Things we learned during our dive month in Roatan

[JossRincon]

Writing this while we are still here - just 6 days to go before we head out. But while it's fresh:

1. A month on Roatan is an awesome way to get to know both the Island and the Barrier Reef. So many dive spots! If you have the time, take it.
2. Jan/Feb are BUSY times in Roatan, but you can still get plenty of good diving in if you are there for more than a week. Give yourself as much time as you can, though - we had almost a week of rain and incredible winds. However, our local dive shop (see below) was able to get us to good water on the south side for a few of those days.
3. The West Bay is a wonderful area to stay and have your pick of dive operations that can take you to where the water is best. We will likely come back to this area next year. Or sooner.
4. The West End (just a few minutes up from West Bay) is similar, and has some really good dive equipment shops, including MARES and CRESSI if you need something specific or a repair. Also, cheaper restaurants than West Bay. Mostly, though, it's a single strip with restaurants/tourist locations and some excellent off-street finds.
5. If you find a good dive shop.... stick with 'em! We dove with West Bay Divers for the entire month. (We went out of the beach shop, but they opened a location at the Kimpton as well that's a 10 minute walk down the beach.) Originally, we planned to do more all-island exploring, but many factors led to us deciding to forgo the car (driving here = nah, thanks tho.) It also helped that we are a 5 minute walk from a huge number of dive shops, and chose West Bay divers to start due to what we saw of their shop and boats. Organized, well staffed, great boats and smaller groups with each dive master. Plus, we'd seen some comments here on the forum giving them good reviews. We made the right decision! They are super professional, safe, organized, knowledgable, and accommodating. Over the month we've not been to the same dive site once (although a couple of them we wish we could go back to!!) They are well staffed and we've been paired with three excellent dive master throughout our stay: Gaby, Emil, and Sean (sp... will correct if needed!) where all amazing. Barny in the shop keeping us laughing and also getting us spots on boats... Edwin, Alex, and Anthony on the boats, and all those who we interacted with but didn't dive with. Y'all rock, and make it so easy to just have a good time. Thank you.
6. Bring chilly-temp gear with you for the winter.
7. If you have a dive camera or GoPro or whatever.... PLEASE look away from your viewfinder and make sure you're aware of other divers.
8. If you are in Valley of the Kings and you find a random Akaso E7000 way deep in the bottom somewhere.... it's mine. (from 2023... I have a lanyard now...)
9. Don't buy groceries in local tourist stores unless you need just one thing. Go to Eldon's in Coxen Hole and just buy enough to get through your trip.
10. If you need transport: Nahomy Roatan Tours and Transportation is THE way to go for getting around if you don't have a car. (and we really didn't need a car. We were diving!) Cristhian and Gomez and Darbie will make sure you not only get to/from where you want to go on time and safely - you'll decide you want to bring them into your family. Our entire stay here was made amazingly easy with their company.
11. TIP YOUR HOSTS. TIP YOUR Dive Crew. TIP your BARTENDERS, your transportation, your restaurant servers. Reach out and be kind, polite, make an effort to connect and be friendly. In return, you'll dive into a whole new world just as beautiful as the reef that you'll never see if you come from a place of entitlement. BE GENEROUS.
    
    Last: STAY SALTY, friends! Dive deep and safe.

 

[KatieMac]

Writing this while we are still here - just 6 days to go before we head out. But while it's fresh:

Bring chilly-temp gear with you for the winter.

I find that's gone by March. I used to go in February but the weather was not always favorable. Have been going in March for years now

 

[HaraldGS]

Writing this while we are still here - just 6 days to go before we head out. But while it's fresh:

