I love Utila and this resort. Laguna Beach offers over-water bungalows, hammocks, private beaches, and good food.

Laguna Beach lodge is on a small peninsula that requires a very short boat ride to get to so you're guaranteed privacy and ambiance. The location has a pool and a BBQ (weekly). The diving is great and the boats are fast. You're going to see many of the creatures you'll see at Roatan (rays, eels, seahorses, turtles, sharks, etc), and possibly more. I was lucky enough to see a wild pod of Orcas when I was there.

The dive operators do a great job of getting your gear on the boat and ready for you. The dive boats were fast and got you to a range of dive sites around the island. They didn't overload the boats. I took my advanced open water with the dive operator and am glad I did.

The kitchen provides food that didn't knock my socks off but it was decent. I enjoyed going around town on the bikes (that are provided) and eating the local food. See picture of me eating a taco made by a woman under a sign on a corner (likely not sanitary but oh so tasty!)

Utila town is rustic, small and has a very gypsy-like feel to it. Most people are riding bikes or motorbikes around. Many backpackers, small shops and people selling things on the beach.

This is a good destination for people who are willing to "rough it" a bit, enjoy small islands with a hippy feel, and couples who want privacy on a small island without the touristy feel of other locations.

Warm, clear water with decent life, and close dive sites. Diving in the Bahamas is easy and fun. There are a few wrecks, local reefs, and things are easy to access. The dive operators are plentiful but the prices aren't as cheap as you'll find in other Caribbean locations. I think this is because many of the cruise ships access the Bahamas (just my opinion).

I traveled to the Bahamas in July and dove with Bahama Divers at the following sites: James Bond Wreck, 5 Dollar Reef, and one more local site of Nassau. Our group only wore bathing suits as the water was warm enough for all the dives (80oF). We saw rays, turtles, lots of tropical fish, etc. My favorites are the parrot fish but I also enjoy seeing the angelfish, and drum fish.

Other things you can do in the area are go spend the day at the Atlantis Resort, rent ATVs and head into the hills.
Nassau is very touristy and you'll find all the beachy bars and restaurants, as well as all the shopping and resorts. A fun place for diving, eating and shopping.

CoCo View Resort is great! It's not the cheapest location on the island but it's worth the cost. The resort is on a section of island that is only accessible by boat. The resort is small with a very warm feel to it. There are over-water rooms, a building of rooms with balconies, and private beach houses.

A few weeks before we were to arrive, CoCo View contacted me to let me know they were full and would be moving me to a private beach house. These were a few minutes away via bicycle and offered their own stretch of beach, in addition to having all the amenities of a house (kitchen , living room, sun deck, etc). I loved staying at the private beach house.

All meals were provided and made by the friendliest women. I have a few dietary restrictions and they were more than happy to help create meals for me or pull some of the main dish aside before adding the other ingredients I couldn't eat. Local alcohol and beer were included as was most sodas, tea, etc. Once a week there is a BBQ on their private quay with a local dance group coming to give entertainment. The resort also offers a game room that people use for reading, lounging, and catching up with others.

The diving was great! The wreck Prince Albert is right in their "backyard" and is a beautiful dive. You can dive their shoreline anytime, any day. The lockers, dive tanks and cleaning stations are open 24-hours a day. There are morning and afternoon boat dives. The boats are large and comfortable, including a midboat entry so if the swell is bad you can enter from under the boat without risking a swinging ladder accident. The second dive of any boat trip is along the wall heading back to the resort. The longer dive you want, the further they drop you off. While this might seem like a boring repeat, vary your depth by 5' and you'll see things you didn't see before. Or locate something you really like and enjoy multiple opportunities to photograph it.

I would recommend this resort to people who are looking to get in a lot of dives, who enjoy wreck dives, and people who want an all-inclusive resort.