Bando Beach - Roatán

Coral Gardens is exactly what it sounds like, and we love it for being a reliably beautiful spot in Sodwana. At a maximum of 15m, it’s a gentle drift over sprawling hard and soft corals, an explosion of colour that really earns its name. You’ll spend most of your time around 10-12m, with shafts of sunlight cutting through the water, illuminating schools of fusiliers and surgeonfish – the Penciled Surgeonfish and Humpback Snapper here are particularly striking in their numbers. We always make sure to slow right down and peer into the coral crevices; it’s a nursery for so many juvenile fish, and if you’ve got a good eye, you might spot a Freckled Anglerfish tucked away. It's a superb dive for new divers, or anyone who just wants a relaxed cruise amongst some truly healthy coral. The visibility often hits 15m here, making for some great wide-angle photo opportunities, especially if you catch it on a calm morning. Look out for the resident Blue Banded Surgeonfish, they’re not common elsewhere in Sodwana.

Location
Roatán, Honduras, Central America
Coordinates
16.087000, -86.893000
Type
reef

Marine Protected Area: Sistema de Humedales de la Isla de Utila

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

Nearest Dive Centres to Bando Beach

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

Recommended Packing List for Bando Beach

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