Roatan: Best Family Dive Trip Destination
As technology continues to evolve, it often pulls families apart rather than bringing them together. Increased screen time creates distance and disconnect within households. That’s why it’s more important than ever to reconnect with each other and with nature. And what better way to do that than a family dive trip? After all, as the saying goes, "The family that plays together, stays together."
In this blog, we’ll share five reasons why Roatan is the perfect destination for your next family dive trip.
#1 - Beaches and Snorkeling
Roatan is renowned for its pristine white sand beaches and tranquil, warm waters. These conditions make for perfect beach days with the kids!
Snorkeling Options:
Half Moon Bay, in West End, is a snorkeler's paradise. While exploring these shallow waters, snorkelers can see eagle rays and stingrays, eels, sea slugs, seahorses, and tons of fish and corals.
Another beautiful spot for snorkeling is the end of West Bay Beach, considered one of the best in the world. You can see eagle rays, green turtles, and stunning schools of fish.
You can take a water taxi, which is a cool experience for the kids and just 10 minutes of navigation from West End.
Out of the water, families will find restaurants like Ginger’s and Bean Crazy, which have lounge chairs right on the beach. Sandy Buns is a Roatan icon and is only steps away from our dive shop. You can eat, drink, and play all within steps of each other.
#2 - Diving
Half Moon Bay is a beautiful and calm bay. It is only a few steps from Roatan Divers, where we use as a confined water scuba training site in courses like PADI Open Water Diver and Junior Open Water.
Diving is a family-friendly activity! Children as young as 8 can start diving with the PADI Bubblemaker Experience, and kids 10 and over can become certified Junior Open Water Divers.
Diving offers a wide range of benefits for kids, beyond just being fun and adventurous.
Here are six reasons why scuba diving is great for kids:
Builds Confidence & Responsibility
Boosts Focus & Discipline
Encourages Teamwork & Communication
Connects Them with Nature
Promotes Calmness & Mindfulness
Great Physical Activity
If you are not a certified diver, you can join your kids in the course and share an unforgettable experience together!
Once certified, families can dive a huge variety of dive sites suited for junior divers. Roatan is on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world. Many dive sites are less than 2 minutes away by boat and feature a coral shelf as shallow as 15 feet (5 meters). These shallow shelves lead out to the reef wall, which can drop as deep as 100’ or more. This means that each dive site provides a variety of dive routes and options to perfectly match the skill level and interests of your family.
Diving is a healthy, relaxing, and engaging activity. Families who dive together can bond over unique marine sightings. While on the dive, you will see the stunning coral formations that build one of the most fragile and important ecosystems on Earth. This kind of direct connection with nature provides the perfect opportunity to teach kids about the importance of the environment. These corals support roughly 25% of all marine life, which means you’ll also get to share the experience of seeing sea turtles, eagle rays, moray eels, seahorses, grouper, and so much more that we actually wrote a whole blog about it!
Families can also participate in unique diving courses created by the Roatan Marine Park. The Lionfish Hunter course teaches divers how to identify and hunt lionfish, an invasive and destructive species in the Caribbean. Lionfish hunting is a fun way to help protect the reef, and as an added benefit, lionfish makes a delicious and easy ceviche!
Families looking to get hands-on with corals can sign up for the Roatan Marine Park’s Coral Restoration course. Over two days, you’ll get in-depth training about coral health as well as the challenges putting our reef at risk. Then, you’ll get to participate in coral fragmentation, maintenance of coral trees, and outplanting mature fragments onto the reef. The Coral Restoration course is an impactful and gratifying scuba experience unique to Roatan.
#3 - Animal Encounters + Ziplines
Roatan has several animal sanctuaries that allow kids and adults alike to interact with animals native to the region. Several nature parks on the island give visitors face time with sloths, monkeys, and macaws, providing education in a fun island way.
For families who are looking for adventure and thrills, canopy and zipline tours are a unique experience and an incredible addition to a dive trip, allowing traveling families to see the island from above and below.
Other family-friendly activities on Roatan include horseback riding on the beach, glass-bottom boat tours, birding tours, and chocolate tastings.
#4 - Nonstop Flights
One of the biggest benefits of taking a family vacation in Roatan is how close it is to the United States! Nonstop flights from Miami and Houston land in Roatan in just 2 or 3 hours flight, making it easy to hit the ground running on the same day you arrive. It’s common to fly into Roatan in the morning and enjoy a relaxing afternoon dive the very same day.
Miami and Houston aren’t the only non-stop flights into Roatan!
Nonstop flights come into Roatan from these US cities:
Atlanta (ATL) - Delta Air Lines
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) - American Airlines
Denver (DEN) - United Airlines (often seasonal)
Houston (IAH) - United Airlines
Miami (MIA) - American Airlines
Minneapolis (MSP) - Sun Country Airlines (often seasonal)
And from these Canadian cities (seasonal):
Montreal (YUL) - Sunwing
Toronto (YYZ) - Sunwing, WestJet
#5 Safety and Comfort
Roatan is a very safe destination. The island was long held by the United Kingdom until it was traded to Honduras as part of a larger treaty in the mid-1800s. Therefore, the island is natively English-speaking and culturally distinct from mainland Honduras. Touristic areas like West End are known for their walkability and the warm and welcoming nature of the locals. The government and local businesses work hard to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all.
On top of the island’s safety, it is also a great option for kids’ first international trip because they speak the local language and can even spend the US dollars they’re familiar with. Traffic flows in the same direction as the US and Canada, and there is a single paved road that runs the entire length of the island, making driving straightforward if you choose to rent a car.
Roatan has a wide range of family-friendly accommodations at every price point. In addition to hotels in the West End and West Bay areas, West End and nearby Sandy Bay have many rental properties on Airbnb and VRBO, as well as in Facebook groups for Roatan Rental Properties. Accommodations offer all the usual comforts of home, and the island in general is cheaper than other similar Caribbean destinations. Roatan is perfect for family vacations!
Have a lot of fun with Roatan Divers on your family dive trip
Roatan Divers is strategically located in the West End, and you will need about 10 to 15 minutes of navigation to reach all these dive sites.
We have our own dock and 4 dive boats to accommodate our divers at every level and interest, but spots fill up fast. Be sure to book your trip in just a few clicks via our online booking form. You can let us know any courses you’re interested in and how long you plan to stay, and we will design the rest!
Roatan Divers is proud to offer a boutique diving experience to our clients, and we have been awarded a 2024 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award. Still not sure about booking with us? Please feel free to check out our nearly 1,500 TripAdvisor reviews or reach out directly to ask your specific questions.
