Diving Roatan and Utila in March + Utila Research Dives?

[Miffy]

Single female diver, looking to dive 1 week Roatan, 1 week Utila.
Bringing a non-diver, interested in lazying around on the beach, some snorkelling, and some relaxing night life (not a party goer).

All-inclusive, clean, nice rooms (no need for 5-star over the top luxury, something along the lines of Sipadan-Mabul (SMART) or Elysia Beach Resort in Donsol, Philipines), with reputable dive shop (encourage safety and attentive to single divers), beach nearby (for friend to relax at), and safe for 2 females.

Questions
1. Recommendations on resorts & dive operators to stay in Roatan that meets above (I think I will stay with Deep Blue Utila in Utila)
2. Recommendations on dive outfits that will pick us up from airport and bring us to our resort
3. Recommendations on how to get from Roatan to Utila (for just 1 person). Any dive outfits that do transfers from Roatan to Utila? How far is Utila from Roatan and how do you get there?
4. This is our first time to Roatan and Utila. It'll also be my first time snorkelling with whale sharks. Is it wise to spend my week in Utila with the Whale Shark Research Week (with Deep Blue Utila)? Or should I focus on just enjoying the snorkelling with the whale sharks? How intensive are these research expeditions?
5. Has anyone taken the Whale Shark Awareness PADI course? Is it worth it?
6. Any shops that offer video or pictures of my dive / snorkel experience with whalesharks for a cost?
7. Anyone diving alone to Roatan / Utila in March?
8. Traveling from Toronto, Ontario Canada. Which airport should I be flying to?

Concerns
I've always dived with a friend on trips but that's not possible anymore. This will be my first time diving alone and want to be sure the DM is aware and able to pair me with himself or with another single diver.

Looking forward to some advice and opinions!

---------- Post added January 22nd, 2014 at 03:31 PM ----------

Also interested in snorkeling / diving with dolphins (wild). I saw on another post that you have to take a boat out to see them? I'm confused.
RE: Accommodations, we are NOT looking for Hostel-type accommodations. We don't need granite counter tops and ridiculous hotel-type luxuries. Since we've been to Roatan and Utila, we have no idea what to expect.
Lastly: Since I will be there for 2 weeks, and very interested in underwater photography, should I consider buying a camera and housing and learn to shoot while I'm there?

Cheers!

 

[diversteve]

Single female diver, looking to dive 1 week Roatan, 1 week Utila.
Bringing a non-diver, interested in lazying around on the beach, some snorkelling, and some relaxing night life (not a party goer).

All-inclusive, clean, nice rooms (no need for 5-star over the top luxury, something along the lines of Sipadan-Mabul (SMART) or Elysia Beach Resort in Donsol, Philipines), with reputable dive shop (encourage safety and attentive to single divers), beach nearby (for friend to relax at), and safe for 2 females.

Questions
1. Recommendations on resorts & dive operators to stay in Roatan that meets above (I think I will stay with Deep Blue Utila in Utila)

Maybe Fantasy Island Beach Resort. The resort was recently refurbished except for the rooms. It's a full AI resort on it's own island. Dive operator on-site. More upscale on that side (south) of Roatan is Barefoot Cay. Also on it's own island. Both have decent beaches. Both are pretty isolated if that makes a difference. Barefoot is a few minutes by cab from the airport, I believe FIBR will meet you at the airport with a shuttle.

Otherwise look for something in West Bay - maybe Bananarama or Mayan Princess - but they're not AI resorts. The nicest beach on Roatan that's easily accessible is West Bay Beach. If it matters, the cruise ships take pax there daily. If you're interested in any sort of nightlife/dining thats either in the West End or less so in West Bay. West Bay is somewhat Americanized also - at least as close to that as Roatan gets. The West End is an eclectic mix of hostels, nicer resorts, shops, restaurants and dive operators. Almost all the nightlife is there also.

