Honduras is a beautiful Central American country that is often overlooked as a tourist destination - often out of safety concerns. But Honduras has plenty of attractions on offer. Honduras is a country with white beaches that are fringed by the world's second-largest barrier reef.
The mountains in Honduras are jungle-covered, with cascading rivers ripe for white-water rafting. Here one will see an astounding number of birds and even Hoffmann's two-toed sloth in the eastern part of the country. Another stunning quiet place to enjoy an idyllic vacation is on the tropical Vietnam resort island of Phu Quoc.
Honduras & What To Expect There
Honduras is full of things to see and explore including many ruins of the Mayans, one can discover exquisite Maya ruins (ruins that are not overrun with tourists). Then there are colonial Spanish architecture, cobblestone villages, and fresh seafood.
- Copan: Once One Of The Most Important Urban Centers of The Mayan Civilization - Visit Both The Archeological Site And The Nearby Colonial town of Copan
- Caution: Honduras Is A Spectacular Undiscovered Destination, but Its Reputation for Crime and Instability Has Truth - Best to Exercise Reasonable Precaution
- Capital and Largest City: Tegucigalpa
- Population: Honduras Has Around 9 Million Inhabitants
Today the customs and culture of Honduras are a blend of Spanish and indigenous culture and one can find many traditional communities in the country. Honduras does have deep problems with poverty and crime, but with sensible precautions, it can be a truly rewarding trip.
The Virgin and Peaceful Beaches Of Honduras
The Caribbean is something of America's backyard when it comes to beach holidays. Many of the islands like the Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands are very developed, commercialized, and overcrowded. But that is not true of all the Caribbean beaches.
Honduras' Caribbean coast remains - according to the Lonely Planet - "almost totally undiscovered by travelers and there are some spectacular beaches here."
The country's Bay Islands are famous for their superb diving as well as their great beaches and they include Utila and most notably the more developed island of Roatan.
- The Cays, Utila: These are The Best Beaches In Their Region With Tiny Coral Cays Just Off the Island
- Trujillo: These Beaches Surrounding This Sleepy Little Town Are Known As Some Of The Best In The Country
Honduras has some 470 miles of coastline that's divided between the mainland and its various small Caribbean islands (it also has a small coastline on the Pacific Ocean).
The Island Of Roatan
The most developed of Honduros' islands and beaches are on the island of Roatan. This island is more Caribbean in flavor and its history. Even today many people speak English as their first language because of their historic colonial links to Britain.
- Caribbean: Roatan Is Culturally Part of the Caribbean
- Roatan: Offers Honduras' Most Developed Beach Resorts
- Flights: Roatan Offers Direct Flights To the United States
Roatan has an international airport with regular flights to a number of cities in the United States as well as the Honduras mainland. One can expect spectacular golden-sand beaches here.
Cayos Cochinos Islands
The tiny Cayos Cochinos islands boast pristine and virtually deserted white-sand beaches. They are made up of two small islands (Cayo Menor and Cayo Grande) as well as 13 more small coral cays in the Caribbean off the coast of mainland Honduras.
- Population: 108
These islands are part of the Roatan municipality and are a Marine Protected Area. They are part of the world's second-largest coral reef system (the Meso-American Barrier Reef). There are no roads, cars, or even bikes on these tiny isles - there is a hiking trail connecting the residences with the beaches.
On Cayo Menor there is a scientific research station and a visitor center - all types of commercial fishing are forbidden within the marine park. The waters here are the healthiest in the Bay Islands.
The Garifuna villages offer cheap lodging for backpackers in hostel-like huts.
Tela Town and Area
Tela is located around a 90-minute drive from San Pedro Sula and is an up-and-coming Caribbean beach resort. Tela is a very old community having been founded in 1534 - to put that in perspective, the oldest successful settlement in the United States is Jamestown which dates from 1607.
Here one will find some gorgeous stretches of sand surrounded by lush tropical parks. Parks here include the Lancetilla Botanical Garden, the Punta Sal Tropical Rainforest, the Punta Izopo Wildlife Refuge, and the Lagoon of Monkeys.
- Beaches: White Sand Beaches
- Development: Basic but Up And Comming - there are a variety of Hotels and Restaurants
The Cusuco National Park nearby is as stunning as it is rich in biodiversity. It is home to 270 species of birds, 35 species of bats, 93 species of reptiles and amphibians, and is a must-see for anyone in the area.