UDC and Mango Inn

[bionicdiver]

Hi Everyone,
I've been doing some searching about UDC, but haven't seen too much. Has anyone stayed at the Mango Inn and dived with Utila Dive Center? If you have, could you provide some insights on the facilities and any any recommendations for food, nightlife, etc.?

Also, if you have any positive or negative experiences, could you share those as well?

We are scheduled to visit there in two weeks, getting to Utila via Roatan.

Thanks in advance!
Frankie

 

[lthomas132]

Hi Everyone,
I've been doing some searching about UDC, but haven't seen too much. Has anyone stayed at the Mango Inn and dived with Utila Dive Center? If you have, could you provide some insights on the facilities and any any recommendations for food, nightlife, etc.?

Also, if you have any positive or negative experiences, could you share those as well?

We are scheduled to visit there in two weeks, getting to Utila via Roatan.

Thanks in advance!
Frankie

We considered The Mango when we looked into Utila last year but ended up staying at Utila Lodge (Utila Lodge) and diving with them also but the diving is associated with Bay Island College of Diving ( Bay Islands College of Diving - Dive Shop Utila) adjoining the lodge since the ownership is the same. The Mango is not on the water but up the hill a few blocks of the main drag (waterfront), pretty good hike in the heat/humidity for me. Take lots of Deep Woods Off!

and some in our group were afraid the bugs would be too bad. No-see-ems are horrible in the evening/early morning! Since Utila Lodge is out over the water on a large pier we thought that bugs wouldn't be a problem & weren't. Mango looked like a decent place. Very loud bars are everywhere in the village center and can go on all night. Don't get a meal plan with any place that you stay as you will want to try the many small restaurants around town.

 

[lthomas132]

Also, I would add that the logistics of getting from Roatan to Utila can be a pain. We had 3 couples so we used Island Air, twin prop plane big enough for all 6 of us and luggage (Roatan Flights | Island Air, Bay Islands Flights). We found out that the other tree-toppers might get you there but luggage might come later, no good. It wasn't cheap, ~$250/person, others are cheaper. When we were planning the ferry from Roatan went to La Ceiba 1st, then to Utila, a pain in the butt, but Dillard Whitefield runs a small ferry between Roatan & Utila on an infrequent basis, cheap but you have to verify the ferry times with him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/search/str/lady+julia/keywords_search?filters_rp_author=groups(me)). Getting around is easy, either walk or take a tuk-tuk, 3 wheeled scooter taxi, ~$2 anywhere.

 

[bionicdiver]

lthomas32 - Thanks for the info, especially about the bugs. We will stock up on the repellent. I was a bit curious how far the Mango Inn was from UDC. Hard to tell from a map, but I do hope they have a truck or shuttle to get me from the hotel to the dive center. UDC did tell me that they would have a shuttle to pick us up from the ferry (Utila Dream) to take us to the Mango Inn. We did consider taking the short flight from Roatan to Utila, but the wife wanted to be on the water, instead. Getting Utila Dream paid was an experience...wire transfers from our bank to theirs.

We have been researching and saw some concerns with water and to bring water purification tablets. Any insights on the water situation? Can you buy bottled water there?

Oh an with regard to currency, do we need to exchange currency or will US dollars be sufficient?

By the way, how was the diving?

Again, thanks for all the info. Huge help!

Frankie

 

[lthomas132]

lthomas32 - Thanks for the info, especially about the bugs. We will stock up on the repellent. I was a bit curious how far the Mango Inn was from UDC. Hard to tell from a map, but I do hope they have a truck or shuttle to get me from the hotel to the dive center. UDC did tell me that they would have a shuttle to pick us up from the ferry (Utila Dream) to take us to the Mango Inn. We did consider taking the short flight from Roatan to Utila, but the wife wanted to be on the water, instead. Getting Utila Dream paid was an experience...wire transfers from our bank to theirs.

We have been researching and saw some concerns with water and to bring water purification tablets. Any insights on the water situation? Can you buy bottled water there?

Oh an with regard to currency, do we need to exchange currency or will US dollars be sufficient?

By the way, how was the diving?

Again, thanks for all the info. Huge help!

Frankie

Don't count on a shuttle from the Mango to UDC every day. Downhill will be a shorter walk than uphill! Probably ~10-15 minutes. Looks like the Dream does go to/from Roatan now but only on Fri.-Sat.-Sun. once a day (https://www.facebook.com/pg/UtilaFerry/services/?service_id=1188312001244551&ref=page_internal). Not sure where they dock at Roatan. If it's West End, allow plenty of time from the airport to West End. It's 3rd world you know, nothing runs exactly to schedule. If you get stuck in Roatan (miss the ferry), don't stay in Coxen Hole (by the airport), taxi to West End or West Bay for a room. Coxen Hole is called a hole for a reason! Don't drink or use the island water to even brush teeth, use bottled water only. It's sold everywhere. We filled our jug up at the Utila Lodge kitchen for the room. Take some Immodium just in case. Don't worry about exchanging limps, they like dollars too! Diving was good, pretty much like Roatan. We really enjoyed diving on the seamount and on the north side of the island. Any diving is better than NO diving!

 

[Prtfoliomgr]

I did my dive master in December with UDC and am going back to Utila in 2 weeks to do my IDC. I will be there all of May. Mango Inn is a 10 minute walk from UDC. (They have great brick oven pizza, half price on Tuesdays) But the entire Island is literally one Street. However, a taxi is 20 Lempiras ( pretty much anywhere on the main island road. ( less than a dollar US)
The staff at UDC are amazing, and they are consistently one of the top dive schools in the world. Andy Phillips runs the operation and has built an incredible culture there. You really hang out with 40 people at all times there because in addition to diving, UDC has weekly trivia nights, Barbecue's and even Sunset Booze Cruises! Andy is one of the best communicators that I have seen from any dive shop. If you are looking at taking a course you can not beat UDC. They have a separate boat for recreational divers (non students) that DM Mary runs, it's Incredible diving on the north side of the island. On the south side, the Black Coral Wall dive site is amazing! In addition, there are zero Cruise ships that come to Utila with loads of tourists with white socks and fanny packs. Utila is very affordable to visit and don't let the bug stories scare you, it's not that bad at all. It is just divers from around the world that like to have the occasional adult beverage in the evenings. You will have a blast at UDC trust me!