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The Complete Guide to Diving Off Roatan
Date: 03/17/2004Most visitors to Roatan come here to dive. The traveler on a budget heads for West End--nice beaches, pleasant posadas, and experienced dive shops; you'll find beautiful beaches and higher-end accommodations at West Bay, a few kilometers down the road.
Staying at West End costs from $15 for a basic room to $50 for a posada with a kitchenette. Many posadas have private beaches with tables and chairs for lounging. If you're self-catering, be sure to stock up on groceries in Coxen Hole, where you'll pay 50% less.
The shuttle from West End to Coxen Hole runs regularly each day ($1.50) but avoid traveling on Tuesday and Wednesday when the cruise ships dock--it's nearly impossible to get a lift back.
Several small bars offer a daily meal for around $8, usually including lobster. Conch soup is an island specialty at $3 - $5 a bowl, and it's always a filling meal.
Diving off Roatan is popular because it's part of the Belizean Barrier Reef, the second longest barrier reef in the world, abundant with wildlife--schools of colorful fish, sea turtles, sharks, and even octopus--and the intensely beautiful and colorful coral reef.
Open water diver certification courses start at $150, making Roatan one of the world's most affordable places to obtain your certification. A typical course includes classroom instruction, contained water dives, and several open water dives. Following certification, additional dives are available from $15 per tank. Specialty night dives may run closer to $45. If you are already certified, you'll still pay under $25 per tank.
Maureen O'Driscoll
For International Living
P.S. If you arrive at Roatan on the ferry from La Ceiba, you'll easily get a taxi at Coxen Hole, where the ferry docks. Determine the rate for your cab before getting in. To get to West End costs about $2 per person, but many taxis will try to charge you much more than that. Just say, "no gracias," and walk away. Drivers will quickly adjust their rates to make the fare.
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