Honduras or Belize?

[Pat Sharman]

Which has the best sea life?

 

[Damselfish]

it depends where you dive in each country, and what sorts of things you like.

 

[Pat Sharman]

it depends where you dive in each country, and what sorts of things you like.

What are the best places to dive in each country, and what can you expect to see there? particularly in January?

 

[chillyinCanada]

Where in Honduras and where in Belize?

 

[Damselfish]

This is really too general a question to even know where to start, it would be a book. They're 2 entire countries both with multiple dive regions. I would suggest starting by doing some general reading in these forums to see what people have said about both places, which is quite a bit. Once you have a better idea what is available and have some idea what you might be looking for, it will be easier for people to answer specific questions..

 

[Lorenzoid]

Honduras diving is largely confined to the so-called "Bay Islands" of Roatan and Utila. As I opined in your other thread, I believe the diving off Roatan is essentially the same as the diving off Utila. Someone in that thread mentioned that Utila has a wall, but that doesn't address your focus on marine life. The marine life is pretty much the same, whether you base yourself on Utila or Roatan. I don't think the marine life is all that seasonal, either. Some sites are better for seeing large animals, and other sites are better for small stuff--it all depends what you want to see. "Sea life" includes everything from whale sharks to nudibranchs, so as Damselfish said, "it depends." Are there particular species or groups of species you want to see?

In contrast, Belize has a lot of variety because the diving is pretty spread out over a large region--inshore, offshore, north to south, etc. The diveable area of Belize dwarfs the Bay Islands. For that reason, I think it's hard to compare anything to Belize diving.

 

[Damselfish]

Honduras there is also Guanaja (the 3rd Bay Island) which was mostly off the radar for years after getting wiped out by a hurricane, but there are a couple options there now. There's also the Roatan Aggressor, which does Utila, Roatan, and supposedly Cayos Cochinos and the sea mounts.

 

[Pat Sharman]

Honduras diving is largely confined to the so-called "Bay Islands" of Roatan and Utila. As I opined in your other thread, I believe the diving off Roatan is essentially the same as the diving off Utila. Someone in that thread mentioned that Utila has a wall, but that doesn't address your focus on marine life. The marine life is pretty much the same, whether you base yourself on Utila or Roatan. I don't think the marine life is all that seasonal, either. Some sites are better for seeing large animals, and other sites are better for small stuff--it all depends what you want to see. "Sea life" includes everything from whale sharks to nudibranchs, so as Damselfish said, "it depends." Are there particular species or groups of species you want to see?

In contrast, Belize has a lot of variety because the diving is pretty spread out over a large region--inshore, offshore, north to south, etc. The diveable area of Belize dwarfs the Bay Islands. For that reason, I think it's hard to compare anything to Belize diving.

This is great information guys, thanks. I have been diving in the Caribbean a couple of times. In Cozumel and in the Corn Islands. Got to see all the usual suspects there. Your Turtles, Nurse sharks, Spotted Rays, Lion fish, Parrot fish, Wrasse, etc. if I had to wishlist, I suppose it would be Sailfish, Manta Rays, Tiger Sharks, or Hammerheads., although I don't know if the odds are god of seeing any of those in either country. I'm hoping to get in some dives with the best diversity of sea life, and I'm not so much hoping to see anything specific, but hoping to see anything new and interesting that might not be so commonly seen elsewhere. Is there anywhere you could recommend that might offer something that differs from the standand fare in either country?

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Pat Sharman

I wouldn't count on Honduras or Belize for any of your to see list. I've seen a couple of sailfish in hundreds of dives in Boynton Beach, FL. I've seen Mantas in Boynton Beach, Red Sea, Bat Islands and Cocos, Costa Rica. I've never seen a Tiger Shark but, apparently, they are not uncommon on the baited/feeding shark dives in international waters off SE FL. I saw many Hammerheads in the Red Sea and in Cocos. I've seen a few Hammerheads in Florida, including a pair on the reef in Boynton Beach.

My wife and I recently returned from a trip to Turquoise Bay/Subway Watersports on Roatan. It was a great, relaxing trip, nothing exotic. Turquoise Bay Resort/Subway Watersports August 2017

Very best and good diving, Craig

 

[drrich2]

if I had to wishlist, I suppose it would be Sailfish, Manta Rays, Tiger Sharks, or Hammerheads.,

I wouldn't go to either to see that list. I've dove Belize (by live-aboard), not Roatan. Out of Belize I found reef sharks and some nice-sized grouper, but not what you're after.

If you have an interest in the baited shark diving out of Florida that Craig mentioned, I did a trip, and while it's not for everyone, it gave me what I wanted (trip report) - depending on time of year, tigers or hammerheads could happen for you. If you want unbaited fairly large shark encounters, consider the wreck diving with sand tiger sharks out of North Carolina.

If I wanted Mantas in the U.S. region, I'd check out those Socorros live-aboard trip reports. I don't know where sailfish are found.

Richard.