Roatán offers a broad spread of reef sites across three distinct sub-areas: the busy, shore-accessible West End & West Bay, the wreck and wall diving of French Harbour & Coco View, and the quieter East End. The majority of sites suit beginners, though caverns, drift dives and deep walls keep more experienced divers occupied. Expect French Angelfish, Queen Angelfish, Green Moray and Great Barracuda as regulars, with Caribbean Spiny Lobster and Spotted Scorpionfish adding variety across nearly every site.
Monthly water temperature across Roatán's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water stays warm throughout the year, rising to its peak in late summer and early autumn, making a thin wetsuit sufficient in all seasons. The best-months data points strongly toward late winter through spring, when conditions are most favoured by visiting divers. French Harbour & Coco View offers drift and wall diving with occasional current, while West End & West Bay provides calmer, more sheltered conditions.
105 operators
87 more sites to explore
3 areas
59Walls, caverns, and reef channels on Roatán's most accessible stretch, with beginner-friendly shore entries and a wreck for those ready to go deeper.
33Reef walls, canyons and volcanic crevices packed with angelfish, barracuda and lionfish, mostly accessible to beginners by boat.
7Quieter side of Roatán offering walls, reefs, and low boat traffic in the Caribbean Sea.
Water temperature around Roatán ranges from about 27°C in January to 30°C in August, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 27–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in Roatán year-round.
Fin maps 99 sites in Roatán (92 scuba diving sites and 18 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both), organised into 3 areas.
Across Roatán's dive sites, March, April, May, June and August are most often reported as the best months to visit.
Observation-backed species recorded across the vast majority of Roatán's sites include French Angelfish, Queen Angelfish, Great Barracuda, Green Moray and Spotted Scorpionfish. Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Porcupinefish, Stoplight Parrotfish and Caribbean Reef Octopus are also very commonly encountered. The Indian Lionfish is a frequent sight as well, so look carefully around coral formations.
The majority of listed sites are rated beginner level, covering reef, wall and even some cavern terrain at approachable depths. Shore-entry sites like West Bay allow easy independent access, while boat-accessed beginner sites such as Alaina's Sandy Bottom and Forty-foot Point offer gentle introductions to wall diving. Intermediate sites including El Aguila Wreck and Chimneys are available for those looking to progress.
West End & West Bay holds the largest concentration of sites and includes the shore-accessible West Bay site with its mix of reef, wall, cavern and canyon. French Harbour & Coco View centres on boat diving, with highlights including the El Aguila Wreck, drop-offs, drift sites and seagrass beds. The East End has far fewer listed sites and offers a quieter, less-visited alternative.
The majority of sites in Roatán are boat-accessed, particularly across the French Harbour & Coco View sub-area. Shore entry is available at West Bay, which also happens to be one of the most varied sites on the island, covering shallow reef through to deeper wall terrain. With many operators based in the region, boat trips to more distant sites are straightforward to arrange.
