Maui or Utila in May?

[cadiver67]

Howdy All,

My wife and I are planning a trip to Maui in May, my LDS is going to Utila, Honduras around the same time.

This will be our first scuba diving trip and we have never been to either place.

It sure would be fun to go with the gang to Utila, but we are a little apprehensive about going to Honduras with the crime and bugs and the malaria and all.

I am thinking that Maui will be more beautiful in scenery underwater and topside - but will be way more crowded. I read somewhere that around 2000 divers and snorkelers visit Molokini each day.

I like the idea of getting away from it all on Utila, but am a little worried about the high crime - was recently reading about tour bus hijackings and tourist killings on the state departments travel warning website.

So which would you do for a first timer?

 

[DiveMaven]

Apples and oranges IMO. The diving in Utila will be full of lush tropical soft corals, sea fans, sponges, hard corals, and more fish than you can count. Maui's diving consists of mostly hard corals, lava rock, and many fish and critters that you cannot see anywhere else in the world. To me, diving in Maui is like visiting a desert. There is a lot to see if you know where to look and what to look for, but the beauty and life isn't obvious at first glance. Diving in the Caribbean is like being in a tropical rain forest, it assaults your senses with life everywhere. Both are incredibly beautiful but also incredibly different.

My experience has shown me that either folks can't get enough of the diving in Maui and others shake their heads wondering why they bothered in the first place. I'm fortunate enough to be in the first group and can't wait to return year after year. For me, diving in Maui is like a treasure hunt....you simply never know what you're going to find.

After diving in Belize, I can't wait to return to that part of the world again, and Roatan is definitely on my "must dive" list. The diving was amazing we simply never had a bad dive in Belize. We also found the country to be beautiful, particularly since we weren't staying in a big city, so we didn't worry much about crime. As far as bugs and malaria, we used our bug spray (with deet) and didn't come home with so much as one bite.

It's a tough choice for you, but frankly if this is your first trip, it wouldn't be so bad to have someone else take care of all the arrangements. Plus, it sounds like you like the idea of diving with people that you know, so I just can't see how you can go wrong with Utila.

 

[Doc]

Don't be distracted by my screen name, I dive a lot of places from my home in Chicago.

Apples and oranges for sure, but take a bite of the Utila apple as DiveMaven said.

Let me address your one major worry abbout Utila. Crime. Just exactly what crime would that be? You have to be reading some strange stuff to be worried about Utila. I would watch myself if I were backpacking out and about on mainland Honduras, but the chances of you getting into a problem on Utila? Slim an none. You are 1000x more likely to see a Whale Shark.

You go to Hawaii for a nice vacation, you go to make your spouse happy. Occasionaly you might divert while there and do a day of diving. Diving is just something you do while you are there, you do not go there for diving.

Go with your pals. See Utila before it gets all hosed up by being "discovered".

 

[mjh]

Have to agree with the above. For diving Utila is the place to go. We never felt at risk in Utila. It is your typical relaxed tropical town. Bugs are maybe a little more of an issue in Utila but it is fairly minor, just pack some good bug spray. Maui does have Utila beat for dryland options but if you are doing 3-4 dives a day who cares!

 

[DeputyDan]

The answer to your question is really easy!!!

Are you going on a dive vacation (Utila) or are you going on vacation and would like to do a few dives while there (Maui). Decide which it is and the location is easy.

 

[diver 85]

Utila no doubt.........

 

[cadiver67]

Hello all,

Thanks for your input.

Wow!! I really expected everyone to vote for Hawaii.
I always thought Hawaii was the divers paradise, but I guess its the caribbean.

I went to my LDS today and signed up for the trip to Utila. Should be a lot of fun since we will be going with familiar people that we have been diving with here in California.

Can't wait - now I have to add a countdown to my profile just for fun.