Honduras

---

TRAVEL GUIDE

Tegucigalpa

No one we know mentions Tegucigalpa, Honduras's congested capital, as their favorite place in the country, but on a sunny afternoon when there

Roatan

Only about 65 km (40 miles) from end to end, ribbonlike Roatán is the most populous of the Bay Islands. Most villages are along the water's

Tegucigalpa

Nearly all of Tegucigalpa's sights concentrate in Barrio El Centro, its historic downtown. The scarcity of acceptable center-city accommodation

Utila

The smallest of the Bay Islands, Utila has managed to evade full-scale development. It is small, especially compared to Roatán, and some visitors

La Ceiba

The third-largest city in Honduras, La Ceiba was once the country's busiest port. It's named after a huge tree near the dock that sheltered

San Pedro Sula

Tegucigalpa thinks," goes the Honduran saying, "San Pedro Sula works." ("La Ceiba celebrates," the maxim continues, but that's a matter to be

West End

One of the most popular destinations for budget travelers, West End offers idyllic beaches stretching as far as the eye can see. One of the

Copan Ruinas

Just to the east of the town of Copán Ruinas, the Mayan ruins of Copán are without a doubt one of the most important attractions for tourists

Trujillo

Explorer Christopher Columbus first set foot on the American mainland here, and it's said that he thanked God for delivering him from the honduras

Tela

Garífuna women stride gracefully along the shore with baskets of coconut bread balanced on their heads near the Bahía de Tela, a delightful

Omoa

A sparkling ocean view and spectacular waterfalls where the Sierra de Omoa meets the Caribbean have made this former fishing village an emerging

Sandy Bay

On the north coast of Roatán Island, Sandy Bay is a laid-back community that stretches many miles along the sandy beach. It is home to many

West Bay

Down the beach from West End is West Bay, where you'll find some of the area's more luxurious resorts and the best beaches on the island. The

Santa Rosa de Copan

Set in one of the most beautiful regions of Honduras, Santa Rosa de Copán has a friendliness that makes you long to linger. (The pleasant springlike

Cayos Cochinos

Hazy blue-green mountains speckling the horizon beckon from the mainland with pristine coral reefs and a thriving Garífuna culture. The Cayos

Guanaja

Guanaja, once populated by the Paya people, has rolling hills covered with evergreens. The easternmost island measures around 18 km (11 miles

Comayagua

Founded in 1537, Santa María de Comayagua was the first capital of Honduras. It was also one of the last bastions of resistance by the Lenca

Gracias

Founded in 1536 by Gonzalo de Alvarado, brother of Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado, Gracias has a fascinating history. Its original name

Isla del Tigre

Assuming they ever existed, the tigres —jaguars? ocelots? panthers?—believed to have once populated Honduras’s very own Pacific island are

Reserva La Biosfera del Rio Platano

La Mosquitía has become synonymous with the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, and it's not hard to see why. The massive preserve houses more than

Puerto Cortes

Puerto Cortés is best known as Honduras's largest port, although the city is slowly but steadily rebranding itself as a tourist destination

Las Marias

The short distance from Las Marías to the coast is deceiving. It's a long haul—nearly 40 km (25 mi) as the river fish swims—to the village,

Puerto Lempira

Puerto Lempira, the capital of the Gracias a Dios department, is the closest semblance of city life in all of La Mosquitía. The town of nearly

Danli

Spanish explorers founded this community in 1667 as San Buena Ventura, but soon after independence the name reverted to Danlí, meaning "water

Choluteca

Honduras’s fourth-largest city—weighing in at 100,000 people—is seen by most travelers as the country’s outpost-slash-way station on the Pan

Valle de Ángeles

It bustles with tourists from the capital on weekends, but during the week Valle de Ángeles maintains the atmosphere of a colonial mining town

Sambo Creek

Fishing boats and seafood shacks line the shores of this Garífuna community. For many travelers, the town is a departure point for snorkeling

Brus Laguna

Adventurous tales of pirates and bloodshed belie the ho-hum nature of this Miskito community along the northeastern edge of the Río Plátano

French Harbour

The most bustling community on the island, French Harbour is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the western Caribbean. The best supermarket

Yuscaran

The charming colonial town of Yuscarán sits a little too far out from Tegucigalpa to be an easy lunch trip (at least not in the way closer Santa

Coxen Hole

Although it would be a stretch to call this cluster of clapboard houses attractive, the town's rich heritage lends it a unique atmosphere. More

