Anthony’s Key Resort House Reef - Roatán
We know house reefs. Most are… fine. A convenient dip, maybe a sleepy turtle. Anthony’s Key’s Front Porch, though, is genuinely special. It’s right there, a short swim from the dock, yet you’re immediately immersed in proper Roatán reef. The wall drops gently, not dramatically, to around 22 meters, making it incredibly relaxed for multiple dives a day. We love slipping in for an early morning scout, watching the reef wake up. You’ll see plenty of the usual suspects, of course – parrotfish grazing, angelfish darting – but take your time with the sand patches near the wall. That’s where we’ve consistently spotted Mottled Jawfish peering out of their burrows and even the occasional Brown Garden Eel swaying in the gentle surge. Keep an eye out for larger Tarpon Snook cruising by, especially towards dusk. The coral here, mostly brain and star varieties, feels established, providing countless nooks for juvenile fish. It’s the kind of site where every dive feels like visiting an old friend, familiar but always offering a new small detail. Perfect for easy, repetitive dives, photographers wanting calm conditions, or anyone looking to truly unwind into the rhythm of the reef.
- Location
- Roatán, Honduras, Central America
- Coordinates
- 16.328800, -86.573400
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Islas de la Bahía
Best Time to Dive in Roatán
The warmest water temperatures in Roatán occur in September, averaging 30.2°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.4°C
- February: 27.3°C
- March: 27.4°C
- April: 28.0°C
- May: 28.9°C
- June: 29.3°C
- July: 29.1°C
- August: 29.7°C
- September: 30.2°C
- October: 30.0°C
- November: 29.1°C
- December: 28.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Roatán
- Airplane Wreck (cave)
- Airplane Wreck (wreck)
- Airport Caves (cave)
- Airport Caves (cave)
- Airport Caves (cave)
- Alaina’s Sandy Bottom (reef)
- Alaina’s Sandy Bottom (wreck)
- Anka s Place - 10-30m (reef)
- Anthony’s Key Resort House Reef (cave)
- Aquarium (reef)
- Aquarium (cave)
- Bando Beach (reef)
- Bando Beach (reef)
- Bayman Drop (wall)
- Bear s Den (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to Anthony’s Key Resort House Reef
Marine Life in Roatán
Home to 170 recorded species including 150 reef fish, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs, 5 hard corals, 4 other, 1 sharks & rays, 1 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Smallmouth goby (Risor ruber) - Reef Fish
- Giant goby (Gobiomorus dormitor) - Reef Fish
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Horse-eye Jack (Caranx latus) - Reef Fish
- Needlefish (Strongylura timucu) - Reef Fish
- Mulet (Mugil curema) - Reef Fish
- Broad Shad (Gerres cinereus) - Reef Fish
- Small-scaled spinycheek sleeper (Eleotris pisonis) - Reef Fish
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Butterfish (Eucinostomus melanopterus) - Reef Fish
- Molly Miller (Bathygobius soporator) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) - Reef Fish
- Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) - Reef Fish
- Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) - Reef Fish
- American eel (Anguilla rostrata) - Reef Fish
- Hound Needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus) - Reef Fish
- Scrawled Sole (Trinectes inscriptus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Anthony’s Key Resort House Reef
Based on average water temperature of 28.7°C, currents 7 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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