The top 32 dive and snorkel sites in Roatán, ranked by diver reviews, with maps and photos. Read the Roatán guide
Go all the way to the west end of the beach and swim out. The patch reef starts in 4 four feet of water and soon gets you to the wall dropping over 200-feet. It can also be accessed for free by any diver.
Bay Islands Beach Resort is home of the famous Spooky Channel. The channel offers three unique shore diving opportunities: the inside reef for snorkelers to view the large coral heads and friendly parrot fish; the channel itself, which is a grand-canyon-like dive of 15 meters wide and 30 meters deep; and the outer reef that houses all the expected life of Roatan's North shore. Guaranteed lobsters, shrimps, octopus, rays and groupers. Along the short stretch of road between Half Moon Bay and Sandy Bay on the Northwest side of the island.
Sandy Bay beach is the closest entry for the dive through the Little Channel. The reef wall is about 300 meters beyond the beach. This should be considered an advanced dive due to the distance of the kick-out. Take the main road North out of Coxen Hole to cross the island. As soon as you see the ocean again, you are at Sandy Bay!
I said in my log book that it should be called Mary's Palace instead. It is a spectacular dive, and I'm surprised no one has added this yet. There is a beautiful reef and an interesting swim-through. If you are in the area, you MUST do this dive! South side of the island between the towns of Coxen Hole and French Harbour. Mary's Place is also known as Mary's Palace.
"Cara a Cara" in spanish means "Face to face". The dive with sharks in Cara a Cara is around USD 75 per person (1 dive); briefing (in class) and then dive with the Grey Sharks. The dive time is around 35 minutes and the DiveMaster gives the sharks a bucket full of fish so the divers can see a live feeding frenzy. A big green moray and some big and domestic groupers too. Wonderful dive!! If you go to Roatan, you must do this one! Cara a Cara is also known as Shark dive, Face to Face.
Probably the best dive site on Roatan! You may see here: groupers, wrasse, angels, hogfish , barracuda and the unqiue Sargassum triggerfish! Texas is located at the end of the island (west side)
Good dive, great wall, many fish, Easy at the banarama West-End or the TGI, Mayan princess and some other. Close to West End Beach West End Wall is also known as Westendwall.
Sunny Side B&B is another access point to the Spooky Channel. Although not a full service dive resort operation, it is the closest dock to the channel, with a spectacular beach for the non-divers in your group. Don't show up unannounced at this location; diving is generally for the guests of the B&B only. Along the short stretch of road between Half Moon Bay and Sandy Bay on the Northwest side of the island.
El Aguila is a 210' cargo boat. She lays in 100 feet of water on a sandy floor. One of the best dive of the island! Northern side of the island.
Step into the water about 3-4 feet deep, it drops off gradually to about 20 feet and then about 75 yards offshore the wall drops well over 100 feet. Lots of tangs, yellowtails, crabs lobster and a lot of octopus at night Located in the very west of Flowers Bay. From West End or West Bay head to the Southside to Flowers Bay. Take a right at end of road, past the old white church, look for tall blue house on the shore side.
Blue Channel is a 4.5-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Honduras, Bay Islands, Roatan Island which is accessible from shore based on 2 ratings.
One of the best dive sites in roatan especially when the current is picking you up all along the wall till you end the dive over a nice pletau of corall and you finish the dive somewhere in the blue :-)! When there's current plenty of fish as big barracudas, eagle rays, sometimes reefsharks, nursesharks and even hammerdead shark have been seen there, green morrey eels, turtles and king krabs, not to forget lots of lobsters! if very lucky whalesharks are possible in the right season! the only way to access this dive site is by boat, depending on which dive shop you choose it will take between 10 minutes (from west bay) and 20 minutes (from west end) to go there. Ocean can be choppy and currents can be strong.
Just outside of Half Moon Bay on the Northwest side of the island, you'll find a small resort that has an unusual access to some advanced diving. Entry into the water is easy from this site; getting out isn't! Generally, divers swim around the bend to the left and exit at the Half Moon Bay Cabins, our next site. The gentleman, Tulio, standing in our intro picture was our tour guide for our stay on the island. Tulio is a part-time dive instructor, a part-time tour guide, and a full-time conversationalist. Born on Roatan, he is fully familiar with the diving and local life on the island. If you are staying in Coco View or Fantasy Island, ask for him by name if you need a quick ride to a dive site or a full day tour. In Half Moon Bay at the far Northwest end of the island.
Half Moon Bay offers something for both snorkelers and divers. The shallower waters of the protected bay makes for a leisurely swim right off the beach, and a more advanced dive can be had around the bend of the bay off the reef's edge. This is also the exit point for the advanced shore dive of the previous site, Sea Grape. Half Moon Bay Cabins also has an excellent restaurant for lunch or dinner. In the Eastern side of Half Moon Bay at the far Northwest end of the island.
Lighthouse Reef is a 4.0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Honduras, Bay Islands, Roatan Island which is accessible from shore based on 1 ratings.
Turtle crossing is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Honduras, Bay Islands, Roatan Island which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
Green house is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Honduras, Bay Islands, Roatan Island which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
Based on Zentacle reviews, the top-rated sites in Roatán are West Bay Beach (5.0 from 3 reviews), Spooky Channel (4.6 from 7 reviews) and Sandy Bay (5.0 from 1 review).
The top-rated beginner sites are Spooky Channel (4.6 from 7 reviews), Mary's Place (5.0 from 1 review) and Cara a Cara (5.0 from 1 review).
West Bay Beach, Spooky Channel, Sandy Bay and Sunny Side B&B are the top-rated sites you can enter from shore.
Zentacle lists 24 dive shops in Roatán. The top-rated are Roatan Divers (5.0 from 172 reviews) and Sun Divers Roatan (4.9 from 158 reviews).
