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Travel Tips
Name: Warren Post (via rlt) MessageFirst, check out my western Honduras page at: http://www2.planeta.com/mader/planeta/0898/0898hondurosa.html FAVORITE PLACES There are lots of great places to visit in Central America, but my favorite has to be western Honduras, "el Occidente". I must like it; I've lived in Honduras for nine years now. Aside from Copán Ruinas, you probably won't see another traveler. The weather is comfortable, the people are super friendly. Some things you should see while here: * The cloud forest in Celaque National Park at dawn. The park is not far from my home in Santa Rosa de Copán. You'll have to be a backpacker to get to the cloud forest, though: a 3-4 hour hike from trailhead. * Snorkeling the reef on the Bay Islands. * The ruins of Copán and the surrounding valley at sunset. Rent horses to take you to a vantage point up in the hills. * The Flor de Copán cigar factory in Santa Rosa de Copán. I think its neat and I don't even smoke.
LANGUAGE SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS La Ceiba is agreeable, but it's big: Honduras's third largest city. I lived in Trujillo for three years: funky, end-of-the-Earth feel. I liked it. I've heard no feedback on their Spanish programs, however. Copán Ruinas has a good school that I have heard positive feedback on. I personally would go stir crazy in that tiny village after a few days, but that's just my temperament, I guess. Here in Santa Rosa de Copán there is a new Spanish school (Santa Rosa de Copán Spanish School, tel +504 662-1378, email starosa@mailexite.com). The two students studying there that I met both seemed pleased with the program. For things to do after classes, check out the Practical Guide to Santa Rosa de Copán: http://www2.planeta.com/mader/planeta/0898/0898hondurosa.html and Eco Travels in Honduras: http://www2.planeta.com/mader/ecotravel/center/honduras/honduras1.html
INTERNET CAFE In Santa Rosa de Copán, my restaurant, Pizza Pizza, offers internet and email access (plus pizza, but you already guessed that). We are open 11:30 am - 9:00 pm daily except Wednesday. We also try to offer the best traveler's information available in the region, either in person or via email.
BEST CLOUD FOREST My favorite cloud forest is in Celaque National Park, not far from my home in Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras. You can get more information about the park and the cloud forest at the Friends of Celaque web site, http://www.generation.net/~derekp/celaque.html.
TYPICAL PRICES I'm scared to death to answer this question. What is a reasonable budget for me would be excessive for another, and not nearly enough for a third person. But... Bus fare, Tegucigalpa-San Pedro Sula, deluxe: US$3.50 What the locals eat: $2.50/plate Fanciest restaurant in Santa Rosa: $8.00/person Clean cheap hotel w/private bath: $7.50/double Fanciest hotel in Santa Rosa: $23.00/double Typical taxi fare in San Pedro Sula: $1.25/person Beer in an inexpensive diner or snack bar: $0.85 Soft drink in a corner store: $0.60
MOSQUITIA TRAVEL My wife is a Miskita indian and I traveled into the Mosquitia several times while we were courting. It is the most amazing place I have ever been, better even than the Amazon. Go with a guide: it is not a place for do-it-yourselfers. Expect to pay at least US$100/person/day and go for no less than four days.
TELA, GARIFUNA CULTURE Tela used to be (>4 years ago) great: cheap, cool, laid back. Crime has become common, however, and is neither cheap nor cool nor laid back anymore. Since you're interested in Honduran culture, I recommend you instead spend some time in a small Garifuna (Afro-Caribe ethnic group) coastal village. Near Tela, but without the crime, are Miami and Tornabé. Further out of your way, but personal favorites of mine, are three villages just west of Trujillo: Santa Fe, San Antonio, and Guadalupe, lined along the Caribbean shore like a string of pearls. If you're a reader, and have the energy to track down a hard-to-find book, I recommend Guillermo Yuscarán's "The Garifuna Story." It's a fun read and will add to your experience.
BEST WILDLIFE The parks and wildlife refuges around Tela: Punta Sal National Park, Punta Izopo Wildlife Refuges, Lancetilla Botanical Gardens, Los Micos Lagoon. I'm sorry to report that crime in Tela proper has reached uncomfortable proportions, so spend your time in the parks, not in town.
