Situated on the southern end of the Mesoamerican Reef, Utila boasts incredible reef diving just minutes away by boat. With year-round warm calm waters and excellent visibility Utila is a prime locale to get certified to scuba dive or just kick back for some excellent fun-diving.

You have several package options for this trip. You can pursue your Open Water, Advanced Open Water or Rescue Diver certifications. Or if you just want to come along and dive select our Fun-Diver package.

The PADI SCUBA certifications are highly regarded, globally recognized certifications that allow you to dive and rent gear anywhere in the world.

A $500 Deposit is required to reserve your spot on the trip.

*All prices are based on double occupancy rooms

Open Water or Advanced Open Water Course: $2,700

You’re ready to jump in and get your Open Water Diver cert?

Or maybe you’re already certified and want to take your skills up a notch with the Advanced Open Water course?

Let’s get you in the water and build those skills!

Rescue Diver Course Course: $2,800

Are you interested in really taking your SCUBA education to the next level? On our trip become a Rescue Diver! In the Rescue Diver course you’ll learn how to manage problems, respond to emergencies, and administer oxygen, among other invaluable and life-saving skills.

Certified Diver with no Course: $2,600

Do you just feel like coming along and doing some fun dives, without a course? This is for you! Includes 5 boat outings  (up to 10 dives) to be used throughout the week. Not enough diving for you? Let’s talk and make it happen!

Non-diver: $1,900

Do you not want to dive, but still want to come along? Sounds great! There’s plenty of fun and relaxing moments to be had without diving.

What’s included

Open Water Course

• Open Water e-learning

• Open Water Course (Confined + 4 dives)

• 3 boat outings after certification (up to 6 dives)

• Gear Rentals

• Hotel stay in a double room for 6 nights on Utila

• Airport transfers

• Boat/ferry tickets

• 1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan

• Welcome dinner on Utila

• Farewell dinner on Roatan

• 1 week of diving insurance through DAN

Advanced Open Water Course

• Advanced Open Water course (5 dives)

• 2 boat outings after certification (up to 4 dives)

• Gear Rentals

• Hotel stay in a double room for 6 nights on Utila

• Airport transfers

• Boat/ferry tickets

• 1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan

• Welcome dinner on Utila

• Farewell dinner on Roatan

• 1 week of diving insurance through DAN

Rescue Diver Course

• Rescue Diver course (2 dives + 1 Training Day) 

• Emergency First Response course

• 2 boat outings (up to 4 dives)

• Gear Rentals

• Hotel stay in a double room for 6 nights on Utila

• Airport transfers

• Boat/ferry tickets

• 1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan

• Welcome dinner on Utila

• Farewell dinner on Roatan

• 1 week of diving insurance through DAN

Fun Diver

• 5 boat rides

• Gear rentals

• Hotel stay in a double room for 6 nights on Utila

• Airport transfers

• Boat/ferry tickets

• 1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan

• Welcome dinner on Utila

• Farewell dinner on Roatan

• 1 week of diving insurance through DAN

Non Diver

• Hotel stay for 6 nights in a double room in Utila 

• Airport transfers

• Boat/ferry tickets

• 1 night hotel stay in a double room in Roatan

• Welcome dinner on Utila

• Farewell dinner in Roatan

• Flight to/from Roatan

What’s not included

• Travel Insurance

  • DAN Also offers great travel insurance. 

  • DAN insurance is the best for dive trips because it is tailored for divers and water sports enthusiasts. If you purchase other travel insurance be sure to check if it covers SCUBA and snorkeling. Most do not.

• Daily food & drinks

  • approx. $20 – $40 per day

• Tips

• Souvenirs

Payment Schedule

• $500 non-refundable when you reserve

• 50% due 12 weeks before departure

• Remaining 50% due 6 weeks before departure

Refunds

• The $500 deposit is non-refundable. Many things must be reserved and paid for upfront, which are non-refundable. We will do our best to give credit for future trips if possible. The remaining balance is refundable according to the following schedule:

  • 12 weeks or more before the trip: 100% refund minus deposit

  • 12 weeks – 6 weeks before the trip: 50% minus deposit

  • 6 weeks – 3 weeks before trip: 25% minus deposit

  • Less than 3 weeks: No Refund

Recommended Flight

• United Airlines flight 2043 from Houston is the preferred flight. This flight arrives at 12:30 and allows enough time to transfer to the ferry to Utila. If you would like to arrive on another airline you’ll need to arrive the day before. If you would like to do this, we can help arrange for a driver and hotel for the night for you. 

