Roatan Dive Sites... Roatan's reef is one of the most spectacular in the Caribbean and we have over forty protected dive sites within a short boat ride of our PADI diving center!
A lagoon surrounds the Caribbean island of Roatan, which is ringed by an extensive coral reef starting at a depth of 5-12m/15-40ft. From there the coral formations slope gradually to 12m-16m/40-60ft before the drop off. Here the wall is vertical in some places and gently sloping in others as it descends to sandy shelf at which leads to a second drop off at depths of around 60m/200ft, way beyond the limits of recreational diving. Roatan's protected Marine Park offers great diving for everyone. New divers and beginner students will enjoy diving the shallow tropical coral gardens interspersed in many areas with large sand-covered patches, and home to a wide variety of marine life. More experienced divers will love diving Roatan's vertical walls, wrecks, caverns, channels, canyons and swim-throughs. We are always happy to accommodate your requests for particular dive sites, so long as weather and conditions are favorable, just let us know the type of diving that most appeals to you!
There are over forty pristine dive sites within a short boat ride of our diving center! Below we have listed a just a few of our favorites to give you a taster of what you can enjoy while scuba diving off Roatan island...
Lighthouse Reef Dive Site...
The shallow reef interspersed with large sandy patches at this Roatan dive site makes it ideal for beginner courses and novice divers. Here, we'll often find lobsters, crabs and shrimps and eels sheltering in the crevices which ring the shallow areas and peacock flounders camouflaged by the sandy bottom. More experienced divers will enjoy diving along the sloping wall, where we usually find turtles munching on the coral and schooling blue tang and snappers swaying in the mild current. Lighthouse reef makes an excellent starting point for scenic drift diving along Half Moon Bay Wall and is a great site for night diving...
Common Marine Life Sightings:
Caribbean spiny and spotted lobsters, trumpet fish, king crabs, peacock flounders, banded coral shrimp, hermit crabs, green moray eels, green turtles, yellowfin groupers, Nassau groupers, barracudas, dog snappers, yellow snappers, scrawled filefish, whitespotted file fish, spotted eagle rays, oceanic trigger fish, secretary blennies, blue tang, creole wrasse.
Blue Channel Dive Site...
This interesting channel extends from the lagoon which surrounds West End village and cuts a wide V shape through the shallower part of Roatan's coral reef, and is ideal for beginner courses. A maze of twisting swim-throughs filled with swirling glassy sweepers provides an exciting diving experience for advanced divers...There are two mooring lines for diving boats, one at about 15ft/5m just before the entrance and one at 40ft/12m in the large sandy bowl just before the wall drop off. Either makes a great starting point to explore the overhangs and crevices in the steep walls of the channel at this dive site, home to many species of crabs, shrimps and eels.
Common Marine Life Sightings:
King crabs, banded coral shrimp, green moray eels, green turtles, yellow goatfish, margate, furry sea cucumbers, black groupers, yellowfin groupers, Nassau groupers, Caribbean spiny and spotted lobsters, great barracudas, scrawled filefish, midnight parrotfish, orange file fish, yellow head jaw fish, pederson cleaner shrimp, glassy sweepers, oceanic trigger fish.
El Aguila Wreck Dive Site...
The Eagle wreck rests in 100ft/30m of water just off Sandy Bay in Roatan, Honduras
Common Marine Life Sightings:
Green moray eels, black groupers, yellowfin groupers, Nassau groupers, tiger groupers, dog snappers, barracudas, king crabs, garden eels, blue parrotfish, midnight parrotfish, Carribean spiny lobsters, brown chromis, creole wrasse, yellowline arrow crabs, banded coral shrimp, bearded fire worms, spiny head blennies.
Seaquest Dive Site...
Common Marine Life Sightings:
Eagle rays, southern stingrays, hog fish, sharptail eels, hawksbill turtles, spotted drumfish, peacock flounders, creole wrasse, blue chromis, queen angel fish, oceanic trigger fish, queen trigger fish, spotted moray eels, sail fin blennies, pederson cleaner shrimp, banded coral shrimp, peppermint shrimp, Atlantic spade fish, cryptic teardrop crabs, pipe fish,
Texas Dive Site...
We drop in for some truly thrilling diving either along West End Wall or at Pablo's Place. As you fly past forests of fan coral and black gorgonians surrounded bycreole wrasse, you'll see triggerfish and groupers sweeping by in the deep. The converging currents at the tip of Roatan island, Honduras will then whisk you over this vast plateau which ranges in depth from 50ft/14m to 70ft/63m before the deep drop off. Large predators such as groupers, barracudas, snappers and jacks sway above the gigantic barrel sponges looking to make a meal of the smaller schooling fish. this site is perfect for a PADI Adventure Drift Dive and is often considered Roatan's best dive site for Advanced Divers...
Common Marine Life Sightings:
Spotted lobsters, king crabs, green moray eels, turtles, black groupers, yellowfin groupers, marbled groupers, Nassau groupers, great barracudas, dog snappers, cubera snappers, scrawled filefish, whitespotted filefish,eagle rays, southern stingrays, queen triggerfish, oceanic triggerfish, honeycomb cowfish, horse eye jacks, wahoo, tuna, creole wrasse.
Spooky Channel Dive Site...
Common Marine Life Sightings:
Glassy sweepers, silversides, southern sennet, Caribbean spiny and spotted lobsters, king crabs, banded coral shrimp, black groupers, yellowfin groupers, marbled groupers, bearded fireworms, hermit crabs, rough file clams, great barracudas, dog snappers, yellow snappers, southern stingrays, creole wrasse.
Glassy sweepers, silversides, southern sennet, Caribbean spiny and spotted lobsters, king crabs, banded coral shrimp, black groupers, yellowfin groupers, marbled groupers, bearded fireworms, hermit crabs, rough file clams, great barracudas, dog snappers, yellow snappers, southern stingrays, creole wrasse.
Hole in the Wall Dive Site...
Common Sightings:
Spotted drum fish, pea crabs, Caribbean spiny lobsters, squirrel fish, Nassau groupers, oceanic trigger fish, french angel fish, queen angel fish, glassy sweepers, lettuce sea slugs, banded coral crabs, yellow line arrow crabs, king crabs, cryptic teardrop crabs
Get in touch with the diving team at Roatan Divers...
We're happy to answer any questions you may have about scuba diving with us or taking any of our PADI courses. We are always on hand to give you valuable advice on how to make the most of your diving vacation on the beautiful Caribbean island of Roatan. Simply contact us for more information or to make your reservation...