1. A month on Roatan is an awesome way to get to know both the Island and the Barrier Reef. So many dive spots! If you have the time, take it.
2. Jan/Feb are BUSY times in Roatan, but you can still get plenty of good diving in if you are there for more than a week. Give yourself as much time as you can, though - we had almost a week of rain and incredible winds. However, our local dive shop (see below) was able to get us to good water on the south side for a few of those days.
3. The West Bay is a wonderful area to stay and have your pick of dive operations that can take you to where the water is best. We will likely come back to this area next year. Or sooner.
4. The West End (just a few minutes up from West Bay) is similar, and has some really good dive equipment shops, including MARES and CRESSI if you need something specific or a repair. Also, cheaper restaurants than West Bay. Mostly, though, it's a single strip with restaurants/tourist locations and some excellent off-street finds.
5. If you find a good dive shop.... stick with 'em! We dove with West Bay Divers for the entire month. (We went out of the beach shop, but they opened a location at the Kimpton as well that's a 10 minute walk down the beach.) Originally, we planned to do more all-island exploring, but many factors led to us deciding to forgo the car (driving here = nah, thanks tho.) It also helped that we are a 5 minute walk from a huge number of dive shops, and chose West Bay divers to start due to what we saw of their shop and boats. Organized, well staffed, great boats and smaller groups with each dive master. Plus, we'd seen some comments here on the forum giving them good reviews. We made the right decision! They are super professional, safe, organized, knowledgable, and accommodating. Over the month we've not been to the same dive site once (although a couple of them we wish we could go back to!!) They are well staffed and we've been paired with three excellent dive master throughout our stay: Gaby, Emil, and Sean (sp... will correct if needed!) where all amazing. Barny in the shop keeping us laughing and also getting us spots on boats... Edwin, Alex, and Anthony on the boats, and all those who we interacted with but didn't dive with. Y'all rock, and make it so easy to just have a good time. Thank you.
6. Bring chilly-temp gear with you for the winter.
7. If you have a dive camera or GoPro or whatever.... PLEASE look away from your viewfinder and make sure you're aware of other divers.
8. If you are in Valley of the Kings and you find a random Akaso E7000 way deep in the bottom somewhere.... it's mine. (from 2023... I have a lanyard now...)
9. Don't buy groceries in local tourist stores unless you need just one thing. Go to Eldon's in Coxen Hole and just buy enough to get through your trip.
10. If you need transport: Nahomy Roatan Tours and Transportation is THE way to go for getting around if you don't have a car. (and we really didn't need a car. We were diving!) Cristhian and Gomez and Darbie will make sure you not only get to/from where you want to go on time and safely - you'll decide you want to bring them into your family. Our entire stay here was made amazingly easy with their company.
11. TIP YOUR HOSTS. TIP YOUR Dive Crew. TIP your BARTENDERS, your transportation, your restaurant servers. Reach out and be kind, polite, make an effort to connect and be friendly. In return, you'll dive into a whole new world just as beautiful as the reef that you'll never see if you come from a place of entitlement. BE GENEROUS.
    
    Last: STAY SALTY, friends! Dive deep and safe.

Thanks for the report. Might try West Bay divers next time.
I've been to Roatan a few times and have dove with Splash Inn in West Bay twice and Coco View resort once. Coco view is very nice, but pricier.

 

[therookie]

Great summary @JossRincon!

The West End (just a few minutes up from West Bay) is similar, and has some really good dive equipment shops, including MARES and CRESSI if you need something specific or a repair.

I will add that also Sun Divers in West End is a ScubaPro dealer, I believe. They don't carry larger items like fins or BCDs due to space restrictions though.

It's good to know that West Bay Divers is another shop that arranges for dives on the south side when bad weather is coming out of the north. Did they bus you over or take you around the point on their boats?

I think we were there the same week that you are talking about - our dive shop canceled three days of diving in a row due to the winds and resulting heavy seas, which is something they almost never do! I think it was the tail end of that system that brought so much cold and snow to the southern US in January...

 

[wlecyt40]

I find that's gone by March. I used to go in February but the weather was not always favorable. Have been going in March for years now

We went in Late March, early April and conditions were dang near perfect! Next trip booked for May 2026 back to CoCo View Resort for 8 days!! Our boat captain and DM both said May is a good time to go. We were just there a couple of weeks ago and for the first time since we have been going to Roatan, we couldn't dive for a day because 21MPH sustained winds, 33MPH gusts and 8-10ft seas. Tried a shore dive. Well, I will tell you the same thing we told the Dive Ops Manager: we dive in quarries in Missouri and have about five feet of viz. We had about an arms length and that is stretching it a bit.

 

[GreggS]

My wife abd I attended the Scubaboard Invasion at AKR in June, '23 but we stayed in West End both before and after to make a total time of 4 weeks. It was glorious. Like you, we explored the island and just relaxed while stying in West End, diving with Coconut Tree Divers when we felt like it.

And I 2nd your recommendation to stay for an extended time if possible. If I can ever sell my business and fully retire, we would like to go there for up to 2 or 3 months.

 

[laurenceh]

We spend 2-3 months a year in the Bay Islands (primarily Utila) and have done since 2004. We've stopped visiting from mid - October to mid - February, too many rainy days and poor viz. We like warm, clear water and sunshine everyday and from March - September, that's pretty much guaranteed. Our favorite months are May - the end of September, it's glorious.

 

[therookie]

We spend 2-3 months a year in the Bay Islands (primarily Utila) and have done since 2004. We've stopped visiting from mid - October to mid - February, too many rainy days and poor viz. We like warm, clear water and sunshine everyday and from March - September, that's pretty much guaranteed. Our favorite months are May - the end of September, it's glorious.

With the additional benefit of those months being low season, at least for Roatan, so hotel rates are lower

 

[JossRincon]

I find that's gone by March. I used to go in February but the weather was not always favorable. Have been going in March for years now

That's great to know, thanks! We'll definitely be back for a month or so next winter - we love escaping the cold, so any dives are just a bonus - but our best time in the water here was in September last year.

 

[JossRincon]

Thanks for the report. Might try West Bay divers next time.
I've been to Roatan a few times and have dove with Splash Inn in West Bay twice and Coco View resort once. Coco view is very nice, but pricier.

I've heard a LOT of good things about CoCo View - we should check them out. But I must admit I'm hooked on the reasonable prices of West Bay, the very good diver to instructor ratio, and the flexibility that have with sites. And man - full service.