Name: Marilyn's Mystery
Address: Honduras

About Marilyn's Mystery

Marilyn's Mystery is a dive site located on the west side of Roatan, part of the Bay Islands of Honduras. Roatan sits on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-largest barrier reef globally, which helps foster diverse marine life and healthy fish populations. This site is part of the West End Wall, characterized by a reef that starts at approximately 6 meters deep and descends steeply to 27 meters before reaching a sandy bottom, continuing further beyond recreational dive limits. The reef features deep channels and crevices, offering refuge to various creatures. Impressive formations of coral, including staghorn corals and large mesh fan gorgonians, define the upper reef structure. Divers here can observe Caribbean spiny lobsters and reef octopuses within the channels. Looking into the open water, pelagic species like permit fish, eagle rays, and jackfish, alongside schools of Atlantic spadefish, are often sighted. The shallow upper reef makes parts of this site accessible for snorkelers, though boat traffic necessitates caution. Typically, divers can expect good visibility. The site is a dynamic blend of geological structures and biodiversity, offering opportunities to study marine species and underwater geology.

Highlights

Steep reef wall topographyDeep channels and crevicesCaribbean spiny lobstersReef octopusesLarge mesh fan gorgoniansSchools of Atlantic spadefishEagle ray sightings

Best Season

Diving in the Bay Islands, including Roatan, is possible year-round, as temperatures remain stable. Water temperatures range from 27 to 31 degrees Celsius. Visibility is generally excellent, between 24 and 45 meters, although it may decrease slightly during the rainy season from October to January.

Dive site facts: Marilyn's Mystery

Depth: 6–27 m
Current: Moderate
Entry: Liveaboard or dayboat
Level: Intermediate
Dive type: Wall, Reef
Region / port: Honduras
Coordinates: 16.3408° N, 86.6031° W

Conditions & Currents

Moderate currents can run here, so plan drift entries and stay close to the group. Dive profiles here run between roughly 6 and 27 metres, so plan your gas and no-decompression limits around the deeper part of the site. It is usually briefed as a dive for intermediate divers. It can be dived from a liveaboard or a day boat, depending on where you start the trip. Tide, wind and season all shift the picture from day to day, so the crew's briefing on the boat always overrides any general description.

Why dive Marilyn's Mystery from a liveaboard?

Marilyn's Mystery is one of Honduras's signature dive sites. A liveaboard sleeps you on the water and puts you in the water for three to four guided dives per day, including dawn and night dives that day-boat operators rarely offer. You skip the daily commute back to port and reach quieter, less-crowded sites in the same region on a single trip.

Below are the liveaboards that include Marilyn's Mystery on their Honduras itineraries.

Liveaboards diving Marilyn's Mystery

These liveaboards may visit Marilyn's Mystery on selected itineraries — the exact dive sites depend on departure, weather and conditions.

Roatan Aggressor

Honduras

18 guests31.1 m

$287/day

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