Roatan, which was previously known as Rattan or Ruatan, is located in the western Caribbean, and is the site of the world’s second largest barrier reef. Offering divers the opportunity to dive in unspoiled, blue water, and home to plenty of diving resorts as well as hotels and independent dive operators, this is an amazing place to enjoy world class diving at good prices. While there are plenty of excellent Roatan dive sites to discover, some do stand out from the crowd! Here is a sampling of just five of the best.
Calvin’s Crack
A magnificent crack which gives testament to the incredibly powerful geologic forces that shaped the island, Calvin’s Crack is ideal for intermediate divers with a good grasp of buoyancy control. This beautiful canyon begins in 26 feet of water in a narrow slot that slowly widens as it descends to meet the seabed at a depth of 85 feet. Beautifully wreathed in colorful coral, including profuse wire coral that waves in the slight current, this is a colorful site which is filled with fish and other aquatic life, including moray eels, crabs, and the occasional small shark.
Mary’s Place
Mary’s Place is a beautiful section of reef which begins at 12 feet, and which allows for a descent along its outer coral wall to a sandy slope at 100 feet, followed by a peek out into the deep blue abyss beyond. With coral filled fissures and cracks that hold an abundance of orange elephant ear sponges, beautiful blue vase sponges, and fantastic rope sponges, plus black coral and deep water gorgonians further down, the site is home to an endless parade of colorful marine life. You’ll find everything from purple and yellow fairy basslets to schooling silversides, to nurse sharks here, all of which are extraordinarily healthy. The site has been under a rigorous protection plan ever since 1997, and is restricted to divers capable of demonstrating good buoyancy control. Bring your camera – only one dive per person, per vacation is allowed here at what is known as Roatan’s best dive site.
Keyhole
A fantastic underwater slot canyon that begins at the mooring, then leads through the fringing reef and up into the lagoon, Keyhole is home to a diverse array of marine life, and features beautiful narrow overhangs that filter the sunlight, creating an amazing lightshow. The canyon is home to green and spotted moray eels, spadefish and yellowtail snappers, shoals of shimmering silversides, and lots of invertebrates. Maximum depth here is 90 feet, and the site is reserved for experienced divers only.
Barracuda
At Barracuda, you’re very likely to encounter numerous nurse sharks, as well as the grinning barracuda the site is named for. You’ll also find porcupine fish, angel fish and triggerfish, beautiful tangs, and lots of others as you explore the many swim-throughs and sandy patches, as well as a shallow gravel canyon. This varied terrain offers depths from 26 to 100 feet, and is a great place for photography, as the coral is large and colorful, as are the sponges. Due to depth and the fact that the prescribed dive profile includes swimming through tight spaces, this site is reserved for those with plenty of experience.
Insidious Reef
A fantastic place to encounter larger pelagics, including hogfish, tobacco fish, black durgeons, sharks, and schooling jacks, as well as sea turtles and the occasional pod of dolphins, Insidious Reef is located on an underwater crest about half a mile south of the main fringing reef. The reef begins at 55 feet and leads to a wall that drops away into the Bartlett Trench more than 5,000 feet below. Beautifully decorated with stands of staghorn and pillar corals, and featuring ledges and overhangs, this site is a magnificent underwater paradise you’ll want to visit more than once! Intermediate divers are welcome to explore the reef top, while experts will enjoy a journey to the wall.
Roatan is gaining popularity, and while it is still easy to get reservations in a hurry, there are many different dive operators as well as several hotels and resorts to choose from. Each has something special to offer, so choose your favorite, work on your buoyancy control, and enjoy what is certain to be an amazing trip you won’t soon forget.