Active Pursuits

Horseback Riding

Located on the road to the airport, Red Ridge Stables (tel. 504/390-4812) offers horseback riding treks to the inner jungle, Pumpkin Hill Beach, the freshwater caves, and to other destinations on the island that aren't submerged completely in swamp and mangroves. Trips run L665 ($35/£18) for a 2-hour ride.

Kayaking

A few hotels and several shops in town, including Utila Water Sports (tel. 504/425-3264; www.utilawatersports.com) and the bar at Bando Beach , rent kayaks to explore the channels, lagoons, and the mangroves around the island.

Snorkeling & Scuba Diving

With prices hovering around L4,750 ($250/£125) for a PADI 4-day Open Water Certification, it is no wonder that scuba divers from around the world descend on this small island. Almost any certification or course can be taken on the island from a number of dive shops. There are roughly 90 permanent mooring buoys around the island, giving access to the reefs, wrecks, walls, and tunnels that frequently line the pages of top diving magazines. The most frequent whale shark sightings tend to be in March and April.

The dive shops on Utila are second to none in Honduras. On Main Street in East Harbour, dive instructors seem to outnumber people five to one. Competition is fierce and the operators can be catty at times, but standards tend to be relatively high. Some operators to try include: Alton's Dive Center (tel. 504/425-3704; www.diveinutila.com); Bay Islands College of Diving (tel. 504/425-3291; www.dive-utila.com); Captain Morgan's Dive Shop (tel. 504/425-3349; www.divingutila.com); Deep Blue Divers (tel. 504/425-3211; www.deepblueutila.com); Utila Dive Center (tel. 504/425-3350; www.utiladivecenter.com); and Utila Water Sports (tel. 504/425-3264; www.utilawatersports.com).

Top Five Scuba Diving Sites in Utila

• CJ's Drop Off: Near Turtle Harbour on the north side of the island, these dramatic coral cliffs sink about 5m (15 ft.) to 100m (328 ft.) -- one of the biggest vertical drops in the entire Caribbean. The walls are teeming with sea life. There's a chance to see stingrays, moray eels, and hawksbill turtles.
• Halliburton: Sunk by divers, for divers. This large wreck, submerged under 30m (100 ft.) of water, is covered in brightly colored sponges and coral, including fireworms found on the deck. Moray eels are often seen around the hull of the ship, while groupers and barracudas can be seen all around it.

• Stingray Point: Two reef walls sprinkled with canyons and topped by a coral garden come together at this site on the western end of the island. Spotted eagle rays and stingrays can often be found in the sandy channels here. Large sea fans and soft coral plumes are particularly copious in the area.

• The Maze: This north side site is defined by the wide canyon and a significant wall drop (40m/130 ft.). Elkhorn coral and star coral are matched in beauty by the variety of plant life such as sea fans and rope sponges. The famous Willy's Hole, filled with glassy sweepers, is also found here.

• Black Hills: Black Hills, a large seamount with steep drop-offs, is about 1.5km (1 mile) off the south shore of Utila and home to a vibrant array of sea life such as hawksbill turtles, queen angelfish, thousands of blue and yellowtail wrasse, horseeye jacks, sea horses, and spadefish. Sea fans, whips, and gorgonians and other sea plants litter the site.

Swimming

While Utila isn't known for its beaches like other places in Honduras, it does have a few decent options for sunbathers and swimmers. There are several good beaches within walking distance of town. Bando Beach (tel. 504/425-3137), just past the bridge from the Point, is privately owned and you must pay a small admission (L40/$2/£1) to get in. Occasionally they host Full Moon Parties that attract top DJs from the region. There's a small beach bar that also rents snorkel gear and kayaks. Chepes Beach to the west of Sandy Bay is the main public beach. They are constantly at work at improving the infrastructure by adding sand and facilities.

The small, uninhabited Water Cay is similar to many of the beaches you'll find in the Cayos Cochinos: It's made of a cluster of palm trees circled by a white sandy beach and turquoise water. Charters and dive trips often stop here for lunch or weekend barbecues and parties. The first weekend of August, it is host to the largest party in Utila, the Sun Jam festival .

Sun Jam Festival

For 1 weekend night every August, partygoers from around Honduras descend upon the tiny 1.2-hectare (3-acre) island Water Cay off Utila for the raucous Sun Jam festival. Local fishermen wait at Utila's pier to transport attendees to the decade-old festival, where top DJs from around the region pump electronic music to a lively and often intoxicated crowd. The crowd is limited to 1,500, so buy your tickets (which cost L760/$40/£20) a few weeks in advance. For info, visit www.sunjamutila.com