One of the questions that comes up when you’re planning a trip to Roatán is surprisingly simple:
How am I actually going to pay for things once I get there?
Do you need Honduran money? Can you just bring U.S. dollars? Do restaurants take credit cards? How much cash should you bring? And what happens when someone hands you a bunch of lempiras back as change and you have absolutely no idea how much money you’re holding?
After many trips to Roatán, we’ve gotten pretty comfortable with how money works on the island.
And it’s really not complicated.
The official currency of Honduras is the Honduran lempira, but U.S. dollars are widely used in Roatán, especially in the tourist areas.
We use a combination of U.S. dollars and credit cards.
But—and this is important—I would never go to Roatán relying entirely on a credit card.
There are plenty of times when cash is simply easier, and some smaller businesses, transportation providers and vendors may not accept cards at all.
There are also a few Roatán money quirks that are worth knowing before you go.
Like the fact that the U.S. dollars in your wallet may apparently need to pass a beauty contest before anyone will accept them.
Seriously.
That slightly ripped $20 bill you’ve been carrying around for six months?
Leave that ugly thing at home. Damaged U.S. bills can be surprisingly difficult to use in Roatán.
Let’s talk about what money you actually need to bring to Roatán—and how we handle it when we’re there.
If you’re still working through the rest of the details, my Roatán trip planning guide walks through the entire trip step by step.
Do You Need Cash in Roatán?
Yes.
You probably don’t need as much cash as you think, especially if you’re staying in West Bay or West End, but I would never travel to Roatán without it.
We bring a stack of U.S. dollars from home in a mixture of denominations—$1s, $5s, $10s and $20s.
We don’t bring anything larger than a $20 bill.
If we’re eating at restaurants, shopping in stores or paying for things at our resort in West Bay or West End, we generally use a credit card. In all of our trips to Roatán, I’ve never had a problem relying on a credit card in the main tourist areas.
But there are plenty of other times when we use cash.
We always plan on using cash for:
- Tipping
- Drivers and transportation
- Dive staff
- Small vendors
- Beach snacks and drinks
- Souvenirs from local sellers
And honestly, some of my favorite things to buy in Roatán fall into that cash-only category.
You’ll see people walking along the beach selling homemade banana bread (including Matthew, the banana bread guy—if you’ve spent much time on West Bay Beach, you probably know exactly who I’m talking about), baleadas, fresh fruit and coconut drinks. There are also vendors selling souvenirs and other items along the beach.
You’re going to want cash for those.
Nobody wants to be sitting on West Bay Beach staring at a piece of Matthew’s banana bread because all they brought on vacation was an American Express card.
Which actually reminds me of something important.
Don’t bring only an American Express card.
I have an Amex and use it when I can, but not every place in Roatán accepts it. We also bring a Visa or Mastercard because they’re more widely accepted.
Bring Small U.S. Bills
This is where I think people make Roatán money more complicated than it needs to be.
Before we leave home, we get cash in a variety of denominations up to $20.
That means plenty of:
$1 bills, $5 bills, $10 bills and $20 bills.
Smaller bills make tipping easier, they’re useful for buying things from vendors, and you don’t have to worry about someone trying to make change for a $100 bill.
I also don’t love pulling large bills out of my wallet in public when there’s absolutely no reason to.
I’d skip the $50s and $100s entirely.
There’s really no advantage to carrying them for the way most tourists will be spending money in Roatán.
And make sure the bills you bring are in good condition.
This is one of those weird little things you might not think about before your trip, but damaged U.S. currency can be difficult to use in Roatán. Avoid bringing bills that are ripped, badly worn or written all over.
That sad $20 bill that’s been floating around the bottom of your purse since 2019?
Spend it at home.
Do You Need Honduran Lempiras in Roatán?
The official currency of Honduras is the Honduran lempira, but if you’re traveling to Roatán from the United States, you don’t necessarily need to exchange a bunch of money before your trip.
We don’t.
We arrive with U.S. dollars and our credit cards and have never felt like we needed to show up with a wallet full of lempiras.
U.S. dollars are widely accepted in the tourist areas of Roatán, particularly around West Bay and West End. You may, however, receive your change back in lempiras even when you pay with U.S. dollars.
And that’s when things get interesting.
Suddenly you’re standing there doing vacation math, trying to figure out exactly how much money someone just handed you.
Paying in U.S. Dollars and Getting Change in Lempiras
Even though U.S. dollars are widely accepted in Roatán, that doesn’t mean every transaction happens entirely in dollars.
You may pay for something with U.S. cash and receive some—or all—of your change back in Honduran lempiras.
That’s completely normal.
The first time it happens, though, you may find yourself staring at the money thinking:
Okay…how much did I just get back?
This is why I like having at least a general idea of the exchange rate before we travel. You don’t need to memorize it down to the decimal point, but knowing roughly what a dollar is worth makes it much easier to understand prices and check your change.
