Honduras with its tropical rainforest, Mayan temples, coral reef and white sandy beaches is a country that offers a diversity of things to see and do.
Celaque Mountain National Park offers a range of hiking trails through the cloud forest. From the highest point – Cerro Las Minas – hikers can see as far as the Pacific Ocean and the volcanoes of Honduras.
Go to Bay Islands and spend some time at Roatán and Guanaja, which are among the best beach resorts in Honduras. Here you can also dive in the coral reefs.
The ancient city of Copán, a capital city between 5th and 9th century AD, is packed with Mayan treasures such as the Acropolis and the Court of the Hieroglyphic Stairway.
Established in 1926, these tropical botanical gardens are part of the protected wildlife region of the north coast of Honduras. There are around 200 species of birds that have made their homes in the tropical fruit trees.
Take an organized eco-tour into the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve to experience the diversity of plant and wildlife in this tropical rainforest on the Mosquito Coast of Honduras.
Honduras has a tropical climate with the dry season running from November to April. The best time to travel will depend on the part of the island you are going to with temperatures varying according to altitude. The temperature range is from 68°F in the mountains to 90°F on the coast.
Holders of US, Canadian, EU, British and Australian passports will need a passport valid for six months from the date of entry into Honduras and it is not necessary to have a visa for a period of less than 90 days. It is, however, necessary to hold a return or onward ticket.
International flights to Honduras land at the airports in Tegucigalpa, Roatán and San Pedro Sula, the main cities on the island. Carriers include airlines, such as United, American Airlines and the low-cost Spirit Airlines, and all fly into Honduras.
Long-distance bus services run between the capital cities of neighboring countries to various major locations in Honduras. The coach company Hedman Alas comes from Guatemala while the bus route from Nicaragua and El Salvador is operated by Tica Bus.
There is an international ferry service to Puerto Cortes in Honduras from Belize, but this does not run on a regular schedule. Cruise liners, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruises, all stop at the Bay Islands.
While Roatán has resort-like hotels that are of higher quality than the rest of the island, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula do have international chains, such as Crown Plaza and Hilton. Bed and breakfasts are common in more touristy places on the island and can take the form of inns on the beach or lodges in the jungle.
There are city buses and minibuses known as rapiditos that run around the main cities of Honduras. However, passengers on these may be targeted by pickpockets, so it may be wise to stick to taxis to get around these busier areas.
The bus network around Honduras offers direct and multi-stop routes to various destinations and the price varies depending on route and type of bus, whether luxury or regular. This is an affordable and relatively efficient method of travel within Honduras.
It is possible to rent a car in Honduras and there are various international car companies, such as Alamo and Avis, located at main airports. Roads are reasonably maintained but many of the secondary roads remain unpaved.
Domestic flights operated by Avianca and Aerolíneas Sosa link the main cities in Honduras with daily flights and there are also flights to Roatán and Utila.
Most major credit cards are widely accepted around Honduras and ATMs are located throughout the island. Cash is better for small transactions. Save money by cooking at home – groceries cost around 77 HNL (3 USD) for a 0.2 gallon of milk and a dozen eggs. Eating out is also reasonably priced and will cost around 124 HNL (5 USD) for a meal per person in an inexpensive restaurant.