Roatan vs. Utila diving - What's the difference?

[bleon]

Hi all,

My husband and I are looking at going to Utila or Roatan this spring to try and see some whale sharks. We are trying to decide between Utila and Roatan and I'm wondering what is the difference with the diving between the two places. Can anyone give me a high level overview of the diving and perhaps the accomodations on the islands?

I appreciate any information you can give me. I have been reading the current posts and will continue to do so. It just takes a while to get through all the posts

Thanks,
Becky

 

[Cudabait]

Becky,

Utila is the spot for whale sharks, not Roatan. Middle of March to last of April is the best time to go. All inclusive resorts I would recommend would be Deep Blue Resort and Laguna Beach Resort. If you plan to stay in town in Utila, try Deep Blue Divers or Ecomarine/Gunters. Also for a quick take on prices, lodging ect, check out www.aboututila.com. I hope this helps.

Regards,

 

[ZenDiva]

Agree w/ Cuda, Exp since Steve from Deep Blue Resort is in the forefront of whale shark research working closely in conjunction with ecocean in whale shark identification. If there are whale sharks around the island, Swin will find them and you will see them!

Have a great trip

 

[bleon]

Thanks guys. Is there any difference in the water visibility between Utila and Roatan during March/April?

 

[ZenDiva]

Thanks guys. Is there any difference in the water visibility between Utila and Roatan during March/April?

I don't know about Roatan, but Viz in Utila last April when we were there was like 100 feet.

 

[Doc]

Utila is basically a round dot in the ocean, surrounded by cleansing currents, with fairly limited siltation from terrestrial development (so far). Currents don't necessarily mean great viz, however.

Roatan is 17 miles long x 3 miles wide and it lies on a SW>NE line. There is concentrated development in certain areas, this siltation is carried downcurrent.

The answer? It depends on where you are standing and when you are standing there.

If you want viz, go to Cayman. If you want the different cool stuff that the Bay Islands has to offer, come on down. As far as which island has "better this or that", they don't, none does. They are all unique and variable. I have seen more Whale Sharks off the coast of Roatan than I have off of Utila... but then again, Roatan is where I spend 95% of my ime

 

[bleon]

Thanks for the help so far. We're still trying to decide which island to go to. Hope to decide soon.

 

[DeputyDan]

bleon:

Your question is an oxymoron.

If you want a chance to see whale sharks you go to Utila. End of discussion.

Roatan is fine but you will not achieve your intended goal there.

 

[UTLgirl]

Have to agree with DeputyDan here.

If the goal of your trip is to see Whalesharks, you'll have a much higher chance of seeing them in Utila. That's not to say there's any guarantee, after all, this isn't a penned-in Flipper encounter but in the year I've lived here (2006), we've seen 79 different Whalesharks. Far more then we saw total in the 9 years we lived in Roatan, and we've already had 6 encounters so far in 2007.

Like everything in nature it really is a matter of 'right place, right time', and knowing the conditions you're looking for. For me anyway, Utila has been the right place.

 

[Doc]

If the goal of your trip is to see Whalesharks

It wasn't. It was a much broader question than that. UTLgirl- you can answer the biggest part of the original posted question much better than I. Go for it.