Honduras: Overview
The peaceful Republic of Honduras, former banana capital, is located in Central America, bordering with Guatemala to the north and with Nicaragua and El Salvador to the south. Its costs are bathed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean; there you can enjoy a great variety of keys and islands. Honduras is a perfect choice for every traveller in search of the advantages of a little frequented destination.
Climate
Honduran climate has two well differentiated seasons, a rainy season (May-July and September-November) and a dry season (November-May); although in the Caribbean coast precipitations are frequent during the whole year and floods can make land travelling impossible. Annual temperatures vary between 32 ºC and 20 ºC. The coastal area has a warm climate throughout the whole year, while the interior mountainous area is characterized for being rainy and cool, especially during May and October.
Important information
Entry requirements vary according to the visitor's nationality. Tourists coming from Australia, Canada, most of Western Europe countries, USA, New Zealand and the United Kingdom need nothing more than an effective passport if their stay is going to take no more than 30 days. It is also possible to get especial permits for up to 90-days stays without having a visa.
The official currency is the lempira, the most extended way of payment. When travelling to Honduras you should bring American dollars, since they are easier to exchange. Changing notes from El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua in the Honduran centre is almost impossible. In the Lloyd's Bank of Tegucigalpa you can convert German, Canadian and British currency. Bank and black market’s rates are almost the same; of course there is a higher risk of getting bogus notes when operating with non-official brokers.
Tipping is becoming an extended habit, especially in tourist-oriented places. A 10% of the total amount is enough. Bargaining in Honduras is not as common as in other Latin American countries. Street markets usually have more convenient prices.
When visiting Honduras you should take the basic cautions concerning health to avoid extended illnesses as cholera, malaria, hepatitis and AIDS.
Where to go
Tegucigalpa (Tegus), the Honduran capital, is a bustling city, crossed by the Choluteca River and surrounded by pine-covered mountains. Among the places worthwhile visiting are the Baroque vaulted cathedral, located in front of Parque Central; Palacio Legislativo; the Presidential House; the University’s Old Auditorium, which now works as a museum; and San Francisco Church, the oldest in the city. Choluteca River separates the city in two well differentiated areas, Tegucigalpa, where the most opulent neighbourhoods are, and Comayagüela, a poor business district and a dangerous point for where you should not venture at night.
In the surroundings of Tegucigalpa there are some other interesting places to where you can go on one day-trips. 7km southeast of the capital is Suyapa, where you can visit the magnificent Gothic Basilica erected to honour Virgin of Suyapa, Honduras’ patron saint. About 13 km east of Tegucigalpa you can visit Santa Lucía, a charming Spanish town of winding streets where you can see a beautiful church. 11 km from Santa Lucía is Valle de los Ángeles, an old Spanish mining town which has been restored to show its 16th century-looks. Northeast of the city is Tigra National Park which houses quetzals, monkeys, ocelots and pumas in its exuberant mountainous forest.
Comayagua, the old capital of the country, still offers several examples of its colonial past. Some of the places to visit in this city are the cathedral that it dates of ends of the 1600 and it houses numerous works of art, the Colonial Museum, located in the first Central American university, and the churches of Merced, The Charity and San Francisco.
The lovely town of Copán Runas combines adobe and red roofs houses with cobbled streets. It is located only 1 km from the homonymous Mayan ruins. Here is worthwhile to visit the colonial church and the archaeological site where the Main Square, the Acropolis, a stairway with hieroglyphic and the Mesoamerican ballcourt stand out. One hour by car from here are the picturesque mountain town of Santa Rita de Copán and the thermal springs.
The small city of Trujillo, located in the great curve of Trujillo bay, offers calm waters and beautiful beaches full with coconut trees. In spite of being one of the Caribbean best costs it enjoys a peaceful and not crowded atmosphere, except during the end of June annual party. Besides relaxing yourself in the beaches, you can also visit a 17th century fortress, its Archaeological Museum and cheerful Cristales Neighbourhood.
If you are looking forward to enjoy some snorkelling or scuba diving, the best choices are Roatán, Guanaja and Utila, the three Bahía Islands, located 50 km from the north coast of the country. Guanaja is considered the best of these islands by many tourists; the other two are less crowded, but not less attractive.
Another great beach town in Honduras is Tela, a small and calm location famous for its seafood. This is an ideal place for relaxing and enjoying the sea, the beach and a simple life. The best beach in Tela is the one located in front of Hotel Telamar and next to a coconut trees forest, of white and fine sands.
Festivals
In almost every Honduran town festivities honouring the local patron saints are carried out throughout the year. Among these celebrations the main one is the one in honour of Virgin de Suyapa, Honduras’s patron saint, which takes place the third week of May in Suyapa. That same week is the Carnival in Ceiba celebrated with music, disguises and parades. Between December 6 and 16 you can go to Tegucigalpa and see the annual Tourism and Craft Central American fair. Between 15th and 21st of the same month takes place in Copán Ruinas another important cultural fair. Also in Copán, you can enjoy a popular interesting fair from March 15 to March 20. Besides those three fairs there are other ones worthwhile seeing in different places of the country during June: Tela fair, on 13th; Trujillo, on 24th, and San Pedro Sula fair during the last week. The last weekend of August Danli fair takes place.
