Qnape
Contributor
I recently returned from a thrilling week at Utopia Dive Village in Utila. I traveled there with my daughter, aged 15. I've posted a review on Tripadvisor; below please find the link.
A week in Paradise, well, Utopia. - Review of Utopia Dive Village, Utila, Honduras - TripAdvisor
The review is accompanied by several photos, and I've attached a few more here. I'll try not to duplicate my comments and photos from that review; please link to it to learn more and see the additional photos - including whale shark photos (maybe that will get some folks here to check out the review there, lol).
The folks at Utopia have built quite a place. The vibe is friendly and relaxed. Several of the owners live at the resort and provide personal attention to each of the guests with travel arrangements and any issues that may arise. For example, an a/c unit that quit was handled directly by Kyle, who determined that it was merely a twitchy circuit breaker. If necessary, she was ready to move us to a different room immediately. The resort is quite isolated, requiring a self-sufficiency not found in less remote areas. There were several power outages on the island during our stay, but Utopia was ready and able to deal with this, engaging their generator as needed and without delay.
The guests during our stay moved several tables together and most took our meals as a group, promoting great conversation and laughter. Chef Hugh never disappointed and served meals that every single guest found to be pleasing and delicious. There were always two choices for lunch and dinner, with fresh seafood usually a good option. The staff inquired at the beginning of our stay as to whether anyone had any special dietary requirements, which they would accommodate. Breakfasts were made to order, and on Thursday the traditional Honduran breakfast fare was loved by nearly everyone. Between time on the dive boat (the MissU) and meals, the camaraderie that developed among the guests was surprising and refreshing. Leisure time spent at the Dive Bar brought more conversation and laughter, and the opportunity to relax and talk with Divemasters Juan Carlos and Gina, along with Chef Hugh and Ryan, the bartender. Owners Kyle and Debby made a point of spending some time with everyone. The staff commented that they enjoy their time best when the guests bond as we did; they indicated that this is not universal but I could see that the layout and routine of the resort encourages the guests to enjoy time spent together.
Physically the resort is solidly built and attractive, with an emphasis on natural woods. The design is attractive and the guest rooms quite roomy and comfortable, with lots of space and outlets for dealing with dive and camera equipment. The a/c is quiet and strong; we had to turn ours way down to be comfortable at night.
Captain Leonard found us whale sharks to snorkel with two days straight, and not just one or two - we observed a minimum of six over two days, including one easily exceeding 40'. One shark was accompanied by a gorgeous Manta ray, a big surprise. With the full moon the whale sharks seemed to melt away, and we found and snorkeled with pods of spinner dolphins and a curious and large wahoo.
The diving was fabulous from our point of view, with great visibility and no strong currents. The dive sites we visited were lush and active. The Halliburton wreck dive was great fun; the ship is intact, sits upright, and the wheelhouse and other areas are accessible. The resident green moray, Lucy, poses for those with cameras. Other dive sites were filled with spotted morays, cleaner shrimp, and lobster. Baby drum fish were found in several hollows, and adults in deeper crevices. Spotted eagle rays and seahorses were found on several dives. Night diving brought out octopus and even more lobster, and hawksbill turtles were observed both day and night. Much of our night diving was focused on the bioluminescence of invertebrates in the area; during a planned 40 minute night dive that stretched to nearly 70 minutes we spend almost half our time with all lights out amazed at the sparkling surrounding us that would appear with every hand or fin movement. As one of the few repetitions from my tripadvisor review, Gina located String of Pearls comb jellies for us to observe; their vertical rhythmic light pulsations were mesmerizing. Both Gina and Juan Carlos were excellent divemasters whose enthusiasm and enjoyment in leading our group was infectious. They were observant of the divers and talented in finding creatures otherwise easily overlooked.
Utila Town was interesting to walk around during our last day before flying. Be sure to visit the Jade Seahorse to see some amazingingly intricate handmade gardens, arches, etc... We also enjoyed a visit to the Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center. Some relaxation at local watering holes and some purchases from street vendors selling handmade jewelry and trinkets rounded out the day.
My daughter loved her time in Utopia. She was thrilled to be accepted as "just another diver" by staff and guests alike and not treated like a kid. Her good dive skills contributed to her acceptance, and she loved the friendly atmosphere of both the resort and the island generally. She had time to tan and we were only moderately annoyed by the pervasive sand flies. As elsewhere in the Bay islands, prepare for them, especially if the onshore breeze dies.
I've attached several photos here, but to see photos of the whale sharks and a few of the resort itself please use the link to the tripadvisor review. This way I can share a few more photos all around. Please contact me if you have any questions; I'll be pleased to help if I can. My thanks for a great time go to everyone at the resort, and to the other guests with whom we shared fun times and adventure.
