The Ultimate Guide To Scuba Diving In Honduras
Ready to get off the beaten path? Ready for something a little more exotic and for a little adventure? Then scuba divers should look no further than the Bay Islands of Honduras.
Central America might get overlooked when thinking about dive travel. However, the underwater mountains, protected reefs with swim-throughs and beautiful marine life all help to make Honduras a prime dive destination for beginner and advanced divers alike.
Getting There
Off of the coast of Honduras is the Bay Islands, which are made up of eight islands and over 60 cays. Of the Islands, there are four main ones with the best dive sites: Roatan; Cayos Cochinos; Utila and Guanja.
Depending on where your travels are taking you, mainland Honduras or one of the Islands, there are several options for airports.
The main international airport in Honduras is the Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport in San Pedro Sula.
Another option for international flights is the Palmerola International airport in Comayagua. Palmerola opened to civilian flights in 2021 to replace the Toncontin International Airport, which was known as one of the world’s scariest runways due to the surrounding mountains and extremely short runway.
If Roatan is your destination, then you’ll want to check out the Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport. While some travelers may have to land on the mainland and then get a flight over to Roatan, there are a few international flights directly to Roatan from places like Toronto, Atlanta, Houston and Miami.
Honduras Accommodations
Whether you want to stay on the mainland or on one of the islands for a little taste of island life, there is no shortage of accommodations to choose from.
Many hotels, like the Infinity Bay Spa & Beach Resort and Splash Inn Dive Resort & Villas on Roatan offer all-inclusive options and on-site diving centers for a little nice extra convenience.
For some thing a little different you can stay at Anthony’s Key Resort with private bungalows. This resort is a go-to for all-inclusive diving in Honduras and the bungalows are perfect for relaxing during surface intervals. We stayed here in 2024 and the accommodations and staff were all excellent.
On Utila there are places like the Utila Lodge Island Dive Resort for all-inclusive diving packages and rustic cozy rooms.
The Lighthouse offers something a little different and is close to the Utila Dive Center. Staying on a pier was never so nice!
On Guanaja you can escape to the Hotel Guanaja that operates the Guanaja Dive Center. This is a rather imamate stay with a total of 10 units. Another great choice for relaxing between dives.
While most travelers, especially scuba travelers, seem to make their way out to the islands there are many accommodations on the mainland including Hotel Palma Real that offers all-inclusive stays and is a nice spot for families with its Jungle Water Park. There is also the beautiful Intercontinental Sula, which we stayed at when we missed our connecting flight, thanks American Airlines, to Roatan from Miami.
Just a quick word on the mainland. Be sure to thoroughly check the area out you will be staying in. They are not all safe.
Honduras Scuba Diving
Once in the water, it won’t take you long to see why scuba diving in Honduras has become a great dive travel destination. Honduras and it’s Bay Islands are part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world behind Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
In addition to the vibrant coral reefs, any scuba dive may yield sea fans, eagle rays, moray eels, nurse sharks, sea turtles, reef sharks, large barrel sponges, manta rays and – of course – countless Caribbean reef fish.
Added to the above are great wall dives where you feel like you are sitting atop underwater mountains before you swim out over the drop-off and gaze into the abyss below you. Oh, and if Whale sharks are what you like, Honduras is a prime spot of encounters!
Dive shops and Liveaboards
As mentioned above, with Honduras diving you will most likely be staying and diving off of one of the major Bay Islands of Honduras. Many of the accommodations offer dive operations right on their grounds for an extra convince.
Some other dive shops of note include The Roatan Dive Center, The Octopus Dive School and Coconut Tree Divers on Roatan; Captain Morgan’s Dive Center, Tank’d Pro Dive Center and Underwater Vision on Utila; and for some private island scuba diving try Cabanas on Clark’s Cay.
Not satisfied with just one of the Bay Islands, then hop aboard the Roatan Aggressor for a liveaboard adventure to several island with a variety of dive sites that can’t be done with land-based diving.
