Robertcrockett
Contributor
TRIP REPORT 0.5 UTILA VIA SAN PEDRO SULA
GETTING THERE
I made my trip into Utila on Saturday the first! Now the safest and easiest way to ensure that your luggage arrives with you is flying direct to Roatan and then making your way to Utila. I was originally going to help my sister on a mission trip and so I was booked through SPS. San Pedro Sula airport is a small 2 story airport with no real way to get lost in it. After disembarking the plane you will quickly arrive at the immigration area, which will move slow or very slow, depending on how many planes have just landed. Mine was one of several planes and I ended up spending about an hour and a half waiting to get processed. The immigration area seemed very safe and I noticed a few police patrolling the area as well. Immediately behind immigration is the baggage area. The carousels are very small and as a result the workers are forced to remove the luggage as more makes its way into the terminal. This can lead to some confusion as you look for your checked luggage. Use large, bright luggage tags to help and speed up the process. I should add that my luggage all arrived safe and on time to SPS and Utila. Beyond the baggage area is the outside airport and if anyplace would be unsafe for pickpockets etc it would be here, however I seen at least 5 police patrolling and in SPS airport due to its size thats quite a bit. I never felt unsafe at SPS even once. The main terminal is also where you will pay your entrance/exit fees for flying from the country. It was 2.00 USD tax to fly to Utila. Once inside there are only a few gates so trying to find your airline is very simple. Once you have your boarding pass and have paid your tax, you head upstairs to the departure area and wait for your flight. My SOSA flight left a little early and I arrived on Utila at 3:11 rather than 3:30 so my advice is to go directly to your gate to wait. There is food and drinks available upstairs in the departure area. The plane ride in is gorgeous and bumpy and the landing is abrupt kinda like a teenager locking up the brakes to his chevy in the grocery store parking lot. I seen several people gasp when we landed but honestly it isnt very bad and I was prepared for it. Outside the Utila Terminal/stand/ shack thing is a little place that offers drinks and a cooler place to beat the heat as you wait for a taxi or your ride.
There were no demonstrations, riots, violent Molotov cocktail wielding mobs, terrorists or werewolves at SPS airport. Regardless of the political situation on the mainland the people seemed happy and carefree and the whole travel advisory seems blown wayyyyyy out of proportion. As I said before I never felt unsafe traveling to Utila and I think we pay much more attention to the whole Zelaya removal issue than they do.
GETTING THERE
I made my trip into Utila on Saturday the first! Now the safest and easiest way to ensure that your luggage arrives with you is flying direct to Roatan and then making your way to Utila. I was originally going to help my sister on a mission trip and so I was booked through SPS. San Pedro Sula airport is a small 2 story airport with no real way to get lost in it. After disembarking the plane you will quickly arrive at the immigration area, which will move slow or very slow, depending on how many planes have just landed. Mine was one of several planes and I ended up spending about an hour and a half waiting to get processed. The immigration area seemed very safe and I noticed a few police patrolling the area as well. Immediately behind immigration is the baggage area. The carousels are very small and as a result the workers are forced to remove the luggage as more makes its way into the terminal. This can lead to some confusion as you look for your checked luggage. Use large, bright luggage tags to help and speed up the process. I should add that my luggage all arrived safe and on time to SPS and Utila. Beyond the baggage area is the outside airport and if anyplace would be unsafe for pickpockets etc it would be here, however I seen at least 5 police patrolling and in SPS airport due to its size thats quite a bit. I never felt unsafe at SPS even once. The main terminal is also where you will pay your entrance/exit fees for flying from the country. It was 2.00 USD tax to fly to Utila. Once inside there are only a few gates so trying to find your airline is very simple. Once you have your boarding pass and have paid your tax, you head upstairs to the departure area and wait for your flight. My SOSA flight left a little early and I arrived on Utila at 3:11 rather than 3:30 so my advice is to go directly to your gate to wait. There is food and drinks available upstairs in the departure area. The plane ride in is gorgeous and bumpy and the landing is abrupt kinda like a teenager locking up the brakes to his chevy in the grocery store parking lot. I seen several people gasp when we landed but honestly it isnt very bad and I was prepared for it. Outside the Utila Terminal/stand/ shack thing is a little place that offers drinks and a cooler place to beat the heat as you wait for a taxi or your ride.
There were no demonstrations, riots, violent Molotov cocktail wielding mobs, terrorists or werewolves at SPS airport. Regardless of the political situation on the mainland the people seemed happy and carefree and the whole travel advisory seems blown wayyyyyy out of proportion. As I said before I never felt unsafe traveling to Utila and I think we pay much more attention to the whole Zelaya removal issue than they do.
