Dive Utila
April 17 - April 24 2010

The Trip

The Utila Whale Shark Research Project is managed locally by the staff of Deep Blue Utila, and data is collected from visiting divers and snorkelers and from local fishermen. Data from the project is entered into the ECOCEAN Whale Shark Photo-identification Library where it can be accessed by researchers all over the world. Using the ECOCEAN Library ensures that collected data is available locally and globally, and the open and visible nature of the database and its built-in email system ensure that contributors are informed of how their data is being used. Deep Blue Utila is committed to utilizing the best technologies and methodologies available while maintaining complete transparency and maximum safety, both for researchers and for the whale sharks, in data collection. Our objective is to make our project's results available for local conservation efforts and to ensure their validity through peer review and publication.

What's Included:

Ocean front accommodation air conditioning & fans in all rooms,refrigerator in each room for drinks & snacks,welcome cocktail ,breakfast, lunch buffet , & full service 3 course dinner, drinking water, iced tea, hot tea/coffee , unlimited shore diving, unlimited snorkelling, 3 boat dives daily inclusive of 2 night dives(17 boat dives),tanks, belts & weights, buoyancy control workshop to help protect our reefs, internet access, Honduran tax at 16% and Utila Diver Reef Tax of $4 per day of diving , high definition video of your holiday.

Non diver packages include all of the above except for diving.

What's Not Included:

Transportation to Utila, gratuities, travel insurance, Optional PADI Whale Shark specialty course ($95.00US)

The Price

Package Price Diver: $1925US
Package Price Non-Diver: $1789US

Deposit requirements: $500US deposit required at the time of booking. Balance is due January 10, 2010.

Cancellation policy: Cancel 60 or more days prior to the trip, receive a 25% refund. No refunds issued with cancellation 60 days or less. Be sure to have travel insurance.

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About the Destination:

Utila, nestling in the Caribbean Sea and located approximately 18 miles (29 km) from the Honduras mainland port of La Ceiba. Utila is just 11 km long and 4 km at its widest and surrounded by vast coral reefs with prolific undersea life. The smallest of the major islands in The Bay Islands group, Utila is renowned as being one of the least expensive and most beautiful places in the world for a scuba diving vacation. On the island , which borders on the Mesoamerican barrier reef system, (the 2nd largest reef in the world after the Australian Great Barrier Reef), you will discover some of the most beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and tropical island sunsets in the world. With over 60 different scuba diving sites to choose from, including caves and numerous wrecks (such as the famous Halliburton), scuba diving is always interesting and never crowded. Utila is also famous for divers encountering the Whale Shark migrating through the waters of Utila. The Whale Shark is the world's largest fish. The slow moving Whale Shark is harmless, eating zooplankton, snapper egg and shrimp, as it grows up to 12-18 meters in length.

Accomodations:

The Deep Blue Resort is set in a private beach front location, surrounded by coconut palms and fruit trees with indigenous wildlife and wild orchids. It is a beautiful get away from it all resort which can only be reached by boat through a lagoon (which has great fishing) at the back of the property. There are no telephones or TVs, if you need to contact the outside world free Internet access is available. The resort has ten spacious, deluxe rooms each with a large private balcony overlooking a white sand beach and the crystal waters of the Caribbean.