Barrier Reef - Utila
Utila's Barrier Reef offers a solid day out, particularly if you’re looking for a relaxed dive with consistent visibility. We’ve found the gentle currents here make for an easy drift along healthy coral formations, home to plenty of Nassau grouper eyeing you from their ledges. Keep an eye out for the odd blackedge cusk-eel tucked away, and you'll often spot schools of Ronco just hanging out. It's a great spot for newer divers, or anyone keen on an unhurried exploration without too much demand.
- Location
- Utila, Honduras, Central America
- Coordinates
- 17.150000, -88.050000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-20m
Best Time to Dive in Utila
The warmest water temperatures in Utila occur in September, averaging 30.0°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.3°C
- February: 27.1°C
- March: 27.3°C
- April: 27.9°C
- May: 28.6°C
- June: 29.2°C
- July: 29.2°C
- August: 29.7°C
- September: 30.0°C
- October: 29.9°C
- November: 29.1°C
- December: 28.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Utila
- Barrier Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Bulkhead Reef (reef)
- Bulkhead Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Carrie Bow
- Caye Bokel
- Columbus Reef (reef)
- Columbus Reef (reef)
- Ecomarine - Gunter's Dive shop
- Elsie's Aquarium
- Emerald Forest - shallow attractions at 25 ft (7-8m), main dive around 70 ft (21m) (reef)
- Gallows Point Reef (reef)
- Gallows Point Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Glover's Reef (reef)
- Half Moon Wall (wall)
- Hell Hole
Nearest Dive Centres to Barrier Reef
Marine Life in Utila
Home to 214 recorded species including 173 reef fish, 18 hard corals, 10 other, 6 sharks & rays, 2 jellyfish, 2 sea urchins.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Redear Herring (Harengula humeralis) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Thin leaf lettuce coral (Agaricia tenuifolia) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Fray (Jenkinsia lamprotaenia) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Barrier Reef
Based on average water temperature of 28.6°C, currents 21 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories