Belize or Honduras

[lep]

Hi there,

My friend and I are wanting to take a scuba trip together in March. We are torn between visiting Las Rocas in Roatan or Glovers Atoll in Belize. Can anyone give me any advice. Which has the better diving? I'm advanced diver, he is new diver.

We are torn between staying in more of a city atmosphere or the more isolated atoll.

Thanks
LEP

 

[Doc]

in more of a city atmosphere or the more isolated atoll

Ahh yes, the big city atmosphere of Las Rocas and the environs. Absolutely downtown frenzy. You must be kidding, right? What kind of stories have they been telling in Malaysia?

Lets just say that if at some point you want to see a few people, it would be easier to walk to that from Las Rocas, have a few beers, dance naked on the tables, then go back to Las Rocas where it would be only as loud as the ocean.

By advanced diver, that can mean many things. If you have superb buoyancy skills and equally well honed observational ability, both Roatan and Belize will give you a huge payoff. It takes that ability to put your mask faceplate inches from a tiny critter which may be wedged into the reef... then with an inhalation... lift yourself out.

There is lots to see in either place, but whatever you do, stay with your DM and bring a flashlight on every dive. Your eyes might need it to see the camouflaged critter hiding in the shadows- that only your DM could see.

 

[hopefulist]

Haven't been to Las Rocas but loved both Glover's and Roatán. Glover's is amazing but, as noted, there's more to do (in addition to diving and snoozing in a hammock) on Roatán. Can't miss with those 2 - remember to post a trip report when you get back. Happy trails!

 

[Riding]

Hi You'll have to decise where you want to go, Belize & Roatan are both great. We just came back from a week with Coconut Divers in the West End of Roatan and had a great week of diving; I just got to edit my pictures.

 

[seadoggirl]

I went to both Belize and Roatan in 07. Didn't stay at either of these locations but for my money Belize was the better diving. Either site is great.

 

[2Narced]

Don't know specifics about Las Rocas, having only been to CocoView on Roatan.

Spent a week at Glover's Atoll in 2005 at Manta Resort, and really liked that location. It is quite isolated, with a 30-mile, 3-hour boat ride from Belize City to the little 12-acre bump of sand. The diving operation was well run, the food was good, the accommodations, in small air-conditioned cabins were great. Overall just a very well run place in a pretty remote location.

Don't think you can go wrong with either location actually, or other spots in the Bay Islands for that matter. We were going to go back to Roatan in March, but ended up deciding on a return trip to Utila instead. That might be another option you'd want to consider as well.

 

[Dave C]

Hopefully my reply is not too late. I may be the only person on the earth who has been to both the Manta Resort on Glovers Reef and at Las Rocas in Roatan, so I feel obligated to reply. I stayed at Manta about 10 years ago and Las Rocas 2 years ago. As the others have said, I don't think you can go wrong with either, but really, it's comparing apples and oranges. They were both good, but very different experiences. I am an avid snorkeler, but don't dive, so I can't comment on the diving differences. At both resorts, there is no shore scuba diving. Overall, I think Las Rocas and Roatan was the more memorable experience because of the much greater diversity of Roatan, the excellent snorkeling from the shore, and the rugged beauty of the island. However, I stayed two weeks at Las Rocas (vs. 6 days at Manta) and since it was only 2 years ago, this may be affecting my perceptions. I think a beginning diver would enjoy Roatan more. The day trips we took by boat from Roatan to Utila and the Cayos Cochinos were highlights. Here are some above and below water photos I took at Roatan that include a number of photos of Las Rocas:

Roatan Honduras 2006 land Photo Gallery by Dave_Clausen at pbase.com
Roatan Honduras 2006 underwater Photo Gallery by Dave_Clausen at pbase.com

Also, I wrote a long trip report about Las Rocas and Roatan that I completed about 98% and never quite finished, so I foolishly never posted it. I will p.m. the report to you.

 

[hopefulist]

Others might be interested - willing to post here?