little more breeze in winter when cold fronts pass through.
Checked October 2026. If something here has changed, tell us and we will update it.