21 Best Sights in La Mosquitia, Honduras

A boat ride from Belén across Laguna de Ibans takes you to Banaka Creek. A strenuous full-day hike in the rain forest leads to a waterfall, virgin jungle, and a grouping of ancient petroglyphs in the village of Banaka. The carvings here might be a convenient alternative if you don't have the three days it takes to make the trip to the more famous Walpaulbansirpe petroglyphs, near Las Marías.

A quick boat ride from the savanna forest takes you to Cannon Island. The British used the minifortress in the 18th century to protect the entrance to Brus Laguna and ward off attacks by Spanish naval forces, who competed with England for control of the Mosquito Coast, and European pirates. Cannons and other heavy artillery still line the island's beaches.

Moderate, one day, one guide. This day hike also can be extended into a camping trip up to Pico Baltimore. From Las Marías, hike through flat terrain up to a steep hill and stop for a picnic lunch. An early start improves your chance for great bird-watching and wildlife spotting. After the break, head back to the village.

Moderate, two days, three guides. Take the two-hour pipante ride to Walpaulbansirpe and overnight in tents or at a hospedaje. The next morning, hike along the mixed terrain of rolling trails and steep climbs to Cerro Mico, also called Monkey Hill for its abundance of, well, monkeys. Hike down a different path to a creek that bleeds into Río Plátano and return to Las Marías in the afternoon. Or, head back upriver to check out the second set of petroglyphs.

Well, more like dusk than full-on night: canoes slither through shaded canals in the early evening as passengers stay on the lookout for crocodiles and caimans. Flashlight beams find the red reflection in reptilian eyes, and the remaining daylight affords decent bird-watching and wildlife observation.

The audience becomes the performer in this hour-long experience. Visitors to Batalla can experience and participate first-hand in the lively folkloric dances and spiritual Garífuna singing, a cultural richness that is often invisible to travelers passing through. Evenings end with a buffet of traditional foods like seafood soup with conch and shrimp and pan de coco, or coconut bread.

Not that you'll need it here (unless you really plan poorly), but local guides in Raista offer a five-hour training session in jungle survival skills. The course teaches how to find sources of food and drinkable water, how to spot medicinal plants and natural mosquito repellents, plus orientation in the jungle.

Sport fishing and bird watching draw a handful of travelers out to this isolated town on the northeast side of Laguna de Caratasca. Snapper, snook, and tarpon fish flood the lagoon surrounding this beachfront community. Colectivo boats leave for Kaukira from Puerto Lempira's main dock every day (except Sunday) around 10 "am." Boats charge L120 for the hour-long trip, and colectivo taxis in Kaukira should cost L20 a ride. Return trips, however, are less guaranteed. Before taking off, check at the docks if an afternoon service from Kaukira to Puerto Lempira is expected to run. If not, private expreso boats charge around L2,000 one way. Puerto Lempira native Ralston Haylock is a respected tour guide who can arrange trips to Kaukira and runs a basic lodge there for overnight visitors. His contact number 504/433-6081 is for a community telephone and is often hard to reach. Your best bet to find him is to ask around town.

A two- to three-hour guided excursion maneuvers passengers through the coastal wetlands and mangrove swamps. Trip goers stay on the lookout for tropical monkeys dangling from high-above perches as parrots and storks peek out from the forest. It's possible to spot an endangered Caribbean manatee gliding slowly below.

Spend a cultural hour with the local women's group around an evening bonfire. The women perform traditional Miskito dances and songs, along with ancient stories that have been shared from generation to generation.

This tiny village of 400 people makes for a tranquil day trip to the Laguna de Tansing, just 18 km (11 mi) south of Puerto Lempira. Shady beaches ring the lagoon, whose freshwater attracts lots of waterfowl; head here for great bird-watching. Taxis from the city charge around $40 round-trip, although the journey is also enjoyable on two wheels (weather permitting). Informal bike shops in Puerto Lempira should charge under $10 for daily rentals. If your afternoon escape turns into an overnight, a string of family-run bungalows in town ($) provide basic accommodations with private baths.

This four- to five-hour day trip starts across the lagoon in the nearby lowland rain forest, where spotting troops of howler monkeys is possible, albeit unguaranteed. Hikers set off through the jungle on a moderately difficult hike and plunge into the refreshing Paru Creek with inner tubes in hand. From there, it's a tranquil float downstream with bird-watching and wildlife spotting above in the rain-forest canopy.

Moderate to difficult, two days, two guides. A slightly easier option than the Pico Dama hike, this trip starts in Las Marías with a five-to-seven-hour trek through primary and secondary forest, affording a long window of time to spot rare birds and endangered wildlife. Spend the night at a rustic cabin near the mountain's base, and rise early the second day to make the steep two-hour climb to the summit. Enjoy the stunning views of Laguna de Ibans and the Caribbean, then head back down to Las Marías.

Difficult, three days, three guides. Steep climbs and thick vegetation make this hike, in our opinion, the most challenging adventure out of Las Marías. The trip begins with a two-hour pipante ride upriver to Quebrada Sulawa. Disembark and trek for four hours through flat farmland and primary and secondary forest. The going is slippery; watch your step. Sleep in the simple cabin or pitch a tent at the campsite, then spend the second day on a steep four-hour hike to the mountain's peak, which offers a panoramic vista of the entire biosphere reserve. Hike back to the camp house, and return to Las Marías on the third day.

This moderately difficult trip starts in a translucent creek near the pine savanna. Kayakers paddle around the canals and lagoon for an hour or so while spotting a diverse number of birds up above.

From February to September each year, Doña Patrocinia heads the grassroots group that organizes volunteer trips during the nesting period of green, leatherback, and loggerhead turtles. Participants head out at night to comb the beaches for turtle nests, collect the freshly laid eggs, and rebury them in a protected sanctuary intended to fend off poachers and predators. The eggs hatch three months later, and the young turtles are released back into the lagoon. Plaplaya villagers also take part in the project during the height of the turtle season, from April to July.

Local Miskito guides lead a two-hour tour out on the lagoon to showcase their centuries-old fishing techniques with wooden poles and handmade nets. The trip is also a good opportunity to learn more about the indigenous culture and language.

Easy, one day, one guide (optional). For a true feel of life in Las Marías, follow the flat dirt trail around the village for a couple of hours. A local guide can point out medicinal plants and trees used for crafts, although the walk is easy enough to go it alone. Start at the boat landing and pass the humble one-room homes, a schoolhouse, and local clinic, then cross a narrow bridge to the second river access. The footpath loops around and brings you back to the central part of town.

Easy, one day, three guides. A favorite tour among visitors here, this mild day trip starts with a two-hour pipante ride up the Río Plátano. Pull off at the head of the Kuyuzqui trail and take an intermediate one-to-two-hour hike through lush jungle landscape. Moss-covered benches and a creaky, off-limits observation tower are remnants of previous tourism efforts that, at this writing, guides hope will soon be restored. Continue upriver to the petroglyphs and disembark for a picnic lunch. In the dry season, water around the rock carvings dries up and makes for a pleasant rest on the beach. Return downriver to Las Marías in the late afternoon.

Easy, two days, three guides. The extended petroglyphs tour starts off the same as the trip to Walpaulbansirpe. Rather than return to Las Marías, however, you'll spend the night camping or at a nearby hospedaje. On the second day, the pipante continues upriver to the second set of carvings, stopping occasionally for quick hikes along the banks of Río Plátano. Coast back to Las Marías that afternoon.

A local guide will point out wildlife during an hour-long hike across the shrubby forest. At the end of the trail, hop into the clear creek and float on an inner tube back to the cabañas.