I did my dive master training with Buddha View back in December 2011. It is quite a large operator, with lots of students and fun divers. This leads to an experience that is not very personalized - the boats are quite large (with dozens of divers on each trip), and the divemasters are often just so busy that it is difficult for them to spend much time with each customer. All this said, it is still very professional - decent gear, decent boat, decent training as well for courses. There are basic accommodations and food on site, although there are other great (and probably better) places to stay and eat along the adjacent beach. Make sure to try to Burmese curry at the little restaurant next door :) However, Buddha View does have a GREAT bar right on the water, which is very fun after a good day of diving.

I dived with Crystal Divers in July 2013. I was referred by a friend who lives there and recommended it as the best operation in Sanur. The boats were good, guides were great (and took time to point out lots of neat creatures), and the gear was well-maintained. We dived at Nusa Penida and the USS Liberty wreck, both of which were great dives. The corals at Nusa Penida were excellent, and this is also a well-known hangout for mola molas (we saw 2 on one dive!) The USS Liberty is a nice dive as well, as is coral gardens which is just adjacent. We saw several blacktip sharks there, a huge patch of ribbon eels, and lots of neat little critters including mantis shrimp.

There are no accommodations at Crystal Divers although they do serve some basic food and breakfast before your dives. It is not really a place you'd hang out much before or after diving, it is really just an "in and out" kind of place - but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, I'd recommend it!

I visited Evolution in September 2013 and stayed and dived with them for about a week. Overall, I was incredibly impressed with their operation. I went by myself, but felt right at home with the people working there and locals on the island. It is run by several esteemed tec diving instructors, so a high level of performance is associated with everything about the dive shop. Although I didn't do any tec diving on this trip, I was able to use a backplate/wing set up on all of my dives. Additionally, all of the divemasters are trained in excellent buoyancy control and precision, so they are really able to point out lots of neat creatures - this is a great spot for macro photographers, especially with Evolution's guides! The boats are great as well, and they even just built a new one specifically geared towards their tec diving trips (there are several good ones here, including a few wrecks).

As for the accommodations and food - accommodations are pretty basic, but very clean and right on the beach. The resort has its own restaurant/bar as well, which serves very good food (many say some of the best on the island!) and is staffed by some incredibly friendly locals. Overall, prices for accommodations, diving, and food were *very* reasonable.

Finally, a note on Malapascua itself. This is a really special place! It has still not been overrun with tourists and resorts (yet), so everything has a very lowkey and relaxed feel to it. Not to mention, this is one of the best places in the world to see thresher sharks - there is a cleaning station here, so they can be seen year round. Truly amazing animals to be with underwater! Other megafauna are common as well (ie, devil and manta rays).

I could not recommend Malapasuca and Evolution more highly! Great diving, great island life, and great operation. I truly hope to go back one day.

UTILA REVIEW

I first learned how to dive on Utila back in August 2011. First off, let me say this is a *very* fun island. It is mostly geared towards a younger backpacker crowd, unlike it's slightly more grownup counterpart Roatan. Lots of dive shops for any pace and budget, some nice cheap little restaurants, and many great bars (don't miss Treetanic!) If you are looking to have fun and meet some new people, this is a great place to do it. I spent two weeks here by myself and had a total blast.

As for the diving, it is also quite nice. The conditions in August were terrific- some of the best I have seen anywhere. Very warm water (no need for wetsuit, even to 140 feet), and visibility was outstanding (100+ feet!) Coral cover and reef fish abundance and diversity were alright, although certainly not spectacular compared to other places throughout the world. There was a noticeable lack of large fish, and I did not see much interesting macro life (although I must admit, my eyes were not very trained at that point!) However, I did see many spotted eagle rays and even three whale sharks during my two weeks there, which was a real treat. The wall dives on the north side of the island are also quite nice, and I hear a good spot for tec diving.

Coral and marine life were ok, although this is also a fantastic spot to see whale sharks when they are in "season'.

All-in-all, I'd say this is a great spot to learn how to dive, although the marine life will probably not be as good as many other places the experienced diver has been. Regardless, this is a great little island for chilling out and having some fun!