7 Best Sights in Honduras' Caribbean Coast, Honduras

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

This botanical garden, the second largest in the world, holds more than 1,200 varieties of plants marked by name, country of origin, and date of introduction. Around 365 species of birds have made it their home, and birders come to see a variety of colorful parrots. The garden holds the best collection of Asian fruit trees in tropical America, and a large orchid greenhouse shows off myriad varieties of the national flower. There are short trails through the main gardens, and longer trails go back into the hills and plantations, so there is something for all ages and interests.

West of Tela beyond Tornabé is Miami, a pleasant community on the Laguna de Los Micos. This is the most traditional of Tela's nearby Garífuna villages, consisting mostly of thatched huts. Many tour operators can arrange cultural excursions to show the punta and yancunu dances and help you find places to experience the local cuisine.

One of the most geographically diverse nature preserves in the country is Parque Nacional Jeanette Kawas, named for a slain environmentalist. The park, also known as Parque Nacional Punta Sal, protects mangrove swamps, tropical forests, shady lagoons, and coral reefs. It is likely you will see as many as 60 howler monkeys having their breakfast if you head out early enough in the morning. The males gesticulate from their perches in the treetops, while the females, many with tiny babies, watch from a wary distance. You may also come across white-faced monkeys, some of which have developed a habit of throwing avocado pits at visitors—be ready to duck. Radiantly colored parrot and vine snakes, almost shoelace thin, ripple through the foliage. They are harmless, but be sure to watch your step.

If you take the Los Curumos trail, you can hear the waves as you reach Puerto Caribe, one of the hiding places of the notorious pirate Captain Morgan. Turtles and dolphins swim here in the turquoise waters. If you snorkel, you may see barracudas and nurse sharks, as well as spindly lobsters taking a slow-motion stroll.

You can see Punta Sal jutting out into the ocean from Tela, which might make you think it's quite close. It's actually difficult to reach, so you should considering hiring a guide. It's also a great way to learn about the exotic animal and plant species (there are 14 types of banana here, for example). The park is only accessible by water, and the trip to the park takes about an hour. Laguna de los Micos has the largest bird population in the park.

It's essential to hire a guide if you want to visit Refugio de Vida Silvestre Punta Izopo, a wildlife refuge east of Tela that's irrigated by the Plátano and Hicaque rivers. It's easy to get lost in this labyrinth where even locals don't go alone. The best way to see the refuge is by kayak, letting you navigate the maze of mangroves along the Río Plátano without disturbing the wildlife. You can spot howler monkeys, crocodiles, and iguanas, as well as toucans and parrots that come around late in the afternoon. Garífuna Tours organizes late-night crocodile watches here.

Friendly Tornabéand San Juan, both west of Tela, have a string of beachfront Garífuna eateries; if you need to stay the night here, there's a rustic inn in Tornabé.

There are several villages near Tela where you can experience Garífuna life firsthand. To the east of Tela are Triunfo de la Cruz and La Ensenada, where you'll find a line of homely little restaurants along the water.