A Roatán sloth or monkey park is one of the most booked shore excursions on the island, and the rules changed in 2025: visitors may watch and photograph the animals but no longer hold them. This guide explains the main parks, what a wildlife tour involves and how to choose a place that puts the animals first.
A short hop from Roatán's shore, this small island suits families and curious travelers who want beach time plus Maya-themed exhibits. Options include snorkeling, paddle-boarding and a pool.
from ~$112 per person
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A calm outing for nature and photography fans, looking for yellow-naped parrots and hummingbirds among more than 270 bird species. Led by an expert guide through lush forest.
from ~$407 per person
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Most of the sloths, capuchins, spider monkeys and macaws visitors meet live in private parks, not in the wild. In January 2025 Honduras' forest and wildlife institute (ICF) warned owners on Roatán about trafficking and the overhandling of wildlife, defined as carrying and holding animals for exhibition and photos, after five sloths captured on the mainland and allegedly bound for the island were seized in La Ceiba. Since April 1, 2025 the island's parks have stopped sloth handling. You can still watch the animals and take photos from a distance; an operator still offering a sloth to hold is ignoring them.
Daniel Johnson's Monkey and Sloth Hangout, near French Cay and Little French Key on the south side, is the best-known small park; tours spend about an hour there. Close by, Arch's Iguana and Marine Park grew from Sherman Arch's decision in 1980 to protect the iguanas on his land, and thousands now roam it, including the black spiny-tailed iguana. Mayan Eden is a nature park often combined with buggy tours, and at Gumbalimba Park in West Bay white-faced capuchins and scarlet macaws move freely through the gardens.
The island's own wildlife is easier to miss. The Roatán spiny-tailed iguana, listed as endangered, lives only on Roatán, Barbareta and a few nearby cays; look for it on rocks and tree trunks on any walk.
A genuine rescue center explains where its animals come from, keeps groups small, limits contact and does not let animals be passed from visitor to visitor. Be wary of baby animals on display, monkeys on leashes and staff who bait animals with food for photos. Feeding should be done by keepers only. We also recommend skipping the captive dolphin encounters offered on the island. Tip guides who explain the animals well rather than those who stage close-ups.
A wildlife tour usually lasts three to four hours with transfers, often combined with a beach, the iguana park or the chocolate and rum tastings. The French Cay parks are on the south side, a short drive from both cruise ports, so they suit a short port call; still, plan to be back at the pier at least an hour before all-aboard. Wear closed shoes and insect repellent, and leave bags in the bus or a locker: monkeys open zippers. For more options, see all Roatán tours and places to visit.
No. Following a January 2025 notice from Honduras' wildlife authority, the island's animal parks stopped sloth handling from April 1, 2025. You can still see and photograph sloths from a distance.
In the French Cay area near French Harbour on Roatán's south side, a few minutes from Little French Key and a short drive from both cruise ports.
The monkeys most visitors see, mainly white-faced capuchins and spider monkeys, live in private parks and sanctuaries such as Gumbalimba and the French Cay parks.
The best-known native animal is the Roatán spiny-tailed iguana, an endangered species found only on Roatán, Barbareta and a few nearby cays.
Snorkeling & diving Shore snorkeling at West Bay and West End, boat trips, Discover Scuba and the best-known dive sites on the Mesoamerican Reef. 
Zipline, ATV & adventure Zip lines over the jungle, ATV and buggy rides, and the chocolate and rum tastings often added to them: what to expect and the limits. 
Boat trips & fishing Glass-bottom boats, the semi-submarine, catamaran and sunset cruises, sport and fly fishing charters and private boats to the cays. 