102 Best Sights in Honduras

This traditional Garífuna cay has lunch, lodging, and snorkeling. Village chief Roman Norales heads the town of 44 fishing families and often oversees tourism in the tiny community, a budding industry that supplies most of the island's income. The communal restaurant prepares fried fish, shrimp, and lobsters for tourists (have your guide put in an order at least an hour in advance). A rustic motel with 16 rooms and shared latrines costs L300 a night per couple.

This private beach is a 10--15 minute walk east of the municipal dock. Entrance is L60 and gets you access to lounge chairs, shade, and a more secure setting than the nearby public beach. The sand here is much softer and cleaner than at the public beach, it's (usually) quieter, and the swimming area has less turtle grass. A palapa bar serves inexpensive cold drinks. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: swimming; partiers.

Overshadowing the smaller church is the mammoth white-and-gray gothic Basílica de Suyapa. The beautiful sky-blue stained-glass windows are inspirational, but the basilica's haughty air makes it far less intimate than the church. It was built in 1954 to house the Virgen de Suyapa and to accommodate the crowds who pay homage, but she is not fond of it. On many occasions she has left it at night, found back at her original perch the following morning. She consents to be displayed here on her feast day, February 3, when pilgrims descend on the town to honor her.

Coffee lovers should head to Beneficio Maya where they can watch the roasting and grading process. Fresh export-grade coffee is for sale on the premises. The factory is open weekdays 7 to noon and 2 to 5. Take a taxi, as it's difficult to find.

This cave is the largest among the dozens of caverns that puncture the mountainside. Legend has it that pirates hid their treasure here in the 16th and 17th centuries. To get there from Utila Town, head toward the airport on the paved road and turn left at the first dirt path after the horse stables.

Walls glitter with frames upon frames of tropical butterflies at this quirky showroom. The museum boasts more than 6,000 brilliantly hued butterflies and moths from at least 100 countries. Neat labels, posters, and graphics accompany displays of the splayed-wing beauties in the air-conditioned room, and guided tours are available.

The ocean-side lagoon is 24 km (15 mi) east of La Ceiba on the highway to Trujillo. Dugout canoes glide through thick mangrove forests that are home to eight troops of monkeys and many tropical aquatic birds. Cacao and sugar plantations surround the lagoon in the adjacent village. The best way to experience the spot is with a guide from an area tour operator.

Covering more than 40 hectares (100 acres) this park encompasses something for everyone. A wildlife park is home to well-cared-for animals native to Honduras, which has the world’s second largest rainforest canopy outside of the Amazon. You can see monkeys and exotic birds here, as well as flora and fauna found only in cloud forests, and interact with animals at the wildlife rescue center. Elsewhere, you can pick fresh tropical fruit from orchards, hit the Heritage Park, where you can walk a 15th-century road that was used to route treasures to Spanish ships, and visit a museum housing a large Maya artifact collection. The River Recreation Park showcases waterfalls and the sea.

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.

Set in a lovingly restored 1874 building, the Casa de Cultura buzzes with music lessons, theater, ballet, and modern dance, and may well have one of the best children's libraries in Central America. The patio is a pleasant place to relax.

Tela is a great place to learn more about the Garífuna culture. In the south of old town is the Casa de Cultura, a community theater and dance project that helps local youth celebrate their history, music, and customs. The workshop puts on shows at the studio and in hotels around Tela. Call to inquire about upcoming performances, or write to director Jean Charles Martel at

The 1850 home that once belonged to Yuscarán's wealthy, prominent Fortín family has been converted into a small city museum with exhibits of what the area was like in the 19th century. To be honest, the house itself is far more interesting than the rudimentary displays on mining and agriculture. Hours can be irregular.

If your kids have ever wanted to dress as a Copán noble or learn to count to 10 in Chortí, this interactive children's museum is the place. It's a steep walk uphill to get here. Take a tuk-tuk taxi.

Honduras's 100-lempira bill honors everything about Choluteca. On the front of the bill is independence hero José Cecilio del Valle (1777–1833), and in the background of his portrait, the city's landmark suspension bridge over the Río Choluteca. On the reverse you'll see the inscription, "casa donde nació el sabio valle", the house where Valle was born. To Hondurans, Valle was El Sabio ("the Wise One"), a Thomas Jefferson-type figure whose wisdom and foresight guided the country through its early days of independence. His home here on the central park contains a collection of colonial-era exhibits. Valle's statue sits across the street in the central park.

