Well known to North American divers and backpackers from all around the world, Utila has several claims to fame. Renowned as one of the best places in the world to see whale sharks, arguably the cheapest place in the world for Open Water courses, and famous for it's epic wall dives, Utila also manages to be an eccentric, yet mellow place above the water.

I personally did my instructor course on Utila and spent some time working there and it will always hold a special place in my logbook. While I don't think it's waters have the colors and fish-life of the Indo-Pacific they do contain enough to keep even the most experienced divers happy - and of course there's a better than average chance of bumping into whale sharks and manta rays. It's an island where you can go at whatever pace you like and you can do any course from Discover Scuba Diving all the way through to Technical Diving Instructor courses.

I've just published a profile of Utila as a destination and a photo gallery to give you a sample of what's on offer underwater. If you have any more questions stop by the forum and I'm sure you'll get all the answers you need