LEARN TO DIVE!
OPEN WATER
TIME
4.5 DAYS
DIVING
4 TRAINING DIVES
FREE FUN DIVES
DEPTH
MIN 12m/40ft
MAX 18m/60ft
Get ready to learn underwater diving and earn your PADI Scuba Diving Certification with the most experienced team of instructors in the Caribbean!
The Open Water Diver certification is the 1st complete PADI certification you can earn and the most chosen scuba course for beginners who want to learn to Scuba dive in Honduras and worldwide. This license is the most recognized in the dive industry and will allow you to dive anywhere in the world, independent of professional supervision.
This scuba diving certification is your passport to adventure and the key to opening the door to the wonderful underwater world!
What to Expect from the Open Water Diver Course
You’ll start with solid training that covers everything you need to know to dive confidently.
Diving skills: You’ll start to learn to scuba dive by understanding how to use scuba gear, getting the hang of buoyancy, and finding your way underwater.
Safety: We’ll go over essential safety procedures, how to deal with emergencies, and tackle common issues while diving- so you’re prepared for anything!
Practice: You’ll get plenty of hands-on practice in our beautiful local dive spots, where you’ll get comfortable with your gear and explore amazing sea life.
With our expert instructors by your side, you'll gain the skills and confidence to dive safely and enjoy every moment in the Caribbean waters.
Able to swim
Medically fit for diving
Comfortable in the water
Minimum age: 10
All Book Materials & Taxes
Dive Equipment w/ Computer
2 Free Fun Dives
Free Nights at Mango Inn Resort Accomodation
Custom/Shorter Packages Available.
Utila Dive Center instructors have the highest ratings and the most experience in the Caribbean. The reef system around Utila is the perfect environment for you to learn scuba diving, with warm water all year round, calm seas and dive sites as close as 3 minutes away.
All of our instructors are at least Master Scuba Diver Trainers, a level above an Instructor, and have experience diving all over the world. Together, our experience, diverse backgrounds and enthusiasm create an engaging environment where you’ll get to learn, feel comfortable in the water, and most of all, have fun!
We believe in diving safely and training responsible divers:
We maintain the highest standards in all of our equipment and have the most capable fleet of boats on the island, as well as qualified instructors prepared to teach in a variety of languages, all in place to offer you the most memorable Open Water course available!
Scuba Diving for Beginners
If you’re new to Scuba diving and looking for a place to start learning in the Caribbean, you’ve come to the right place. At Utila Dive Center, we make diving easy and fun for newcomers like you!
Our PADI Open Water Diver Course is made just for beginners. You’ll kick things off with classroom sessions to learn the basics of diving. After that, you’ll move on to practicing essential diving skills like buoyancy control and equipment use in a pool or shallow water. Once you get a hang of these skills, you’ll get to enjoy the thrill of underwater adventures on open-water dives– under expert supervision.
"I would recommend UDC to anybody interested in their dive certification. The staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I will be scuba diving for the rest of my life because of them."
NEXT COURSE
ADVANCED OPEN WATER
ADVENTURE AWAITS!
ADVANCED OPEN WATER
If you really want to discover what adventure in SCUBA diving is, UDC’s Advanced Open Water course is perfect for you!
During this course, one of our Instructors will guide you during 5 open water specialty dives of your choice. These dives may include Deep, Night, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck, Fish ID, and many others. This license allows you to dive anywhere in the world to a maximum depth of 30 metres/100 feet without professional supervision (where local laws allow).
TIME
2.5 DAYS
DIVING
5 TRAINING
2 FREE/FUN
DEPTH
MAX 30m/100ft
Open Water Diver/Junior Open Water Diver
Medically fit for diving
12 years or older
All Book Materials & Taxes
Dive Equipment w/ Computer
2 Free Fun Dives
Free Nights at Mango Inn Resort Dorms
The PADI Deep Diver Specialty course, as part of the PADI Advanced Open Water program, offers scuba divers a structured, comprehensive introduction to deeper diving. In this course, you learn techniques for diving in the 18-40 metre/60-130 feet depth range, experiencing first-hand how to manage your gas supply, dealing with gas narcosis, and honing your navigation skills under the direct supervision of a PADI professional. The course also emphasizes the importance of directly observing and managing the physiological effects of deeper scuba diving, safety considerations, and potential challenges. This training equips divers with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the underwater world with increased confidence and competence, preparing them for new adventures in the deep blue.