Dive Sites
Looking at a dive map of the waters off of Honduras and you will see that pretty much each island that makes up the Bay Islands is surrounded by dive sites. The hard part for scuba divers will be picking which dive site to visit and every island offers outstanding reef systems and marine life. Below are some of the best dive sites to consider.
Roatan Dive Sites
Roatan has become a favorite destination for scuba divers and offers the majority of the dive sites, some of which include shipwrecks. And, if you’re traveling with “non-divers” they’ll find plenty of fun things to do in Roatan above the water. So, there really is something for everyone on this island.
Odyssey Wreck
Not just Roatan’s largest wreck, but one of the largest wrecks in all of the Caribbean! The Odyssey is a 300ft long, 50ft wide and 85ft high freighter that was purposefully sunk in 2002 to create an artificial reef.
This extremely popular wreck sits upright in about 110ft of water and is for advanced divers. She is now home to a variety of marine life including lionfish, large black groupers, barracudas and schools of schoolmaster snappers. This wreck easily is worth more than one dive to take it all in!
Mary’s Place
Mary’s Place is without a doubt the place to visit in the Bay Islands. Sitting on the Southwest side of Roatan this dive site offers a literal marine paradise.
The main attraction to Mary’s place are the sheer wall crevices formed due to volcanic activity that drop down to about 120ft. These crevices make for fantastic swim-throughs and are filled with an explosion of colorful coral formations with various barrel and tube sponges.
Among the coral is countless variations of marine life including manta rays, green and hawksbill turtles and moray eels.
Mary’s place is not for novice divers due to depth and occasional current and need for good buoyancy control. However, those that get there will experience a dive that you normally dream of having!
Half Moon bay wall
Half moon bay wall is another favorite dive site off of Roatan. This site is on the Northwest side of the island and is a great dive site for all level of divers.
The reef top is at about 15ft deep, but there are drop-offs down to about 150ft. A nice relaxing dive where you can see eagle rays, yellow-headed jawfish, blue chromis and elephant ear sponges. Down among the coral can be found some interesting swim-throughs as well.
Prince Albert Wreck
The Prince Albert wreck lies just off of the Coco View resort. This 140ft tanker was purposefully sunk in 1985. Sitting upright in 65ft of water, all level of divers can visit this site and snorkelers can get in the action too.
The Prince Albert makes for an excellent night dive that can be done as a boat dive or a shore dive. The ship has become an artificial reef and is now home to many soft coral formations that attracts much marine life.
Spooky Channel
“Love is kind of crazy with a spooky little girl like you Spooky!” And you will have a eerily good time diving Spooky Channel. This dimly lit crevasse truly makes you feel like you are in another eerie world.
This site can be accessed by boat and land at Sandy Bay. You’ll follow a channel of various widths that bottoms out at about 95ft. There is a small swim-through that will deposit you at a 200ft drop-off, so watch that buoyancy!!
On your spooky tour look for lobster and octopus and – closer to the surface – groupers, parrotfish and angelfish.
This site can be snorkeled, but if diving, this site is more suited for advanced divers because of the swim-throughs and potential depths and current. This dive site is just one of the many reasons that Roatan diving is world class diving.
Traviana’s Wall
This large reef with sandy spots and drop-offs is the ideal spot if looking for sea turtles. Taviana’s Wall also is home to lobsters, crabs and octopuses that can be found among the coral formations.
Make sure to bring a flashlight as this spot is also great for night dives.
El Aguila
This 230ft long cargo freighter was purposefully sunk in 1997 not far from Sandy Bay. El Aguila- or Eagle- lies at about 110ft on a sandy bottom.
She was broken up a little from a hurricane in 1998, but has become home to some impressive marine life – including a bunch of large groupers and Moray eels. Those with sharp eyes may also be able to spy some sea horses, but not according to Capt. Richard…
There are also a couple of nice swim-throughs in the bow and stern section. This was a cool wreck and a very nice dive!
Close by El Aguila is a drop-off with some incredible coral formations. Our Divemaster, Hector, lead us through one of the most amazing swim-throughs I’ve ever been on at this site. I highly recommend making this a top priority of sites to hit.
