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General Info
| Dive Services
| Accommodations
| Travel/Tips
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Honduras is a stunningly beautiful
country, with marvelous beaches, lush green mountains, the idyllic
Bay Islands, and the ancient Mayan city of Copan - just to scratch
the surface.
Honduras is located in Central America bordered by Guatemala,
El Salvador and Nicaragua. Most visitors arrive by air.
Whether you are exploring the Mayan ruins, diving in the Bay
Islands or relaxing on the North Coast at Tela or La Ceiba,
there are great places to visit and things to do. The people
of Honduras are very friendly and visitors and travellers are
most welcome. If you have a spirit of adventure, make Honduras
your next vacation spot.
Off the northern coast of Honduras, from 12 to 35 miles offshore,
you will find the Bay Islands. They are located along the largest
barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere.
The Bay Islands remain today as some of the Caribbean’s most
beautiful, pristine and tranquil islands. This exotic archipelago
is a divers paradise, boasting clear waters and unspoiled reefs
that are among the healthiest in the Caribbean. These virgin
reefs teem with a myriad of unique reef creatures and 95% of
all species of the Caribbean’s coral can be found in these alluring
waters.
Roatan is the largest
island, with the most infrastructure and the most developed
for tourism. It is a long, thin island, measuring almost 40
miles in length and with a total land mass of 49 square miles.
The island has a mountainous backbone and is totally surrounded
by coral reefs, offering superb diving.
The tallest of the islands, Guanaja has become the most elite-oriented,
with many of the better hotels on the Islands located here.
Guanaja is a unique island, as it does not have any roads, and
the largest community, known as Bonaca is not even on the island
itself, but on a small cay a short distance from Guanaja. Guanaja
has a paved runway as an airport, and is forested with the unique
Caribbean pine that distinguishes it very much from its sister
islands.
Climate Average High 85F 29C Can cool to about 68F 20C at night.
Water Temp 78 - 83F 25 - 28C Visibility 80 - 150 ft 24 - 45
m
Bay
Islands Dive Sites
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Dive
Services/Accommodations
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Mango
Inn
Cola De Mico
Utila, 34201 Bay Islands
Honduras
Tel.: 011 504 4253305
Fax.: 011 504 4253305
Mango Inn located on Utila in the Bay Islands of Honduras
Central America, is a charming dive operation & hotel
offering pristine waters, great reef formations, isolated
cays and beaches, and a friendly, colorful community.
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Number of Dive Boats: 5
» Maximum Number of Divers per Boat: 12
» Gear Provided: New Scuba Pro
» Rental Gear Available: All equipment included
» Nitrox Available:
» Type of Diving Available: Boat diving (wreck,
wall, reef, tec)
» Total Dive Sites: N/A
» Minimum Time to Dive Sites: 10
» Maximum Time to Dive Sites: 40
» Certification Agencies: PADI
» Courses Offered: All courses from open water to
IDC to tec courses
info@mango-inn.com
http://mango-inn.com |
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Utopia Village - Utila
Mailing Address:
6302 McCommas, Blvd. Dallas, Texas 75214
Tel.: 214-215-7743
Utopia Village is a dive, fishing and spa resort. Our
casually elegant hotel complex is nestled in the jungle
along a quarter mile of beach front with abundant coral
reefs and the best shore diving Utila has to offer. Amenities
include 16 luxurious rooms with private bathrooms, AC
and ceiling fans, oceanfront bar, air-conditioned lounge,
BBQ patio and sunset roof terrace.
»
Number of Dive Boats: 1
» Maximum Number of Divers per Boat: 20
» Gear Provided: Weights, belts, tanks
» Rental Gear Available: Brand New Cressi Sub gear,
BCD, reg's wetsuits
» Nitrox Available: Yes
» Type of Diving Available: fringing reef, wall,
swim through caves, wrecks, sea mounts
» Total Dive Sites: 100+
» Minimum Time to Dive Sites: 0 minutes, house reef
just in front of resort
» Maximum Time to Dive Sites: 25 minutes to Northside
» Certification Agencies: PADI
» Courses Offered: OW, Advanced, nitrox, most specialties
cathy@utopiautila.com
http://www.utopiautila.com/ |
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Foster's West Bay Resort
West Bay
Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras C.A.
