Diving the Honduran Reef

Honduras [1] boasts some of the best coral reef in the Americas, as well as rock-bottom prices for diving certification. There are myriad options for shops and sites, making it easy to find the right match for any taste.

Roatán

The largest and most popular of the Bay Islands [2], Roatán [3] has countless dive shops and perhaps 50 moored dive sites around the island. Many of the best sites are located right off West Bay Beach [4], West End [5], and Sandy Bay [6], with another string of sites on the southern side of the island between French Harbour [7] and Jonesville, and a few others dotting the north coast.

People flock here year-round for the diving, and a dozen or more boats leave from West End three times a day for fun dives. Every shop offers certification courses as well. As the island with the most non-diving activities [8] (canopy tours, botanical gardens, Garífuna cultural shows, dolphin encounters), it’s a perfect fit for those who just want to get in a couple of dives, or who have non-divers along in the group.

Utila

Diving in Utila [9] is hard-core. With the cheapest certification classes around, Utila is a mecca for the budget diver, a large number of them youthful backpackers. Expert divers come too, eager to spend time along the island’s spectacular reef — many find themselves staying on, working as dive masters and instructors at one of the many shops.

Spend a few days in the tiny town and you’ll quickly make friends, especially during late nights at the laid-back bars [10]. While the diving is uniformly inexpensive, there are plenty of midrange hotels and even a couple of high-end diving resorts, happily accommodating divers looking for a little more comfort.

Guanaja

Tourism on Guanaja [11] is limited, making for perhaps the best preserved sites. There are 38 moored sites sprinkled around the island, including a 1,800-meter wall that starts less than 9 meters from the surface, labyrinths of caves and tunnels, pinnacles and wrecks. Only a handful of resorts offer diving, ensuring that sites never get crowded. While many sites are best for intermediate to experienced divers, novices can explore caves and grottoes teeming with colorful marine life.