2. Recommendations on dive outfits that will pick us up from airport and bring us to our resort

A lot of the dive outfits have no affiliation with resorts. Some of the resorts offer airport pickup but mostly the AI's - FIBR, Cocoview, Reef House (I think) or Anthony's Key. Except for FIBR none have a beach for your friend.

3. Recommendations on how to get from Roatan to Utila (for just 1 person). Any dive outfits that do transfers from Roatan to Utila? How far is Utila from Roatan and how do you get there?

Fly from Roatan. There used to be a catamaran that ran from the West End to Utila but he was killed recently. There is a Facebook page listing options but one of them does transfers from a Half Moon Bay (West End) dock to Utila for $350 R/T on a speedboat - it's cheaper/faster to fly.

I'd suggest you contact Steve Fox's mom Shirley (owner of Deep Blue) and ask her to help set it up for you - she'll meet you at the Utila Airport and transport you to the dock in town, then on their boat to Deep Blue and back. There's also a travel agency on Utila that specializes in getting people to/from there - Morgan's. Morgans Travel Agency- Utila, The Bay Islands, Honduras Utila airport has no lights (not much of a terminal either...) so all flights have to be during daylight hours.

4. This is our first time to Roatan and Utila. It'll also be my first time snorkelling with whale sharks. Is it wise to spend my week in Utila with the Whale Shark Research Week (with Deep Blue Utila)? Or should I focus on just enjoying the snorkelling with the whale sharks? How intensive are these research expeditions?

We did it a few years ago with Deep Blue. Steve will bring in an expert who will lecture once or twice at night and dive with you all week. We helped with a tagging once also. And he should bring someone over from town also involved in the research to talk one night. He's also an authority on the subject.

They'll have a spotter boat out most mornings during the research weeks and they'll radio where they're being seen after your dives that day. Although Captain Swin has about the best reputation on Utila for finding them. All the captains talk amongst themselves on the radio since legally a boat can only make two drops per shark and they often stay up longer.

6. Any shops that offer video or pictures of my dive / snorkel experience with whalesharks for a cost?

It's a snorkel only unless you get really lucky and one passes over during your dive. We shot our own video - no one at Deep Blue offered. They do know videographers but I don't know if they're based in town or elsewhere. Honduran law says no active diving with them. We snorkeled with about 4-5 per day almost entirely off the north side in water too deep to dive in.

8. Traveling from Toronto, Ontario Canada. Which airport should I be flying to?

Roatan is RTB. Try to avoid San Pedro Sula (SAP?) if you can - it's pretty dicey. If you do have to overnight, stay in your hotel.

Concerns
I've always dived with a friend on trips but that's not possible anymore. This will be my first time diving alone and want to be sure the DM is aware and able to pair me with himself or with another single diver.

If Matt still runs diving at Deep Blue you won't have any issues (with anyone else that works there either) We dove as a loose group of 4-5 and paired off as appropriate, usually with my buddy but sometimes I paired with the researcher. A lot of the shops on both Roatan and Utila also do training - on our afternoon dives with Coconut Tree Divers in the West End we often had 3-4 DM trainee's shadowing us. One dive there were more of them than us...lol.

Also interested in snorkeling / diving with dolphins (wild). I saw on another post that you have to take a boat out to see them? I'm confused.

Wild dolphins are sometimes seen off Roatan's SE coast. Sometimes in the far NE also. There's less resorts in those areas and even less that will go out there. You would want to make special arrangements with someone for that type of excursion. I don't know who. If [user]Doc[/user] sees this he likely does.

The Dolphin Dive (not wild) is at Anthony's Key Resort. Any other resort selling a Dolphin Dive will take you there - RIMS (Roatan Institute of Marine Science) at AKR controls access to their dolphins. If your non-dive friend is interested, they also have a snorkel in the pens and a beach encounter option.

RE: Accommodations, we are NOT looking for Hostel-type accommodations. We don't need granite counter tops and ridiculous hotel-type luxuries. Since we've been to Roatan and Utila, we have no idea what to expect.

