Top 5 Utila International Travel Tips

Travelling during the Covid-19 pandemic is much more challenging than before the pandemic. In this post, I will be highlighting the most important tips for any international travel you wish to make into Honduras. If you’ve never visited Utila or if you are just yearning to come back, we’ve created this list of information and Utila travel tips to the best of our knowledge.

UPDATE JUNE 10 2021: Honduras adds proof of a complete Covid-19 vaccine received at least 2 weeks prior, as an entry requirement to Honduras in lieu of a negative Covid-19 test.

Negative Covid-19 tests as described below are still required if no proof of vaccine can be shown.

1. Fill out your pre-checkin form prior to arriving.

One of the prerequisites of entering Honduras, regardless of whether you’re visiting Utila, Roatan (RTB – Juan Manuel Galvez), La Ceiba (LCE – Internacional Goloson) or flying into San Pedro Sula (Ramon Villeda Morales SAP), is to complete an online “Pre-check Form”. This form details your traveller documentation as well as your negative covid test details. This is not a ‘yes you can enter’ / ‘no you cannot enter form’, it’s there to help administer incoming passengers during covid.

Since this form has caused some confusion, the Roatan Task Force has put together a step-by-step user guide to help you complete the online form. You can access this flip book guide which will walk you through the process of filling out the form by clicking here for the 5 page booklet of instructions. In the top right corner, there’s a flag where you can change the language of the site to ‘english’.

The form should also be completed when departing Honduras. If you’re heading to the USA, it took me awhile to find the ‘destination country’ as it is listed as “Estados Unidos de Norte America”, even though they have “United States Minor Outlying Isla”.

The form can be completed within 48 hours of your trip. However, you can register immediately and complete all the questions. When you’re within the 48 hour time-frame you can submit your from (this is to avoid excess records in the immigration system). You should receive a response via email, although some people have reported having not received an email. Print out your completed form and carry the form with you. To make things speedier for check-in, highlight your name, pre-check # and date of travel.

And make sure your passport has 6 months before expiry or you will not be able to enter Honduras!

2. Negative covid test 72 hours prior to departure to Honduras.

To enter Honduras, and to arrive to the USA, you are required to have a negative covid PCR and/or negative antigen test taken 72 hours prior to your departure. The same applies with entering Canada. However, Canada has the additional requirement of having to remain in a ‘government-authorized’ hotel where you need to wait for up to 3 days and pay $1000 for your stay, until your negative PCR results are returned. I guess I’m not going to Canada anytime soon! Although I am heading to the annual RE/MAX convention in Orlando after getting my negative covid test!

Please note that for those travelling from the UK & South Africa you’re not allowed into Honduras. If you’ve been there in the last 21 days and you’re a Honduran or foreign resident of Honduras, you’re required to do a mandatory 14 day quarantine upon arrival. This measure is temporary effective December 23, 2020, and is still in effect.

3. Covid testing in Utila

To enter the USA, you must present a negative PCR or antigen covid test. The easiest and most organized way of doing so, is by clicking this link here for the Hyperbaric Chamber Medical Clinic’s facebook page and click the blue ‘Book Now” button. That will take you to a menu of items including the COVID Testing – Antigen test for 1500 lps. You will see all available appointments. Make sure you get a confirmation facebook message from them. Results are given while you wait. Yes they take credit cards as payment.

3. Utila Dream Ferry daily trips between Utila & Roatan

The Utila Dream Ferry has daily trips between Utila and Roatan. This means that you’ll be able to fly into Roatan (see available flights below) which is the neighboring island to Utila. If you arrive around 1pm, you’ll be able to take the Utila Dream Ferry to Utila the same day. Remember that when you arrive in Roatan, the timing to make the departure of the Utila Dream Ferry at 2pm can be extremely tight!!!

To fast-track your way through customs and immigration in Roatan, if you show proof of onward travel to Utila, show them your reservation or your ferry tickets, etc., they will allow you to make your way to the leftmost line at immigration. This line is normally for locals and residents, and is always much shorter and faster, so you have a great chance of catching the Utila ferry. It’s my understanding that the latest possible time for you to make the ferry would be an airport arrival before 1:00 PM.

Honduras does not do daylight savings time, so make sure your flight times work out as arrival time to Honduras before and after the ‘spring forward’ ‘fall back’ times will change by an hour. One day, ask me about the funny stories of when Honduras tried daylight savings time about 10 years ago. It lasted about a month, and some people in Utila refused to change time, so we had to work with those on the ‘old time’ and those on the ‘new time’. It was VERY confusing!

4. New airline schedules

Due to the reduced numbers of travelers, many airlines have reduced their normal flight schedules. Due to the Canadian government being mean, there are no flights to the Caribbean or Mexico this winter. Trudeau is a meanie!

Note that many airlines in the USA are requesting that you arrive at the airport five hours before your flight, due to the increased processing required. Check with your carrier to be sure.

[Updated August 16 2021]:

5. Worldwide Travel Regulations Site

Are you having a hard time finding out what the travel requirements are during Covid? This site is super useful for finding up-to-date info on travel requirements around the world! And it’s currently accurate for Honduras!

I hope that helps. Stay safe & healthy everyone, and you’ll hear from us next week when I get back from the annual RE/MAX R4 Convention in Orlando! Woohoo! I have not left the country for over a year when I had returned from Las Vegas from RE/MAX’s 2020 R4 Convention in Las Vegas. I am going to get some retail therapy! Look out pocketbook! Here I come!