Bay Islands advice for experienced divers

[handben]

Thank you for the comments on the Roatan dive operations. Since my flight is to and from Roatan, we will definitely spend a few days there. I have read a lot of positive things about Utila and the marine national park at Cayos Cochinos so I am considering spending a week at one of those destinations as well. If given the choice of the two, which should I pick? I'd love to hear from someone who has been to both and could offer a comparison between the two. Are there any tucked-away gem dive operations that offer a more personalized experience or should we stay with resort operations?

Zeeb, I spent 2 weeks in Utila 2 years ago and rented a house about a mile outside of town on the water. This past summer I went to Cayos Cochinos (Turtle Bay) for a week. Both trips were with my teenage kids. I suppose it sort of depends on the kids temperament as to whether they will be happy at either. There is a town to walk through on Utila at night (or during the day) whereas in Cayos Cochinos, you are pretty much going to stay within the confines of the resort when not diving. At night there was some relaxed conversation with other folks staying there and the dive-masters in training as well as some heated card games - but not much else in the way of night life.

In terms of diving, I found both Utila and Cayos Cochinos to be quite restrictive. I like to dive with my family (wife and 2 kids) as well as solo dive when none of them are up for it (happens sometimes on Bonaire); but I am not much into group diving. There is only one main operator in Cayos Cochinos which is Turtle Bay Ecoresort. (There are other folks who come in from the mainland.) In Cayos Cochinos, you won't be able to enter the water until a dive-master is in the water first. The dives will be lead and you must stay with the group. Dive times were limited to 50 minutes - we usually came up with half a tank or so left. In Utila we had a guide/instructor who we worked with for the 2 weeks there. This gave us a bit more freedom while diving as she got used to what we liked and gave us a bit of leeway. We went out with the Bay Islands College of Diving. My worst dive on this trip was lead by a brand new divemaster (or possibly instructor) - the rest of my family was with our other instructor finishing their advanced open water - there were 15 or so of us going in a tight line down the reef. It was fins and silt the whole way - horrible dive. There are a lot of different operators though in Utila so your experience may differ. In terms of diving, I found the marine life to be significantly better in Cayos Cochinos compared to Utila. I got the sense that most everything big enough to be eaten had been eaten in Utila whereas Cayos Cochinos is better protected from over-fishing. The only feasible way to get from Roatan to Cayos Cochinos will be to take the ferry to La Ceiba then a panga ride to Cayos Cochinos.

I just posted a video shot from Cayos Cochinos (small amount shot in Tela): Diving Cayos Cocinos Honduras 2013 - YouTube

 

[PeterNBiddle]

We just did Utila with two teenage boys at Utopia. You can find my reviews of that trip here on the board. We enjoyed ourselves (teens and adults alike). Definitely recommend it if Utila turns out to be an opinion.

Someone said they didn't know how to get to Guanaja from Utila - Island Air will do that for you.

For the absolute best diving on Utila I like UDC. YMMV

 

[Corky Leadhogger]

Took a tour of Roatan one day of our 10-day stay, and for me there is only one place to be - West End. It has a beach, entertainment, 20 dive outfits and 30 restaurants in less than a mile walking distance. Half Moon Bay is beautiful and the town is not so confining as the resorts in West Bay. Or as expensive, less than half the price. We stayed at Seagrape on the north end of the bay. Great dive shop, super nice people. A couple hundred yards from the bustle at night but still a quick walk to breakfast.

 

[Bryan Cunningham]

I used to love deep diving. Was an instructor for 16 years with over 10 000 dives. Now I am 90% paralysed in my legs. Stay shallow, dive longer and live longer. Especially do not put your kids at risk.