Looking for Utila Feedback

[cottage]

We're looking at the possibility of a Utila trip in March or April 2017 and looking for input. We've been to Roatan and had a great time except for the sand fleas. They were an minor nuisance for most of the trip but my wife got hundreds of bites on her back on the second last day. This made the trip home miserable.

Our objectives are whale sharks and a nice (upscale) resort. Based on our research so far, we're considering Utopia and Deep Blue.

Can anyone give us feedback on:

• the quality of the rooms, food and service at these resorts
• quality of their dive operations
• best time for a high probability of whale sharks
• what is your experience with the sand fleas

All help much appreciated!

 

[Doc]

Sand Fleas are a universal in the Bay Islands, pick your rock, all the same.

Next time use preventatives and be ready with an after-bite remedy.

I believe in better living through chemistry, US Military research works for me. DEET applied often, no gaps. If I get a bite, I apply Fluocinide cream, a very inexpensive RX ointment that offers unarguable instant relief. Other goo ranging from Cactus Milk, Skin-so-Tasty and tincture of feline spit can/have been debated endlessly and surely will be argued until the apocalypse.

Whale Sharks? Local vendors might proclaim success at various times, but I like the full moon in May. One absolute fact: sitting on shore will absolutely guarantee not seeing them. Go, dive a lot, you'll have the chance. Improve your odds, go have a dive vacation, not a vacation with some diving. ...._{:}@

 

[diversteve]

Deep Blue seems to be having difficulties lately - I hope they've turned it around though. This isn't exactly current (Dec. 2015) but mirrors some of what you can read on TripAdvisor (not my favorite source) also. Seeking info on Deep Blue Utila

Steve was still in charge when I was there and they still had their own boat - and Capt. Swin who had a reputation as one of the best at finding Whalesharks. Since every boat legally can only make two drops per sighting, the other captains talk sightings on the VHF so they can all do better for their guests (and tips). I've read that Swin is no longer with Deep Blue and that their affiliated shop in town has closed also.

Shirley is very nice but she's in her mid-80's now and if she's running it all, I'd guess the problems could be true. I hope it's not since Laguna Beach just closed and being basically next door that should help drive traffic to Deep Blue. But IDK...

and a nice (upscale) resort

In it's prime that wasn't Deep Blue. It was nice enough but pretty basic before they started having difficulties. Everything is a little dated there - the furnishings, the lodge, slow wifi only in the lodge or the deck of the closest room (ours) but not inside. And the bugs at night made that not such a good idea. Nice view though, all the decks look out at the Pretty Bush divesite.

It seems like AI resorts on Utila are all suffering. Laguna Beach recently closed for good - all they're doing now is honoring existing reservations.

From a sand fly perspective, I'd pick Utopia also. I spent one afternoon barefoot on the beach at Deep Blue and collected a couple dozen bites on my legs - and I'm pretty serious about using Off with Deet. Later that week one night we left the patio door open - but screened - and woke at 2am to a bunch of mosquitoes buzzing around - turned on the fans and fogged the room with Deet. Also Deep Blues dock is on the Mangrove Lagoon and it's pretty still in their inlet - one dusk dive there was a huge swarm that attacked b4 we could get on the boat and out. Utopia being farther away from the Mangrove's should be less affected.

We were there during a Whale Shark Research week and our expert (Jen Schmidt) looked so bad (she went birdwatching in the lagoon one day) that we were kidding her that she'd be quarantined on arrival in the Phillipines - she was flying there direct.

Your timing is about right - ours was the last week of March into April. Snorkeled with at least 8 over two days then the weather turned flat calm - good for other diving but we only saw boils after that and one might've passed under the boat briefly. All were 16-20' males and once a big female - bigger than the boat. Did get to see vertical feeding by one of the males for several minutes - the rest seemed mostly disinterested or dove when we got close.

I haven't figured out what research week means either - optimum sighting time or optimum for the resort or the experts travel schedule. But March-April are mentioned by other sources I've seen as the best time for sightings.

hth,

 

[laurenceh]

i would recommend utopia, certainly the best resort on utila as far as rooms go and they are definitely in business having spent most of the last 18 months upgrading the resort (adding a pool etc etc).
another alternative is a rental home on the south/south western shore and diving with utila cays diving. they offer great service small dive groups (8 maximum per boat) and they pick up guests who are staying at the rental homes on treasure beach (the coral house and the pineapple house are beautiful and very private) as well as the private island rentals on sandy cay and little cay.

 

[swimbody]

Forget Utila. The lack of fish is concerning at best. I will never return until they institute a better fish conservancy program. Just my .02

 

[PatW]

I have been to Utila and or Roatan 6 times. The sand fleas did not bother me but they seemed worse at Roatan. Utila had aggressive deer flies that much preferred my wife. It balances out, mosquitoes prefer me.

Utila has two regions: town and the west side which is accessible by boat. Town is the haven for back packers. So it is party, low budget, anything goes, and noisy in orientation. My wife calls the west end, the adult side of the island.

I was at Deep Blue a number of years back. I have heard that it has deteriated but ups heard a rumor that it has just been renovated. I hope it has. I really liked the place. It had decent sized clean rooms, a serviceable boat, adequate food, hardworking friendly staff and a great dive staff. Deep Blue also has a great house reef which can be shore dived.

Looking online, Utopia Village looks like it has really nice rooms. The house reef down there is good too.

Utila has a wide range of diving: sea mounts, walls, muck dives, reefs and some wrecks. It has great macro diving. You should see sea horses. The larger edible fish: grouper and snapper are rare.

Whale sharks can visit the island in April and May but it is the luck of the draw. I would not count on seeing one.

 

[KeithG]

i recommend Utopia Village. Last week we stayed at CoCoView, we are now finishing up day 3 at Utopia village. Very different experiences (and prices).

Utopia village is a luxury dive resort, you will be pampered.

The dive op provides valet service with 3 organized dives a day. You can do additional shore dives out front (they are just completing a new dock which should make entry / exit easier - looks like it will be finished by the end of the week).

The rooms, service and food are all luxury level. The kitchen is awesome, making everything from scratch. Most meals start with hot freshly baked bread. Tonights desert was home made vanilla almond ice cream and cheese cake with a fresh strawberry drizzle. yum.

 

[Dan]

Sand flea bites were horrible experience for me. That's one reason I still resisting to go to Roatan. I heard it's just as bad. Didn't see any whaleshark either. I won't go back.

 

[BreeAbyss]

For the sand fleas, a thick DEET cream like that Watkins stuff works really well. Some people I met who live on Utila said that mineral oil works really well too because they will just bite through bug spray but the DEET cream and/or oil provides a physical barrier. Worked for me!

 

[laurenceh]

yes baby oil works very well