Jack Neil Bight - Roatán

Manta Point on Makassar Reef is exactly what it sounds like: a place to find mantas. We’ve drifted this site countless times and it rarely disappoints. It’s a gentle, shallow ride, usually 10-15 metres, so you’ve got plenty of bottom time to just hang back and watch the show. The current here is the secret. It sweeps you along a sandy bottom interspersed with coral patches, delivering nutrients that the mantas adore. We’ve seen them schooling here, sometimes a dozen at once, gliding in for a clean. You’ll hear that distinct soft swoosh as they pass just overhead, their wingtips almost brushing you. We’d suggest arriving just as the tide is beginning to pick up, that seems to be when the action really gets going. Visibility averages about 15 metres, which is perfectly fine for manta spotting. It’s an easy dive, really. Good for newer divers, but even seasoned pros get a kick out of having a manta barrel roll a few feet away. Keep an eye out for eagle rays too, often cruising the same sandy stretches.

Location
Roatán, Honduras, Central America
Coordinates
16.074800, -86.936600
Type
drift

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 Jack Neil Bight

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 Jack Neil Bight

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