I usually recommend checking the current exchange rate right before your trip and saving it on your phone.
That way you’re not standing at the beach bar trying to do international currency conversion in your head after two coconut drinks.
What Should You Do With Leftover Lempiras?
Use them.
Once you have lempiras, they’re easy to spend during the rest of your trip. Use them for smaller purchases, food, drinks, tips or anything else you would normally pay for with cash.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to convert every last lempira back into U.S. dollars before leaving.
Instead, as we get toward the end of a trip, I start trying to use up whatever local currency we have left.
Because somehow I always come home from an international trip with a handful of foreign coins and bills that I swear I’m going to save for the next trip.
And then they disappear into a drawer for the next seven years.
Can You Use Credit Cards in Roatán?
Yes. We use credit cards regularly in Roatán, especially in West Bay and West End.
Hotels, resorts, restaurants and established businesses in the main tourist areas generally make it pretty easy to pay by card. In all of our trips, I don’t remember being charged an additional fee specifically for using a credit card.
Which reminds me, if you haven’t decided which area to stay in yet, my where to stay in Roatán guide compares West Bay, West End and the other main areas of the island.
And as I mentioned earlier, don’t rely solely on American Express.
I have an Amex and use it when it’s accepted, but not everywhere takes it. We always bring a Visa or Mastercard as well because they’re much more widely accepted.
Check Your Restaurant Bill Before They Run Your Card
Here’s something we’ve learned to pay attention to when eating out in Roatán.
Many restaurants will show your bill in both Honduran lempiras and U.S. dollars, which makes things incredibly easy.
But not all of them do.
If the bill is only in lempiras, don’t panic. You can still pay with your credit card—you just need to know roughly what you’re spending.
There’s one other thing you should check before handing over your card:
Is the tip already included?
Some restaurants may include a service charge or gratuity on the bill, while others don’t. We always look at the bill and ask if we’re unsure.
And if you want to add a tip to your credit card, tell them before they run the card.
Don’t assume you’ll get the familiar U.S. credit-card receipt with a blank line where you can scribble in a tip afterward. Ask first so you know how that particular restaurant handles it.
Of course, this is also why all those small U.S. bills we brought along come in handy. You can always leave a cash tip.
Use a Card With No Foreign Transaction Fees
Before your trip, check whether your credit card charges foreign transaction fees.
We use cards that don’t charge them when we travel internationally. Otherwise, you can end up paying an extra fee every time you use your card for dinner, drinks, activities or shopping.
It’s an easy thing to avoid if you check before you leave home.
If You’re Asked to Pay in Dollars or Lempiras
If the credit-card terminal gives you a choice between being charged in U.S. dollars or Honduran lempiras, choose lempiras.
Your credit-card network will then handle the currency conversion. Choosing dollars can involve dynamic currency conversion, where the merchant’s payment processor determines the exchange rate instead—and that rate may not be as favorable.
So my rule is simple:
Pay in lempiras. Let the credit card handle the conversion.
Are There ATMs in Roatán?
Yes. There are ATMs around Roatán.
But honestly, we rarely use them.
This goes back to why we bring cash from home in the first place. I’d rather arrive with the small U.S. bills I know we’ll need than spend part of my vacation hunting down an ATM.
If you do need more cash, stick with an ATM associated with an established bank rather than assuming every machine you see will work exactly the same way.
And don’t wait until you’re completely out of cash to find one.
ATMs can occasionally be out of service or out of cash, so I wouldn’t make your entire Roatán money strategy dependent on being able to withdraw money at a specific machine.
Where Can You Find ATMs in Roatán?
You’ll find ATMs in several of the areas travelers are most likely to visit.
There are machines in West Bay and West End, as well as around Coxen Hole, French Harbour and the Roatán airport.
If you’re flying into RTB for the first time, I also have a Roatán Airport guide that walks through immigration, baggage claim, customs and what happens when you walk outside.
If you’re staying in West Bay, there’s currently a Banco Atlántida ATM at Infinity Bay Resort, which is especially convenient if you’re staying nearby.
Just remember that your bank may charge you for an international ATM withdrawal, and the ATM itself may have its own fees.
For us, an ATM is more of a backup plan than THE plan.
We bring enough cash from home for the things we know we’ll want it for—tips, drivers, dive staff, beach vendors and small purchases—and use our credit cards for most of the bigger expenses.
So far, that’s been the easiest system for us.
How Much Cash Should You Bring to Roatán?
This is probably the question everyone really wants answered.
And unfortunately, I don’t think there’s one magic number.
How much cash you should bring to Roatán depends on how you’re traveling and what you plan to do once you’re there.
Since we use credit cards for most restaurants, resorts and larger purchases, we aren’t walking around with enough cash to pay for our entire vacation.