COPAN RUINAS One day/two nights, more if you're a archaeology buff or like to take things easy. I recommend the Casa de Café Bed & Breakfast (about US$40), run by my wife's cousin and her American husband. Ron Mader and Jim Gollin's excellent book "Eco Adventure in Honduras" (buy it; it's worth looking for) recommends "The ruins, like most great archaeological sites, are best visited twice. Go once with a guide or a tour book, paying attention to names and dates and archaeological history. Then return with nothing but your imagination to enjoy the timeless mood of the place. You'll probably learn more on your second visit." There's a bus leaving Copán Ruinas every hour or two. Most go only as far as La Entrada; two a day continue on to Santa Rosa. And there are buses from La Entrada to Santa Rosa about every 20 minutes or so. I usually switch buses in La Entrada when I make the trip, which is often because my wife's cousin runs the bed & breakfast in town (Casa de Café, very nice, casadecafe@yahoo.com).
CRIME This whole crime scare thing is way overdone, at least in Honduras: crime is on the increase on the coast and in the major cities, but remains safer than most large cities in North America. Use your common sense and you'll be fine. (Exception: crime specifically targets travelers in Tela. Don't go there.)
CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS You may be interested to know that while our community, Santa Rosa de Copán, is small (about 25,000 inhabitants), we are one of the principal centers of cultural activity in Honduras and produce a disproportionate share of the nation's writers, painters, and intellectuals. We have an active theater group, ballet troupe, and are forming a youth symphony and our nation's first children's library this year.
GRACIAS-LA ESPERANZA ROAD My favorite road in Honduras is the Gracias-La Esperanza route, passing through lovely scenery and skirting lots of neat little mountain villages tourists never get to. It is unpaved and sometimes in bad shape, though the latest report I have (two months ago) says it's fine now. Occasional minivans work the route, but be prepared for long waits or resorting to hitchhiking. My three boys, wife, and I hitchhiked the road four years ago and had a great time. Pity we didn't have the time to accept all the offers of hospitality we received from the locals along the way.
INTERESTING HONDURAS LINKS (I haven't checked these lately, so beware) General information about Honduras: http://www.hondurastips.hn http://www.marrder.com/hw/travel/ http://htw.marrder.com/hondo1/ http://www.honduras.com/ http://www.hondurasinfo.hn http://www.honduras.net/ Eco Travels in Honduras: http://www2.planeta.com/mader/ecotravel/center/honduras/honduras1.html Honduras This Week (English language weekly): http://www.marrder.com/htw/ Weather satellite image: http://cnn.com/weather/CAmerica/satellite_image.html Santa Rosa de Copán and western Honduras: http://www2.planeta.com/mader/planeta/0898/0898hondurosa.html Celaque National Park - Friends of Celaque: http://www.generation.net/~derekp/celaque.html The Mosquitia: http://www.generation.net/~derekp/ More links: http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/ca/honduras/ Old (6 digit) to new (7 digit) phone number conversion chart: http://7digitos.hn
ATMS In Honduras, Banco Atlántida's ATM network is connected to the U.S./Canadian Plus system, and also accepts many (though not all) European issued cards. They have an ATM here in Santa Rosa. The exchange rate tends to be as good as or better than the going bank rate. If you can't find an ATM, most banks in Honduras will give you a cash advance on your Visa or Master Card.
RENTAL CARS CROSSING INTERNATIONAL BORDERS As to rental cars crossing international borders, I cannot speak from experience. I have it from third hand information that rental companies in Honduras don't like it and generally say no.
TEGUCIGALPA My favorite artsy hangout was Café Paradiso in downtown Tegucigalpa, but I'm not sure if it's still open. If you find it, owner Rigoberto Paredes is a great poet; tell him hi for me. Librería Guaymuras has zero atmosphere but they should be able to tell you where the artists hang out now. They also have the best selection of good Honduran literature. The Museo del Hombre Hondureńo, right in front of the National Congress building, is my favorite museum in the country and has the best collection I've seen of works by my favorite Honduran painter Maury Flores (no relation to the president). I stay at the tiny Hotelito Don Tito (3ra avenida between 6a and 7a calles): clean, friendly, cheap (I paid L.60 single a few months ago with private cold water bath), and quiet despite a certain amount of hourly rate customers.