Raista

A smattering of wooden houses with crops, cows, and chickens hugs the shoreline in this secluded Miskito community. Lush surroundings and

Santa Lucia

Santa Lucía is a pleasant mining town—this is the first locale where colonial-era silver was struck in the 16th century—with plenty of winding

Oak Ridge

Boathouses on stilts fringe this fascinating town built on mangrove coves. Motorized canoes putter from dock to dock in Roatán's rendition of

Belen

Belén is sandwiched between two other villages. It starts where Raista meets the airport and ends where Nueva Jersusalén begins, with little

Parque Nacional La Tigra

One of the most accessible national parks in Honduras, Parque Nacional La Tigra protects a cloud forest considered one of the most beautiful

Palacios

Palacios has undergone a major transformation in the last few years. The mixed Ladino and Miskito town—the second largest town in La Mosquitía

Cascadas de Pulhapanzak

The roaring Pulhapanzak Falls are the highest in the country.

First Bight

Batalla

Bright-green palms and coconut trees shelter small huts and homes hugging the sandy northern shores of the Bacalar Laguna. This mellow Garífuna

Suyapa

France has Lourdes. Portugal has Fátima. Mexico has Guadalupe. In the far southern suburbs of Tegucigalpa is Honduras's very own site, Suyapa

Parque Nacional Cusuco

This swath of subtropical forest is located in the Cordillera del Merendón, a mountain range that runs through Honduras and Guatemala.

Milton Bight

A sweeping lookout point aptly titled "The View" encourages travelers to steer off the highway and park the car for an amazing vista of the

Plaplaya

Honduras's easternmost Garífuna village (east of here, it's primarily Moskito villages) has just one tourist attraction, but it's a pretty fantastic

Punta Gorda

Punta Gorda is a tranquil town on the northeast end of Roatán, where travelers can catch a glimpse of the enduring Garífuna culture that hails

Tegucigalpa

No one we know mentions Tegucigalpa, Honduras's congested capital, as their favorite place in the country, but on a sunny afternoon when there

La Ceiba

The third-largest city in Honduras, La Ceiba was once the country's busiest port. It's named after a huge tree near the dock that sheltered

San Pedro Sula

Tegucigalpa thinks," goes the Honduran saying, "San Pedro Sula works." ("La Ceiba celebrates," the maxim continues, but that's a matter to be

West End

One of the most popular destinations for budget travelers, West End offers idyllic beaches stretching as far as the eye can see. One of the

Trujillo

Explorer Christopher Columbus first set foot on the American mainland here, and it's said that he thanked God for delivering him from the honduras

Tela

Garífuna women stride gracefully along the shore with baskets of coconut bread balanced on their heads near the Bahía de Tela, a delightful

Omoa

A sparkling ocean view and spectacular waterfalls where the Sierra de Omoa meets the Caribbean have made this former fishing village an emerging

Sandy Bay

On the north coast of Roatán Island, Sandy Bay is a laid-back community that stretches many miles along the sandy beach. It is home to many

West Bay

Down the beach from West End is West Bay, where you'll find some of the area's more luxurious resorts and the best beaches on the island. The

Santa Rosa de Copan

Set in one of the most beautiful regions of Honduras, Santa Rosa de Copán has a friendliness that makes you long to linger. (The pleasant springlike

Gracias

Founded in 1536 by Gonzalo de Alvarado, brother of Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado, Gracias has a fascinating history. Its original name

Comayagua

Founded in 1537, Santa María de Comayagua was the first capital of Honduras. It was also one of the last bastions of resistance by the Lenca

Puerto Cortes

Puerto Cortés is best known as Honduras's largest port, although the city is slowly but steadily rebranding itself as a tourist destination

Las Marias

The short distance from Las Marías to the coast is deceiving. It's a long haul—nearly 40 km (25 mi) as the river fish swims—to the village,

Puerto Lempira

Puerto Lempira, the capital of the Gracias a Dios department, is the closest semblance of city life in all of La Mosquitía. The town of nearly

Sambo Creek

Fishing boats and seafood shacks line the shores of this Garífuna community. For many travelers, the town is a departure point for snorkeling

Danli

Spanish explorers founded this community in 1667 as San Buena Ventura, but soon after independence the name reverted to Danlí, meaning "water

Valle de Ángeles

It bustles with tourists from the capital on weekends, but during the week Valle de Ángeles maintains the atmosphere of a colonial mining town

