Roatan: Monkey & Sloth Sanctuary Tour with Beach Break

4.91

(153 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

There’s this moment I keep replaying: a sloth’s slow blink, right in my arms, while the air smelled like wet leaves and sunscreen. We’d just pulled up to the monkey and sloth sanctuary outside Coxen Hole—our driver (Luis, who had reggae playing low) pointed out the faded mural at the gate. Inside, it wasn’t loud or crowded. Just a few families, some guides chatting in Spanish, and those monkeys—honestly louder than I expected. One tried to swipe my sunglasses when I leaned too close. The guide laughed and said they’re “little thieves,” which made sense after that.

The sanctuary isn’t huge but every corner felt alive—macaws screeching somewhere above us, the earthy smell of animal feed mixing with flowers. When it was our turn with the sloths, I got nervous (their claws look sharp), but they’re so gentle you almost forget you’re holding a wild animal. Our guide explained how most were rescued from people trying to keep them as pets. That part stuck with me longer than I thought it would. There’s something about seeing their slow faces up close that makes you want to move slower too.

Afterwards we piled back into the van—AC blasting because Roatan humidity is no joke—and drove maybe fifteen minutes to a beach that looked straight out of someone’s screensaver. Not many people around; just a couple kids kicking a soccer ball near the water and some locals selling fruit under an umbrella. I swam until my fingers wrinkled and let sand stick to my legs for way too long before heading back. Still thinking about those sloths even now.