If you are a relatively serious diver, you more than likely have heard of Utila. One of the Bay Islands of Honduras, Utila is the smallest of the three main islands. It has a reputation for being the most inexpensive place to learn to dive and is a haven to backpackers and adventure seekers alike. Utila is not mainstream tourism. Every other shop is not selling souvenirs. There are no towering hotels with waterslides or casinos. It is obviously not the first choice in vacation destinations for everyone. It is however, a great choice for the diver that seeks to experience the culture above the waves as well as below them.
Getting there can be done via air or ferry. There are several flights that depart from major US cities to San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba and Roatan. There are local carriers to book flights to the island once you arrive in Honduras or ferries are available from Roatan and La Ceiba (keep in mind that the ferry from Roatan will more than likely take you to La Ceiba first). Be sure to remember your sense of humor and patience as time seems to slow down, weather creates delays and some of the equipment seems antiquated.
Our trip to Utila placed us in the charming hands of the Mango Inn. Beyond its red wooden gates the property lies nestled within its own private jungle. Amidst that jungle is the Mango Café, offering a wonderful menu for any time of the day. If you ever find yourself there, be sure to try a handmade pizza baked in their onsite brick oven.
On to the accommodations! The Mango Inn has a rustic and very tropical character with all the comfort you need between dives. They offer several choices in accommodations ranging from the Standard room to the Deluxe Cabin and Mango Cottage. Let me first caution that we are what I would call a moderately adventurous couple. It really doesn’t take much for us to enjoy ourselves, especially when there is diving involved. The basics more than suit our needs. Our Standard room contained one single and one double bed, a ¾ bath, TV and a small bureau. The linens were clean and the mattress comfortable. A good place for a tired diver to rest his (or her) head before the next dive.
The most populated area of the island is the town of Utila itself. The people of Utila are friendly and hospitable. A walk through the busy streets gives you a glimpse into the everyday lives of those that live there. There are two main roads through town, one snaking its way to the airfield and the other skimming the coastline of the bay. Getting around is not difficult. Primary modes of transportation are bicycle, scooter, four-wheeler and small car, truck or van. The most inexpensive means of getting around is the shoe-leather express, effective and never needs gas!
Our diving on this trip was with Utila Dive Center. A fifteen minute walk through town or a ride in the back of a local pickup truck will put you at their door. UDC is a PADI Career Development Center offering nearly every PADI course under the sun. Our primary objective was in Technical courses. My husband enrolled in the Gas Blender Instructor course so this would be a pseudo working vacation – for him at least! The staff at UDC is an impressive, multinational group of predominantly younger professionals. Everyone is made to feel at home at UDC and the hospitality is outstanding.
Utila Dive Center is full-service operation with a lot of island appeal. The entire facility is covered in wooden decking, even the shop boasts beautiful wood floors. Out the back door and down the stairs is the core of UDC’s environment. Two covered social areas, one containing a modest concession bar with sitting area and the other a large coffee table and seating to relax, study or chat. The concession stand serves the usual prepackaged odds and ends, soda, bottled water and the like. Around mid-day the cooking and baking begins. We were treated to the most amazing “cookies” one afternoon; sweet, minced pineapple essentially baked in a pocket. An absolute treat! Another afternoon the menu offered chili-cheese fries, with homemade chili of course!
Beyond the social area we were showed the secure storage area where we could stow our gear. Each wall contains hanging racks, hangers and shelving above for bags when not in use. The storage area is roomy and convenient and is securely locked each evening.
Across from the storage area is the fill station. The fill capabilities at UDC are impressive. The center boasts 2 compressors, one for air and the other for nitrox and tri-mix. They can fill 4 tanks simultaneously and make efficient work of it when the boats come back in.
To the rear and underneath the shop is the rental gear. Wow…the selection is unbelievable. There is ample gear available to meet virtually any diver’s needs. It is neatly organized and the staff is ready to assure that you have everything you need.
On to the diving! We were assigned to “Old Tom” (our dive boat) and Divemasters Karen (from Scotland), Sarah (Vancouver) and Amity (Atlanta). The assignments for boat and Divemasters remained the same for all of our dives that week, a feature that we took note of. All dives were guided by one of our Divemasters. Qualified individuals may certainly dive on their own if they wish (my husband and I are an IDC Staff Instructor and a Divemaster, respectively), but UDC promotes a relaxing experience in diving…their Divemasters lead and you just relax and enjoy the view.
Unfortunately the weather had been somewhat uncooperative on our arrival to the island. It really hadn’t gotten much better as the week progressed. Rain is usually no big deal to divers, as it doesn’t rain beneath the surface. However, the wind and subsequent surge don’t play nice with the visibility. Quite frankly, we really didn’t care, we left the coldest day of the year thus far at home and were as close to the equator as we’d ever been…it was disappointing, yes, but hardly going to ruin the trip!
Due to weather conditions, our diving was kept to the south side of the island. The dive sites we visited were mazes of coral, walls and sand channels. The geography of the diving is exciting, supporting a variety of coral, sponges and fish life. The fish were, of course, beautiful. We frequently spied queen angels, French angels, butterfly fish and parrotfish. There were also yellowtail snappers and a variety of groupers. A few of us were lucky enough to pass a goliath grouper resting in a sand channel. We came across a sea turtle gliding through the water and another making a mid morning meal out of some coral. He (or she) was seemingly undisturbed by our presence. Between dives, we ventured to deeper waters in search of whale sharks. Although we didn’t find the elusive fish, the sun finally showed itself and brightened the day as well as the week.
The water temp was a reasonable 80 degrees. I will admit to still being cold and providing comic relief to my fellow divers with the nearly 9mm of neoprene I decided was needed! And although the weather had diminished the viz, there was still a lot to see. We dove along a shallow wall that gave way to sand channels here and there. We came across several puffers of various sizes, some rays and a wreck of an old sailboat. The moderate surge motion at our dive sites was an enjoyable ride.
We enjoyed our trip to Utila. It is a beautiful place with sincere authenticity. It lacks the bustle of the more mainstream vacation spots. The people are friendly and hospitable and the diving is fabulous. Utila Dive Center is clearly the predominant choice for learning to dive on Utila and the hospitality is outstanding. The Mango Inn is equally as impressive for the easy-going dive traveler. Although we wish the weather had been better for our visit, the fact that it wasn’t only means that we will have to go back again!!! My other half is already thinking about more Tec classes…
For more information on the Mango Inn and Utila Dive Center, please follow this link: www.utiladivecenter.com. For a more in depth read of our trip to Utila, please visit www.tradewinddiver.com. Heather was the winner of DiveArea Contest in 2007. Congratulations to her and her other 1/2 and thanks to the Team of Utila Dive Center
