Comparing Placencia/Hopkins/San Pedro/Roatan

[Kate Rister]

Can anyone compare/contrast these destinations? Specifically, how healthy/colorful the reefs are, and the amount of marine life/photography subjects?

Would those who have dove here say it is better than Roatan? I was in Roatan in January for my 11th time, and really disappointed in the diving. Massive coral bleaching and algae, next to no marine life. I remember Belize having a decent reef and lots of fish, but that was years ago when Roatan too had all that. Is Belize suffering like Roatan is?

What would be the best option, most comparable to Grand Cayman and Cozumel?

 

[Hank49]

I live in Sittee River, Belize. (Hopkins more or less). I dive (mostly free) from SW Caye and south about 10 miles or so. Despite the fact that I was seeing 31c temperature on my fishfinder last Sept, the corals on the reef, and inside, remain healthy looking. Little to no bleaching.

I routinely see eagle rays, nurse sharks, some grouper, schools of Lutjanus jocu, normal schooling fish etc. 10 years ago it was easier to find fish though.

The outer atholls are nice also.

Sorry to hear about Roatan. I was there about 15 years ago and it was pretty much like Belize.

 

[Outbound]

I was in Roatan just two months ago. I am a newly certified diver, so I don't have much experience to compare it to, but I too was a bit disappointed with the condition of the reef. This was around West Bay/West End. A little over a year ago I was in Belize (Caye Caulker) and did a bunch of snorkeling around Hol Chan and off the San Pedro area, and the reef was much nicer there than in Roatan. Better coral condition, and much more marine life. I can't say anything about Placencia or Hopkins since I haven't been there.

Out of the places you've listed, in my limited experience I would rank Roatan last.

 

[ibj40]

Never been to Roatan, but we were just on Ambergris.

 

[drrich2]

I was in Roatan in January for my 11th time, and really disappointed in the diving. Massive coral bleaching and algae, next to no marine life.

From I'm told Roatan is a varied place with different environments. What part did you dive, and how many dives? Just wondering where and how widespread the issue is.

Richard.

 

[Kate Rister]

From I'm told Roatan is a varied place with different environments. What part did you dive, and how many dives? Just wondering where and how widespread the issue is.

Richard.

I have been to Roatan 11 times. I typically dive between West Bay and Sandy Bay, but I have dove on the east end and north side as well. The coral is much healthier on the east/south sides, but there is still very little marine life as of January 2018 throughout the island. From what I could tell at least. I do underwater photography and came back with maybe 3 decent pictures after 11 dives, there was just nothing to photograph My friends on the island swear the reef has recovered, but they told me that in January when I was there and it obviously wasn't the case.

 

[Kate Rister]

Never been to Roatan, but we were just on Ambergris.

Thoughts on conditions at Ambergris? I am getting conflicting information. Some say it's doing great, others say it's like Roatan, ugly coral (bleach/algae) and little marine life.

 

[Kate Rister]

I was in Roatan just two months ago. I am a newly certified diver, so I don't have much experience to compare it to, but I too was a bit disappointed with the condition of the reef. This was around West Bay/West End. A little over a year ago I was in Belize (Caye Caulker) and did a bunch of snorkeling around Hol Chan and off the San Pedro area, and the reef was much nicer there than in Roatan. Better coral condition, and much more marine life. I can't say anything about Placencia or Hopkins since I haven't been there.

Out of the places you've listed, in my limited experience I would rank Roatan last.

A little over a year ago though was before the huge 2017 bleaching event that hit that entire area. I am wondering if Belize suffered just as badly as Roatan did :-\

 

[ibj40]

Thoughts on conditions at Ambergris? I am getting conflicting information. Some say it's doing great, others say it's like Roatan, ugly coral (bleach/algae) and little marine life.

I know I am not much of a photographer, but hopefully the pictures support why we are already planning a second trip within the next year or two. As I mentioned, never been to Roatan, but began my diving on Cozumel back in the mid-80's, and have dived on the Yucatan mainland for the past dozen years or so.

On the three deeper sites we did (and even on Hol Chan Cut), we didn't see any dead or bleached coral, no algae accumulations, and plenty of healthy, well-populated reef.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I was on South Water Caye in December, and my recollection was some bleaching but also some healthy coral. Better with depth than in the shallows. We snorkeled regularly from Tobacco south, and I dove Carrie Bowe/SWC (and also up to Lighthouse, but that's a long haul from Placencia or Hopkins). The snapshot was taken snorkeling near a site called "The Aquarium." You can see the bleaching.