To be clear, Utila is one of those dive mecca locations to which members of the ever growing diving community flock for inexpensive boat trips and advanced diving courses. With beautiful reefs surrounding the relatively small island, it is also located on a migratory path of Whale Sharks thus solidifying it's place as a possible recurring column in Sport Diver's magazine (I'm assuming they have recurring columns. I wouldn't know as I usually delete their weekly emails). If you desire to plan a trip to the island, I'm sure you'll find accommodations and dive boats available at any one of the 13 dive shops, and the going rate for two dives while I was there was a mere $35.As a PADI Open Water Diver I am on the lowest rung of the diver certification totem pole. Before arriving in Utila, my last dive had been over ten years ago in California, my hiatus stemming from a mix of terrible sinus issues and the usual high costs of this hobby - my Midwest mindset prioritized student loans before dive trips for the better part of the last decade. However, by the time I would leave Utila I would have another six dives under my belt (still paltry numbers in the diving community, but I was satisfied).
Although I am appreciative of my renewed interest in diving, my intention of coming to the island had nothing to do with breathing compressed gases under water. My decision was driven by a desire to continue a writing project I had started earlier in the year while I was working a temporary job near the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. Utila was rumored to have cheap accommodations, cheaper than the mainland of Honduras, and those rumors turned out to be true. I was able to procure a one bedroom apartment from a wonderful woman named Vanessa for $300 a month. Although nothing spectacular, it did sport a view of an ocean inlet from the two bedroom windows, and the small front porch steps were where I would find a local dog waiting for me almost every morning.
While on Utila I developed a good routine of writing, diving, snorkeling, exploring, eating, volunteering with a food program, and, perhaps the most rewarding part of my routine, helping out at a school library three days a week. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays were my time to maneuver around a small one room library with a lot of children, reading with some, doing puzzles with others, and just spending time encouraging them to use their minds in a positive way. A big thanks to Jeannie, Hannah, and Alison for allowing me to help and to further practice my princess reading voice. However, the consistency of my voice for Blanca Nieves (Snow White) varied drastically and will require some attention for future readings.
For an island that can be walked from one side to the other in about an hour, it surprisingly has a lot of opportunities to have a diverse travel experience. Whether it was spending time swimming in freshwater caves, checking out one of the many educational centers, or a hike up Pumpkin Hill - a dormant volcano and the highest point on the island - which also happens to be the namesake of Vanessa's cat and coincidentally her WiFi password (however I won't give you the exact word play she uses) - there are plenty of activities to keep a traveler busy out of the ocean too. 
I should probably let you in another bit of information that further makes my subjective experience on the island possibly qualify as an outlier - I'm sober. For personal and health reasons I had my last alcoholic beverage prior to the start of the new year and, with a handful of exceptions, I have not regretted the decision to hop back on the wagon. That being said, outside of diving the other most advertised reason to visit the island is the partying. Drink specials and shot challenges are abundant along the main road that is usually filled with pedestrians, golf carts, and ATVs. Don't worry though, you're sure to get a "free" t-shirt after you spent $20 USD for four shots of liquor that only cost the bar about $2.
Although it may seem I'm presenting a judgmental tone towards the visitors who flock to this small rock in the Caribbean solely for the purpose of diving and drinking, I am merely hoping to highlight some of the other activities for which this island has to offer. In fact, one of those shot challenges I mentioned takes place at a healthy fruit bar operated by two expat Canadian women. Right before I left, a few artists opened a small art gallery for the sole purpose of promoting art education to local elementary students and Utila made products (Instead of the other "souvenirs" one might expect to find at another shop, like a key chain with your name on it or a shirt that has an outline of the island with the word "Native" embedded within it's borders).Every travel adventure begins with managing your expectations and your intentions. So if what you wanted was a week of diving and drinking then by all means enjoy every drink challenge on the island and have a blast, but also don't be as arrogant to say "You don't drink? Then why did you come here?" A phrase I heard on more than a few occasions.
The most surprising aspect of my time spent on the island was the expediency with which I finished my writing project, a manuscript for a non fiction novel about my experience hiking the Appalachian Trail. It turns out that when you set aside 4-5 hours each day to write you can actually get a lot done. In my past life this would have been the perfect time for a celebratory beer, but I thoroughly enjoyed a mango smoothie instead (however, there is still a steep learning curve ahead in order to get this edited and published). The completion of this part of the project was met with both extreme self satisfaction but also a bit of confusion. I thought this would keep me busy until the end of my travel visa, in fact, I thought finishing an initial draft was not even in the realm of possibility before my friend's wedding in July, but now here I was with the most drastic of first world problems - How do I spend four more weeks in a tropical climate?
As the blog title may infer, the island didn't convince me at all times that I was getting an authentic Central American experience, and I wanted to see some different places before heading back to the States. I mean no disrespect to the locals or capitalism, but anytime a lot of outside money has been introduced to an indigenous area it absolutely changes the atmosphere (I believe history overwhelmingly supports this claim). Even locals would admit on occasion that Utila "wasn't really Honduras," which would be obvious to anyone who has spent time in one of the larger inland cities such as San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa. Also, what little gains I had made with my Spanish before coming to the island had most definitely been lost. There wasn't a single moment where I felt obligated to know Spanish for my entire six weeks on the island.
I decided to take a shuttle to Leon, Nicaragua. It was farthest distance away I could make in one leg of travel by bus, and I figured I would just work my way back north for my flight out of San Pedro Sula on June 2nd. As I left the island it was bitter sweet as I had built relationships with friends that would now be left to the digital world in order for us to keep in touch. As I sent off copies of the manuscript to some beta readers (fancy writer talk for friends who agreed to read a few sections) I also began researching what I could expect from Nicaragua. I was about to spend a month in a country for a vacation I had literally just planned a week prior - so I was sort of going in blind - but I had the confidence that good plans would present themselves, and they have. But those will wait for another day.-Dustin
Travel Notes: Although "Free WiFi" is advertised abundantly across hostels and businesses on the island, I wouldn't count on the reliability of these networks. That combined with frequent power outages - both planned and unplanned - might not make the island the ideal spot for the digital nomad community. However, if you feel compelled to live and work on Utila, Buccaneer's and Neptune's seemed to have the most reliable WiFi networks. Both places also accept credit cards albeit with an additional usage charge, and Neptune's has an excellent and inexpensive panini. But I would be dismissed to not encourage you to visit the small crepe place right next to Buccaneers. It is operated by a lovely French gentleman and you will not be disappointed.Enjoy a few video clips from my time on the island!
Rooftop Sunset
Leaf Cutter Ants
Pumpkin Hill Beach Trash
Utopia Village Resort
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