Valley of the kings
You don’t have to go to Egypt to see this Valley of Kings. Located on the South side of Roatan, this site is known for a large fissure that splits the vertical coral filled wall.
As you make your way through the “Valley” you will spy plenty of reef fish, moray eels and the odd looking trumpetfish among the hard and soft coral.
This is a rather easy dive, starting at about 30ft, but it can get below recreational limits if you are not watching your buoyancy.
Marco’s Place/Shark Dive
Ready to see some sharks…and by some I mean like 20! For this shark dive, we had several instructors and Divemasters with us to keep us safe as numerous reef sharks glided by. There was also on larger grouper hanging out that was rather friendly.
This site is about 75ft deep and the current can be extremely strong here. When we dove this site it was the strongest current I had ever been in…and I dive frequently dive in the Niagara River! Best for advanced divers and up.
Green outhouse Door/Night Dive
This was a fantastic site for a night dive. We only hit a maximum depth of 54ft, but man we saw some very cool things, including two octopuses, a large crab and very curious sea turtle.
Cayos Cochinos Dive Sites
While not boasting as many dive sites as Roatan, Cayos Cochinos has several sites definitely worth checking out. Below are some of the island’s best.
Cocos Sea Mount
Between Roatan and Cayos lies the spectacular Cocos Sea Mount. This location is further from shore, so usually only visited by liveaboard divers. Despite the distance it is well worth the trip, if you have the opportunity.
This dive site is made up of several pinnacles rising from the sea bottom. You can hit the top of the sea mounts at about 40ft from the surface. They then drop to hundreds of feet below. This dive site is considered one of the best in the area due to the well preserved condition of the reef.
Among the beautifully swaying sea fans and coral heads is an abundance of marine life including puffer fish, rock beauty angelfish, Nassau Groupers and even king crabs.
Less experienced divers can enjoy the top of the reef wall. However, there can be strong currents here and this site may be best for more experienced divers with good buoyance control so they don’t go down below recreational limits on the drop-offs.
Toon Town
You won’t find Bugs or Mickey at this Toon Town, but you will find an incredible dive with just as colorful marine macro life. Look closely and you will find small crabs, bluebell tunicates, and flamingo tongues…”it’s a small world after all!”
Pelican Point
On the North side of Cayos Cochinos lies Pelican Point. This site is good for all level of divers as it has a maximum depth of about 60ft.
On this site there are countless reef fish, including tangs and butterfly fish. During your dive you may also see some barracuda and sharks on the outer part of the reef.
Utila Dive Sites
Utila has the second most dives sites in the Bay Islands. Like Roatan, divers will have a difficult time choosing the ones to visit. Below are some highly recommended stops.
Duppy Waters
On the North side of Utila is Duppy Waters with its coral garden. The reef top can be reached at about 20ft, but then there are surrounding drop-offs to be aware of.
As divers explore the slops and channels of this site they will be in awe of the large barrel sponges, some as large as 9ft! Other marine life commonly seen here include sting rays, octopuses and schools of creole wrasse
Black Hills
There’s treasure in them hills, but it ain’t gold! The Black Hills is one of Utila’s most popular dive sites. The depth here varies – about 36ft to 164ft – as do the wonderous sights.
Groupers, scorpionfish, turtles and the rare frog fish can be seen cruising around the reef. Lucky divers may even happen across a whale shark here!
Old Bank
The Old Bank makes for a nice easy dive site for all divers. Look for the shy yellow-headed jawfish and see if you can get close enough to see if its incubating its eggs in its mouth. Also seen here are reef squid, fringed filefish and the hard to find elkhorn coral.
Halliburton Wreck
This 100ft long cargo ship was purposefully sunk in 1998. this is a great advanced dive with a maximum bottom depth of about 100ft, but you can hit the pilothouse at about 65ft.
The Halliburton is now a wonderful artificial reef with much marine life including moray eels, spotted drum fish and bearded fireworms. This wreck is usually worth more than one dive as there is much to see of the wreck and the marine life that calls her home.
