colorful sponges/coral

[yellowfish]

After returning from a week diving Roatan, we are wondering where to find a great place to dive next spring that has really beautiful and colorful sponges and coral. Roatan was mostly shades of beige. Been to Curacao, but the family wants more palm trees and lovely topside out of the water too. Been to Cozumel, Akumal, Bermuda, Belize, Bahamas, BVI and still looking for just the right place. Any suggestions for Caribbean/Central America diving with color color color and palm trees?

 

[tadeotadeo]

San Andres and or Old PRovidence might be worth looking into.
Ciao

 

[robint]

After returning from a week diving Roatan, we are wondering where to find a great place to dive next spring that has really beautiful and colorful sponges and coral. Roatan was mostly shades of beige. Been to Curacao, but the family wants more palm trees and lovely topside out of the water too. Been to Cozumel, Akumal, Bermuda, Belize, Bahamas, BVI and still looking for just the right place. Any suggestions for Caribbean/Central America diving with color color color and palm trees?

Hmmmm..... are you carrying a dive light with you to see the colors correctly? YOu do realize that the color spectrum is decreased the deeper you go and that you need light in order to see the TRUE colors. Right?

Personally, I thought Roatan (southside dive sites,, stayed at CCV resort) reefs had were some of the most colorful, healthy, and vibrant that we have seen anywhere! The walls are covered with every color of sponge and every type of coral.

It sounds like most of your diving has been done from a cruise ship (given the total number of dives you have listed) and maybe they took you to some badly abused reefs without much color (common practice for cruise ship divers), but for a week in Roatan you should have seen gorgeous color and palm trees. Where did you stay and who did you dive with? The other places you mentioned, like Belize and Cozumel, have very colorful reefs.

robin

 

[diver 85]

Little Cayman.....Bloody Bay is 2nd to none.......LCBeach Resort in particular, you'll love it & I'm basing this on 25+ trips to Roatan vs 1 trip to LC......

 

[tridacna]

After returning from a week diving Roatan, we are wondering where to find a great place to dive next spring that has really beautiful and colorful sponges and coral. Roatan was mostly shades of beige. Been to Curacao, but the family wants more palm trees and lovely topside out of the water too. Been to Cozumel, Akumal, Bermuda, Belize, Bahamas, BVI and still looking for just the right place. Any suggestions for Caribbean/Central America diving with color color color and palm trees?

In order to see many differently colored corals, you will have to travel a little. The really colorful (mostly soft) corals are found in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Robint is correct regarding sufficient light... but until you see some of the more IMO spectacular corals such as Green Stylophora, Red Seriatopora, Euphyllia or Lobophyllia, you won't think that the Caribbean is so spectacular. I've dived all over the world. For color, you cannot beat Maldives, Madagascar, Marshall Islands and Fiji. Anyone who tells you that the Caribbean can match up to those destinations in terms of COLOR needs an eye exam.

 

[yellowfish]

RobinT
Would never be on cruise ship in the first place, why would you even assume that? Dove with Banarama from West Bay whole trip in Roatan.
I appreciate the other suggestions...thanks, I will look into it.

 

[RonFrank]

Robint is guessing that you are a cruise diver because you list seven great destinations, and you list that you have 0-24 dives in the profile. That would mean about three dives per destination assuming you were certified at one of them!

I have not done the other side of the world, but based on a LOT of footage it sure seems nice. However I've seen a LOT of color in Coz, so if you were unhappy there, you may not be happy on this side of the planet! :blinking:

Color has a lot to do with sunlight/depth/vis and a dive light! Reds get muted quickly, and everything starts to look more grey at 100'. On a cloudy day everything looses contrast and color UW.

 

[yellowfish]

I am a new member to this site, but I have to say I am suprised by the snarky replies from some fellow divers! What is that all about?
I loved what is in the water at Cozumel, have been there a few times. I was asking for other ideas of places to try out. Cozumel is the most colorful, and absolutely wonderful below the surface. And...wow, does anybody here ever have stuff go on in their lives that prevents them from getting away more often. Geez you guys...you think you would just kindly have suggestions for a fellow diver.
Instead of commentary about me, if you don't have a suggestion for a great and colorful new place to dive, you really don't need to post a reply here.

 

[diversteve]

Grand Cayman probably has most of what you want. Coral on coral, lots of big sponges. Some topside stuff also, there's a waterpark - Boatswains Beach, limited golf, jetskis, shopping in town, nice beaches, palm trees etc. Pricey though...
While I agree with Bloody Bay Wall on LC for the diving, the surface activities are extremely limited there. It's fairly easy to do both however. if you don't mind burning a dive day to travel between them.

 

[DeputyDan]

Little Cayman.....Bloody Bay is 2nd to none.......LCBeach Resort in particular, you'll love it & I'm basing this on 25+ trips to Roatan vs 1 trip to LC......

I would have made this excat post but I have not been to Roatan that many tiems.


Little Cayman ................. nuff said