Located near the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, (second largest reef after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia), and after years of extensive preservation by the local people, this is one of the greatest places to see an incredible array of marine diversity. With the conservation that has gone on here in the Roatán marine parks, it is one of the few places left in the Caribbean that few lionfish are found. Locals jumped into the water “all hands on” to hunt and remove these invasive animals quickly so that they couldn’t establish themselves. The effort to remove them is ongoing. On a week-long diving trip, I only saw two!

While on this reef, plunge into a world of beautiful nooks and crannies to find small fish hiding, or seahorses wrapping their tails tightly around a piece coral. Dive deeper to sand beds for rays, peacock soles, conch, mantis-shrimp or eel fish dancing up and down together looking as if they were blades of ​grasses in the current. Explore ship wrecks covered in growing coral and patrolled by larger jacks, different Angel fish, tangs, and maybe if your lucky — eels or squids! Go over the edge of the reef cliff, and look down into nothing as it just drops. This is as your already floating in the void about 60-80 feet below the waves! Here on the edge of the reef, find watchful barracuda, hunting trumpeter fish, swimming turtles, patient stonefish, or just enjoy the awe of the amazing amount of ocean life!

Catch yourself in excitement at the vast array of colorful corals and sponges that are living on this reef. From brilliant sea fans waiving with the pulse of the ocean, to large barrel sponges large enough that even a diver could hide in them. Find large outstretched elkhorn coral, and the elusive and endangered staghorn flourishing, as well as many other varieties. Enjoy the many colors dancing in the sunlight, peering through the waves; reds, greens, yellows, and purples all showing brightly.

Night diving brings a whole new experience and creatures you will see on the dive. Jump into the water, and marvel at how calm and peaceful the dive seems. However, as you experience the night dive you will see some fish have tucked themselves in tight niches for a sleep, while others are out trying to find an unsuspecting meal. Come across slow moving puffer fish keeping a close eye on you and your dive buddies, then move to see a lobster moving among the floor trying to stay out of the beam of your flashlight; least they be spotted by a hungry predator nearby. If you’re lucky, you may spot an octopus out on the hunt, as they are viewed, watch to see all the colors they use to flash trying to confuse you and make you lose sight of them. If you watch long enough, they may flash reds, blues, greens, and maybe even a turquoise color; what magical creatures! Continue the dive watching to see if the bio-luminescence is prevalent at the time your diving as your flashlight is turned off. To check, wave your hands to see if there are little sparks from the water movement, check your bubbles going up to see if they illuminated as well as your fin movements! Night diving brings its own wonders and magic to the ocean.