Roatan: A Diver's Paradise and Digital Nomad Haven

My Roatan Review

Thanks to all of the recommendations - I’ve found my way to Roatan, Honduras, seemingly the mecca of diving. When people hype things up so much, I find myself questioning them a bit - like could Roatan really be a diver’s paradise or would it just be another tourist trap? The results are in, and I’m hopping on the bandwagon as a full-fledged believer. Roatan is the place to go if you’re a diver (and, honestly, even if you don’t dive it’s still great).?

When I started looking into visiting Roatan, the biggest and most common question I heard was - is it safe? Traveling as a woman means I have to be on my guard more than if I was a man, or was traveling with a man. Through my research, I found that the island of Roatan was actually quite safe - and realized that I could fly directly into the island, skipping the mainland altogether. After two weeks here, I can report that I have felt safe the entire time. A little boy did come up behind me and call me mom, but that’s a story for a different day.?

Dive shops are everywhere and each has its own personality - some for rule followers, some for tech divers, and some for more relaxed individuals. So, once I picked a dive shop, I had a ready-made community of people who shared my interests. In one of my last posts, I talked about the struggle of cultivating a new community of people in every place I travel to - here it was much easier to make friends. Let’s be real - having friends really elevates an experience.?

Dives are offered all day every day - which makes my digital nomad heart sing. I’ve gotten into my ideal dive/work routine. I work in the mornings and do afternoon dives. Not many things are better than cracking open a cold beer (or sometimes a diet coke) post-dive, so working in the mornings allows me to relax after a dive. On the weekends, I do a double dive in the morning, which means that I can go further out and dive different, deeper sites.?

On the days I don’t dive, I spend the whole day at The Beach Desk. This place is amazing. It was crafted for the sole purpose of giving digital nomads a place to come together and work in an environment conducive to productivity. Not only do I get to knock out a large chunk of work, but I also get to meet other digital nomads. Are you as convinced as I am that Roatan is the perfect place for digital nomad divers or shall I continue??

Just in case you need more evidence, I’ll continue. Let’s circle back to diving. The dive shops prepare everything - so no more lugging heavy tanks and all of your gear down the beach and into a boat. When it’s time for a dive, all I have to do is show up. They even keep my equipment at the shop and clean it for me! No other place I’ve been diving has taken such good care of me.?

As if it could get any better - it’s also affordable! I can take a shared taxi (collectivo) into the capital to go grocery shopping for $6 round trip. My groceries for a week have consistently cost $120. When I eat out, I can get 3 delicious tacos for $7 and a cold beer or diet coke for $2. If I want a larger meal, with an entree and sides, it typically costs me no more than $15. Coming from St. Lucia, this was just the reprieve my budget needed.

Sometimes, a place doesn’t live up to the hype and ends up being another tourist trap; however, Roatan is not one of those places. I’m so sold that I’ve extended my stay here from 1 month to three months. So, if you come by, you might see me - still here and thriving.