Utila - the Carribeans No. 1 Diving Environment

Diving - Coaching - Qualifications - Town - Accommodation

Utila, the smallest of the Honduras Bay Islands, is found on the western edge of the Caribbean Sea.

The island,  just 11 km long and 4 km at it's widest is surrounded by vast coral reefs with a huge variety of spectacular marine life.

Utila borders on the Mesoamerican barrier reef system, (the 2nd largest reef in the world after the Australian Great Barrier Reef), where divers enjoy some of the most beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and tropical island sunsets in the world.

Utila - Don't Leave Without...

• PADI and NAI qualifications divemaster qualifications available in one combined course. 

• Joining the Whale Shark Environmental Study and contributing to global whale shark research!!!

• Diving the lava tube swim through at The Pinnacles.

• Deep diving in the Maze. 

• A drift dive through Turtle Harbour marine reserve.

• Diving the open ocean sea mount of Black Hills, and the Roatans Banks, arguably the best dive in the whole of the Bay Islands.

• Diving Cayos Coschinos National Marine Park on an over night stay - 500 sq km of protected and patrolled ocean, reefs and idylic Caribbean Islands located a short 1 hour cruise from Utila.

• Grabing some cocktails and dancing the night  away at Bundu's Cafe. The place to hang out when you're back off the boat in the afternoon. 

With over 100 different scuba diving sites to choose from, including caves and numerous wrecks, sea mounts and ocean banks, the scuba diving is always interesting and never crowded. Utila is home to a large variety of marine environments which is the main factor contributing to the diversity of species found there.

Utila's spur and groove reef formations, drop offs and sea mounts make for an ideal environment for those first exciting dives. Every instructor working at Alton's Dive Center can tell stories of classes where nurse sharks or dolphins, and even whale sharks have passed close to students in their first or second dives.

The reef around Utila is home to all kinds of colourful tropical fish, corals, lobsters, sponges, eagle rays, sea horses, turtles and, for the more intrepid diver, the migrating whales.

It is actually one of the best places in the world to study  the world's largest fish - whale shark research is an optional module on all our courses.  

Utila’s wide variety of dive sites, warm clear water -  temperatures can reach 30° C, and visibility often surpasssing the much sought after  100ft/30m range  it's no wonder the island attracts divers both experienced and novice from all over the world.

Base Camp are extremely proud to have joined forces with Alton's Dive Centre. Established in 1994, Alton's has grown from a small dive center to a fully equipped, family owned, modern facility with all the advantages of it's small, more intimate roots.

The dive center is owned by a team with over 25 years of dive operations experience.

The dive team itself consists of instructors and divemasters from the UK, USA, Belgium, Canada, Spain and Ireland. 

The school is situated on the waterfront, with views over the Utila's bay. It is the only school with over the water accommodation where you can lounge in a hammock, relax, swim, admire the stunning scenery and enjoy the wildlife. It also benefits from air conditioned classrooms students use the latest training methods, programs and materials.

In the water your training groups will never be more than 4 students to 1 instructor ensuring the best quality training and attention to each individual client.  

The dedicated dive team offers you the friendliest and most passionate service on the island. The comprehensive courses and limited class numbers guarantees you a professional yet relaxed learning environment. With a year round team of Masters Scuba Diver Trainers, Staff Instrucotors, Instructor trainesrs, and a resident Instructor Examiner you will receive highest standart of training.

QUALIFICATIONS 

The PADI divemaster course places more emphasis on assisting instructors in classes while NAUI has greater emphasis on leading and organizing dives. There are different dive projects you will complete, such as map making, organizing and leading a night dives, deep dives and drift dives. You will conduct open water rescue practices and develop your leadership skills. 

Pulling all these different elements together into a single course, covering the academic requirements for both courses in a unified classes has created an exceptionally strong divemaster course. 

Qualifications include Your Choice Of:

-PADI Open Water or NAUI Scuba Diver

-PADI Andvanced Open Water or NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver

-PADI Rescue Diver or NAUI Rescue Diver

-PADI Divemaster and NAUI Divemaster

Specialties:

Nitrox EANx Diver, Wreck Diver, Deep Diver, Nigt Diver and your choice of Underwater Photography or Underwater Naturalist

Optional Qualifications:

-NAUI Master Scuba Diver

-PADI Master Scuba Diver

PADI

NAUI

NAUI Worldwide is the world's most respected, largest non-profit diver training organization in the world.

Established in 1959 as a membership association and organized solely to support and promote Dive Safety Through Education, NAUI continues as the recognized leader in innovative education.

NAUI is the diver training organizaton of choice of NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center, The US Navy Seals, Coast Guard rescue divers and other special military forces are trained to NAUI standarts and the US national Park Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) divers receive NAUI training and certifications.

TOWN

In Utila, most of the population- which averages around 2,500 people- lives on and around Eastern Harbor.

The Scuba Dive shops, bars restaurants and many of the hotels are located on the main street which runs around the Harbour from "The Point" where the old airport was once located to the start of Chepes Beach, just past Sandy Bay.

It takes approximately 20-30 minutes to walk from the beach at one end of the main street, to the beach at the other end.

Utila's has a great selection of bars set along the two main streets of the town. You'll have no problem finding somewhere for a relaxing after dinner cocktail or somewhere to party until the sun comes up. 

The Tranquila Bar, Coco Loco, Bar In The Bush, Treetanic, Sea Breakers and La Pirita are a few of the most popular bars on the island. For more information on these bars please click here.

The accommodation in general is clean, affordable and very comfortable. It is situated within the dive centre itself.

With 14 fan rooms in the dive center backpacker hotel which includes 6 twin rooms and 8 dormitory rooms. All of the dormitory rooms have 4 beds, except for one large room which can accommodate larger groups of up to 8 people.

With a kitchen equipped with a gas cooker, refrigerator, pans for cooking etc.. and a cheap cafe/bar on the dock so all your breakfast, lunch and dinner options can be covered right on your doorstep..

Alternative accommodation options include upgrading to either a private or  shared apartments.

  Diving - Coaching - Qualifications - Town - Accommodation