Heading to Utila for open-water certification, what would be a good trip length?

[atc132]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

It seems the general consensus is go with more time. I will try to book for 9-10 days. Any other advice about Utila/diveshops/Honduras?

 

[TSandM]

Have you done any Discover Scubas or had any other experience on scuba? I'd be a little hesitant about booking a 10 day trip to a place where there is nothing to do but dive, when you have never dived. You don't know if you are going to like the activity, or whether you can clear your ears. It would be awful to discover that you don't like being underwater, and be stuck in a place where there is nothing ELSE to do.

I'd highly recommend looking at a dive shop locally to do at least a pool session (you can do single dive experiences in a pool, called "Discover scuba") before committing yourself to a trip like that.

 

[Stoo]

I'd suggest 6 months... Lots of dives, a few courses. Just to make sure you really like it...

 

[Stout]

I don't think "weeklong" is convenient for most people, or at least most Americans who get little time off from work. Weekends are the unit of choice for working people, and a "long weekend" is about the limit of what the basic classes should entail if convenience to working people is one of PADI's goals. I did my OW course over a span of six weekends.

I took AOW on Utila. That reminds me of something. Utila being such a dive training machine can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the instructors there get a lot of experience, as there is a constant supply of students coming through. On the other hand, if you are one of those students, you need to be prepared for being in the midst of a lot of other students. It's a busy place. I recall the night dive I did--my very first night dive ever--as part of the AOW course. There were something like 20 people in the water at the site with their various instructors, and visibility wasn't great. Students were getting separated from their groups. It just wasn't pleasant at all. There is something to be said for somewhat more personal instruction in a place that sees fewer students. I think Utila is great, and it can be a great place to take some dive training, but a student needs to be prepared to be part of the herd.

Makes sense, I was thinking about education in a vacation environment, rather than doing it at home. I did my AOW here in cold water and IIRC it was two weekends, or maybe it was a weekend and a weeknight. Oh well, so much for ditching the logbook.

It just seems such a strange deal with the shops. You're certified as a diver yet you're restricted by shop policy from fully participating in the activity un;less you pay a premium for adventure dives. So, you're fully certified..but not really.

Yea, the Utila scene can be a bit of a crowd nightmare. I moved dive shops earlier this year because there were ( on average ) 20 divers on the boat, students and fun divers, elbow to elbow. The DMs stayed on the boat until the last customer was in the water and left the fun divers to bob around on the surface waiting. Apparently it was also shop policy that we needed to descend in a group. When I moved out to Coral View it was like discovering paradise. What? you'll meet me on the bottom ? Cool, see you down there. Only 12 people on the boat including staff ? Cool !!!

atc132

Altons if you want to party and they deliver on their advertised one hour bottom times for fun dives
Coral View if you're a middle aged and want a similar crowd.

Best bet is to shop around when you land on Utila to see who you like best. no need to book ahead as most shops have courses starting daily.

 

[laurenceh]

"Lots of young international backpacker types do pass through Utila for four or five days or so to get certified and do some partying, but then they head back to the mainland and continue their travels. If a full week or more of diving is not your thing, then maybe Roatan would be a better fit for you than Utila?"


in reality most "backpacker types" spend considerably more than 4-5 days on utila, many spend 4-5 months, i don't remember meeting any that spent less than a couple of weeks.

you can do a day trip to la ceiba and spend a day zip lining and/or white water rafting at pico bonito. the ferry leaves at 6.20am and returns at 4pm, leaving you plenty of time. omega lodge/tours will meet you and drop you back at the ferry.

you can also do a dive trip to cayos cochinos, utila cays diving does the trip most weeks, they leave at 6am and return around 5pm. the trip includes a couple of dives, lunch at a garifuna village and a short hike in the jungle to find pink boa's, endemic to the cayos.

the reality is you will probably just dive, dive. dive make friends, have fun and wish you had stayed longer

 

[Jay-K]

Just to hi-jack a thread here - i'm planning on getting my AOW in Utila this November. I was hoping to fly into Roatan, spend a night, then ferry over to Utila, get AOW, fun dives, back to Roatan, etc.
I was hoping to use Underwater vision on Utila, and perhaps Splash-Inn on Roatan. In November, it seems to be "off-season" - i'm hoping it won't be that crowded in Utila. Anyone have any experience with this time of year - ie how busy it is?

Thanks

 

[Lorenzoid]

November gets rainy, especially later in the month--hence "low season." I don't think of Utila or Roatan as "busy" places at any time of year, though. If you book ahead, your diving and lodging with the operators of your choice will be assured. Of course, in low season, you may have the privilege of diving from a boat that has the capacity for twice the number of divers. The diving is still fine, though you may miss a day here and there due to rough conditions. Enjoy.

 

[keesmon]

If you have the time, I'd just go ahead and do my open water, 2 free fun dives, take a day off, and then do my AOW followed by your 2 free fun dives again.
It will not make you an "advanced diver", but it will get you most of the certification you will need to do any other recreational diving on future trips.
Staying in Utila is cheap, certification is cheap, the weather and the atmosphere are great.
I think if you dive every morning, you'll be just fine lounging around in the afternoons.
I did a rescue course with Altons and thought it was perfect.
We learned, we dove, and we had fun in the afternoons and evenings.
I could see a 10-14 day trip easily, if you have the time, but I'd go ahead and do the OW-AOW combo, knowing it'll give you plenty of dives with an instructor to get your diving career started.
Have fun and dive! That's what Utila is all about.

 

[laurenceh]

Just to hi-jack a thread here - i'm planning on getting my AOW in Utila this November. I was hoping to fly into Roatan, spend a night, then ferry over to Utila, get AOW, fun dives, back to Roatan, etc.
I was hoping to use Underwater vision on Utila, and perhaps Splash-Inn on Roatan. In November, it seems to be "off-season" - i'm hoping it won't be that crowded in Utila. Anyone have any experience with this time of year - ie how busy it is?

Thanks

what is it about underwater vision that you find appealing?
expect a ton of rain in november (it can be monsoon like from mid october until mid december).

 

[halocline]

If you enjoy the OW course and like the instructor, I would suggest continuing to AOW on the same trip. The classes really are designed to be consecutive. Don't think of AOW as being "advanced" diving, think of it as the "advanced" part of the OW certification class. The reason I would suggest this is because you will get more time with an instructor to work on basic skills that really should be part of the OW class but due to financial and time considerations are not.

Of course if you're not enjoying the instruction during the OW course, don't continue on, either stay and just dive or venture over to Roatan for a little variety and maybe take the AOW class there.