Top 7 Travel Tips to the Bay Islands of Honduras

Everyone agrees that Covid-19 has made international travel more difficult! So we’ve created a series of Honduras Travel Tips & Posts to help in planning your travel so you can safely arrive to Honduras, and to your ultimate destination like Utila or Roatan, or Guanaja. We feel that these are the Things To Know Before You Go!

Please note that: Negative Covid-19 tests are still required to enter Honduras, if no proof of vaccine can be shown.

Keep reading as there is new and updated information posted each time. In this post we’ll discuss:

Curfew lifted as of October 1st 2021, with conditions.
Air Transat cancels all 2021/2022 seasonal flights. Updated airline schedules.
Immigration/Covid-19 requirements remain the same as of September 23, 2021.
Pre-Check In Form Help.
Covid Testing in Utila.
Getting to Utila from Roatan.
International Immigration Requirements Website

1. 10pm Curfew Lifted with Proof of Vaccination

As of October 1, 2021, the Honduran Government announced that the curfew has been suspended, but for vaccinated people only. The curfew was put in place March 16, 2020, when Covid-19 closed down the entire country to reduce circulation and to lower the spread of the virus.

2. Book from these Airline Schedules

When Covid hit Honduras, the country went under complete lockdown on March 16, 2020. Since then we worked to keep travellers informed on what flights were incoming for evacuation, as these flights were different from what the airlines posted and even what airline personnel were booking with travellers.

Once the country opened back up for tourism, there was so much confusion and cancelled flights so the Roatan Tourism Bureau created a flight schedule. Unfortunately, we JUST learned that Air Transat which was providing direct flights from Toronto & Montreal to Roatan, cancelled all their season 2021-2022 flights. They say they will re-visit their plans for the 2022 season.

Due to the reduced numbers of travelers and Covid-19 travel restrictions, many airlines have reduced their normal flight schedules so stick to the flights listed here, if not your flight will likely get cancelled. [Updated October 7 2021]:

And great news for all those Colorado residents! In December 2021, United Airlines is starting direct flights from Denver, Colorado (DEN) to Roatan, Honduras (RTB). Don’t miss out on this direct flight from on January 8th 2022 for one week at $424!

3. Immigration Requirements Status Quo

To enter Honduras, as of June 10, 2021, Honduras adds “proof of a complete Covid-19 vaccine received at least 2 weeks prior, as an entry requirement, in lieu of a negative Covid-19 test.” However, you may need to be firm with airlines as some travelers experienced push-back at check-in, until the passengers showed the travel requirements to enter Honduras. So be prepared.

If you are not vaccinated, you are required to have a negative covid PCR and/or negative antigen test taken 72 hours prior to your departure.

As of September 23, 2021, the immigration and health policies regarding Covid-19 remain the same. See below:

Please note that for those travelling from the UK & South Africa you’re not allowed into Honduras. If you’ve been there in the last 21 days and you’re a Honduran or foreign resident of Honduras, you’re required to do a mandatory 14 day quarantine upon arrival. Although this measure is temporary, it has been in effect since December 23, 2020.

4. Fill out your pre-checkin form prior to arriving.

All travellers to Honduras must complete an online “Pre-check Form”. The form can be completed within 48 hours of your trip. However, you can register immediately and complete all the questions. When you’re within the 48 hour time-frame you can submit your from (this is to avoid excess records in the immigration system). You should receive a response via email, although some people have reported having not received an email. Print out your completed form and carry the form with you (you may even want to make copies to hand out). To make things speedier for check-in, highlight your name, pre-check # and date of travel. Also know that you must have your correct flight information, otherwise you will not be able to complete the check-in. And here are the official names of the airports below:

Roatan (RTB – Juan Manuel Galvez)
La Ceiba (LCE – Internacional Goloson) or
San Pedro Sula (Ramon Villeda Morales SAP)
Tegucigalpa (Toncontín International Airport TGU)

This pre-check in form details your traveler documentation as well as your negative Covid test details. This is not a ‘yes you can enter’ / ‘no you cannot enter form’, it is there to help administer incoming passengers during this crazy Covid pandemic.

Since this form has caused some confusion, the Roatan Task Force has put together a step-by-step user guide to help you complete the online form. You can access this flip book guide which will walk you through the process of filling out the form by clicking here for the 5 page booklet of instructions. Also note that in the top right corner, there’s a flag where you can change the language of the site from ‘español’ (spanish) to ‘english’.

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If you’re visiting Roatan, Guanaja or Utila, your destination should be “Bay Islands – Islas de la Bahia“.

And check your passport expiry date. It must be valid for at least 6 months before expiry or you will not be able to enter Honduras!

Also note that you must have a proof of exit from Honduras during your maximum visa allowance of 90 days for most country’s visas. Your ticket must be round-trip or you must have proof of your plans to exit the country. Remember that 90 days is NOT three months. For example, 90 days from today, October 10, 2021 is January 8, 2022, not the 10th of January, 2022.

The form should also be completed when departing Honduras. If you’re heading to the USA, it took me awhile to find the ‘destination country’. It is listed as “Estados Unidos de Norte America“, even though they have “United States Minor Outlying Isla”. That is NOT it.

5. Covid testing in Utila

Note that to enter/re-enter the USA, you must present a negative PCR or antigen covid test. The easiest and most organized way of doing so, is by clicking this link here for the Hyperbaric Chamber Medical Clinic’s facebook page and click the blue ‘Book Now” button.

That will take you to a menu of items including the COVID Testing – Antigen test for 1500 lps. You will see all available appointments. Make sure you get a confirmation facebook message from them.

FAQs on the test:

Yes, the results are given while you wait (about 5 minutes).
Yes they take credit cards as payment.
Yes the rapid antigen test will get you back into the USA.

The Utila Hyperbaric Chamber is located right next to the children’s playground by the Bay Islands College of Diving. When it’s time for your appointment, knock on the door and enter.

6. Getting to Utila from Roatan

The Utila Dream Ferry has daily trips between Utila and Roatan. This means that you’ll be able to fly into Roatan (see available flights below) which is the neighboring island to Utila. If you arrive around 1pm, you’ll be able to take the Utila Dream Ferry to Utila the same day. Remember that when you arrive in Roatan, the timing to make the departure of the Utila Dream Ferry at 2pm can be extremely tight!!!

To fast-track your way through customs and immigration in Roatan, if you show proof of onward travel to Utila, show them your reservation or your ferry tickets, etc., they will allow you to make your way to the leftmost line at immigration. This line is normally for locals and residents, and is always much shorter and faster, so you have a great chance of catching the Utila ferry. It’s my understanding that the latest possible time for you to make the ferry would be an airport arrival before 1:00 PM.

Honduras does not do daylight savings time, so make sure your flight times work out as arrival time to Honduras, before and after the ‘spring forward’ ‘fall back’ times, will change by an hour.

When departing Utila, you should really arrive at the Roatan airport about 2 hours ahead of your flight. We’ve had friends miss their flights by taking the 10:15am ferry from Utila to Roatan, arriving just shy of one hour before departure. The airlines had already closed the check-in desk. If there are any delays due to a high volume of travelers, or really rough seas, this could jeopardize you making your flight. Consider spending one night in Roatan before your departure, or take a private charter flight from Utila to Roatan for about $375 and book it with one of the local travel agencies. These charter flights can take up to 5 passengers with carry-ons, and less passengers with more luggage.

7. Worldwide Travel Regulations Site

Are you having a hard time finding out what the travel requirements are during Covid? This site is super useful for finding up-to-date info on travel requirements around the world! And it’s currently accurate for Honduras!

We hope this information has helped! Safe travels!