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Roatán, Honduras is my favorite place to visit when I need a little bit of animal interaction. Adventure seekers go to Honduras to see the Mayan ruins of Copán near the Guatemala border. Travelers also fish or scuba dive around the Bay Islands, including Roatán, Guanaja, Utila, and the Cayos Cochinos. Roatán is the most developed and has dozens of resorts and hotels.
Sitting between Guatemala and El Salvador to the west and Nicaragua to the souther, Hondura is covered in more than 60% of mountains. The northeastern part of the country, known as La Mosquitia (“The Mosquito Coast”), is heavily forested, swampy, and mostly uninhabited. The name derives from the Miskito Natives, though history has lost the truth as to whether or not the Natives or the mosquitos came first.
The official language of Honduras is Spanish. Honduran Spanish is similar to that of other Central American countries, though it varies considerably from that of Spain or South America. While Spanish is the primary language spoken, there are 10 languages spoken in Honduras 5 of which of them being indigenous languages which are often spoken. These 5 languages include Garifuna, Miskito, Sumo, Pech, and Jicaque.
Honduras’ currency is the Lempira.
For stays up to 90 days, you do not need a visa for tourism. To enter Honduras, you will need a U.S. passport with at least 6 months validity and evidence of onward travel.
Any dual or multi-band GSM cellphone will work in Honduras, but you might pay expensive roaming rates; check with your cellphone company before leaving. Internet access in Honduras is easy, as it is covered by a government program called “Internet para el Pueblo” or Internet for the people, where wifi service is free at all of the central parks and plazas.
It is not common to tip. Cafes and comedores – tipping is not common but is appreciated. Restaurants – typically upscale restaurants will automatically add a 10% service charge to your bill.
It’s relatively easy to access money in Honduras: big towns and cities have a plentiful of ATMs and credit cards are usually accepted in most hotels. There are cash machines in cities and towns, however, don’t rely on them working in the smaller towns. ATM robberies are common: make sure to never use them at night and during the day time uses ATMs located inside banks with armed guards and patrol outside.
You do not need a power plug adapter in Honduras when living in the United States. In Honduras, the power plugs and sockets are of Type A and B, with a standard voltage of 120 V and a standard frequency of 60 Hz.
The best time to visit Honduras is during the dry season between December and April. Temperatures are warm, sitting between 78.8°FF and 89.6°F, and downpours are less likely – although remember they can still occur, as Honduras is a tropical country. However, travel to Honduras can be enjoyed all year-round.
Honduras is an easy country to get around with lots of buses for getting from town to town and inexpensive mototaxis and collectivo taxis in most towns.
Taxis are everywhere in Honduran towns. It’s very common to share a ride in many places, so each passenger pays around $0.83. If you want a private ride, rates start at about $2.49. Fares increase at night.
Buses are a cheap and easy way to get around Honduras, though there are also some very fancy services. The first buses of the day often start very early in the morning; the last bus usually departs in the late afternoon. Buses on major highways run later.
Domestic air travel in Honduras is fairly pricey, though the safety record is generally good. There are connections from La Ceiba, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula to Utila and Roatán, and also between the three major cities themselves. Routes also open up the Moskitia and the Bay Island of Guanaja from La Ceiba.
Rental cars are available in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba, and on Roatán. Prices start at L650 a day for an economy car. Motorcycles and scooters can be rented on Utila and Roatán. Driving on the highway in Honduras is like playing at an advanced level of a video game. Many locals drive at insane speeds (to avoid the perceived threat of carjacking), but it can be safe to drive in Honduras as long as you’re mindful of your speed and drive defensively.
assenger ferries operate between La Ceiba and the Bay Islands and Utila and Roatan. There’s a regular ferry between Trujillo and Guanaja, the third of the Bay Islands. Almost all transportation is by water in the Moskitia. There are also water taxis on Roatán from West End to West Bay, and from Coyolito on the Golfo de Fonseca over to the Isla del Tigre.
If you are traveling to the beautiful country of Honduras for the first time, you might be interested in the local cousine. Honduran food is a mixture of different ancient cultures. In Roatán, the common ingredients are seafood and corn, which, together with other ingredients, achieve an exquisite Caribbean flavor, with a marked African, Spanish, and Creole influence.
