RESTARAUNTS
& NIGHT LIFE
Millionaires,
expats, backpackers and the fun loving locals make up Utila’s
flourishing nightlife. Utilians love to party and play their music.
Coco Loco, Bar in the Bush, Casino, Margarita Ville, Bundu Cafe
and the Hideaway are a few of the many bars offering a different
taste of the many nightlife options. You can find a quieter version
by going to the local movie theatre for just a few bucks or rent
a video to watch at the house. It’s not uncommon to be invited
to a free city wide barbecue celebrating a birthday party, sports
championship or just a gathering to celebrate life.
Utila has no shortage of great “open-air” restaurants.
Even though there are no Pizza Hut’s to be found on the island,
you won’t go hungry by any means. A typical meal will run
you between $3.00 and $5.00. Whether you're in the mood for a great
wood-oven fired pizza at La Dolce Vita or a fresh lobster dinner
at Café Mango, a big slab of tuna at RJ’s BBQ or a
baleada (Caribbean tortilla) from a local street corner stand, Utila
has it all.
The Bundu Café, Munchie’s Café & Thompson's
Bakery are famous for their breakfast and lunch menus. The new La
Piccola Italian restaurant is also making quite a name for itself.
The Jade Sea horse is well known for their fruit shakes, eccentric
owner & the most unique hotel you’ve ever seen. Other
restaurants are Lucille’s Seafood, Ultra Light Café
(Israeli food), Big Mama’s and the list goes on. You can find
an assortment of baguettes, bagels and bread at Camilla’s
Bakery as well as homemade Italian ice cream at the Mango Tree Gelateria.
We also have a great Wine shop with an impressive list. AboutUtila.com
has a good list of more Restaurants
& Bars
If you want to cook in your own kitchen, you can get your groceries
& beer at family operated Bush’s or Henderson’s
Supermarket and have them delivered to your front porch at no
charge. You can hire our talented cook, Estella, or inquire for
one of your wish for under $2.00 per hour or pay by the meal. You
can also get fresh seafood & fruit of all types. Utila has a
few good local beers for about $.60 a bottle that can be delivered
right to your front door free of charge.
THE
PEOPLE
The people of
Utila are simple and the social life revolves around friends, gossip,
and the happy hour at the assorted bars around town. They’re
also famous for their easygoing nature and friendly disposition.
They love their public gatherings, carnivals (Sun
Jam Festival in July), beauty pageants, dominoes matches and
drink. They have an intriguing history and love nothing more than
to tell stories of their adventurous ancestors; many of who were
pirates and buccaneers centuries ago. Just after a few days, you
won’t be able to make it through town without someone familiar
tempting you into conversation.
English is most commonly spoken on Utila; however, if you know Spanish,
it always makes it easier to talk with more of the locals. If you
want to learn Spanish, you can attend the Utila’s
Central American Spanish School between dives. Utilians speak
a sing song English and carry names such as Morgan, Cooper and Jackson.
Utila is made up of some very interesting characters. Listen to
the wild fishing stories of Hal Whitefield, or the tales of Robinson
Crusoe’s 27 year stay on the island from Shelby McNabb or
watch Dick “the parrot man” ride through town with colorful
birds on each handlebar.
You can get into a game of volleyball, basketball or soccer with
the locals in the afternoons. If you’re tired from a day of
diving or basking in the sun then get into a game of dominoes. Attending
one of the many churches on Sunday is a great experience. You can
spend an entire day just sitting with the elders on the public bench
in the middle of town watching everyday life go by in slow motion.
SHOPPING
Utila isn’t
a shopper’s paradise but we do have one of the single best
shops in all of the Bay Islands in "Island Originals".
They have an excellent and tasteful collection of clothing, music,
handicrafts and collectibles to choose from. Fine gifts can be found
in the form of Honduran coffee, rum, maps and cigars. There are
also street vendors, a few local artists and new shops sprouting
up in town. But if your idea of a great time is “shop until
you drop” then you might prefer to vacation elsewhere.
A
TRIP TO THE MAINLAND
OR ROATAN
Less than an
hour’s ferry ride will get you to the coastal town of La Ceiba,
less than 20 miles away. From here you can visit one of the top
archaeological sites in Central America, the Mayan ruins of Copan.
You can also take a white water rafting expedition down some beautiful
class 2-4 rivers, explore Pico Bonito National Park, take a canopy
tour or swing down a zip line in the jungle. All these activities
and more can be set up with any of the local travel agents in Utila
Town. All these activities and more can be set up with any of the
local travel agents in Utila Town like Jungle
River Tours.
Roatan is less than an hour’s ferry ride from La Ceiba. There
are endless possibilities of fun here too including: the famous
dolphin encounter at Anthony’s Key Resort, testing how brave
you are on a shark dive, pet a 30lb iguana at the iguana preserve,
set a parrot on your shoulder at the bird park, or take an island
tour by boat or taxi to visit the many interesting communities on
the island.
Usually a night or two in a lodge near your destination of choice
is needed. Roatan and La Ceiba can be reached in the same day by
ferry or plane.
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