Instead, I think about the things I already know we’ll probably pay for in cash.
For us, that includes:
- Airport transportation and other drivers
- Tips
- Dive staff
- Beach vendors
- Small purchases and souvenirs
- A little extra cash just in case
If you’ve already booked and paid for your hotel and activities before your trip, you may need surprisingly little cash for your everyday expenses.
On the other hand, if you’re planning to use taxis frequently, tip dive crews throughout the week, buy things from local vendors or explore areas outside West Bay and West End, you’ll probably want more.
To be honest, we always take more than we need and always have a bunch leftover when we return.
Don’t Carry All Your Cash With You
Just because we bring cash to Roatán doesn’t mean I carry the entire stack around every day.
I only take what I think we’ll need and leave the rest secured at our accommodations.
There is absolutely no reason for me to head to the beach with our entire vacation’s worth of cash stuffed in my wallet.
Remember all those $1s, $5s, $10s and $20s we talked about earlier?
This is where they become incredibly useful.
I can grab enough for tips, a driver, some food or whatever we might buy that day without carrying a giant wad of money around.
And let’s be realistic.
If Matthew walks by with banana bread, I need to be financially prepared.
Tipping in Roatán: Who Do We Tip?
Tipping is one of the main reasons we bring so many small U.S. bills to Roatán.
We know before we even leave home that we’re going to use cash for tips throughout the trip, so I don’t want to spend the week trying to break $20 bills every time I need a few dollars.
We typically have cash ready for people like:
- Drivers
- Dive staff and boat crews
- Hotel staff who help us with bags
- Other guides or people helping us during activities
- Grocery store employees who help with our groceries
Restaurants are a little different.
What About Tipping at Restaurants?
Check the bill before adding a tip because some restaurants may already include a service charge or gratuity.
If you’re paying by credit card and want to add the tip to the card, tell them before they run it. Otherwise, you can always leave a cash tip.
Dollars or Lempiras for Tips?
We usually tip in U.S. dollars because that’s what we already have with us.
You don’t need to exchange money just so you can tip in lempiras.
Just make sure those U.S. bills are in good condition—which apparently is going to become the unofficial theme of this entire article.
Bring small bills. Bring pretty bills. And bring enough of them.
FAQs About Money in Roatán
Can you use U.S. dollars in Roatán?
Yes. U.S. dollars are widely accepted in Roatán, especially in West Bay and West End. Bring smaller bills in good condition—we stick with $1s, $5s, $10s and $20s.
Do I need Honduran lempiras in Roatán?
We don’t exchange money into lempiras before our trips.
We arrive with U.S. dollars and credit cards and have never felt like we needed to get Honduran currency ahead of time. You may receive lempiras as change when paying with U.S. dollars, and you can simply use them during the rest of your trip.
Are credit cards accepted in Roatán?
Yes, particularly at resorts, restaurants and established businesses in West Bay and West End. But I wouldn’t rely entirely on credit cards because you’ll still want cash for tips, transportation and smaller vendors.
Is American Express accepted in Roatán?
Sometimes, but don’t make it your only card.
I have an American Express and use it where I can, but we’ve found that it’s not accepted everywhere. Bring a Visa or Mastercard as a backup.
Are there ATMs in Roatán?
Yes. ATMs are available around the island, including in the main tourist areas. We consider them a backup rather than depending on them for our vacation cash.
Should I bring $50 or $100 bills to Roatán?
I wouldn’t.
We bring $1s, $5s, $10s and $20s. They’re much easier for tips, drivers, vendors and small purchases, and I don’t particularly want to pull out a $100 bill every time I buy something.
Can I tip in U.S. dollars in Roatán?
Yes. That’s what we usually do.
Before tipping at a restaurant, check whether a service charge or gratuity is already included. And if you’re paying by credit card and want the tip added to the card, ask before they run it.
How much cash should I bring to Roatán?
There’s no single amount that’s right for everyone. We bring enough cash for drivers, tips, dive staff, beach vendors, souvenirs and a little extra, then use credit cards for most larger expenses.
To be honest, we usually bring more than we need and come home with some left over.
Should I exchange money before going to Roatán?
We don’t. We arrive with U.S. dollars and credit cards and use any lempiras we receive as change.
Final Thoughts on Money in Roatán
Money is one of those things that can feel more complicated when you’re planning an international trip than it actually is once you get there.
In Roatán, we’ve found it pretty easy.
Bring clean U.S. bills in small denominations, don’t rely only on American Express, and keep some cash with you for the times a credit card isn’t an option.
You don’t need to exchange hundreds of dollars before you arrive or spend your vacation worrying about finding an ATM.
And if you end up with a pocketful of lempiras? Spend them.
Preferably on something good to eat.
And if Matthew happens to be walking down West Bay Beach with fresh banana bread, you already know what to do.