The roaring Pulhapanzak Falls are the highest in the country. The thunderous noise draws you down the 128 steps to where you have a good view of the 328-foot waterfall.

On the eastern edge of Parque Central, this massive neoclassical structure was begun in 1949 but not completed for many years. The most important church in town, it is always buzzing with activity. Locals seem to treat it as a community center, and worshippers are surprisingly friendly and talkative. Take a peek inside, but the cathedral lacks the style of Honduras's numerous older churches.

The largest house of worship constructed during the colonial period, Catedral de Santa María dates from 1711. The interior is incredibly ornate, with four hand-carved wooden altars covered in gold. Note the intriguing statue of Santa Ana, the mother of the Virgin Mary, carrying a diminutive Santa María, who in turn is holding a tiny infant Jesús. Phillip II of Spain donated a Moorish clock from the Alhambra in Granada for the tower, and Hondureños claim it is the oldest in the Americas. As the so-called reloj arabe (Arab clock) dates from around 1100, it could well be true.

The capital's gleaming cathedral presides over the eastern edge of Plaza Morazán and is named for the city's patron saint, the archangel Michael. The domed structure, flanked by towering palms, has stood on this site since 1765. Earth tremors and rain took their toll on the edifice through the centuries, but after a five-year, $500,000 restoration, completed in 2009, the cathedral is fabulous once again. For decades, the building's exterior was painstakingly whitewashed each year; the restoration project returned the cathedral to its original salmon color. Sunlight streams into the apse, where you'll find the glittering gold-and-silver altar sculpted by Guatemalan artist Vicente Galvéz. Mass is held regularly in the cathedral, as are occasional chamber-music concerts. The Plaza Morazán was recently renovated and rebuilt with attractive open-air seating.

There is great snorkeling on the western end of Cayo Mayor, the largest cay in the archipelago.

The second biggest cay, Cayo Menor, is more than just a mandatory stop. The Honduras Coral Reef Fund arranges scientific expeditions to involve visitors in data collection on endemic species, such as the hamo negro iguana and boa Rosado serpent. The fund also coordinates programs during turtle migrations to the Cayos Cochinos in July and August.

Crumbling tombstones and overgrown weeds add an extra eery touch to the 300-year-old Cementerio Viejo(Old Cemetery), where Walker's weathered grave is surrounded by a rusty gate.

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.

A glance at the reverse of the L2 bill gives you a preview of the island's most prominent natural feature. Isla del Tigre is really an inactive volcano, the Cerro Vejía, which locals frequently refer to as simply El Cima ("the Summit"). If you can get to the top—the volcano measures 783 meters (2,580 ft) in elevation—the views of the gulf, the ocean, and the three countries (Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua) are stupendous. The path up heads inland from the naval post halfway between Amapala and Playa Grande. Plan on three hours each way, and it's no small feat to make the hike in this very warm climate. Until 1990, a U.S. military station on the top of the volcano was used to monitor troop movements in the Contra war in next-door Nicaragua. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also used the facility to monitor drug trafficking in the region. The site has now been abandoned.

Hop on a hammock or soak in the sun at this public space, which is a five-minute walk west of the municipal dock. There's not much to be found in the way of shade or chairs, but it's a great place to tan or hang out with friends. Abundant turtle grass means swimming is only for the brave. A few small restaurants and bar shacks surround the sand, and it can get rowdy late at night. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: partiers; sunset.

This might be the world's only museum that teaches you about the hows and whys of flatulence, complete with sound effects. Appropriately, it comes at the, um, tail end of your walk through a giant gastrointestinal tract. If that doesn't satisfy your appetite for the offbeat, you can learn about vomiting, sneezing, and body odor, too. It's all part of the immensely popular El Cuerpo Humano (Human Body) section of Tegucigalpa's fun, interactive new children's museum, which plenty of adults enjoy, too. Other exhibits acquaint kids with conservation of the environment and skills of commerce. Displays are all labeled in Spanish, but the friendly museum staff can help you if your abilities in that language are weak or nonexistent. As you'd expect, weekends are mobbed here. A visit during the week lets you take in the activities in relative peace and quiet. Just look for the blue-and-purple building on the hill down the road from Las Cascadas shopping mall. Chiminike, by the way, is the name of a frog in a popular Honduran children's story.

