The second-largest country in Central America, Honduras, attracts every year more than 2 million people who come to visit this great nation to witness all the unique attractions and engaging activities it has to offer. They come to see the extensive and developed Roatán in the Bay Islands, the marvelous Copán Ruins Archeological Site, and Utila Town in Bay Islands. They also enjoy the dolphin encounters at Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences, the museum of Mayan Sculpture in Copán, La Tigra National Park, Lake Yojoa, and Parque Nacional Jeanette Kawas.

Honduras is also home to the quintessential tropical paradise, Cayos Cochinos, the magical Lancetilla Botanical Gardens, and Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve in Mosquito Coast. The attractions in Honduras are endless, and people visiting the country will enjoy an unforgettable experience. However, there are several things to know before taking a trip to this Central American spot.

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What To Know About Safety And Water In Honduras

Many people wonder if Honduras is a safe country. This is because a simple online search will return tons of articles labeling this nation as unsafe with high murder rates and encouraging people to avoid visiting it. However, this is not all true. While large cities in Honduras are hazardous, in specific areas, particularly for those looking for drugs and other trouble, Honduras is primarily safe in other parts. Thus, careful and intelligent travelers who know how to plan their trips well will not face any problems in Honduras. On the contrary, visitors will find that locals are super generous and friendly. They will also provide travelers with unique tips that will help them make their trip much better.

  • Safety tips: To ensure maximum protection, visitors to Honduras must avoid wearing expensive jewelry and holding electronics. Moreover, they should keep their money hidden in their pockets and refrain from flashing those papers around.

An important thing that visitors to Honduras must know is that they must not drink tap water unless they are going around with a water purification system. Even the locals in Honduras don’t drink tap water. Another thing to refrain from is eating lettuce unless dining at a top-notch restaurant. This is to avoid getting sick.

  • Recommended: It is safe to drink water at restaurants in Honduras. This is because it is safe and filtered there. Moreover, it is safe to consume ice at restaurants.

How To Get Around In Honduras

Express buses are the primary type of public transport used in Honduras to get from one city to another. They resemble the chicken buses of Central America because of being patched and repatched. Although their seats are wonky and tight, those buses are cheap, efficient, and don’t stop as public buses do.

People who want to go from one end of the country to another will need to switch buses in Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula. For example, one will have to stop in San Pedro when going from Copan to Tela.

While it is easy to travel by bus in Honduras, the routes are not very well-developed in the country. Many parts of the country have had their routes developed and paved recently, which means that reaching certain cities might prove to be a challenge.

  • Recommended: It is a good idea to ask the locals about the time needed to reach a specific location because they know better.

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What To Know About Language And Food In Honduras

People who speak Spanish will feel most at ease when visiting Honduras. However, a significant percentage of the population also speaks English in the country. Moreover, it is easy to communicate with most taxi and tuk-tuk drivers. In hotels, most reception staff will be English-speaking, and almost everyone will speak the American language on the islands of Utila and Roatan.

Still, speaking Spanish is golden in Honduras because it will be easier to connect with the locals and get unique recommendations that others will not have the chance to get.

  • Recommended: To better connect with the locals, visitors to Honduras are advised to learn some simple sentences in Spanish. For instance, Hola means Hello, Buenas Días is Good Morning, Buenas Noches is Good Evening, and Cómo Estás means How Are You.

Vegetarians will enjoy their time in Honduras because of the variety of delicious meals offered to them in the country. These include the Baleadas, which are nutritious, cheap, and delicious. Baleadas are made of cheese, crema, eggs, plantains, thick corn tortillas stuffed with refried beans. Moreover, people enjoy having this meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Another dish worth trying in Honduras is the Pupusas, similar to the Baleadas but more like a calzone. However, Pupusas come filled with meat. Thus, they are not a good choice for vegetarians.

Visitors to Honduras must know that Utila is one of the cheapest places to scuba dive worldwide. Moreover, scuba diving is fantastic in Utila and Roatan.

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