Planning next year's trip. I have been in the Maya Riveria this year and was planning on going to Bonaire but......I have heard that Roatan is better.
I am looking for qualified opinions of these two beautiful dive spots. Which is better under water and which is better all around?
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The answer is "yes" - both are good dive sites, depending on what you are looking for. Roatan has more turtles, sharks (at least at the shark dive), seahorses, wall diving, swim throughs, and West End (if a California surfer dude designed a town this would be it). Roatan offers very competitive prices. BUT, it is more 3rd world in terms of accomodations, drinkability of the water and has it's share of no seeums and mosquitos. Drive at your own risk (issues with rental agencies and safety of drivers - I never saw so many accidents in such a short time in my life). It is a forested island.
Bonaire offers better coral, it's fishier (though smaller stuff mostly), it has more gradual sloping walls, it is the meca of shore diving (dive at your own pace without limits on dive time except your computer and stamina, it does not seem "3rd world" and has nice accommodations, safe to drive, safe to drink the water. It does cost more. It is a desert island. So which one to dive - "yes to both".