The best beaches for visitors to Puerto Cortés are to the west and closest to Omoa. Cieneguita is wide, clean, and quiet, and the municipal beaches, also deemed Playa Coca Cola for the nearby soft drink-entitled depot, are bustling on weekends with families and juice vendors.

Just across the border in Honduras lie the famed ruins of Copán, the center of a kingdom that rose to prominence in the Classic period (5th to 9th centuries AD). The artistic structures here have led historians to dub the city "the Paris of the Maya world."

As you stroll past towering cieba trees on your way in from the gate, you'll find the Great Plaza to your left. The ornate stelae standing around the plaza were monuments erected to glorify rulers. Some stelae on the periphery are dedicated to King Smoke Jaguar, but the most impressive (located in the middle of the plaza) depict King 18 Rabbit. Besides stroking the egos of the kings, these monuments had apparent religious significance, since vaults for ritual offerings have been found beneath them.

The city's most important ball court lies south of the Great Plaza. Players had to keep a hard rubber ball from touching the ground, perhaps symbolizing the sun's battle to stay aloft. The game was more spiritual than sportslike in nature: the losers—or the winners in some cases—were killed as a sacrifice to Maya gods.

Near the ball court lies the Hieroglyphic Stairway, containing the largest single collection of hieroglyphs in the world. The 63 steps immortalize the battles won by Copán's kings, especially those of the much revered King Smoke Jaguar.

Below the Acropolis here wind tunnels leading to some of the most fascinating discoveries at Copán. Underneath Structure 16 are the near-perfect remains of an older structure, called the Rosalila Temple, dating from AD 571. Uncovered in 1989, the Rosalila was notable in part because of the paint remains on its surface—rose and lilac—for which it was named. Another tunnel called Los Jaguares takes you past tombs, a system of aqueducts, and even an ancient bathroom.

East of the main entrance to Copán, the marvelous Museo de Escultura Maya provides a closer look at the best of Maya artistry. All the sculptures and replicas are accompanied by informative signs in English as well as Spanish. Here you'll find a full-scale replica of the Rosalila Temple.

The complex employs à la carte pricing, but all should be included if you're on an organized shore excursion. It's a good idea to hire a guide if you're on your own, as they are very knowledgeable about the site, and signposting is sparse among the ruins themselves. English-speaking guides charge about $30 for a two-hour tour, while Spanish-speaking guides charge about half that. A small cafeteria and gift shop are near the entrance.

Standing guard over the city, this monumental statue of Christ has been a landmark since it was erected in 1997. On the same hill is an ancient Coca-Cola sign, constructed with individual white letters using the same idea as Southern California's famous "hollywood" sign. It is visible from many places throughout the city, and its proximity has led irreverent residents to dub the Cristo statue "the Coca-Cola Christ." From here there's a beautiful view of the valley. It all sits in the Parque de las Naciones Unidas, a great place to have a picnic, although it can be crowded with locals on weekends. A small zoo in the park has seen better days. A taxi is the easiest way to get up here. Expect to pay L100 from downtown.

One of Honduras's most popular alcoholic beverages is distilled right here in Yuscarán. Aguardiente literally translates as "burning water," and that might just be the feeling you get in your gullet as it goes down. The liquor is an acquired taste, and it packs a punch. The folks at the El Buen Gusto distillery who make Aguardiente Yuscarán—the label contains an illustration of the town—give informal free tours of their facility and are happy to show you the process of distilling sugarcane into the clear, slightly sweet product everybody refers to in shorthand as guaro. Just show up at the distillery during opening hours and someone will show you around. On the off chance that no one is available to give you a tour, you'll be told when you can come back. Tours are in Spanish only. Although El Buen Gusto, in operation since 1939, is the town's largest employer, by informal agreement its product is not for sale in stores in Yuscarán. You can get a small bottle at the end of your tour.