Trip Highlights
Snorkel the Mesoamerican Reef, where coral gardens are home to sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, French angelfish, reef squid, seahorses, moray eels, and countless other reef species.
Stay in over-the-water cabanas on a private peninsula, where shallow water access to an incredible coral reef wall is just 100 yards from your room.
Stay on Roatán's quieter side, known for calmer waters and easy access to healthy reefs where you can balance active days in the water with time to unwind in a peaceful tropical environment.
About This Trip
Beautiful underwater views! Boat trips to unique spots are comfortable. Front Porch shore snorkeling is excellent…lots to see! Guides make the trip very enjoyable. Rosie and Ernesto were very helpful and personable. Accommodations are comfortable and well-kept. Meals are very good, and all the folks providing meals and services are welcoming. Wonderful week!!
Conservation Impact
As America’s oldest 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ocean conservation, Oceanic Society designs each expedition to deepen connections between people and nature while empowering travelers to play a direct role in preserving marine ecosystems. Through the Expedition Impact Program, your participation supports local ocean conservation projects in visited destinations, coral restoration, and plastic pollution offset initiatives.
Dates & Prices
What's Included
All accommodations, activities, and meals as described; ground transportation to each destination, airport transfers; and a dedicated Oceanic Society naturalist.
What's Not Included
International airfare, alcoholic beverages, meals not listed in itinerary, airport taxes, any activities not described, limited single supplement at $625/person, and gratuities. Click here for our full expedition terms and conditions.
Itinerary
Sample Itinerary
Guests are greeted at Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport (RTB) and transferred to CoCo View Resort, located on its own private peninsula on the South Shore of the island, near French Harbor.
You’ll spend seven nights in comfortable double-occupancy oceanfront cabanas with beautiful views, a private beach, and a coral reef wall just 100 yards away. In the evening, we’ll come together for a welcome dinner and orientation, where we’ll introduce the week’s activities and set the stage for unforgettable reef experiences.
Over the next several days, we’ll explore the vibrant reefs of Roatán both from shore and by boat, experiencing the incredible diversity that makes this region so special. Snorkeling opportunities include the easily accessible “Front Yard” house reef at CoCo View Resort, located less than one hundred yards from our cabanas, as well as boat-based excursions to sites around the island. This mix of shore and boat snorkeling allows us to experience a range of reef systems and marine life, from coral gardens to sea-grass meadows. Following lunch each day, we will do an afternoon boat snorkel at another site.
Marine life sightings may include filefish, reef squid, seahorses, green moray eels, pufferfish, French angelfish, spotted eagle rays, and possibly hawksbill and green sea turtles, alongside fields of elkhorn coral and other reef-building species such as brain coral, lettuce coral, and gorgonians.
Weather permitting, we will also enjoy a night snorkel. With flashlights in hand, we may observe eels, octopus, squid, and possible bioluminescence.
Today we venture to Roatán’s lively West End, combining time on the water with a taste of the island’s vibrant coastal culture. Traveling by boat, we’ll stop at a series of new snorkeling sites along the way, offering fresh perspectives on the reef and its marine life.
A box lunch will be served onboard before arriving in the West End, where you’ll have time to browse local shops, stroll the waterfront, or simply take in the energy of this colorful seaside community at your own pace. We return to the resort by boat in the afternoon.
Our last full day begins with a morning boat snorkel through vibrant coral gardens filled with hard corals, sponges, and gorgonians. Keep an eye out for queen angelfish or pairs of four-eyed butterflyfish, which mate for life. Afterward, we’ll enjoy a relaxing beach snorkel, soaking in the sun and the colors of the reef one last time.
Our final day will be spent beyond the reef to discover the vibrant culture and landscapes of Roatán. Traveling by private van, we’ll wind along the island’s scenic coastline, passing fishing villages and gaining a glimpse into everyday life on the island. Along the way, we may stop at wildlife rehabilitation centers and other locally significant sites, offering insight into Roatán’s conservation efforts and community initiatives.
After lunch, if time permits, we may explore the island’s lush, mountainous interior, where you can wander through small towns, browse local shops, and take in a different side of Roatán before returning to the water.
The afternoon can be spent relaxing by the beach, snorkeling the house reef, and enjoying your final hours in Roatán. In the evening, we’ll gather for a farewell dinner, sharing stories and photos from the week and celebrating the incredible marine life and experiences we’ve discovered together.
Accommodations
Our base for this expedition is the comfortable CoCo View Resort, which has catered to snorkelers and scuba divers since 1982. Located on a private peninsula of Roatan Island, CoCo View offers double occupancy, over-the-water cabanas, each with private bath, air-conditioning, WiFi, and other conveniences, plus your own private porch to enjoy sunrises and sunsets, ocean breezes, or your morning coffee. Best of all, the cabanas sit just 100 yards from a beautiful coral reef wall whose top is within 5 feet of the surface in most areas and is thickly covered with corals. Keep your eyes peeled for the resident green moray eel, or take in the action at one of its cleaning stations where you can watch a variety of marine life come and go.
Naturalist(s)
Your expedition will be led by one or more of the following expert naturalist guides:
