Utila help for first timers

[Barber]

Each year we like to pick a new dive destination and we are pretty sure that Utila is the next stop for us in spring of 2018. I would love for any help or feedback.

*Diving: We are experienced divers looking for a laid back dive operator that will allow us to be independent and boats that are not too crowded.

*Accommodations: We would like to be close to town and the action but not necessarily in the action. We found this rental and think it fits what we are looking for.
Second Wind Beach House - Ocean Front Luxury Home - Houses for Rent in Utila, Bay Islands Department, Honduras
How is this part of town? Safe? We would rent a golf cart for the week to get around but I don't want to feel too isolated.

Are there any other places you love in case we change our mind? We were looking at Belize and Roatan and that's what led us to Utila. A little info about us ... mid 30's, been to all of the Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Bonaire, Grand Turk, Bahamas, BVI. We like a balance of good diving and beach bars

 

[diversteve]

Utila is quieter/smaller than most of the places you mentioned - I've been to many of them. If you've been to Virgin Gorda, it would be similar to town in size but without all the money. Only 4,000 permanent residents on Utila and few cars - most travel by go-cart or quad. I think it's pretty safe there - but I didn't spend a lot of time in town and no nights.

If you're coming over on the Dream Ferry from either Roatan (weekends) or during the week from La Ceiba - it docks downtown at the public pier. Across the street is Bodden Rentals where you might find your golf-cart rental - they have a few...Vehicles – Utila Fun In The Sun by Bodden Rentals

If you're going to fly over from Roatan or San Pedro Sula contact Alice at Worldwide Travel she books the local flights - and lives on island. World Wide Travel If you fly in - :the airport is a grass strip - no lights and the planes don't overnight there. Since we've been there they added walls to the "terminal' I doubt anyone is there if there's not a plane arriving so make arrangements for a ride to town - your house owners probably make those arrangements. Plan some way to have cell service while there also. Claro is there judging by the signs I saw. There was reliable but slow internet at our resort - I think many of the dive shops offer access also.

I don't know the property in question although I have dove just offshore near there several times. Most of Utila is along Main Rd. and that house looks to be at the far east end of it. I think it's about 4-5 miles long total - or less. So probably meets your needs.

Closer in town are more of the dive operations, DM training facilities and local bars so it can be louder there.. IDK know any of the dive operations except by name/brief description since we stayed at an AI on the west side but the three closest to that house would be Altons, Utila Dive Center or Underwater Visions - all established operations,

Diving is spread out around the island but there's a small cluster of sites just offshore from that house, a 2nd larger group just west of town on the south side and a 3rd group on the north side. Most of the shops go north on an almost daily basis - we did almost every day except once when we dove the Halliburton and Black Hills - a seamount nearby - possibly the best shallow dive on Utila.The Halliburton is straight south from that house, Black Hills about 45 degrees SE from there..
Some good north side dives to request - Spotted Bay, Pinnacles and Blackish Point. We also dove a good site I don't see on most maps - the DM called it Duppy Waters,Here's a map: Utila Scuba Dive Sites Map

Much of Utila is not inhabited and there aren't a lot of roads once you leave town. Once we got past the airport on a dive boat, I don't think I saw a house until the west end of the island. Some of those come with their own boats or water taxi service since there's no roads that far west. Oddly for being an island, it's a big backpacking destination - the ferry was filled with divers, bp'ers and a few locals shopping on the mainland.

If you go in Spring, book the Whaleshark snorkels also - most of the operations offer both. Mostly they're seen on the north side in deeper water so in our case we did two dives, looked for an hour or so then moved back south for a third dive. We saw/snorkeled with 8 over several days - IIRC it was late March. It is a fairly awesome experience to swim with one bigger than the boat.

hth,

 

[Barber]

Thank you so much for your detailed response!

 

[laurenceh]

that is a very nice house in the tradewinds development, a gringo enclave/subdivision on the eastern end of the island. great tradewinds most days at that location, so nice and cooling in the p.m. but that can also mean rough seas if you're thinking of swimming from shore.
you will be close to bando beach (5-10 min walk), the nicest beach in the town area. bando beach also has a nice bar/restaurant.
you will be a 10-15 min walk to the edge of town and dive co's such as udc and altons, 25 mins walk to center of town and 30-40 mins walk to sandy bay, the western part of town.
probably the best location and house you could have found for your desire to be close to town.
as mentioned above the only other area where you could have found a nicer rental home would have been on the south and southwest of the island (the pineapple house and the coral house on treasure beach, the cabana at big rock, sandy cay and little cay, two private island that are for rent. etc), there you'll find miles of empty beaches and great snorkeling but you need to take a boat to get to town from that area. i highly recommend you visit the south and southwest shore during your stay, its where people who live in Utila town go to "get away". in that area i recommend visiting water cay (an uninhabited island) for a picnic lunch or the perfect sunset, the new bar on diamond cay (cool seats and umbrellas in waist deep water off of a tiny island opposite treasure beach), lunch at neptunes bar and grill etc etc. that end of the island is the most picturesque (inhabited) part of the island, with just a few pretty homes spread out along 3 miles of empty beach.
another great day trip is to rent kayaks in the lagoon, pack a lunch and paddle through the old coconut canal to rock harbor on the uninhabited north side. there you'll find a beautiful 3/4 mile bay with a fringing reef off shore and likely have it all to yourself, its very beautiful.