In short
Roatán lies along the Mesoamerican barrier reef, the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier. The drop-off starts a few dozen metres from shore.
The island is one of the cheapest places on the planet to take a diving qualification, and West End holds the dive centres. That is the reason to come.
What it really costs
Roatán costs markedly less than the Caribbean in euros or dollars. Housing in West End or Sandy Bay stays affordable by the month.
The budget turns on diving: the price per tank drops sharply from a ten-dive package, and many centres house their divers at a reduced rate.
What nobody tells you
The island is not mainland Honduras, where the security situation is very different. The transfer from San Pedro Sula calls for care; a direct flight avoids it.
Cruise ships berth at Coxen Hole and Mahogany Bay several times a week. The western dive sites stay quiet, the eastern beaches less so.
The rainy season runs from October to January and underwater visibility drops. March–April and August–September are the best windows.