CJ’s Drop-off
CJ’s Drop-off is not just a drop-off, but a sheer plunge into the abyss! This sheer wall on the North side of Utila is epic among wall dives.
This advanced dive calls for good buoyance. As you descend down the wall you will see all sorts of coarl and sponges. Also among the marine life are spiny lobsters, stingrays, a variety of reef fish and sea turtles.
Jack Neil Point
The marine life at Jack Neil Point makes this not just a good dive site, but an excellent night dive sight. Among the walls and individual coral heads and between the sandy areas can be found large-eye toad fish, flying gurnards, longsnout seahorses and octopuses. Bring the flashlight and camera because you’ll want pictures from here to show those back home!
Guanja Dive Sites
While a smaller island, Guanja does have its share of good dive sites and a nice wreck worth checking out.
Jado Trader
On the Southside of Guanja lies the 240ft long freighter the Jado Trader. Sunk on purpose in 1987, she now lies on her starboard side in about 110ft of water.
On descent, divers can hit her side at about 80ft. She is a nice advanced dive that is well intact and much visited and photographed.
There are also some nice coral pinnacles close by that are worth a look-see, so save some air for the side trip.
Michael’s rock Canyon
A nice site for your first dive to check out your gear, get acclimated to the waters and to get ready for deeper wall dives. Michael’s Rock is about 70ft deep and sports many cracks and crevices in which live a variety of marine life.
black rock canyon
once you’ve practiced at Michael’s Rock Canyon, head over to Black Rock Canyon with its deeper cracks and crevices and tunnels and caves as well.
This dive site is a maze created by volcanic activity. Following its twists and turns among the sea fans you’ll likely come across groupers, silverside sardines and barracuda. However, it’s the topography that will keep you coming back for more making this one of Guanja’s most popular dive sites.
Jim’s Silverload
Jim’s Silverload is another favorite of Guanja. Along the wall at about 70ft there is a tunnel that will deposit you into a round sandy area filled with silverside sardines, groupers and moray eels.
Other Activities
In Honduras and the Bay Islands the fun is not just reserved for beneath the water. There are various non-diving activities to keep everyone engaged and busy. Below are a few options for adventure. (If looking for other things to do specifically on Roatan, check out here)
Dolphin Excursion
The Roatan Institute for Marine Science (“RIMS”) offers various was to interact with dolphins, which is always a family favorite. From “dolphin encounters” to “dolphin trainer for a day,” you can pick a package and enjoy some time with our friends of the sea. If you have some extra time you can also check out the Roatan Museum on site.
Horseback Riding
Many of the Bay Islands offer horseback riding, like Red Ridge Stables on Utila. These excursions can be an all day affair or an easy 20 minute tour along the beach like what is offered at Anthony’s Key.
We took the 20 minute tour while at Anthony’s Key and it was well worth the $20 each for a beautiful stroll along the beach. Truly a ride I won’t forget! On a side note, they have 18 horses that they swap out during the day and the horses seemed to be well looked after.
Ziplining
Based on the number of outfits that offer ziplining, it would appear that this activity is second behind scuba diving in Honduras. Places like King Kong Extreme zipline and Pirates of the Caribbean Zipline can help to meet your adrenaline needs.
ATV/Dune Buggy Tours
Want to get around a little faster, then try an ATV or dune buggy tour. places like ATV Jungle Tours offer excursions from seeing sloths to speeding through mud pits.
Many activities can be combined if you just can’t seem to choose. For example, book a horseback riding tour that takes you to a zipline location, or cruise your ATV over to a mangrove boat tour…sky’s the limit!
Wrapping Things Up
As you can see there are plenty of dive sites around the Honduras Bay Islands for multiple visits, as well as fun activities for those landlubbers also. Don’t overlook this Central American diving paradise. You’ll be happy you made the “Holiday Road” visit!
“How boring would the world be if everywhere and everyone were the same. Safe travels and good adventures.” Scuba Jay