Roatan Diving
I’ve traveled to Roatan many times and stayed on different parts of the island. West End is my favorite area and we’ve stayed at a hotel there and a couple of times in a private villa right on Half Moon Bay. We have also stayed in a villa near Gibson Bight, which is not too far from West End. There are many dive shops, bars, and restaurants in West End and this seems to be the place where most of the action takes place, other than at the resorts. I’ve also stayed several times at an all-inclusive resort on the north side.
Diving is done all around the island, but overall, I prefer diving on the west end. Some of my favorite sites here are: West End Wall, Hole In The Wall, Canyon Reef, and Spooky Channel. On the south side of the island, near French Harbor, you can dive one of Roatan's signature dive sights, Mary's Place. Valley of the Kings is another excellent dive in this area. On the north side, some of my favorites are Turquoise Bay Channel, Turquoise Bay Wall, Dolphin’s Den, and Rockstar. Every time I’ve been to Roatan the visibility has been exceptional. Typical sea life seen here: schools of tropical fish, groupers, turtles, lobsters, dolphins, sharks, eagle rays and octopuses. Occasionally, whale sharks can be seen here, but are most often seen off the sister island of Utila. This is also an excellent place to experience bioluminescence on night dives. We have seen the String of Pearls many times.
On a non-diving day, a great excursion is to hire a boat in Oak Ridge and explore the large patches of mangroves. We also visited a legendary restaurant/bar in this area, called Hole In The Wall. We enjoyed a couple of hours eating and drinking here.
Bottom line: Roatan is one of the most economical places in the Caribbean. Everything, including accommodations, food, and diving, is really cheap. The diving is world-class, the people are extremely friendly, and the vibe is really laid back. Two small downsides are that it can get crowded if a cruise ship is in port at West Bay, and the insects can be unbearable at times. Bring plenty of insect repellent and sunscreen.
