The Diving Utila has the most diving options among the Bay Islands, with fringing reefs and walls on the north and south shores, a string of small cays and submerged seamounts. Marine life ranges from tiny blue bell tunicates to the whale sharks frequently sighted feeding in the waters off Utila. Reefs along the southern shore start in 15 to 20 feet of water then gradually slope away to 200 feet, with mini-walls from 40 to 80 feet. Along the north shore, the platform reef falls steeply off the continental shelf, dropping from 25 feet to more than 1,000. The dome-shaped seamounts rise to within 45 feet of the surface and attract pelagics like schooling jacks and sea turtles.
Larger shops have traditional, wide-hulled dive boats.
Diversions Utila Town is a bustling small city with wide cement sidewalks for roadways. The vehicle of choice here is a 4-wheel ATV, but you can walk the whole thing in an afternoon if you choose. The city has several small banks and general stores, but little in the way of tourist shopping. This cluster of six islands and small cays is the closest to the mainland yet the least developed of the Bay Islands. The islands and all reefs within a five-mile radius are a national biological reserve managed by the Smithsonian Institute and patrolled by the Honduran navy.