Popular Dive Sites
Satoshi’s Grave
Once upon a time, there was a tech-savvy treasure hunter named Dusan. He had heard rumors of a vast amount of Bitcoin buried somewhere in the Caribbean near the Scuba Shop. So he decided to embark on an adventure to find this treasure…
The Wreck of Mr. Bud on the southern shore of Roatan sits at a depth of approx. 60 ft. The Wreck is surrounded by sand flats filled with jawfish, Kadu, and Pinheiro.
Home of the original Deep Thinker Scuba Shirt. Purchase your Deep Thinker long sleeve tShirt on our website or directly at the Scuba Shop.
PRO TIP: Shirts can be shipped or they can be waiting on you when you arrive at the Scuba Shop.
Roatan, Honduras
About 30 miles off of the northern coast of Honduras lies one of the Caribbean's most precious gems: Roatan. The dazzling array of sea life can be found across shallow or plummeting reef walls. The waters surrounding Roatan are well-known to divers around the world, and they are home to the largest fish in the sea, the majestic whale shark. Divers from all over the globe (and with varied experiences) visit Roatan each year. They do so because of the tranquility of the surrounding water. There are coral gardens, sand flats, shark dives, and shipwrecks like the Aguila and the Odyssey to explore. There is never a boring moment on land or below the surface. What follows are 25 good reasons why you should consider a Roatan Scuba.
Macro
1) MANDY'S EEL GARDEN: Known for its scorpionfish, yellow tilefish, streams of creole wrasse, and of course, it beautiful sand patched filled with garden eels. The dive site is located on Roatan's northwest end.
2) EL AGUILA: El Aguila is a spectacular shipwreck with swim-throughs, passing eagle rays, grouper, and an adjacent coral reef. But the real showstopper is the ship's mast. Be sure to take the time to peruse the coral-covered structures, and keep a lookout for arrowhead and neck crabs. There are also slender filefish, charming secretary blennies, and fireworms.
SEE HORSES: It's no secret that Seahorses are masters of hiding in plain sight. And there are so many Seahorses surrounding Roatan. Divers who scuba dive Roatan must make sure to move slowly and keep a sharp eye for these magnificent creatures. And, if you're lucky, you will come across a cousin of the Seahorse, the Pipefish.
3) JAWFISH: Sand patches are not void of life. On the contrary, they are settlers for much marine life. As you scuba dive Roatan, keep vigilant for burrows built by yellow-headed jawfish. Male jawfish carry their eggs inside their mouths, so be patient, you may just manage to catch one aerating the clutch as they pop the eggs in and out of his mouths.
4) TRUNKFISH: One of the best finds while diving in Roatan is baby trunkfish, or more commonly know, "peas." They're called peas because of their tiny size and round shape. They are simply adorable.
Conservation
6) ROATAN MARINE PARK: The Sandy Bay and West End Marine Reserve (Roatan Marine Park) were established in 1989 on the northwestern side of Roatan. The park has expanded to now include some 17 miles of coastline, which currently protects some 10,400 square miles of coral Reef. Read More →
7) CORAL REEF: The sheer amount of coral surround Roatan is unreal. This is especially true for that shallow sunlit coral that is so beautiful to see from the shore or from above as visitors arrive on Roatan. Every color on the spectrum can be found in the surrounding coral. But the reef color isn't the whole story; there is also a wide variety and diversity in the types of corals found on Roatan. Scuba Diving Roatan can reveal everything from pillar and flower coral to staghorn and elkhorn coral. Read More →
9) CARAMBOLA: Few come to Roatan looking for Carambola Mountain. But it is there, and it must be enjoyed. Be sure to spend time on terra firma (firm land) and take in the tropical beauty of Roatan's topside at Carambola Gardens. You can hike up Carambola Mountain for a spectacular view of Roatan, and you'll marvel at all the exotic fauna and flora you'll come across. There are orchids, Honduran Mahogany trees, and wildlife like the "jesus lizard," or also known as the "Monkey Lala lizard."
R.I.M.S.
(Roatan Institute for Marine and Science)
Indeed an established organization on the island, the Roatan Institute for Marine Science, continues to provide educations opportunities for local and international students. The organization hosts university, college, and high school groups in their laboratory, classrooms, and marine life sanctuaries. They are located next door to Anthony's Key and Bailey's Key, where visitors can interact with Dolphins.
10 ) MESOAMERICAN REEF: The Bay Island of Honduras and the surrounding Reef is better known as the Mesoamerican Reef. Roatan and its sister islands sit on the southernmost portion of this enormous Reef. The coral reef extends some 600 miles and is considered to be the biggest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere & the second-largest Reef on the planet.
Walls
11) MARY'S PLACE: Narrow crevices make Mary's Place one of the most (if not the most) popular sites to dive on Roatan. The dive site is covered in sponges and black coral. Once you're in the fissures, be sure to gaze up for a majestic view of Roatan's marine ecosystem. Mary's place also has one of Roatan's most visited swim-throughs. And there is more to see after the swim-through. The top of the adjacent Reef overlooks a steep and fascinating dropoff.
12) ON THE EDGE: Roatan sits on the Bonacca Ridge, which is an underwater mountain range that rests on the edge of the 25,000 ft deep Cayman Trench. The results are spectacular walls and dizzying dropoffs. The ocean floor drops hundreds, and even thousands, of feet down.
13 ) WEST END WALL: This dive site's coral-and-sponge encrusted walls are as deep as 100 ft to 200 ft. The site is a magnet for tarpon and sea turtles, and it is also frequented by large schools of horse-eye jacks, creole wrasse, and chubs.
14 ) CALVIN'S CRACK: This amazing swim-through starts right around 20 ft, and then it drops off to some 90 feet down the wall. There are Schooling silversides that only add to the magic, and those of you with keen eyesight might come across an elusive toadfish.
15 ) THE ABYSS: For those curious to see what lies below just beyond recreational limits? Just take a submarine ride with Stanley's Subs down the reef wall. Your expedition into the deep blue will take you down to 2,000 ft below the surface into the realm of sixgill sharks. You'll also come across other deep-sea oddities.
Unique Sites
16 ) SWIM WITH DOLPHINS: Anthony's Key Resort offers guided scuba and snorkel trips and a dolphin encounter that gives you the opportunity to meet their local resident pod of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in their own ecosystem.
17 ) FOR THE BIRDS: Visit Pigeon Cay with the Scuba Shop. This is a beautiful, uninhabited sandbar just off Roatan's east end. The trip will help you get off the grid and relax. You can spend your day picnicking, lounging, and playing on the beach. Don't forget to bring your snorkeling gear!
18 ) OVER THE MOON: Half Moon Bay, in Roatan's West End, is easily accessible from the shore and is full of marine life — Lobsters, juvenile fish, eels, and sea turtles are in abundance in this part of Roatan. There is a sunken submarine in the area, so keep an eye out for it.
19 ) WRECK SPOTTING: Prince Albert is close enough to CoCo Views resort that it can be done from their shoreline as a shore dive. You can also get the Scuba Shop at Little French Key to take you out to it. The Prince Albert ship sits on the channel just past fantasy island. When visibility is good, the entire 140-foot tanker can be easily seen from the surface.
24 ) CARA A CARA: Spanish for "face to face," this shark dive occurs on Roatan's south side, and it lets you get up close and intimate with the island's toothy reef shark inhabitants. Enjoy the face time with half a dozen or more reef sharks, and if you're lucky, you may witness a scalloped hammerhead swimming by.