Iron Bound - Roatán

Manta Bay is exactly what it sounds like. We’ve had some truly epic manta encounters here, watching them glide through the nutrient-rich water, mouths agape, scooping up plankton. The site itself is a sloping reef that meets a shallow wall, topping out around 18 metres. It’s the kind of dive where you often feel the surge, especially closer to the cliff face, but that movement is what draws the mantas in. Our favourite way to dive Manta Bay is to find a spot with a bit of shelter from the main current and just wait. We've spent entire dives watching mantas circle and feed, sometimes coming within a few feet. Beyond the big draws, keep an eye out for whitetip reef sharks resting under ledges and plenty of reef fish like Gendarme fish darting amongst the staghorn corals. Visibility here averages around 14 metres, which is perfectly adequate for those close manta interactions. It’s an accessible site for most divers, just be prepared for some water movement.

Location
Roatán, Honduras, Central America
Coordinates
16.126000, -86.895700
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 Iron Bound

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 Iron Bound

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