Of all the places I mentioned, Barefoot Cay is probably the closest to that. The Lofts are very nice and pretty reasonable but they're shore side not island side - so would be considered marginally less safe. The Villas are a lot nicer and priced accordingly. It's more of a boutique resort - limited guests, pool, nice beach, breakwater protected snorkeling etc.

 

[laurenceh]

there are very few all inclusive places in the bay islands and don't worry none of them are "5 star over the top luxury."
most all inclusive are dive lodges, relativity basic accommodations, simple food and dive, dive, dive agenda'.
i'll let others discuss roatan, as far as utila is concerned there are only three all inclusive' and all are dive resorts, none are in the only town (east harbor):-

deep blue resort. the most basic of the three, simple accommodations, small dining/bar/common area,not much of a beach, very good dive operation and the owner steve fox is very knowledgeable/enthusiastic about whale sharks. i believe the only difference between a regular week there and the whale shark week is that there will be a renowned whale shark researcher accompanying you on the dive boat and giving a lecture or two about whale sharks in the evening.

lagunna beach resort. the biggest resort on utila, simple rooms on the lagoon, big dining (decent food)/bar/common area, swimming pool and decent beach. good dive operation who will (like everyone else on utila with a boat) be searching for whale sharks during surface breaks. closest resort to town (3 minute boat ride)

utopia resort. between the two above for size (16 rooms), pretty place, nicest rooms of the three resorts. indoor dining room and common area (ok food) and a bar on the beach, mellow low key atmosphere. decent beach. good dive operation (furthest resort from town).

don't go to utila if the only reason is to see whale sharks, they aren't that co-operative. even during peak whale shark season you only have a 50% chance of seeing them. some people will see them everyday, the next week nothing! but the diving on utila is good and all the above resorts are decent.

if you're prepared to stay in non inclusive accommodations, without a beach but want nightlife, i would stay in town at the lighthouse inn and dive with udc. or if you want a real "local" experience in very modest surroundings, dive with utila cays diving (great outfit) and stay at their little hotel on pigeon cay: hotel kaya. there (and at udc in town) you will be around more single people to socialize with, resorts tend to cater to dive clubs and couples, who tend to stick to themselves.

i wouldn't bother with the whale shark "specialty" its just another padi invention to make $$$$ but learning to take underwater photos will open another world to you and almost certainly make you a better diver to boot.

have fun, its a great part of the world and the diving is as good or better than anything else in the caribbean.

there are flights between utila and roatan almost everyday (10 mins), contact alice hill at world wide travel on utila to book a flight (approx. $160 rt).

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
The Dolphin Dive (not wild) is at Anthony's Key Resort. Any other resort selling a Dolphin Dive will take you there - RIMS (Roatan Institute of Marine Science) at AKR controls access to their dolphins. If your non-dive friend is interested, they also have a snorkel in the pens and a beach encounter option.
. . .

Are you sure about the dolphins on AKR's Dolphin Dive not being wild? When we were at AKR, we opted to focus on other things and forgo the Dolphin Dive, but we were told that the dolphins are not kept in enclosures but rather live in the sea and are attracted in some manner for the purpose of this dive. AKR does have an enclosure where one can snorkel with dolphins, but I didn't get any information about it.


OP: Keep your whale shark expectations reasonable. I spent six weeks diving on Utila and never encountered a whale shark or ran across anyone who had encountered one during that time span. However, this was all diving--I didn't do any sort of whale shark snorkeling trip of the kind where they intentionally search for the animals and let you jump in to snorkel with them. I've done that elsewhere, and we indeed found some. It's quite the experience.

One more thing: If your previous dive experience has included Sipadan and the Philippines, I hope you don't expect that kind of amazing diving in the Bay Islands. You didn't say whether you have previous Caribbean experience, but I can tell you that neither Utila nor Roatan nor anywhere else can come close to the Indo-Pacific in beauty and marine life.

