Idc

[Hawk]

While there are some nice sites on Utila, in my opinion the diving on Roatan is much better. A lot of the sites on Utila looked to me like they had been trampled down by too many students. The fish life is nowhere near as good as Roatan as it has been over fished for too long.

Some like it better, everyone has their own opinion.

Getting around Utila is easier by a long shot. If you do go there, try the pizza at the Mango Inn. That was probably the high point of our trip there.

When I go to Roatan I don't even care about the food. I dive, dive, dive. A normal week for me there is somewhere between 25 - 30 dives.

Either way you decide, have fun!

Later, Hawk.

 

[Bay Island Diver]

Roatan has a few wecks, on the north side: The Aguila

The Oddysey

Then on the south side you have the Prince Albert. There is also the Josie J on the North Side, but lying at about 200ft this is a Tec dive.

Roatan Island is much bigger, but this presents little problem to most people who never see much reason to leave the very compact West End/ West Bay area which can easily be walked around.

 

[DiverMikeK]

I've been to both Roatan and Utila twice, and I have to say that I'm a bigger fan of Roatan. Staying in west end, you have better beaches, less traffic and better food than in Utila. I also happen to believe the diving is better on Roatan. I am also a big fan of the dive boat schedule: 1 at 9am, 11am and 3pm or something close to that instead of two two-tank trips per day at 7am and noon.

 

[SoSiouxme]

I am also a big fan of the dive boat schedule: 1 at 9am, 11am and 3pm or something close to that instead of two two-tank trips per day at 7am and noon.

Which dive operator, pray tell, goes out at 7am? Not any that I'm familiar with - even the ones that do a two tank dive in the a.m.

 

[Hawk]

Not sure if this is who he is talking about, but Deep Blue in town goes out that early in order to get the dive site they want on the north side. With as many dive boats as there are and not that many good sites to go to, it is actually a pretty good idea.

Later, Hawk.

 

[GoProHonduras]

You also have to consider that a lot of the time, the Northside boats will spend anything from 30 minutes up to 1 1/2 hours, conditions allowing, looking for Whalesharks on the North side, hence the earlier starts. On average it's a 40 minute boat so that also takes the additional time, but the chances of Whalesharks are much higher Northside than elsewhere, plus you have better odds of other encounters on the way e.g. Dolphins.

 

[SoSiouxme]

I guess the early bird gets the shark. Wow...7 am is hard core.

 

[GoProHonduras]

I'm not sure if they all go at 7am, our Northside tends to set off 8am, but yeah you're right, the early bird does get the Shark!

 

[marcoa]

I suggest you check out both Utila and Roatan. Get some fun dives under your belt while you get to know the people who would be conducting your course. Both islands offer great diving experiences. Which one is better, it's best to make that choice yourself.

Good luck to you.

 

[Vidiotic]

Whats the problem about going out at 7AM? Been to many dive shops that operate this way. When we went to canibal rock we left port at 6AM!! Big fan of early morning diving. Chances are the dive sites will be less busy, less silt stirred up from students and more chance of getting a good encounter with something decent without it being mobbed by loads of other divers. You also get back in time for lunch and ready to head out in the afternoon boat.