A week in Paradise, well, Utopia. - Review of Utopia Dive Village, Utila, Honduras - TripAdvisor
The review is accompanied by several photos, and I've attached a few more here. I'll try not to duplicate my comments and photos from that review; please link to it to learn more and see the additional photos - including whale shark photos (maybe that will get some folks here to check out the review there, lol).
The folks at Utopia have built quite a place. The vibe is friendly and relaxed. Several of the owners live at the resort and provide personal attention to each of the guests with travel arrangements and any issues that may arise. For example, an a/c unit that quit was handled directly by Kyle, who determined that it was merely a twitchy circuit breaker. If necessary, she was ready to move us to a different room immediately. The resort is quite isolated, requiring a self-sufficiency not found in less remote areas. There were several power outages on the island during our stay, but Utopia was ready and able to deal with this, engaging their generator as needed and without delay.
The guests during our stay moved several tables together and most took our meals as a group, promoting great conversation and laughter. Chef Hugh never disappointed and served meals that every single guest found to be pleasing and delicious. There were always two choices for lunch and dinner, with fresh seafood usually a good option. The staff inquired at the beginning of our stay as to whether anyone had any special dietary requirements, which they would accommodate. Breakfasts were made to order, and on Thursday the traditional Honduran breakfast fare was loved by nearly everyone. Between time on the dive boat (the MissU) and meals, the camaraderie that developed among the guests was surprising and refreshing. Leisure time spent at the Dive Bar brought more conversation and laughter, and the opportunity to relax and talk with Divemasters Juan Carlos and Gina, along with Chef Hugh and Ryan, the bartender. Owners Kyle and Debby made a point of spending some time with everyone. The staff commented that they enjoy their time best when the guests bond as we did; they indicated that this is not universal but I could see that the layout and routine of the resort encourages the guests to enjoy time spent together.
Physically the resort is solidly built and attractive, with an emphasis on natural woods. The design is attractive and the guest rooms quite roomy and comfortable, with lots of space and outlets for dealing with dive and camera equipment. The a/c is quiet and strong; we had to turn ours way down to be comfortable at night.
Captain Leonard found us whale sharks to snorkel with two days straight, and not just one or two - we observed a minimum of six over two days, including one easily exceeding 40'. One shark was accompanied by a gorgeous Manta ray, a big surprise. With the full moon the whale sharks seemed to melt away, and we found and snorkeled with pods of spinner dolphins and a curious and large wahoo.
The diving was fabulous from our point of view, with great visibility and no strong currents. The dive sites we visited were lush and active. The Halliburton wreck dive was great fun; the ship is intact, sits upright, and the wheelhouse and other areas are accessible. The resident green moray, Lucy, poses for those with cameras. Other dive sites were filled with spotted morays, cleaner shrimp, and lobster. Baby drum fish were found in several hollows, and adults in deeper crevices. Spotted eagle rays and seahorses were found on several dives. Night diving brought out octopus and even more lobster, and hawksbill turtles were observed both day and night. Much of our night diving was focused on the bioluminescence of invertebrates in the area; during a planned 40 minute night dive that stretched to nearly 70 minutes we spend almost half our time with all lights out amazed at the sparkling surrounding us that would appear with every hand or fin movement. As one of the few repetitions from my tripadvisor review, Gina located String of Pearls comb jellies for us to observe; their vertical rhythmic light pulsations were mesmerizing. Both Gina and Juan Carlos were excellent divemasters whose enthusiasm and enjoyment in leading our group was infectious. They were observant of the divers and talented in finding creatures otherwise easily overlooked.
Utila Town was interesting to walk around during our last day before flying. Be sure to visit the Jade Seahorse to see some amazingingly intricate handmade gardens, arches, etc... We also enjoyed a visit to the Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center. Some relaxation at local watering holes and some purchases from street vendors selling handmade jewelry and trinkets rounded out the day.
My daughter loved her time in Utopia. She was thrilled to be accepted as "just another diver" by staff and guests alike and not treated like a kid. Her good dive skills contributed to her acceptance, and she loved the friendly atmosphere of both the resort and the island generally. She had time to tan and we were only moderately annoyed by the pervasive sand flies. As elsewhere in the Bay islands, prepare for them, especially if the onshore breeze dies.
I've attached several photos here, but to see photos of the whale sharks and a few of the resort itself please use the link to the tripadvisor review. This way I can share a few more photos all around. Please contact me if you have any questions; I'll be pleased to help if I can. My thanks for a great time go to everyone at the resort, and to the other guests with whom we shared fun times and adventure.