The Underwater Navigation Specialty as part of the PADI Advanced Open Water course is designed to enhance your navigational skills under the water. You'll learn how to navigate using a compass, natural landmarks and by estimating distances underwater. This training involves exercises to familiarize you with the challenges and peculiarities of underwater orientation, like learning to estimate distance underwater, navigate different search patterns, find your way to marking points, and return to the exit point. The course promotes the mastery of advanced navigation techniques, enabling you to increase your confidence, improve your underwater orientation skills and enhance your overall diving experience. By the end of this course, you'll feel more in control and confident in your diving explorations, adding more fun and safety to your dives.
The PADI Drift Diver Specialty as part of the Advanced Open Water course is an exciting foray into the experience of riding along with ocean currents. This course introduces you to the magic of drifting with the current, feeling the sensation of flying underwater while the sea's motion does the work. You will learn about drift dive planning, organization, procedures, techniques, and potential hazards, as well as how to use and maintain specialized drift diving equipment like floats, lines, and reels. You'll also learn proper procedures for buoyancy-control, navigation and communication, and techniques for staying close to a buddy or together as a group as you float with the current. This unique form of diving allows you to cover a large area without expending much energy and offers a sense of exhilaration and adventure as you explore underwater landscapes in a dynamic way.
The PADI Night Diver Specialty, as part of the Advanced Open Water course, opens a new window into the underwater world, allowing divers to experience the ocean's nocturnal life. This course equips you with the skills and knowledge needed to safely plan and execute night dives. You learn about the equipment and techniques unique to night diving, including the use of dive lights, understanding changes in aquatic life behavior after dark, and managing your buoyancy and navigation at night. The training also covers communication and safety procedures specific to night diving, like emergency protocols and entry and exit techniques. Night diving offers a unique perspective, as many marine species are nocturnal, providing a different experience and revealing a different side of the sites you may have visited during the day. This specialty allows divers to explore the unseen, nocturnal side of the ocean, turning familiar dive sites into new, mysterious underwater landscapes.
The PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty, a part of the Advanced Open Water course, is designed to enhance divers' control in the water, leading to safer, more comfortable and more enjoyable dives. This course hones your buoyancy skills to a fine edge, with specific focus on minimizing your effort, reducing air consumption, and gracefully maneuvering underwater. Through practical exercises, you learn how to precisely weight yourself for optimum control, poise, and balance, and how to streamline to save air and move smoothly through the water. You also learn how to hover effortlessly in both vertical and horizontal positions. Good buoyancy control is also a key environmental responsibility for divers, as it helps avoid harming the underwater environment. This specialty course empowers you with the skills to glide effortlessly, use less air, and ascend, descend, or hover almost as if by thought.
The PADI Fish Identification Specialty, as part of the Advanced Open Water course, is a fascinating dive into the world of marine life, offering you an exciting opportunity to learn about the wonderful aquatic creatures you encounter while diving. This course focuses on teaching you how to identify common fish families and species, understand their behaviors, and record what you observe during your dives. You learn the techniques and strategies for fish identification, including the use of fish identification slates and underwater whiteboards. This course also emphasizes the importance of species protection and encourages responsible human interactions with marine life. By the end of this specialty, you'll be able to enjoy your dives even more, gaining a deeper appreciation for the biodiversity of the underwater world and becoming a more knowledgeable and responsible diver.
Why choose Utila Dive Center for your scuba course
Thinking about beginning your Scuba journey or honing your diving skills? Utila Dive Centre should be the top choice.
Here’s why:
Experience and Expertise - With over 20 years in the game, we’re experts in scuba diving training. Our instructors are experienced and extremely passionate, so you’ll get comprehensive instructions and personal attention while you learn to Scuba dive.
Tailored Training Programs - If you're a beginner or a professional looking for a new adventure, we have a course for you. From basic certifications to advanced training, our programs are made to fit your needs and help you dive anywhere in the world.
Awesome Dive Sites - Located on the beautiful island of Utila, we have access to some of the best diving destinations in the Caribbean. Picture yourself enjoying crystal-clear waters and exploring amazing marine life.
Premium Facilities and Gear - We use the latest equipment and maintain high standards in all our facilities. You’ll work with modern, well-maintained gear, so you can focus on having a great time during underwater diving.