OTHER NOTES What to bring if planning to travel into the boondocks? Flashlight (no electricity in many rural areas), camera and film, travelers cheques (change them to local cash before entering the boondocks), places to hide money (I distribute my cash among a money belt, a waist pouch, and a neck pouch), sunglasses, comfortable cotton clothes, hiking or work boots, DEET insect repellent, sweater or jacket, Visa (preferred) or MasterCard for emergencies. The lighter you pack the happier you'll be. What not to bring? Contact lenses, suitcases (use a backpack), firearms, items that are or appear to be military issue, anything irreplaceable or that can't be gotten dirty, wet, scratched, or lost. How to get to Santa Rosa? Most travelers fly to San Pedro Sula, then take a direct bus (3 hours) from there. I'm told airfare is cheaper to fly into Guatemala City: from there you'd take a direct bus to Esquipulas, Guatemala (4 hours), then transfer via chicken buses across the Guatemala-Honduras border and on to Santa Rosa (another 4 hours)... but you'll have an extra border crossing and hassle to put up with. The truly adventuresome route would be overland by bus through Mexico. I've done that, and it's a lot of fun if you're in to that sort of thing.
BUS COPAN RUINAS - SAN SALVADOR Here's how to get from Copán Ruinas to San Salvador: 1. Catch any of the buses from Copán Ruinas to Santa Rosa de Copán. The first one leaves at 6 or 7 a.m. If you have the time, get a taxi and visit the town proper (Santa Rosa is lovely, but the bus station's neighborhood is a dump.) 2. Take a bus to Nuevo Octopeque, where there's a Salvadoran consulate if you need. From there transfer to a shuttle bus running to the nearby Salvadoran border. 3. After border formalities, catch a bus southbound to San Salvador. The road from here on is in poor shape, so expect this to be a long leg.
BUS GUATEMALA CITY - TRUJILLO Here's how to get from Guatemala City to Trujillo: 1. Take a morning nonstop from GUATEMALA CITY (Rutas Orientales, 19 C. 8-18, Z1) to ESQUIPULAS, get lunch, and transfer to a border shuttle. After border formalities, take the shuttle to NUEVO OCOTOPEQUE and transfer to the bus to SANTA ROSA DE COPAN (good place to spend the night, see http://www2.planeta.com/mader/planeta/0898/0898hondurosa.html). 2. Next morning take the 8 AM nonstop to SAN PEDRO SULA and transfer to the "Catisa" terminal for your nonstop to LA CEIBA. From La Ceiba you can catch a bus to Trujillo.
BUS GUATEMALA CITY - TEGUCIGALPA Here's how to get from Guatemala City to Tegucigalpa: 1. Take a morning nonstop from GUATEMALA CITY (Rutas Orientales, 19 C. 8-18, Z1) to ESQUIPULAS, get lunch, and transfer to a border shuttle. After border formalities, take the shuttle to NUEVO OCOTOPEQUE and transfer to the bus to SANTA ROSA DE COPAN (good place to spend the night, see http://www2.planeta.com/mader/planeta/0898/0898hondurosa.html). 2. Next morning take the 8 AM nonstop to SAN PEDRO SULA and transfer to the "El Rey Express" terminal for your nonstop to TEGUCIGALPA. You should arrive about 3 PM.
CIGARS The Flor de Copan produces Zino, Petrus, Don Melo, Santa Rosa, Encanto, and a few others I forget. My friend the cigar taster at the factory (yes, there really are a few people in this world who are paid to have jobs like that) recommends the Santa Rosa: mild but not light, well made, won't harsh you out midway through. Be sure to take the factory tour while in Santa Rosa, even if you don't smoke. Hope this helps, Warren Name: Stanley Marrder MessageWelcome to Travel Tips |
Surfing the Internet at Multinet Internet Cafe in Tegucigalpa,
Honduras. Photo courtesy of Stanley Marrder
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