Roatán · Honduras · Sand slope · Reef
Mandy's Eel Garden
Garden eel colonies on a sand patch near the foot of the wall
Area photo: William Eburn · CC BY 2.5
Mandy's Eel Garden lies off West Bay Beach and runs from a shallow reef out toward the outer wall. It is one of Roatán's main beginner sites, known for the colonies of garden eels on the sandy patch near the base of the wall.
Also known as Mandys Eel Garden, Mandy’s Eel Garden.
Where it is and how deep
16.2736° N, 86.6018° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive begins on the reef at around 6 m (20 ft) and heads out toward the outer wall, never going deeper than 20 m (65 ft). Near the base of the wall a sandy patch holds the garden eels the site is named for, rising out of their burrows over the sand.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Roatán: March to August is dry with the calmest seas; October to February is the rainy season, wettest in November and December.
Dive videos
MANDY'S EEL GARDEN - Roatan Honduras 2022 · Look 'N' Sea on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is Mandy's Eel Garden suitable for new divers?+
Yes. It is one of the island's main beginner sites, running from 6 m (20 ft) to no deeper than 20 m (65 ft), within Open Water limits.
Sources
- 20 Best Dive Sites in Roatan — DiveIn
- Splash Inn Roatan dive sites — Bluewater Dive Travel
- Mandy's Eel Garden — ScubaGo
More dive sites in Roatán
Channel & pass
A gentle drift down a sand channel that ends at the drop-off
Wall
Canyons and swim-throughs on a wall bottoming out at 16 m
Reef
A resident group of Caribbean reef sharks on a south-side plateau
Cave & cavern
A network of shallow, easily navigated coral caves
Wreck
Three swim-throughs, and sometimes 15 to 20 groupers inside
Reef
A coral pillar standing in a square cut in the reef wall
Drift
A shallow drift down a sand path scattered with wreck pieces
Wall
Reef top at 5 m, wall dropping to about 46 m off West End
Similar dives elsewhere
A field of sea pens standing up out of the sand like white feathers
A sand break through the reef, beach to past 30 metres
Coral bommies from 15 to 24 m, with eagle rays and garden eels
A calm northern bay for skills practice near Crystal Rock