© iStock/Jolie-G Diving in Roatan Whether you’re a couple looking for a romantic getaway or a beach-going sun-worshipers, Roatan is the perfect getaway destination for a calm getaway. Twice a week, you will have to share the island with docking cruise ships, but this is still far less than other Caribbean islands that also have fantastic diving like Cozumel and Grand Cayman. Roatan, the largest island in Honduras, sits 30 miles (48km) off the mainland to the north. This beautiful destination appeals to a wide variety of tourists. While diving is the most popular activity on the island, plenty of other adventures wait around every corner, as this is a preferred place for adventure tourism. Between dives, you can zipline through the jungle straight down to the beach, sample the delicious local cuisine, relax on idyllic beaches, swim with dolphins, horseback ride on the beach, or find a hammock and swing with the breeze. You will find the most spectacular views underwater. Roatan is best known for its shallow reefs, plummeting walls, and fantastic boulder formations. Wreck diving in this region is impressive. You can expect to find sharks galore, and even the biggest fish in the sea, the whale shark, can be found here. The coral gardens in this place are equal to none. Roatan is genuinely an underwater paradise. Featured places to go in Roatan © AqualungRoatan Marine Park / West EndThe most popular area to dive in Roatan is the Roatan Marine Park, also known as West End.Learn more © MaresEast EndDive in the waters of the Caribbean’s best-kept secret: the East End of RoatanLearn more Aquatic Life in Roatan Most of the diving in Roatan is done on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which is the second-largest barrier reef in the world; this allows for a great diversity of marine species to be found by divers. Large pelagics can be seen from time to time like sharks, dolphins, rays, and even the majestic whale shark; however, the macro life is just as spectacular. The reef is teaming with life, so you’re sure to encounter large barrel sponges, turtles, eels, lobsters, crabs, and pristine coral formations on every dive. You’ll also find many reef fish species such as queenfish, green moray eels, filefish, damselfish, and many others. Dive Sites in Roatan