Dive Review of Utila Island Quest in
Honduras/Utila

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Utila Island Quest: "A Dream Come True", Nov, 2021, by Gayle Kirby, TX, US ( 1 report with 3 Helpful votes). Report 11827 has 3 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	I love diving in the Caribbean. A wetsuit is not needed in most locations, and that means no extra weights! I have traveled to all three Bay Islands of Honduras, but I fell in love with the Island of Utila in 2014. It is the place I compare to all other places I travel. With no other scuba buddies wanting to travel until restrictions are lifted, I decided to book a trip to Utila by myself. As a single female traveling solo, I had no qualms about going to Utila alone – it is a very safe island and US visitors are very welcome. I knew that I would be staying in Utila Town and decided to book my trip with Utila Island Quest, owned and operated by Ryan (Sarge) Payne and his wife, Tamara, who retired to Utila two years ago. Sarge is a PADI Master Scuba Instructor who can certify open water divers and about 100 specialty certifications; he also has new dive gear for rent if you prefer to travel lightly. Tamara is a licensed massage therapist and a yoga instructor with 20+ years of experience and advanced training, in addition to being an entrepreneur. I flew into Roatan, and a driver arranged by Tamara picked me up at the airport and drove me to the Utila Dream Ferry for a short ride (60-75 minutes) to Utila, where Sarge and Tamara met me at the dock. A 5-minute tuk-tuk ride delivered me and my luggage to my accommodations for the next 10 days. I stayed in a one-bedroom apartment (with separate entry) attached to their residence. They can accommodate up to 6 people, which makes it perfect for friends, couples, or families traveling together. Utila Island Quest is like a completely customized B&B that furnishes all meals, drinks, diving, and excursions. Prior to arrival, I completed a questionnaire that included my food and beverage preferences/likes/dislikes and any special dietary needs, as well as desired activities and diving time preferences. About a week before my trip, Sarge and Tamara scheduled a video call with me to review my questionnaire and any special requests. In addition to diving, you can book massages and energy work with Tamara, as well as yoga overlooking the beautiful Caribbean! After settling in, Sarge and Tamara took me to watch the sunset from the cantina at Coral Bay. Sarge explained that we would do a check-out shore dive there the next day. There are amazing shore dive locations all over the island; Sarge assured me that we could shore dive in the afternoons after our two-tank morning boat dives. The afternoons were filled with activities ranging from tours of the island, a trip (actually more than one) to the Utila Chocolate Company, a visit to the Iguana Conservation Center, massages, yoga, and souvenir shopping. I visited during the rainy season, which can range from beautiful, hot, sunny days to cloudy, drizzly days, to drenching, rainy days. The visibility and water conditions ranged from great to not-so-great, and on one day, the boats did not go out because wave conditions were too high. I was able to schedule the “lost” day later in the week. This was undoubtedly one of my best scuba trips ever; I began my scuba adventures in 1988. Utila is magic, and Sarge and Tamara definitely have a hand in contributing to the magic. The price is extremely reasonable considering all the unique experiences provided. Tamara has a special gift of finding animals underwater. The most unique sighting of the trip: two crabs mating – during the day! She also found a young nurse shark hiding under a coral head. Even when visibility was limited, there were always surprise sightings of eagle rays, turtles, and other animals. Sarge also has diver propulsion vehicles for rent and a highlight of my trip was diving with a DPV on the last day. It was a vast improvement over the 1990s-era bulky DPVs - very easy to maneuver and so much fun! A negative Covid test was required within 72 hours of arrival in Honduras and 24 hours prior to departure on my return trip. The doctor who runs the hyperbaric chamber on Utila provided my Covid test, and he was extremely considerate – the most gentle Covid test I’ve experienced. Masks are generally not required on Utila but are required on the ferry and in the airports. Caveat: during rainy season, mosquitoes are out there and repellants with 25% Deet is highly recommended. Long sleeves and long pants are essential – in light colors (mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors). A rain poncho is also a good idea. Hats and sunscreen are essential.
Websites	Utila Island Quest
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Fiji, British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Belize, Roatan, Guanaja, Utopia Village on Utila, Cozumel & Yucatan Peninsula (Xchalat & Chutumal)
Closest Airport	Roatan	Getting There	Non-stops to Roatan from Miami, Houston, and Dallas/Fort Worth
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, rainy, cloudy, dry	Seas	calm, choppy, surge
Water Temp	80-82°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	35-100 Ft/ 11-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Safety stops
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	Sarge takes his GoPro on every dive and photographs/videos the animals, coral, and guests. Take a thumb drive and he will copy his edited photos/videos for you. He also (with guests' permission) posts some of them on Facebook. For this reason, I did not take my GoPro on this trip.

Report currently has 3 Helpful votes

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Dive Review of Utila Island Quest in Honduras/Utila

Utila Island Quest: "A Dream Come True", Nov, 2021,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Utila Island Quest in
Honduras/Utila