Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
This spot has been added by
Last updated on April 12, 2022
Do you feel like an enjoyable and original snorkeling experience? Set off to see the superb Caribbean cushion stars covering the seabed in their dozens at Starfish Alley, in less than 3 feet of water. A number of spots in Roatan have the same name and many tour organizers offer excursions to visit them. This particular one is between West End and West Bay and has the advantage of being easily accessible from the beach.
It has been recently reported (March 2022) that the starfish are not present anymore at this location. Unless you get a different and more recent local advice, we do not recommend snorkeling this location anymore.
Starfish Alley is between West End and West Bay, the heart of Roatan’s tourist area. You can get there by car from anywhere on the island by following the signs to West Bay. Once you’re on West Bay Road and about 0.5 miles before the Infinity Bay Resort, turn right on Kai Linda Way.
Carry on to the end of the road and park near the “Bite on the Beach” restaurant. Once on the beach, walk for less than 5 minutes towards the east (to the right as you are facing the sea).
If you are staying in West End, it’s easier to take a taxi boat (they leave from the landing stage facing the Splash Inn Dive Resort, which is well signposted). Ask them to drop you off at the site (it is very well known). From the eastern tip of West Bay beach, visitors in good physical condition can swim to the spot (follow the coastline for about 15 minutes).
The snorkeling spot stretches along a line of white buoys, at right angles to the beach, around 150 yards east of the “Bite on the Beach” restaurant. At the end of the line of buoys, two marker buoys show the boat lane, so don’t stay in this area and be careful when crossing it.
There are many cushion stars all over the area between the beach and the end of the line of buoys (↕2-4ft/0,5-1m). They like the dense seagrass beds found only a few yards from the beach. By crisscrossing the area and keeping a good eye out (they are sometimes hard to see, and are hidden in the grass), you will soon spot them.
Although their colors range from red to beige, via yellow, orange, and even green, they all belong to the same species.
You won’t come across many other creatures in the area. If you go beyond the buoys, you will reach a reef area, dominated by sea fans, and with few fish. But you should encounter some butterflyfish, surgeonfish, or bluehead wrasse.
Don’t walk on the seagrass to not damage them, and because there are sea urchins lurking here and there. Be particularly careful about boats sailing nearby when you are inside or near the marked-out areas.
The “Bite on the Beach” restaurant bar is near the spot. You can also find all the facilities (accommodation, supermarkets, etc.) you need at West Bay, a few minutes away by car or boat.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
What year was this posted? We just snorkeled in Roatan and our guide said there used to be sea stars there, but there aren’t any starfish there anymore 😞
Hi Sue, thank you very much for the update, and sorry for the disappointing experience. I’ve just added a red comment in the spot page intro to inform our visitors. Hope you’ve enjoyed snorkeling in Roatan! Cheers, Guillaume
Our guide told us that, but we did not have enough time to explore the area ourselves. I am wondering if anyone has seen them there lately. I would LOVE to go back and explore every inch. The snorkeling at West End was amazing and the diving at West Bay was incredible. I love this website! I want to travel to every place you suggest!
Let’s see if we get feedback from other travelers soon! If you want to share some pics of the spots you’ve explored feel free to do it 🙂 Thanks again, we keep in touch. Cheers, Guillaume
We just snorkeled the area between the shore and the boat lane this morning and only saw a handful of cushion starfish, and only one large one in the grass. The rest were small and mostly visible walking in the water near shore. The number increases as you go west towards Las Rocas.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