 

[Doc]

I don't know who. If [user]Doc[/user] sees this he likely does.

For a whole lot of reasons, for now, I'll leave this omni-faceted question to others. I think a serious here on :sblogo: is well advised. Now, I know that the revered counselors of SB eschew that kind of advice as it can be taken as elitist and/or not all-embracing, but in the case of Roatan (and equally Whalesharks), there are no easy answers for the Bay Islands. There have been, though, a lot of previous questions and some good answers.

What you got above, so far, is good information from posters who have a fairly wide base of experience (meaning that they didn't just go to one resort for one week).

A minor side topic- but yes, the AKR Dolphins are arguably "wild", but the handlers do coerce their behaviors by keeping the babies of their performing Dolophins all nice and safe, locked up in the pens.

 

[diversteve]

Are you sure about the dolphins on AKR's Dolphin Dive not being wild? When we were at AKR, we opted to focus on other things and forgo the Dolphin Dive, but we were told that the dolphins are not kept in enclosures but rather live in the sea and are attracted in some manner for the purpose of this dive. AKR does have an enclosure where one can snorkel with dolphins, but I didn't get any information about it.

I guess they could jump over the fence if they wanted to. Of course being fed regularly means they probably don't. We met "our" dolphins in the pen at Bailey's Key, then they were brought out by the trainer to the dive site. I do not know how he controlled them except he did not feed them during the dive. They were free to roam there during our dive - in fact they vanished for about the 1st 20mins - when they returned they stayed near our group and allowed us to pet and interact with them - then he brought them back in to Bailey's Key - using hand signals. You decide if this is "wild":


^ Near where the snorkel occurs. That's netting under the dock - it's not very deep. It might be for the dolphins protection but since the only sharks we saw were at the shark dive on the south side one has to wonder...


^ Bailey's Key showing the "enclosure"

 

[laurenceh]

any naturally social, group dwelling animal when removed from its family structure will stay close to its prison.
after all, where would these dolphins go? how would they find their family pod?
its the animal kingdoms version of stockholm syndrome

 

[Lorenzoid]

I guess they could jump over the fence if they wanted to. Of course being fed regularly means they probably don't. We met "our" dolphins in the pen at Bailey's Key, then they were brought out by the trainer to the dive site. I do not know how he controlled them except he did not feed them during the dive. They were free to roam there during our dive - in fact they vanished for about the 1st 20mins - when they returned they stayed near our group and allowed us to pet and interact with them - then he brought them back in to Bailey's Key - using hand signals. You decide if this is "wild":

That sure conflicts with my and my wife's understanding of what was explained to us when we asked our divemaster at AKR if the dolphins lived in enclosures. As I mentioned above, our understanding of what we were told was that the dolphins lived in the sea and not in an enclosure, and that they are somehow attracted to the dive site. The enclosure on Bailey's Key is used to house dolphins for the snorkel encounter, we were told. I am sure our DM chose his words carefully, but if what you describe is correct then he just plain LIED to us. We did not ask anyone who might have more knowledge or authority than our DM, because we had no interest in messing with dolphins ... unless some happened to show up while we were on a regular dive.

It doesn't really matter to me. My wife and I have no plans to return to AKR, though for other reasons. (See my trip report from November 2013.)

 

[diversteve]

Dolphin Activities - Anthony's Key Resort - Roatan - Honduras - doesn't look very wild to me...

In all fairness, what I described above was our entire interaction with them so I don't know where they go at night. I suspect he "lied" in a politically correct fashion - it's a pretty touchy subject in some areas.

 

[laurenceh]

they live in the pens, they are captive dolphins. anthony key has (or at least, used to have) a nice business capturing wild dolphins and then "leasing" them to dolphin parks throughout the caribbean. since selling wild caught dolphins has been made illegal in much of the caribbean "leasing" is the new business model for dolphin hunters.