Cayos Cochinos Seamount - Roatán

Garden of Eelden is one of those sites we always come back to when we need a moment of zen. It’s not about big pelagics here, though you can sometimes spot a lone bluefin trevally patrolling the blue. Instead, it’s all about the sand. Descend to the sandy slopes, no deeper than 20m, and you'll find hundreds, maybe thousands, of garden eels swaying in unison, their heads popping out of the sand like anemones. We love getting low and watching their rhythmic dance, eyes always peeled for a particularly bold individual to extend further than the rest. The shallow reef top, full of cauliflower and honeycomb corals, has some really interesting gullies to poke around in. Look closely and you’ll find plenty of smaller life, like the vibrant Batavian parrotfish grazing on the coral and the camouflaged freckled anglerfish if you’ve got a good eye. Visibility here is usually fantastic, often pushing 35m, making for bright, clear dives. This site is perfect for photographers, especially those who love macro and wide-angle shots of the eels. It’s a very chill dive, ideal for easing into your Cocos trip or unwinding after a day of drift diving.

Location
Roatán, Honduras, Central America
Coordinates
15.964800, -86.501400
Type
reef

Marine Protected Area: Cayos Cochinos

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 Cayos Cochinos Seamount

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 Cayos Cochinos Seamount

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