Utila

We found Utila the way we find most of our destinations — sitting over the water at a restaurant in Roatan, loving where we were, and pulling up Google Maps to see what other islands were nearby. One ferry a day. A handful of visitors annually. The further off the beaten path the better. Utila checked every box.

We spent nine days there after a day in Roatan with Jessy. A golf cart was waiting at the dock. We paid cash and headed straight to the Sea Turtle Sanctuary. That set the tone for everything that followed.

Utila is a tiny island in the Bay Islands of Honduras where you get around by golf cart on roads that may or may not be muddy. The diving is world class and costs almost nothing. The water is crystal clear. The people are genuinely warm. We drove those roads at night and never once felt anything but completely at ease — which surprises most people given Honduras's reputation.

When you get there hit up Junior at Sunbliss Tours and Charters. He is the man who can show you around. He comes highly recommended because he earned it.