About Utila

• October

  • October is the beginning of the rainy season with an average high-temperature of 27.5°C (81.5°F), and an average low-temperature of 22.6°C (72.7°F).

  • Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 135mm (5.31″) of precipitation.

  • The average sea temperature is 29°C (84.2°F)

• November

  • Beginning of the drier season with an average high-temperature of a still warm 26°C (78.8°F) and an average low-temperature of 21.1°C (70°F)

  • Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 130mm (5.12″) of precipitation

  • The average sea temperature is 28°C (82.4°F)

• January

  • January is the coldest month, though still humid, with the temperature often reaching an average high of 24.9°C (76.8°F) and an average low of 19.8°C (67.6°F).

  • Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 108mm (4.25″)

  • The average sea temperature is 27°C (80.6°F)

• February

  • February brings an average high-temperature of a 25.9°C (78.6°F), and a low-temperature of 19.9°C (67.8°F).

  • Average rainfall typically aggregates up to 88mm (3.46″)

  • The average sea temperature is 27°C (80.6°F)

• Before all the hard facts about Utila, it must be stated that the island is a special place. It is best to not think about it it as Honduras. It has a unique history, a different people, it’s own language, and a different way of life. There is a clear laissez-faire culture that attracts people from all over because they are free to live their lives how they want to live. For example you’ll find a level of acceptance of queer culture that you will not find elsewhere in Honduras. 

  Utila is the smallest of the Honduran Bay Islands (17 sq miles), after Roatán and Guanaja, in a region that marks the south end of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second-largest in the world. Formerly a British Colony, British Honduras, and a part of the Commonwealth, Utila is traditionally an English-speaking island. Unlike Roatan there has been mild immigration of mainland Hondurans to Utila. So English is still the predominant language.

   

About Roatan

The largest of the Bay Islands, Roatan, like Utila, was a part of British Honduras and is a historically English speaking island. Roatan has seen significant emigration from Mainland Honduras, so the most commonly spoken language is now Spanish. Crime is now a slight concern on Roatan, but not anything like mainland Honduras. We’ll be staying in the popular West End area of the Island where it is very safe.

Honduran Entry Requirements

US Citizens are allowed entry to Honduras for up to 90 days without a visa. The length of stay you are allowed is up to the discretion of the immigration officer.

Citizens of other countries or those traveling on passports other than American need to check to see what their entry requirements and limitations are. You can generally find this information on the Honduran Embassy in the issuing country. I cannot give you any legal advice when it comes to passport and travel restrictions and allowances.

Your passport must be over 3 months away from expiration

Medical Facilities 

Clinic

While there isn’t a hospital on Utila, there are small clinics and a health center. There is also a medical emergency system in place with the doctors on the island. There are pharmacies that will carry most of what you need too, however if you have specialized medication, you need to be sure to bring an ample supply with you on the trip.

Hyperbaric Chamber

For such a small island, Utila is lucky to have its own hyperbaric recompression chamber. In the highly unlikely event you experience decompression illness, you will have access to a chamber without the need to leave the island and DAN insurance will completely cover the cost of the treatment.

Medical Emergencies

If there is a medical emergency that is too great for the facilities on the island to deal with, there is a small airport where emergency flights can land to take someone to either Roatan or La Ceiba on the mainland. 

Safety

It’s true, parts of Honduras are not safe, however Utila is widely considered the safest place in Honduras. Though it is rare, the only crime on the island is crime of opportunity. People are safe to walk home at all hours without worry.

Drugs

Drugs are illegal in Honduras. There are not many police on Utila, however, one should practice extreme caution when it concerns drugs. Also, drug and alcohol use can increase the odds of decompression illness when diving. 

Weather & Climate

Situated along the Caribbean coast, Utila experiences high temperatures and humidity throughout the year. Temperatures fluctuate from 24.9°C (76.8°F) to 29°C (84.2°F) on the high end, to 19.8°C (67.6°F) to 23.3°C (73.9°F) on the low end. The relative humidity remains high, oscillating primarily from 76% to 83%, attesting to the typical tropical climate of the region. Following is a month by month breakdown of the months trips are planned: