Honduras Scuba Diving

Honduras Scuba Diving

There are a variety of differing types of diving in Honduras, however the real speciality here is wall diving. These walls, which can be found throughout the Bay Islands area can be found at a variety of different depths, however all offer spectacularly coloured corals and sponges. Away from the wall diving, there is also the opportunity to explore canyons and ridges, caves and tunnels. Coupled with this, Honduras also offers one of the best opportunities to dive with one of the true giants of the seas, the whale shark. Attracted by the nutrient rich waters of the Bay Islands area, this area gives divers as good a chance as any to encounter these truly magnificent beasts.

Of the islands, Roatan is the most popular with divers, but is still magnificently underdeveloped by Caribbean standards, and despite an increase in new resorts on the island, it still has plenty of dense jungle to those wanting to explore further inland. Roatan has a number of popular dive sites, including Barbareta wall, West End Wall, and Mary's Place. For those who look favour diving on wrecks, Roatan has a couple of decent dives including the Prince Albert and the El Aguila, a 210 foot cargo boat, which sits in 100 feet of water, and which has been adapted specifically for penetration diving.

Guanaja is less developed than Roatan, and is described as the Caribbean as it used to be. The entire island here is surrounded by a coral reef, and is protected as a marine park. The diving in Guanaja is exceptionally good, and is widely known as a haven for macro activity. Amongst the thirty or so dive sites surrounding Guanaja, the more popular ones include the wreck, the Jado Trader, and Aldersons Wall. Here, regular sightings of Hammerheads, large groupers have been noted, and whilst less regular, there are still good numbers of whale shark and dolphins spotted in the Guanaja area.

Utila is less developed than either of the two neighbouring islands of the Bay area, however is probably the best opportunity if you are looking to dive with whale sharks. Typically the best time for sighting the whale sharks in Utila is between March to June, and then again between September through to November. However, Utila doesn't only offer whale sharks, and in fact it offers both novice and experienced divers a range of opportunities that will ensure you of a fulfilling dive experience.

Overall, there are some excellent dive sites in Honduras, and undoubtedly still more to be discovered. In particular, the opportunities to dive with whale sharks, coupled with some of the best wall diving in the world, should create sufficient appeal to the majority of scuba divers. Whilst the islands are still relatively undeveloped, the dive industry in Honduras is growing rapidly, and subsequently, new and exciting dive sites are being discovered all the time.