Roatan Diving - Roatan Dive Shops Dive Sites and Resorts
Roatan is nestled in the ottom left Caribbean, a rough 'jewel' frequented by scuba divers, backpackers and cruise shippers. With its latin/carib culture, lush landscapes and aquamarine waters. This Honduran island (one of the bay islands) stands out. Roatan promises an unforgettable adventure.
[Editors note this is a very old article and things will have changed a bit even though in Roatan they do so very slowly.]
I managed to get my taxi come collectivo for 11 Lempiras from west end with. The destination was a botanical gardens situated opposite Anthoney’s Key Resort, in fact you wont miss the stop unless you’re asleep. There’s a big sign (of course green) for the gardens labeled Carambola Gardens And Nature Trails. So I paid my driver and walked into the entrance which is a shop with all the usual gifts but nothing which really stood out. I was greeted by mina who worked there and spoke good English. I paid my entrance fee of 85 lempiras mina gave me a map and told me of a logical route to take.
Kite Surfing in Roatan
You can get to Copan and the Mayab ruins in a day from Roatan. You will need to leave early and catch the first ferry to the mainland Honduras.The place the ferry lands is called La Ceiba. From here you will go via San Pedro Sula and there change for Copan 3 - 5 hours of bus, Hedman Alas run one of the better quality services though if they are not handy the other buses are an experience one should take from time to time.
The bus ride is a pretty one as with most from within Central America and the smells will revive even the most down trodden weary traveller.
It should be noted and said Copan is also a lovely village, well worth the effort. But don't stop there>> Guatemala, el Salvador, Mexico....
Dive to depths of 600m or 2000 feet in Roatan's yellow submarine in half moon bay.
You can find this activity all over Roatan. Half moon bay is a great spot for this with an interesting calm bay. The more adventurous can venture around into the west end bay, this is hard to appreciate otherwise spots like the Blue Marlin you can catch a drink from and see the diving goings on for example.
A more recent paddle boarding has also arrived and in half moon bay. The only thing to watch for is the reef but its easy as you get full instructions and guide. Its harder to actually fall off !
This sport is sweeping the world and it hasn't missed Roatan. Available at several places like just next to sundowners in Half Moon Bay - Steve's Paddle Shack. Watch out for the coral and the winds some people have gotten stuck the author towed (at great damage to the reef) some unlucky tourists !
A once in a lifetime experience of getting close and touching Dolphins. The Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphins are penned up here and can choose to leave if they like. Its all the clapping and compliments that keep them coming back for more. Or its the fish! This tour is split into 2 parts and you can do the following
This is no dolphin show no its much more hands on and we mean it! Here you are in the water with them for both types of tour. The trainer gets you an introduction and some rules of the road which are minimal and ensure your safety and the welfare of the Dolphin.
It raises a great question how do Dolphins sleep? Dolphins have the ability to switch one half of their brains off in a kind of sleep mode while the other half maintains enough conciousness to rest at the surface. Then it swaps.
How long can a Dolphin hold its breath for? Dolphins can hold their breath for around 10 minutes. The musculature must take an awful lot of Oxygen for them to function otherwise they may be able like turtles to stay underwater for hours.
I’m not sure how Pristine Bay escaped our attentions for so long I think we knew about it and really wanted to put the info on our website for you and we just didn’t get around to it. But to have a comprehensive guide to Roatan without telling you about Pristine bay would be like having just the first Pirates of the Caribbean !
So what is Pristine Bay ? It’s a resort based around the only Golf course on Roatan. Roatan is growing up fast. Pete Dye designed the course and its called the black pearl. If you have been diving full on for a few days having a swing in the sun might just be the ticket. If your not staying there no problem or not mooring at the 155 foot sliped marina. Yes this is a 5 star Resort and Spa.
Here we show you what you can do in Roatan whether it be rent a paddle board or go on a tour of Roatan after docking from your cruise ship.
