Roatan vs. Utila

These two Caribbean islands are located in the Bay Islands of Honduras. Undoubtedly, both share unique tourist attractions, but differences in terms of; the tourists they attract, shopping rates, and the things to do on each island vary.

Utila Overview

In general, Utila attracts a budget conscious traveler (backpacker) interested in diving, bar hopping, and in meeting other like-minded individuals. Utila is the closest island to the mainland of Honduras and it’s also the smallest of the Bay Islands. Utila is less than 10 miles long. There are also Expats living on Utila.

Roatan Overview

By contrast, Roatan attracts honeymooners, cruise ships, and tourists looking for an "all-inclusive” experience. Roatan is more developed than Utila and the choices for food, hotels, bars, and additional activities are much wider. It is the most popular of the Bay Islands at approximately 40 miles long, with many houses looking out over the beautiful coastline of its northern and southern shores.

Guanaja Overview

We’d like to briefly mention Guanaja as many ask about the island. In short, Guanaja the most private and less visited of the islands. It is also the island furthest away from the mainland and that makes a ferry ride somewhat lengthly. There are also less travelers going to Guanaja from the mainland so a bonafide Ferry route is not economical. In order to get to Guanaja, it is recommended that you travel to Roatan first and then take a water taxi from Oak Ridge to Guanaja.

Travel Routes

• Ferry from La Ceiba

• Flight Arrivals

• Travel between Islands

Ferry from La Ceiba

The cheapest way to get to either of the two islands is by sea. The ferry offered by these two islands is safe, comfortable, and affordable. To enter either island by ferry, you have to travel to the city of La Ceiba by land or by way of a domestic flight. The Galaxy Wave Ferry takes you to Roatan in 75 minutes and has two daily departures. The Utila Dream takes you to Utila in 45 minutes.

Galaxy Wave and Utila Dream daily departures from La Ceiba:

• Galaxy Wave → 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM

• Utila Dream → 9:00 AM and 4:40 PM

Flights Arrivals

The fastest way to reach these destinations is by airplane. Domestic flights are available with CM Airlines. Traveling to Utila can be more complicated since it only has direct flights from Guatemala, La Ceiba, Roatán, San Pedro Sula, and Tegucigalpa. Given this, you will have to layover in one of the above-mentioned cities. Note that Roatán receives more national and international flights, directly from the USA, Canada, Guatemala, and other Central American countries.

Ferry and Flights between Roatan and Utila

If you are on one of these two islands, you always have the option of traveling in between these islands via ferry or by taking a domestic flight with CM Airlines. When traveling by ferry, you must buy your ticket on the Utila Dream, with a duration of 1 hour of travel time between each island. Utila Dream offers only one trip per day for each destination.

Utila Dream departure times between Utila and Roatan:

• from Roatan to Utila at 2:00 PM

• from Utila to Roatan at 10:15 AM

Roatan vs Utila

• Scuba Shops

• Where to Stay

• Transportation

Scuba Shops

For dive lovers, both islands have a large number of Scuba Shops. Utila is one of the most affordable places to get certified, with around 16 dive shops around the island. Utila offers certification packages with accommodation included. From fun dives to your basic Open Water Certification and Scuba Instructor Certification. Most Dive Shops on Utila teach PADI Certifications.

Roatan offer a wider choice for Scuba Shops and a diversity of diving options. You will find in the West Bay, West End, and French Cay area. You can choose any area to stay in, and you will always have a Scuba Shop nearby. Unlike Utila, Roatan offers courses with the two most prominent Dive Organizations in the world: SSI and PADI. Both places are great for diving.

Where to Stay

Roatán has a great diversity of hotels, houses, apartments where to stay. The best thing about Roatan is that it has something for every type of tourist. If your budget is not so tight and you prefer the all-inclusive, you can stay at the best Resorts in the West Bay area; if not, you can choose the most comfortable area in West End. These are the following options:

• Resorts

• Boutique hotels

• Hostels/Apartments

On Utila, most of the dive schools offer accommodation. On this small island, you will find attractive and affordable hotels, it also has houses, apartments, and hostels.

Transportation

Since Utila is a small island, it is much easier to explore it. In this small destination, you will not find cars. Instead, locals, and tourists use moto-taxis, bicycles, and ATVs to transport themselves from one place to another or walking.

As the largest island, Roatan offers a variety of transportation options. Locals use motorcycles, taxis, bus, and even water-taxis that transport you from West Bay to West End and vice versa, as a tourist you can also rent a car. It is recommended that you book a taxi before you arrive.

Things to Do.