Honduras offers a blend of experiences - from relaxing on one of the beaches on the Bay Islands, to discovering the ruins of the ancient Mayan civilization, exploring the underwater landscape on diving expeditions, or immersing yourself in nature at the National Parks. One in particular is becoming PADI-certified on the island of Utila.
The Bay Islands are comprised of Utila, Roatan, and Guanaja. Utila and Roatan offer world-class diving because of their proximity to the second largest barrier reef in the world - the Mesoamerican Barrer Reef. Utila is well-known for it's incredible dive sites to shipwrecks, coral gardens, and caves where you can get a chance to see sea turtles, a variety of fish, and depending on the time of year, whale sharks in their natural setting. It's also one of the cheapest places in the world to get certified.
How to Get There
San Pedro Sula - La Ceiba
You'll most likely be flying into Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP) in San Pedro Sula. To reach the ferry to get to the islands, you'll need to get to La Ceiba.
Air: The fastest option is taking a domestic flight from Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP) to Golosón International Airport (LCE) in La Ceiba, a ~ 1 hour flight.
Bus: Buses run between San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba and take 5-6 hours. The scenic drive allows you to witness the diverse landscapes of Honduras.
Car: This gives you the flexibility to explore at your own pace. The CA-13 highway connects the two cities, offering a straightforward route that takes roughly 4-5 hours.
La Ceiba - Utila
Currently, the only ferry from La Ceiba to the islands of Utila and Roatan is the Utila Dream Ferry. It departs twice a day - from La Ceiba at 9 AM and 4:30 PM and from Utila at 7 AM and 3:20 PM. The cost ~ $31 or 750 Lempiras each way.
How to Choose a Dive Center
While there are many options for diving courses, the recommended dive centers are Utila Dive Center and Underwater Vision for their highly rated programs and low ratio of students to an instructor. Both offer Open Water PADI certification, Advanced Open Water, Underwater Photography, specialty and instructor courses. Once you complete the basic open water course, you can choose to extend to the advanced.
This guide is based off the course offered by Utila Dive Center.
PADI Open Water
This jam-packed course is split between a 3-4 hour morning session starting as early as 8 AM and a 3-4 hour afternoon session ending as late as 5 PM for the first three days, with an hour break for lunch. The last two days will be dedicated to open water diving practice. During the course, you’ll be given a total of 5 knowledge reviews corresponding to the 5 open water videos provided by PADI, 5 quizzes based off each knowledge section, and one exam.
Day 1
The first day begins with just an afternoon session of watching introductory diving videos provided by PADI and reviewing the skills. You’ll be given three sets of knowledge review questions to answer as you watch the three videos.
Day 2
The second day will be a bit more exciting as you’ll be able to enter the water today. For the morning session, you'll review two of the knowledge review questions as a group, then complete a ten-question quiz for those sections sections. You must pass with a 75% or greater. If you do not, they will go over the questions that people answered incorrectly and allow you to retake a different version of the quiz until you pass.
After the classroom portion of the morning session is complete, you’ll head down to the dock and learn how to set-up and break-down scuba kits, followed by a “water test”. The instructor will ask everyone to jump in and swim to a nearby dock, then tread water for ten minutes.
You'll be assigned a buddy and learn how to check gear with each other before every dive. Once you enter the water, you’ll link arms with everyone in the group and perform small stationary exercises such as sharing air, removing and reinserting the regulator, and inflating/deflating the BCD.
The afternoon session consists of the completing knowledge sections four and five. Watch the PADI videos, then review sections three, four, and five with the group, followed by a quiz on three and four.
Day 3
You'll start in the water this morning with several practices including: feeling what it’s like to have air supply cut off, removing goggles and expelling water, breathing through your mouth without goggles on for at least a minute, putting a weight belt on and off, c-stops, swimming with a buddy who is out of air, and how to hover by using your breath.
The afternoon session will be in the classroom, reviewing the final section five knowledge review. You'll be introduced to an RDP chart before taking the exam, marking the end of the classroom portion.
Day 4
The fourth day is the first day you’re in the water for both sessions and the first day you are out in open water!
In the morning, you'll practice skills including: how to breathe in free-flowing air from your regulator, hovering, how to handle issues that may arise (lost respirator, goggles filling with water, etc.).
Head out on the boat for the afternoon session on two dives up to 12 meters, or ~40 ft. You'll learn how to use a compass, read a dive computer, perform a Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA), and tow a tired diver.
Day 5
The final day of the course comprises of two,18 meter (~60 ft) dives in the morning where you'll continue to practice all of the skills you have learned, followed by two fun dives in the afternoon.
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