Brus Laguna

Adventurous tales of pirates and bloodshed belie the ho-hum nature of this Miskito community along the northeastern edge of the Río Plátano

Choluteca

Honduras’s fourth-largest city—weighing in at 100,000 people—is seen by most travelers as the country’s outpost-slash-way station on the Pan

French Harbour

The most bustling community on the island, French Harbour is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the western Caribbean. The best supermarket

Yuscaran

The charming colonial town of Yuscarán sits a little too far out from Tegucigalpa to be an easy lunch trip (at least not in the way closer Santa

Coxen Hole

Although it would be a stretch to call this cluster of clapboard houses attractive, the town's rich heritage lends it a unique atmosphere. More

Raista

A smattering of wooden houses with crops, cows, and chickens hugs the shoreline in this secluded Miskito community. Lush surroundings and

Santa Lucia

Santa Lucía is a pleasant mining town—this is the first locale where colonial-era silver was struck in the 16th century—with plenty of winding

Oak Ridge

Boathouses on stilts fringe this fascinating town built on mangrove coves. Motorized canoes putter from dock to dock in Roatán's rendition of

Belen

Belén is sandwiched between two other villages. It starts where Raista meets the airport and ends where Nueva Jersusalén begins, with little

Palacios

Palacios has undergone a major transformation in the last few years. The mixed Ladino and Miskito town—the second largest town in La Mosquitía

Batalla

Bright-green palms and coconut trees shelter small huts and homes hugging the sandy northern shores of the Bacalar Laguna. This mellow Garífuna

Cascadas de Pulhapanzak

The roaring Pulhapanzak Falls are the highest in the country.

Suyapa

France has Lourdes. Portugal has Fátima. Mexico has Guadalupe. In the far southern suburbs of Tegucigalpa is Honduras's very own site, Suyapa

Plaplaya

Honduras's easternmost Garífuna village (east of here, it's primarily Moskito villages) has just one tourist attraction, but it's a pretty fantastic

Punta Gorda

Punta Gorda is a tranquil town on the northeast end of Roatán, where travelers can catch a glimpse of the enduring Garífuna culture that hails

Roatan and the Bay Islands

Surrounded by one of the world's largest barrier reefs, the Bay Islands are a dream come true for snorkelers who want to come face-to-face with

Honduras' Caribbean Coast

The northern coast of Honduras is a world away from the country's interior. Chaotic urban grids give way to mellow coastal towns. Steep green

Western Honduras

Western Honduras marries its indigenous and colonial heritages like nowhere else in the country. Small communities tucked into the green mountains

La Mosquitia

Step onto a narrow canoe and glide down the river past the infinite verdant jungle, and you'll slowly feel yourself slip into another era.

Southern Honduras

Even old Honduran hands scratch their heads when someone mentions the country’s southern region. (The remote Mosquitía in the northeast part

Laguna de Ibans

The intricate latticework of crisscrossing mangrove trees along the shore is reflected on the glassy surface of Laguna de Ibans, the smallest

Laguna de Caratasca and Eastern La Mosquitia

A covey of small ponds, large lakes, tiny islands, and grassy savanna stretch for 50 km (31 miles) in Laguna de Caratasca, the largest lagoon

Lago de Yojoa

The largest natural lake in the country, shimmering Lago de Yojoa is home to an amazing variety of birds. Upwards of 400 different species are

Parque Nacional Cusuco

This swath of subtropical forest is located in the Cordillera del Merendón, a mountain range that runs through Honduras and Guatemala.

Parque Nacional La Tigra

One of the most accessible national parks in Honduras, Parque Nacional La Tigra protects a cloud forest considered one of the most beautiful

Roatan

Only about 65 km (40 miles) from end to end, ribbonlike Roatán is the most populous of the Bay Islands. Most villages are along the water's

Utila

The smallest of the Bay Islands, Utila has managed to evade full-scale development. It is small, especially compared to Roatán, and some visitors

Guanaja

Guanaja, once populated by the Paya people, has rolling hills covered with evergreens. The easternmost island measures around 18 km (11 miles

Cayos Cochinos

Hazy blue-green mountains speckling the horizon beckon from the mainland with pristine coral reefs and a thriving Garífuna culture. The Cayos

Isla del Tigre

Assuming they ever existed, the tigres —jaguars? ocelots? panthers?—believed to have once populated Honduras’s very own Pacific island are

Milton Bight

A sweeping lookout point aptly titled "The View" encourages travelers to steer off the highway and park the car for an amazing vista of the

First Bight