Tel. USA# 1-877-245-5907 tollfree
Fax. 1-541-344-6072Affordable
beachfront cabanas located on Roatan's most beautiful
white sand beach. Spectacular world-class diving available
with our onsite dive shop. Restaurant/Bar.
fostersroatan@yahoo.com
http://www.fostersroatan.com
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Luna Beach Resort
West End, Roatan
Bay Islands, Honduras
Tel. 866-710-LUNA
Fax: 303-362-1044
Luna Beach Resort offers a perfect get away, with our
Beach Suite accommodations. Our Island style Tropical
Houses and Premium House tucked away in the Jungle, with
spectacular views of the Caribbean. On site dive staff
and dive packages available.
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Number of Dive Boats: 2
» Maximum Number of Divers per Boat: 24 - 7
» Gear Provided: Tank and weights
» Rental Gear Available: All new brand name gear-
full kits
» Nitrox Available: Yes
» Type of Diving Available: Reef, Wreck, Wall, Deep,
Drift, Night Diving
» Total Dive Sites: 40
» Minimum Time to Dive Sites: 2
» Maximum Time to Dive Sites: 20
» Certification Agencies: PADI, SSI
» Courses Offered: All PADI courses
reservations@lunabeachresort.com
http://www.lunabeachresort.com |
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Oak
Bay Resort
5353 W. Tyson Ave, Tampa, FL 33611
Tel. 011-504-435-2337
Oak Bay Resort is a small resort located in the Oak Ridge
area of Roatan. Some grocery stores and restaurants are
located in Oak Ridge. Safety is always number one with
us and on training dives or pleasure dives we will never
take divers below 110 feet.
ah6pn@arrl.net
http://www.roatandiving.com |
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Reef Gliders
West
End, Roatan
Bay Islands
Honduras
Tel. +504 8913-5099
A small PADI Gold Palm Resort specializing in small group
diving. Located on the water we have over 40 sites within
a 15 minute journey.
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Number of Dive Boats: 3
» Maximum Number of Divers per Boat: 12, 8, 6
» Gear Provided: All gear included
» Rental Gear Available: No
» Nitrox Available: Yes
» Type of Diving Available: Reef, wreck, wall, drift,
night and dawn dives
» Total Dive Sites: 50+
» Minimum Time to Dive Sites: 5
» Maximum Time to Dive Sites: 20
» Certification Agencies: PADI
» Courses Offered: Scuba Refresher, Scuba Diver,
Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, Emergency First
Response, Specialties, Divemaster, Internship, Assistant
Instructor
admin@reefgliders.com
http://www.reefgliders.com |
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Subway Watersports Roatan
Brick Bay Resort
Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras
Tel. ++504 387 0579
A small and personal PADI Gold Plam Resort and National
Geographic award dive center on Roatan's south side. Catering
to multiple hotles and vacation rental homes.
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Number of Dive Boats: 7
» Maximum Number of Divers per Boat: 6 to 14
» Gear Provided: Tanks/weights
» Rental Gear Available: Yes
» Nitrox Available: Yes
» Type of Diving Available: Reef, wreck, wall, shark
» Total Dive Sites: 50
» Minimum Time to Dive Sites: 5
» Maximum Time to Dive Sites: 45
» Certification Agencies: PADI
» Courses Offered: All through instructor
info@subwaywatersports.com
http://www.subwaywatersports.com |
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West
End Divers
Calle Principal, Proxima Pura Vida
West End, Roatan, Islas de Bahia, Honduras
Tel: Honduras/504-445-4289, US/786-623-5627
PADI 5 Star Resort. Experience the beauty of the underwater
environment while diving on the world’s second largest
coral reef. Conveniently located, where some of the best
dive sites are 10 minutes from our dock. Our professional
staff is committed to making your Caribbean dive vacation
one of unforgettable memories. PADI Certifications from
Discover Scuba through Assistant Instructor, and many
specialty courses.
»
Number of Dive Boats: 4
» Maximum Number of Divers per Boat: 3 @ 8, 1 @
20
» Gear Provided: Mask snorkel fins BCD regulators
weights tanks and shortys
» Rental Gear Available: Oceanic and Cressi-Sub
» Nitrox Available: Yes - 32%
» Type of Diving Available: Reef, Wreck, Wall, Deep,
Swim throughs, Drift, Night
» Total Dive Sites: 40+
» Minimum Time to Dive Sites: 3
» Maximum Time to Dive Sites: 15
» Certification Agencies: PADI
» Courses Offered: Discover Scuba through Assistant
Instructor
westenddivers@gmail.com
http://www.westendivers.com |
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Travel
to Honduras and the Bay Islands
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The main airport serving the area is the San Pedro Sula International Airport. Serviced regularly by LACSA, TACA, COPA, American,
Continental and Iberia, San Pedro Sula is easily reached
from the following North American gateways: Miami, Houston, New Orleans, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Orlando, Mexico City and Cancun. In addition, there are excellent connections via the Central American Airlines
through San Jose, Costa Rica; San Salvador, El Salvador; Panama City, Panama and Guatemala City, Guatemala. There
is also daily air service by Isleña Airlines to San Pedro from
La Ceiba, Roatan and Tegucigalpa.