Personalized Attention - Our small class sizes mean you get enough one-on-one time with our instructors. We’re here to support you, guide you, and help you overcome all challenges while you learn to Scuba dive.
NEXT COURSE
RESCUE DIVER
BE THE HERO!
RESCUE DIVER
TIME
4.5 Days
DIVING
4 TRAINING
2 FREE/FUN
DEPTH
MAX 30m/100ft
Adventure Diver/Junior Adventure Diver (or qualifying certification) with completed Underwater Navigation Dive; EFR Primary and Secondary Care training (or qualifying training) within 24 months.
Medically fit for diving
Minimum age: 12
All Book Materials & Taxes
Dive Equipment
2 Free Fun Dives
Free Nights at Mango Inn Resort Accommodation
The Rescue Diver course will introduce you to more extensive safe diving practices, teach you how to better prevent problems, and most importantly, train you to be able to identify solutions to any dive incident. Here at UDC, we run the Rescue course over 4 days, making it much more substantive than versions offered by other dive centres. This is because we believe this is such important training and, as always, we provide the highest value of service to our customers. If you do not have a current First Aid qualification (which includes CPR) then you will also need to complete the Emergency First Response (EFR) section of the Rescue course which takes half a day.
“I had the good fortune to be able to be trained up at UDC,starting with my rescue course and then proceeding through Dive Masters and my IDC.The attention to detail and the exacting standards on all the courses whether recreational or technical is outstanding and is second to none.I highly recommend Utila Dive Center as a starting point if you are thinking about turning your passion for diving into something more.”
Interested in multiple courses? Message us to learn about our packaged deals!
START TODAY
Utila Dive Center is full of specialized courses. Contact us and ask!
COMPUTERS
We offer dive computers with our PADI OPEN WATER & ADVANCED OPEN WATER recreational courses!
During your course, we’ll train you on how to use a dive computer, an essential tool for divers! We are the only Dive Centre on the island that can offer this service, and with a dive computer you will have a more enjoyable and thorough dive experience!
EQUIPMENT
Biggest selection of new diving equipment on the island!
The highest standard of professional SCUBA Diving training requires proper, well-maintained equipment.
With the largest equipment room and rental fleet on the island featuring all new wetsuits, masks, BCDs, and regulators that are stored and maintained to the highest degree of sanitation and hygiene, no one’s got it better than us!
Don’t settle for old gear, masks that don’t fit, and regulators that aren’t properly cleaned – dive with the newest gear, the most experienced instructors, and the fastest boats at the most reputable dive training facility in the Caribbean.
LEARN MORE
ADDITIONAL COURSES
Caribbean Lion Fish Containment
TIME
1 DAY
DIVING
2 OPEN
DEPTH
DIVE PLAN
The UDC Caribbean Lionfish Containment Diver course addresses the invasion of the non-native, predatory lionfish in the Caribbean waters. This course is designed to educate divers about the environmental impact of this invasive species, and train them to safely and effectively cull lionfish with a sling spear thus reducing their impact on native marine life and reef ecosystems.
Lionfish, originally from the Indo-Pacific region, have become a significant threat to Caribbean marine ecosystems due to their rapid reproduction rate, lack of natural predators, and voracious appetite. They consume a wide variety of native fish and crustaceans, leading to decreased biodiversity and imbalances in the ecosystem. The purpose of the Caribbean Lionfish Containment Diver course in the Caribbean is:
Awareness: To raise awareness among divers about the ecological threat posed by lionfish.
Conservation Effort: To support conservation initiatives aimed at controlling the lionfish population and preserving native marine ecosystems.
Local Community Support: Engaging divers in this effort helps support local communities in their initiatives to control the lionfish population, both through culling and by promoting lionfish as a sustainable food source.
By participating in the course, divers contribute to a larger conservation initiative, helping to protect the biodiversity and health of Caribbean marine ecosystems.
Enriched Air (NITROX)
TIME
1 DAY
DIVING
2 OPEN
DEPTH
DIVE PLAN
The PADI Enriched Air Diver course, commonly known as the Nitrox course, is designed to train divers to use enriched air (nitrox) safely for no decompression recreational diving. Nitrox refers to any gas mixture composed of nitrogen and oxygen; in the context of scuba diving, it usually pertains to mixtures with an oxygen concentration higher than atmospheric air (21%). The primary benefit of diving with enriched air is that it allows for longer bottom times compared to diving with regular air, due to reduced nitrogen intake.
