I would never have said Utila is nicer than Roatán, though we've loved both. I find I recommend Roatán more because there's more to do there, nicer beaches, easier access to snorkeling.
We loved Guanaja, too - SHAME ON ME for not posting a trip report! I was sure I had but can't find it. Here's a link to my
flickr photo page for our 2008 Guanaja/Utila trip and there's a link to my full travelogue there from the Thorntree Forum. I've pasted the Bo's Island House/Diving part below; we moved on to Graham's Place just south of Guanaja after that and then spent a week on Utila before flying home.
I found the diving to be absolutely incredible on the north of Guanaja. I must admit I'm pretty happy to be in the water anywhere and have enjoyed diving from both Utila and Roatán, but Guanaja is amazing - in a league with Glover's Atoll in Belize - and I think I'd give it an edge for so many gorgeous and really varied sites within 5 minutes of the dock. It's more difficult to get to than Roatán or Utila and your lodging options are limited.
If you're interested in a really great hotel on Utila consider the
Lighthouse. It's very clean and a great value - we paid $300/week in 2008 for a room with 2 queen beds, a kitchenette, and a view of the sunsets); amenitities include ac and cable tv. We love the location, in a quieter section of town by the bridge leading to the old airport so close to great snorkeling. It's just a few doors down from my favorite dive shop there,
Alton's, and nearly across from our favorite restaurant, RJ's Barbecue. We like to shop for fresh fruit and baked goods and prepare some of our own meals so it was perfect for us. You can read more by following the flickr link above.
Happy trails!
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Guanaja is mountainous and very green in spite of Hurricane Mitch’s devastation 10 years ago. It has filled in with good diversity and is really lovely, though I wish I’d seen it before Mitch. Transportation is by boat which adds an interesting dynamic. The vast majority of the population lives in little Bonacca town which occupies a tiny caye just off the south coast near the canal that runs alongside the runway and splits the island in 2. It’s a bit rough around the edges and the only place you’ll find stores and banks (no ATMs). Islanders were friendly and fascinating to watch and listen to - culturally and lingually diverse. Lodging is available there and at a few small lodges elsewhere around the island, including our choice,
Bo Bush’s Island House islandhouse_guanaja@hotmail.com, currently no phone service ($70/day per person including meals or $650/week with 2 boat dives/day and airport runs).
I had confirmed our arrival time a few days ahead but they didn’t show up at the dock by the airstrip. After waiting an hour or so we were able to scrub up a boat ride, paying more than the going rate since our options were limited ($35). Turns out Bo’s daughter Stephany remembered we were coming on Monday, August 4th but thought it was still Sunday - welcome to island time. We had a nice room with lots of wood, 2 beds, and a private bathroom with hot water - half of a duplex cabin with a big screened porch. Construction next to it was irritating a few times but overall we were very comfortable there. We ate our meals in the over-the-water restaurant/bar with Bo and the handyman, Bob - both good company with stories to tell. Bo’s wife and mother-in-law cooked our meals (good, lots of seafood), and daughter Stephany managed the internet and business side of things. Bo’s youngest daughter and his granddaughter were entertaining, too. We were the only guests for much of the week we were there though the population bloomed on Sunday when expats and locals gathered to eat and drink and an aggressive soccer game dominated the grassy area between our cabin and the beach.
The diving was really fabulous, no 2 sites alike, all within a 5 minute boat ride: caves and swim throughs and pinnacles, great diversity of flora and fauna, lots of turtles, really dazzling. Bo was an amazing person to dive with - he practically has gills after many thousands of dives. I loved every site but my favorites were Paradise, The Cut, and Diane’s Reef; special thanks to the millions of minnows that spooled around and around us in a cave, the huge schools of chubs and Atlantic spadefish that allowed us to join their schools, and the turtles that paralleled us as we explored a shallow reef. Snorkeling from shore was almost as good as the diving so I spent nearly as many waking hours in the water as out. Mike stalked up and down the beach looking for bonefish and managed to find and land a few, so we were both happy. I really recommend Island House if you are looking for a laid-back island vacation and don’t need a lot of entertainment or fancy amenities.
