Diving Roatan, the Bay Islands | Honduras

DESTINATION OVERVIEW | Honduras is the second largest country in Central America, its landmass spanning the bridge that connects the north and south American continents and reaching from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

The principal dive sites are on the Caribbean side around the Bay Islands, which are ringed by some very pretty coral reefs. The largest island is Roatan, a lively place with plenty of American influence. The centre of the island is lush with forested hills that drop to a coast studded by tiny cayes, mangroves and water inlets called bights.

A narrow barrier reef circles the island. Outside there are steeper walls cut by channels and fissures leading in to calm lagoons. Fish species are typical of the Caribbean but longsnout seahorses are fairly common. Rare bluebell tunicates are one of the most colourful sights as hundreds of tiny tunicates cluster to form a display of 'flowers'.

Roatan scuba diving features

PROS AND CONS | As Roatan has an international airport, reaching the Bay Islands from the USA is easy. All the Bay Islands are good value for divers especially when compared to other more famous Caribbean island diving destinations plus there is a little bit more of the classic 'Caribbean' feel.

SCUBA DIVING | Although the Caribbean doesn't have the quantity of marine species that are found in some areas of the world, there are more species around the Bay Islands than in any other part due to their location and the geography of Central America. Conditions tend to be straightforward.

OPINION | We have been to this area several times as it is great value for money and there are some incredible historical sights on the mainland. The dive style is easy-going and there are some surprises every now and then. On Roatan, we have stayed mostly at CoCo View Resort, which tends to attract lots of clubs and groups but the shore diving makes this a favourite for us - inside the CoCo View lagoon is a shipwreck and a plane wreck, a seagrass bed for juvenile rays and good critter hunting.

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