La Ceiba is perhaps the best communicated city in Honduras. The largest domestic carrier, Isleña Airlines has its operations hub here, and from here you can fly to Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, Choluteca,
Roatan, Utila, Guanaja, Trujillo, as well as the Miskito Coast. Aerolineas Sosa and Rollins Air also have their
main bases in La Ceiba. In addition, TACA and LACSA
both have international flights to San Salvador, El Salvador, San Jose, Costa Rica, as well as Houston, Miami,
New York and New Orleans, in the USA.
La Ceiba is also a departure point to the Bay Islands. Schedules are subject to change, so check with your destination
or travel agent for any changes.
For visitors coming from Europe, you may book through KLM, Lufthansa,
Alitalia, Air France, British Airways,
and Iberia.
Getting to the islands from the mainland is an easy task these days
Roatan
By Ferry
La Ceiba is the closest city to Roatan on the mainland, which is only thirty miles away. The Galaxy ferry travels
between Roatan and La Ceiba on the mainland of Honduras.
La Ceiba - Roatan 11:00 a.m. daily
La Ceiba - Roatan 4:15 p.m. daily
Roatan - Ceiba 6:00 a.m. daily
Roatan - Ceiba 1:45 p.m. daily
15$ adult and 7.50$ child approximately - All prices are subject to change without notice.
By Air
Taca Airlines provides direct flights from Miami (Sundays), New Orleans and Houston (Saturdays) www.taca.com.
Solair also provides direct flights from Miami (Fridays, return Saturdays) www.solair.net.
Continental (from Houston) and
American (from Miami) also fly into San Pedro Sula (where you can then travel to Roatan
on smaller local airlines, listed below). Continental Airlines also provides a new nonstop Saturday service between
Houston and Roatan.
Utila
By Ferry
Ferry service between La Ceiba and Utila aboard the 118' Utila Princess - UtilaPrincess@yahoo.com
Departs La Ceiba 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM Tickets may be purchased at La Ceiba's main cargo port.
Departs Utila 6:20 AM and 2:00 PM - Tickets may be purchased at the Utila Municipal Dock.
By Air
Aerolineas
SOSA and Atlantic Airlines
service Utila locally (see
schedules on Utila page).
Guanaja
Getting to Guanaja is only by air only. Isleña Airlines and
AEROLINEAS
SOSA has flights from La Ceiba to Guanaja. Flights are generally
$35.US to $45.US each way.
Entry Requirements
Passport valid 6 months beyond intended stay in Honduras.
Ticket for return or onward travel.
Departure tax US$25.00.
Visa is not required for stay up to 30 days for nationals of the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada,
Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, European Union, Guatemala, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand,
Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Puerto Rico, San Marino, Switzerland, Uruguay, United States and Vatican.
Visas are required for nationals of other countries and can be purchased from Honduran consulates.
**New Travel Requirements**
The Department of State and Homeland Security have
announced a "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative" in which they are proposing to require all U.S. Citizens,
Canadians, citizens of Bermuda and citizens of Mexico to have a passport or other accepted secure document to enter
or re-enter the U.S. by January 1, 2008.
Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and
Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport,
Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document.
As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico,
Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present
a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. While recent legislative
changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements
as soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided to enable the public to obtain passports or passport
cards for land/sea entries.
Helpful Information
Getting Around on the Mainland
There are car rental agencies at the airpors and in the larger towns. An international or foreign driving license
is all you need. Roads in the city and on the highways are in fairly good condition but not so in the rural areas.
Driving is to the right. If you prefer to let someone else do the driving, you can hire a taxi. But taxis are unmetered
so remember to fix the fare before you step into one.
The cheapest option is the local buses. The signs on the buses indicate the direction they are headed in.
Getting Around on the Islands
There is little need for transportation on the smaller islands. Roatan with it's 60 miles of roads, offers cars,
trucks, bikes and scooters for rent.
Language
Spanish is the official language of Honduras. English is spoken in the Bay Islands and in most tourist areas. Traditional
languages are still used in some remoter areas of the country such as Olancho and the Mosquitia.
Taxes/Tipping
A 12% value added tax is added to the price of all services and merchandise. Also many restaurants or hotels will
add an additional 10% service charge as a tip. This is not compulsory to pay. Check your bill before tipping as
it may have already been included. |
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