Page 1 of 4Scuba Diving at Utila, Honduras
By Jennifer Voigt
Quick FactsDestination:
Utila, Honduras |
The islands off the coast of Honduras provide varied pleasures for the traveler. Roatan, Guanaja, and Utila, the three primary coastal islands, could possibly address her every preference, whether she likes the excitement and the convenience of a resort area, finds adventure or rest amid lush, humid greenery, or prefers something tamer and more civilized than either of the first two options.
Roatan, the most developed of the three islands, rivals Cancun in flavor, and offers the traveler similar benefits and experiences as the Mexican resort. Located on a coral reef exceeded in size only by Australia's Great Barrier Reef, Roatan is also the premier scuba diving destination in all of Honduras.
Guanaja is a tiny island without roads. It was renowned for its lush, tropical vegetation. Unfortunately the island was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in October 1998. Several years of re-growth will be necessary before visiting Guanaja will be worthwhile.
For those whose tastes and circumstances direct them toward more exotic venues, Utila, more rustic than Roatan, provides an alternative place to dive. It is a haven for 20-35 year old backpackers. For the traveler who carries his impatience with him like extra luggage, or finds the prospect of a crowded boat rather claustrophobic, the airplane may be the way to get to Utila. However, I find that I like to let the destination come to me when I take a holiday. I exchange the rat race for a less direct route. That's one of the reasons for taking a vacation. Honduras is less influenced by the Anglo Saxon theory of deadlines than North America. Hondurans do not live under the clock's tyranny.
Transportation to Utila, Honduras from La Ceiba, Honduras
You can get to Utila by a boat from La Ceiba for L. 140 ($10.00), which leaves, approximately, at 9:40 a.m. in the morning. The boat's official schedule indicates that its departure time is 10 a.m., while in reality, it leaves whenever it's full. For travelers like me, who think of boats as rather utilitarian yet not unromantic modes of getting from one place to the next, the hour-long trip out to Utila, if you spend it on the upper deck with the wind in your hair and the ocean spray on your skin, can be a quiet pleasure. For travelers who prefer not to expose their senses to the world in such a vulgar manner as I do, the boat to Utila, comfortable and modern, has an enclosed deck that can seat its entire load of 350 passengers. There, you can take advantage of the air conditioning and watch color television. Taking the boat will require you to stay in Utila overnight, at least. The boat back to La Ceiba leaves at 10:45 a.m. daily. The trip back will also cost you L.140.
Orientation in Utila, Honduras
One of the joys of traveling in Honduras is that the culture retains certain civilized customs that we in the developed world have cast by the wayside in the name of the rat race. Siesta is one of these remarkable traditions that continues to prove what a barbaric country the United States actually is, and the people of Utila observe it roughly between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. Be careful to remember to do your banking first thing when you arrive on the island, because the bank takes a siesta from 11:30 to 1:30.
The national phone company, Hondutel, observes the siesta between noon and 2 pm. It is impossible to call long distance during those hours. Should you need to call the United States, the rates run approximately $6.50 a minute. There is a phone at the Cinema, which offers cheaper rates, so you may want to try it out.
Relaxing in a hammock on Utila
The siesta may have a rejuvenate effect on workers' spirits, clearing away the stresses and pains from the morning to help them move headlong into the later part of the day, but it has a more practical side, as well. The weather on these islands is hot, to put it mildly, and the locals insist that the months of April and May are the hottest, though I was there in June and I find it hard to imagine any hotter weather. Working in the midday heat would be intolerable. Often when I travel to places where the locals observe the siesta, I take a cue from the locals. Traveling is hard work, and doing it in the sun is worse. If my accommodations allow it, I often return to my hotel to relax before beginning the afternoon's activities.