During the course, divers learn:
- Techniques for getting more dive time by using enriched air nitrox.
- How to manage oxygen exposure and determine what mix is right for their planned dive depth.
- How to set up a dive computer for diving with enriched air nitrox.
Upon completion, divers are certified to use enriched air nitrox mixtures up to 40%, which is the most commonly used mix in recreational diving. The course enhances safety awareness and extends the potential for exploration in the underwater world.
Full Face Mask Diver
Dive deeper into comfort and communication with our Full Facemask courses, ensuring you a serene yet interactive dive like never before. Join us and redefine your underwater journey!
Enhanced Communication: Talk underwater with ease.
Improved Vision: Wider field of view for unparalleled underwater vistas.
Reduced Exposure: Keeps face dry and warm, ideal for colder waters.
Advanced Safety: Positive pressure helps keep water out.
Comfort: Custom fit, avoiding jaw fatigue common with regular regulators.
Sidemount Diver
Embark on an unparalleled underwater journey with the PADI Sidemount Diver Course at Utila Dive Centre, located in the pristine waters of Utila, Honduras! This course unveils the techniques and benefits of sidemount diving, a configuration that offers enhanced flexibility, streamlined movement, and extended dive times by allowing divers to mount extra cylinders at their sides. Whether you're a recreational diver desiring more convenience and agility or an aspiring technical diver seeking advanced underwater potential, our expert instructors will ensure a comprehensive learning experience, imparting essential skills and knowledge needed to maneuver and manage multiple tanks efficiently. Dive into this specialized training and experience the freedom and versatility of sidemount diving amidst Utila's rich marine biodiversity, exploring hidden underwater treasures with newfound ease and confidence!
Utila Dive Center (UDC) offers a diverse array of scuba diving courses tailored to the varying interests and skill levels of underwater enthusiasts. From the foundational Open Water Diver certification for beginners, to advanced courses like Deep Diver and Wreck Diver, there's a course for almost every underwater pursuit. Additionally, they emphasize conservation and environmental stewardship with courses such as the AWARE - Fish Identification and the Project AWARE Specialist. Whether you're interested in exploring underwater photography, night diving, or mastering buoyancy control, UDC's extensive course offerings ensure that every diver can further their skills and knowledge, making the most of their underwater adventures.
...AND MORE...
We offer accommodation with all our recreational courses at the Mango Inn resort. The Mango Inn is away from the main settlement of Utila in quiet gardens, yet is only a few minutes walk from all amenities and conveniences should you need to procure any items or accessories. Outside the rooms you are surrounded by luscious gardens with accommodation, freshwater training pool, and restaurant a few steps away. The tranquil gardens of the Mango Inn are the perfect location in this tropical paradise for a low stress learning environment, and you are no more than a 10 minute walk to our dive center.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a PADI Open Water Dive?
A PADI Open Water Dive is a beginner's course that teaches you the basics of scuba diving from scratch. You'll learn how to use equipment, stay safe underwater, and find your way around. It includes both classroom lessons and hands-on practice.
How safe is scuba diving for beginners?
Scuba diving for beginners is safe when proper training and safety protocols are followed. At Utila Dive Center, we make sure you’re well-trained and supervised to keep you safe.
How deep do beginner scuba divers go?
Beginner scuba divers usually go up to 18 metres (60 feet) deep. This depth is safe and perfect for exploring colourful coral reefs and marine life.
Is it possible to learn scuba diving on your own?
While you can’t learn scuba diving all on your own, you can take courses with certified instructors who will guide you through the necessary skills and safety procedures.
What is the cost of scuba diving certification?
The cost of scuba diving certification usually ranges from $300 to $600 for a basic PADI Open Water Diver course. Prices can vary depending on the location and dive centre.
Can you dive solo with a PADI Open Water certification?
No, with a PADI Open Water certification, you need to dive with a buddy. For solo diving, you should complete additional training and get a specialised certification.
Why choose Utila Dive Center for your diving experience?
Choose Utila Dive Center for the best training, friendly instructors, and beautiful Caribbean views. We provide personalised attention and ensure a safe, memorable diving experience for everyone.
LET'S CHAT!
Whether you’re looking to learn to dive for the first time or want to take the next step and become a Divemaster or Instructor, our team is here to help create a custom package that helps you achieve your goals!
