Introducing Honduras
Like its neighbors, Honduras is experiencing tremendous changes: an expanding tourist economy (cruise ships in Roatán?!), a maturing political scene, and the whole globalization thing, including maquilas, free trade agreements – heck, even implementing Daylight Savings Time for the second time. Honduras remains deeply entrenched in a two-front war against gangs and HIV/AIDS. Illegal logging is emerging as another major concern (do you know where that new mahogany chest came from?) and a key issue among Honduras’ growing environmental community.
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Even so, most Hondurans you’ll meet are very laid back and, while not disinterested, certainly disinclined to make much to-do over politics and world affairs. And aside from the people-pull, nature has its own drawcards here in Honduras. Parque Nacional Jeannette Kawas offers up white-sand beaches, great snorkelling and howler monkeys galore and Lago de Yojoa in Honduras' lake region has world-class bird-watching, waterfalls and outstanding national parks. Backpackers love Utila for its cheap eats, great accommodation and terrific diving.
Honduras today is a place of change, too fast for those who’d like the country to remain ‘undiscovered’, too slow for those frustrated by persistent remnants of the ‘Banana Republic’ days, whether in undue foreign influence or lax enforcement of environmental laws. Hondurans themselves take it all in their stride, and travelers with an open mind and a bit of Spanish will find many fascinating conversations in store.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Traverse Central America, from Guatemala to Panama
- See the best of Central America in 44 days
- Fly from platform to platform in the heart of Roatan's jungle
Last updated: Feb 8, 2012
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: Skydiving over the blue hole
by misterbee 27 May 2012
That U.S.-based group said they were not coming this year (I think all their drops were over the San pedro area anyway). I think they…
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RE: Volunteer in La ceiba Honduras?
by hopefulist 27 May 2012
Here's a list of organizations on a Spanish school website that might get you started. ¡Buena suerte!
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is Antigua wheelchair accesible?
by lighttraveler111 26 May 2012
Hi, I will be traveling to Honduras in the fall to work for a year but want to spend a couple of months prior in Antigua Guatemala to…
Hotels & Hostels
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Honduras
Things to do
- All things to do (491)
- Activities (91)
- Entertainment (85)
- Restaurants (147)
- Shopping (64)
- Sights (97)
- Tours (7)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Honduras
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1 Parque Nacional Jeannette Kawas/Punta Sal
White sand beaches, great snorkeling and howler monkeys galore
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2 Utila
A backpacker Mecca with cheap eats and dorms, a raucous nightlife and terrific diving
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3 Roatán
Budget or luxury, Roatán’s got your perfect hotel, restaurant, and dive site
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4 Comayagua
Semana Santa’s colorful ‘street carpets’ are one of many traditions in this gracious colonial city.
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5 Gracias
A cool colonial town at the foot of the country’s tallest peak
Fast Facts about Honduras
- Size of Honduras
112, 090 sq km
- Number of tourists visiting Honduras each year
1 million
- People living with HIV/AIDS
28, 000
- Minimum wage
US$3.15 per day
- Unemployment
28%
- Length of coastline
820km
- Population
7.3 million
- Remittances in 2004
US$1 billion
- Life expectancy
women 71 years, men 68 years
- Metric tons of bananas and plantains produced annually
1.7 million
Our favourite Honduras Blogs (beta)
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Doin’ Time in Tegus – Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Blog: Trans-Americas Journey - 21 May 2012
You wouldn’t automatically put most Central American capital cities (Belmopan, Guatemala City, San Salvador, Managua, etc.) on the top of your travel to-do list but they do have their charms, you just usually need some local help to uncover them. For example, we didn’t have high hopes for Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, but then we found a great burger, a really good museum or two, a nice little hotel and more with a some help from our local friend Edo. Tugucigalpa (just Tegus to some) has been the capital of Honduras since 1880.
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Update from the Field: Translation Follies, Contemplating Kindness and Comfort and KF Cribs
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 21 May 2012
Compiled by David Gorgani | KF17 | Dominican Republic This week's stories from the field span topics ranging from ill-equipped law enforcement to the "luxurious" living places of Kiva Fellows.
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Blowing Smoke – Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras
Blog: Trans-Americas Journey - 16 May 2012
The road from the town of Gracias down to Santa Rosa de Copán travels through gorgeous pine forests and sloping, green hills. But we weren’t able to enjoy it. There were so many potholes in the “pavement” that it was best to think of the journey as a video game–something along the lines of Angry Potholes–in which gaping holes appear out of nowhere and it’s your job to avoid them. At one point a particularly huge pothole had a blow-up Santa Claus stuffed into it as a grim warning to steer clear or join the jolly man in the abyss. Good luck.
