Utila Dive Festival is an exciting week long event highlighting the island of Utila – both above and below the water. Underwater, we will have daily themed dives, photo contests and a scavenger hunt. At the surface the parties, Taste of Utila and prize giveaways will draw a crowd with opening and closing beach parties.
The event, scheduled for August 18-25, is designed not only to attract a wide range of visitors but also to benefit the entire community of Utila. The Utila Dive Festival was created to highlight the tiny diving Mecca of Utila, one of The Bay Islands located in the Western Caribbean just South of Belize. Utila Dive Festival 2012, is a week of diving, dancing, dining and discovering on a tropical island whose heart beats scuba day in and day out.
The Utila Dive Festival is focused on building an atmosphere that will both educate and foster the enjoyment of sharing underwater experiences and also highlight what Utila has to offer as a vacation destination. Our best assets are being part of the largest reef in the Western Hemisphere that surrounds the islands, the over 99% of Caribbean sea life that makes it’s home in our waters and the elusive Whale Shark, the Worlds largest fish that has been seen here all year round.
Traditionally a beginners diving paradise, Utila has progressed over the years offering specialty training courses, tech diving, reef ecology and professional training packages. In recent years, many dive resorts and the Utila Aggressor have influenced Utila’s overall breadth, offering fun diving experiences mixed with casual Caribbean getaways. The myriad of Mom and Pop-shops, restaurants, crazy little seaside bars, topside activities and nature excursions round up the island as a fun happening place to spend a dive or water adventure vacation.
There will be specialized diving activities held throughout the week including a photography competition, advanced buoyancy workshops, reef ecology and whale shark talks, tec and sidemount try dives including closed circuit rebreathers. There will also be social events in the evenings, Caribbean island style with a 'taste of Utila' food fair. So far our sponsors have committed over $7000 in retail value of prizes and include;
12 Sealife Cameras
Aqua Lung regulator, BCD and mask/snorkel and fins
Scubapro MK25/S600 regulator
6 GoPro HD Hero II sports cameras with housing
Intova cameras and light
2 DiveRite sidemount rigs, reels, SMB's and wet notes
There are also courses and vacation stays at various local dive resorts and centers worth an additional $3000 to be won!
Many of the islands dive operations and resorts are offering festival specials that week and more details can be found here
Special Offers - Utila Dive Festival week |, so whether you wish to travel as a single diver or come with friends and family, this will be the perfect week of diving with social events below and above the water to partake in.
Make your plans now to experience the first annual UTILA DIVE FESTIVAL 2012, a scuba divers nirvana!
