relocating to utila in april

[Stout]

Cheers itsjustme0770

I only mentioned expensive as I thought it rather ironic to see accommodation in that price range on this thread. Really when you compare it to an all inclusive resort, factor in the cost split between two people, the per night rate isn't that much more.

A buddy of mine just got back from Hawaii and a $400/night resort and my bird watching buddy sure spends to get himself into those off the beaten path locations to do his thing.

With my budget I figure I could spend a week in Grand Cayman, or a month in Utila and since i have the time, I'll go for the longer time period. I can't dive southern Thailand anymore for much less than $150/day. All those $10/night beach bungalows are now $30/night, we're talking no hot water, no AC and the best deal I can get on a dive package works out to about a $100/day (for 2 dives )Then there's food.

I did find a place on Koh Tao offering $15 dives and I found a nice room for $13 but the diving, not so good, I remember Utila being way better.

Good call on the shore diving, The all inclusives are advertising their house reefs and I've read a few trip reports that say those dives were the highlight of the trip. I hadn't thought about extending that idea to encompass the whole island.

 

[itsjustme0770]

No worries at all. I didn't take it the wrong way. When are you heading down? We'll be down over the new year and would love to say hello.

 

[Stout]

I'm landing on Jan 10 in SPS and I'm hoping I can just grab a flight to the island, it's a monday so I *think* there's a plane and staying until Feb 12. Love to meet up with you,

David

 

[lagonia]

On Mondays the local airline, Sosa, has a flight from La Ceiba to Utila. It leaves La Ceiba for the 15 minute flight to Utila sometime around 4 PM. I'm not sure about flight schedules from San Pedro to La Ceiba but I feel confident you'll find one. The airlines to be checking are Central American Airways (CAA), Sosa and Lanhsa. Just checked and the only flight CAA has from San Pedro to La Ceiba leaves San Pedro at 4:30. So count them out for a same day arrival to Utila. If you can't find a flight a taxi for the three hour drive to La Ceiba costs $100. The other alternative from La Ceiba is the one hour ferry that leaves La Ceiba sometime around 3:30 or 4:00

 

[Stout]

Cheers lagonia

I made my plans to land on a Monday because most of the getting to Utila sections of dive shop/resort websites says there's flights on Mondays. A hundred for a taxi ?. Maybe worth it if I can still catch a flight from La Ceiba to Utila the same day otherwise, if I *have* to spend the night in La Ceiba I'll do the bus thing.

I doubt I'd make the afternoon ferry

Thanks for the info

 

[lagonia]

If you arrive into San Pedro early enough go right over to the Sosa counter and see what time their La Ceiba - Utila flight leaves. Their flight is actually cheaper than the taxi for one person. The $100 is in a van and can comfortably carry five+ for that same $100. If you miss the ferry you'll need to overnite in La Ceiba. I would recommend the Gran Hotel Paris downtown by the park. It's nice, clean, good food/bar and pool, right around the corner from a Dunkin Donuts, etc. It's only a ten minute ride from the airport. If you fly into Roatan for your international arrival on a Saturday there are many charter flights to Utila, mine included. I charge $112 per passenger one way. The others don't sell individual seats. They charge between $250 and $300 for the whole airplane which carries 3 passengers. Roatan is definitely the easiest way to get to Utila but the international flights into Roatan cost a little more than the international flights arriving in San Pedro. But when you factor in the time, a possible overnite with the extra taxis, food and hotel Roatan isn't any more than a San Pedro arrival. Feel free to call me if you think I can be of any help. From the states you would dial 011 504 9558 8683. Good luck.

 

[lionfish-eater]

I know that there are couples who have also had the urge to unchain themselves from the corporate lifestyle. They also set off for distant shores to fufill a dream. I bet you could find at least one couple who would switch places with you in a second. You could take over their bug infested apartment and their dishwashing job and they could have your comfortable home, your health care, safe food supply and only a moderately corupt leadership. Talk to some ex-pats. Set Sail and best wishes!

 

[PhotoBret]

I just got back from Utila yesterday after 5 weeks there. I had the best time doing my Rescue and Divemaster with a local shop. I had my wife with me for about a week and we considered staying on, real life kept us back with things like tax and bills but it was definitely an idea. We also have a pet and would have brought her with us if we had decided to move.

Utila is a great place but it is small, jobs are available and most I saw paid under the table with people just paying off the local immigration guy every 3 months. Its there quiet time at the moment so I wouldnt suggest going now if you wanted to seek employment.
I would choose a shop and stick with them for your entire time, thus when it comes to asking for a job they know you well and you have a working knowledge of the way things are done. Divemasters come and go and there are always positions coming up, I have friends there that did a whole load of courses including DM and at the end of it got offered jobs with the shop. They leave in a few months so those positions will need to be filled. For their part they get free accomadation and they get a monthly basic with bonuses for leading fun divers and scuba reviews. Some people also supplement their income with restaurant and bar work. Food is cheap and as always eating at home is cheapest, so bare that in mind.

The bugs are a small factor, well for me anyway as I didnt react to the bites but some reacted badly with itchy bumps. This could be an issue for some for sure. Early morning and dusk were the worst but nothing during the day. Take a mosquito net and coils these worked fine.

I would suggest going over and having a look, speak to some shops about internship which includes accomadation and the possibility of work down the line. PM me if you want recommendations on shops and other hints and tips.

 

[rubinax]

lagonia,

thanks for the positive input! after reading so many comments pointing at the difficulties and improbabilities of making this happen it was very pleasant to read something that had an upbeat tone. i'm not attempting to discredit the information people have given, as i am sure the majority of it is legitimate, but it certainly is difficult to keep an optimistic outlook on relocating and completely altering your life when those who are more knowledgeable are telling you it's nearly impossible. so, again, thank you

rubina

 

[RTBDiver]

after reading so many comments pointing at the difficulties and improbabilities of making this happen it was very pleasant to read something that had an upbeat tone.

it certainly is difficult to keep an optimistic outlook on relocating and completely altering your life when those who are more knowledgeable are telling you it's nearly impossible. so, again, thank you

rubina

Remember,
Much of the information that may have seemed negative also included information of doing things legally, The previous poster tells you about doing it illegally. Maybe Utila is different but I have found in many places that there is often some friction between those that do things the right way, pay taxes and such then have to compete with folks for the same money who do not pay taxes and do things the right way. If a business owner is willing to break the laws to pay employees then what other laws would they break? The employment laws in Honduras are quite strict and very favorable of the employee, If people work under the table it just further undermines the system and makes it more difficult for those in an already impoverished country that try to abide by the law

,

jobs are available and most I saw paid under the table with people just pay
ing off the local immigration guy every 3 months