The larger cities – Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula – offer the widest range of places to stay, with something to suit all budgets. Hostels are beginning to spring up across the country, generally representing excellent value for money; Copán has some of the best budget hostels on the mainland. Of the Bay Islands, Utila is the cheapest and Roatán has a few places catering to backpackers, while Guanaja is aimed more at luxury tourists. On the mainland, $10–$20 gets you a basic room; more than $20 will secure a well-furnished room, with extras such as TV, a/c and hot water.
Gumbalimba Park is a privately owned, eco-adventure and history park on the island of Roatan. The park was established in 2003. The name Gumbalimba Park comes from a tree native to the island called, gumbo limbo, but, the islanders know and call it Gumbalimba. The park offers interactive animal attractions as well as a swimming pool, gardens & kids’ play areas.
Lake Yojoa is the largest lake in Honduras with a surface area of 79 square kilometers and an average depth of 15 meters. At an altitude of 700 meters, it lies in a depression formed by volcanoes. The Lake Yojoa volcanic field consists of Pleistocene to Holocene scoria cones, craters, and lava flows.
West Bay Beach is located on the northern coast of the western tip of the island of Roatan in Honduras. Situated just 40 miles from La Cieba on the Northern Coast of Honduras, West Bay Beach sits firmly in the tropical climate zone, with average year-round temperatures of 80° F nd between 78º and 84º F in the water year-round
Located on the Bay Islands of Roatan, Little French Key is a private and secure island providing fun and adventurous aquatic activities for the entire family to enjoy in a safe and carefree setting. Little French Key has evolved over the years to the premier Cruise Excursion destination for Roatan. There have been many changes since settling LFK almost 2 decades ago, all stemming from the desire to share this beautiful creation with others and preserving the beauty that is Roatan.
The waters surrounding Utila are home to Whale sharks year round. It’s one of the best places in the world to see them, with peak season being in the months of March, April, August, and September. Whale sharks are slow-moving peaceful sharks and the largest type of fish known to humankind. Swimming with them is an experience that you’ll never forget!
usuco National Park is located near San Pedro Sula and is a remote national park that is relatively unknown to most locals. The park covers an area of about 145 square miles. Some mountain peaks are a little over 1 mile and the views from these points, and the trek up the mountain, are stunning. Clouds in the area often sit low, just above the forest, and from the high points in the park you’re above the clouds.
Accommodation:
Hotel or Hostel (single): $2.47
Double-occupancy room: $4.90
Food
Meals for one day: $2.97
Transportation
Taxis, local buses, train: $4.24
Intercity: $15
Water taxi: $4.33
Entertainment
Entrance tickets & shows: $8.32
Tips & Handouts
Guides & service providers: $0.36
Scams, robberies, & mishaps: $0.39
Alcohol
Drinks for one day: $2.10
Water
Bottled water for one day: $0.38
Accommodation
Hotel or rental home (single): $6.44
Double-occupancy room: $13
Food
Meals for one day: $7.43
Transportation
Taxis or Car rental: $11
Intercity: $37
Water taxi: $4.33
Entertainment
Entrance tickets & shows: $19
Tips & Handouts
Guides & service providers: $0.78
Scams, robberies, & mishaps: $0.39
Alcohol
Drinks for one day: $6.51
Water
Bottled water for one day: $0.83
Accommodation
Resort or hotel (single): $18
Double-occupancy room: $35
Food
Meals for one day: $18
Transportation
Car Rentals or private driver: $27
Intercity: $94
Water taxi: $4.33
Entertainment
Entrance tickets & shows: $39
Tips & Handouts
Guides & service providers: $1.19
Scams, robberies, & mishaps: $0.39
Alcohol
Drinks for one day: $23
Water
Bottled water for one day: $1.19
Use taxis or buses or water taxis to get around Honduras as it’s extremely affordable
Search “free things to do in [city, town, area] of Honduras”
Eat with locals and find local eateries for a better price for the meal
Stay in a cheap hotel or try an eco-lodge
When planning for your trip to Honduras, don’t forget about travel insurance! You never know what might happen and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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