About Us

Welcome to the Bay Islands College of Diving located on the idyllic tropical island paradise of Utila. We are just off the north coast of Honduras in the Southern Caribbean Sea. Boasting the second biggest reef system in the world, known as the Meso-American barrier.

We at The College are pleased to offer you year-round wonderful aquatic experiences whether you are: already a certified diver looking for adventure, want to become PADI certified or are ready to embrace a lifestyle change and become a PADI Pro with us!

As a PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre, Gold Palm Resort and Winner of the 2005 Project Aware Environmental Achievement Award, The College has the highest ratings awarded to PADI dive centers for our dedication to you and the environment. Many awards for excellence have been awarded to our instructors throughout the years.

We are ready for you! To ensure you have the best time possible the center includes:

  • Air conditioned classrooms
  • State of the art digital presentation media
  • Wireless Internet access
  • A fresh water training pool
  • Retail center
  • The island's only Hyperbaric Chamber
  • 3 comfortable dive boats
  • The best instructors on Utila

We have new equipment, new tanks, and the highest maintenance system for the compressors to enhance your comfort as you explore the reefs of Utila.

Our onsite fresh water training pool is perfect for beginners and experts alike. It's also one of the reasons Lonely Planet lists us as a great place to get started in diving. We have a complete technical training facility, and free wireless internet access for all of you.

On the rooftop of The College we have a sun deck and bar. We welcome you to enjoy beautiful après dive sunsets overlooking the harbor with your new diving buddies and our staff; a cold bottle of beer or a rum punch and something whipped up in the kitchen to complete your experience.

At The College we also boast a range of services and facilities unmatched in the Americas:

The Utila Hyperbaric Chamber and Trauma Center

The only dive medical facility on Utila is located in our center. Our staff are certified, prepared and experienced to ensure your safety, should an accident ever arise. We are one of the only centers here on Utila who never need to use the facility.

Divers Alert Network - www.diversalertnetwork.org

We have been recognized as a DAN Preferred Chamber & Recompression Facility. We are working to collect diving data to help with research DAN does to improve the diving industries understanding of diving related illnesses. Students in our courses are insured by DAN for the duration of their course - for free!

The Utila Lodge - www.utilalodge.com

The Utila Lodge is a world class, waterfront, all inclusive diving resort located on-site. The resort caters to the well to do diving traveler with its own hotel, restaurant, bar, dive boat and staff. Courses for guests staying at the Utila Lodge are conducted by the top Instructors at BICD.

The Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center - www.wsorc.com

Our onsite Naturalist Division is the only dive center in Honduras that has been recognized by the government and awarded a permit to conduct research on the Whale Sharks, Fish, Reefs and the marine ecosystem of Utila. World famous for our activity and a leader in education, studies and satellite tagging.

“Conservation through Research, Restoration and Education”

We look forward to welcoming you to our tropical paradise. No one is better prepared to offer you a wonderful tropical island experience: diving, training, making new friends and relaxing! Wherever your travels take you, it will be with fond memories of your experiences both above and below water in Utila.