Roccadilly - Bayahibe & La Romana
Table Top, off Norman Reef, really stands out for us. It’s essentially one enormous bommie, shallow on top, dropping to 15m. We love the sheer scale of the plate corals up top; they spread out like dinner tables for giants, hence the name. Drifting over them, you’re almost guaranteed to spot Hawksbill turtles grazing, completely unconcerned by divers. Down deeper, we’ve often encountered grey reef sharks patrolling the edges and white tips snoozing under ledges. The current can pick up, so be prepared for a bit of a drift, but that’s often when the parrotfish and butterflyfish are out in force. Look for the greensnout parrotfish – their colours just pop against the blue. Visibility averages 13m, which is good enough to take it all in. This is a brilliant site for those who appreciate healthy coral architecture and consistent pelagic action without needing extreme depths.
- Location
- Bayahibe & La Romana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 18.438900, -69.610600
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: La Caleta
Best Time to Dive in Bayahibe & La Romana
The warmest water temperatures in Bayahibe & La Romana occur in January, averaging 26.9°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 26.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.9°C (air: 24.7°C)
- February: 26.9°C (air: 24.7°C)
- March: 26.9°C (air: 25.0°C)
- April: 26.9°C (air: 25.6°C)
- May: 26.9°C (air: 26.9°C)
- June: 26.9°C (air: 27.6°C)
- July: 26.9°C (air: 27.8°C)
- August: 26.9°C (air: 27.9°C)
- September: 26.9°C (air: 27.7°C)
- October: 26.9°C (air: 27.1°C)
- November: 26.9°C (air: 25.9°C)
- December: 26.9°C (air: 25.0°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Bayahibe & La Romana
- 3. Riff (cenote)
- 3. Riff (reef)
- Almendra (wall)
- Almendra (cenote)
- Aquarium
- Aquarium Boca Chica (reef)
- Aquarium Boca Chica (reef)
- Atlantic Princess (Wreck) (wreck)
- Atlantic Princess (Wreck) (reef)
- Atlantic Princess Wreck (Bayahibe) (reef)
- Atlantic Princess Wreck (Bayahibe) (wreck)
- Bajo Largo (reef)
- Bajos del Caballo (reef)
- Bajos del Catalina (reef)
- Bayahibe (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Roccadilly
- CARIBBEAN DIVERS - ASOBUCA - SSI, CMAS, SEI
- Profundo Blue
- Scuba Libre
- Seaklub Samana - ["PADI"]
- Shark Juan Dolio Diver
- The Dive Academy - NAUI
Marine Life in Bayahibe & La Romana
Home to 181 recorded species including 157 reef fish, 6 seagrass & algae, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 other, 3 hard corals, 2 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) - Seagrass & Algae
- manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) - Seagrass & Algae
- Escolar (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
- Blue Parrotfish (Sparisoma chrysopterum) - Reef Fish
- Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Roccadilly
Based on average water temperature of 26.9°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories