Best Dive Sites in Utila?

[freshorangina]

Hi! I am going to be going down to Utila for over a month later this summer (Mid-July through August) and I was wondering if anyone could tell me about the best dive sites they have experienced around the island. I am looking to do some decent photography, some night dives and capture as much diversity as possible. Thanks so much for any info you can share with me!

Carey (aka freshorangina)

 

[laurenceh]

my favorite dive sites are :-
THE PINNACLE (pretty coral garden at 30/40ft, dramatic wall with a chimney shaped pinnacle coming up from 100ft to 25 ft from surface and a cool "tunnel" that starts at 70ft and exits at 130ft).
C.J.'S DROP OFF (beautiful wall starting at 30ft and dropping to??????? amazing, like diving in the grand canyon. last time i was there (april) all the barrel sponges below 130ft were spawning, it was like swimming thru a blizzard, spectacular).
BLACKISH POINT (coral gardens at 25ft, little wall from 25-80ft with lots of shallow caves, many with collapsed ceilings allow light down from/and access up to the reef above, resident midnight parrot fish seen here. sandy plain at 90ft often inhabited by southern rays.
i love the wall around RAGGEDY CAY (always lots of spotted morays and porcupine puffers) and all the coral garden dive/snorkel sites along the south shore from deep blue resort all the way west to TREASURE BEACH.
have fun !!

 

[tarponchik]

Pinnacle and Blackish Point int the North. Airport Caves and Haliburton wreck in SE. Little Bight in SW if you wanna see sea horses. Laguna Beach-Labyrinth area has plenty of black coral in the deep, etc. Utila is quite even in quality of diving. In a month you'll dive everywhere and see for yourself.

 

[fab50diver]

My husband told someone the other day that you can fall off the boat anywhere in Utila and the diving is beautiful...I agree!

 

[diversteve]

Pinnacle
Blackish Point
Duppy Waters
Black Hills
Labrynth at night.
Pretty Bush

 

[flyindiver75]

Blackish point, raggedy caye, and labyrinth were all very nice, but there was never a bad dive. Great reefs with lots of life.

 

[freshorangina]

Thanks so much for all of the info! I am super excited about this trip, and if all this is true, I will not be disappointed. Who am I kidding, I am going diving for 6 weeks, I will definitely not be disappointed! I will also be in Cayos Cochino for 2 weeks, staying at Cayo Menor. I will be back in Utila around August 23rd and hope to witness the coral spawning. Does anyone have any experience with that, particularly in regards to what are the best times and how often per night I should be trying to get out there? Any help or hearing about your experiences with this are very much appreciated!

Carey

 

[USdiver1]

IMO, Cayos Cochinos has the best diving in the Bay Islands. Utila is second best, so you can't go wrong with your itinerary.

 

[freshorangina]

Hmm, based on that I am thinking of maybe going back to Cayos for a few days when I will be on my own. Did you stay at Plantation Beach Resort? If so, what was your experience with them?

 

[USdiver1]

I did stay with PBR, although it was many years ago. I found the place to my liking at the time, which is to say rustic with a very strong "diving is our thing" attitude. It was lights out early, when the generator was shut off, nothing besides PBR as far as night life. We wandered around the island one afternoon when the seas were rough, I recall lots of no-see-ums. All things considered, my favorite diving, and a very relaxing atmosphere topside.