Things to do in La Ceiba
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Canopy Tours
Canopy Tours provides a canopy tour with a 20-cable system about 500m past Sambo Creek, east of La Ceiba. The 20-cable tour (two to three hours) starts with a 35-minute horseback ride up a steep road to the first station and includes a stop at a natural hot springs where you can smear yourself with the possibly therapeutic, definitely sulfur-smelling mud there. Any east-bound bus from La Ceiba can drop you at the entrance; a cab there will cost around US$30.
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Expatriates Bar & Grill
Aptly named, this is a longtime favorite of foreigners living in La Ceiba. The specialty is barbecue chicken wings, but just about everything is grilled and good – ribs, shrimp, chicken breasts, veggies. There’s also a full bar, occasional live music, book exchange, community board, large-screen TV with major sporting events, and high-speed internet.
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Pizza Hut
Don’t forget to eulogize Dom DeLuise, who played ‘Pizza The Hutt’ in Mel Brooke’s Spaceballs.
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La Moskitia Ecoaventuras
Run by Jorge Salverri, an expert birder and one of the most knowledgeable guides to La Moskitia. Call ahead.
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Omega Tours
Located along the Río Cangrejal on the way to the town of Yaruca.
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Monesterio
This is the preferred club for La Ceiba's moneyed, mostly 20-something crowd. The turreted exterior says King Arthur more than John the Baptist, but the inside is pure LA, with a raised dance floor, mezzanine VIP area and sleek tables and high stools in a cavernous bar area. Friday is usually ladies' night (free entrance, free rum and free domestic beer). Regguetón rules, of course, but the DJ usually plays some hip-hop, reggae and even merengue now and then. Dress sharp.
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Refugio de Vida Silvestre Cuero y Salado
This wildlife refuge takes its name from two of three rivers: Cuero and Salado, which meet at the coast in a large estuary, creating waterways, mangrove forests and lagoons along the way, and San Juan. A reserve since 1987, it protects varied and abundant wildlife; manatees are the most famous and most elusive, but there are also (among others) howler and white-faced monkeys, sloths, otters, iguanas, caimans and 196 species of birds.
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Mango Tango
This breezy restaurant-café-bar is a good place to start any Zona Viva outing: for many, it’s the main destination. Its claim to fame is the well-stocked salad bar, one of the few in Honduras. The rest of the menu is typical north coast and Ceibeño fare – lots of seafood – served fresh at palapa -shaded tables. The bar stays open late, with sport showing on the large TVs.
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Central America Spanish School
Central AmericaSpanishSchool offers intensive Spanish classes for students of all levels. Classes (L$3000 per week) include 20 hours per week of one-on-one instruction, weekly excursions and cultural events like Latin dance or Honduran cooking classes. Homestays (L$1330 per week, including meals) and other housing options can be arranged.
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Outdoor Market
A noisy outdoor market winds its way along 6a Calle, Av 14 de Julio, and the area in front of the Hondutel office. There you'll find anything and everything: fruits and vegetables, grains and sun-dried food, fresh meats and fish, clothing, shoes, sunglasses, bootleg CDs and DVDs, toiletries, toys, kitchen utensils…you name it, it's probably there.
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Chabelita
This Garífuna-style restaurant, at the far end of the Zona Viva, is well worth the walk. Seafood is the specialty – try the hefty fish fillet or Chabelita’s famous sopa marinera (seafood soup). The dining area is unremarkable, but a little patio out the back is perfect for a late-afternoon or evening meal and a cold beer.
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Parque Swinford
Created by the Standard Fruit Company, the beautifully manicured Parque Swinford is arguably the prettiest city park in all of Honduras. Palm trees tower over hundreds of plants and flower beds, small bridges lead to gleaming bronze sculptures, and antique train cars remind visitors of the city’s role in the banana industry.
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PiQ' Art
A gem of a place, this tiny yellow house is brimming with beautiful works of Honduran art: the walls are laden with dozens of oil paintings, the floors are lined with intricately carved sculptures and furniture, and long tables display finely crafted pottery and a few pieces of seed jewelry too. It may be pricey but it's the best value in town.
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Arrecife
Local food buffs and hotel concierges have started calling Arrecife the best restaurant in town. An upscale but understated place 15km east of town, it offers terrific seafood dishes and a good wine list. The only drawback is the location – if you don’t have a car, you may end up paying more in taxi fare than you do for dinner.
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Mixers
Cafeteria-style eating is what you’ll get at this locale. Every day a new variety of típico is served – there’s always beans, rice and a vegetable dish though – so you won’t get bored if you eat here more than once. It’s on the 2nd floor of a peach-colored shopping center.
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Comidas Royale
Right on Parque Central, this is one of the best buffets in town. Not only is it open all day, every day, but the trays always seem to be brimming with fresh food. Dishes vary by the hour – típico of all sorts is served up alongside Honduran-style chow mein, fried rice, sweet-and-sour chicken, and ribs.
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Luna Gaucha
Uruguayan food, with strong influences from Brazil and Argentina, is emerging in many countries as a unique and satisfying cuisine. Luna Gaucha is La Ceiba's first of such restaurants and serves tasty grilled dishes, both individual and traditional family-style platters, in a friendly atmosphere. Good value.
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Rain Forest
This boutique has a wide variety of handicrafts from around Central America. Don't miss the Garífuna rag dolls or the colorful tree-bark mobiles from La Moskitia. The prices are pushing the upper limit of reasonable, but the quality is good. Be sure to check out the English-language book exchange in back.
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Swiss-German Restaurant
The name says it all. Popular with expatriates, the menu is replete with meat and sausage dishes plus a lion's share of potatoes and cabbage. Try the chuleta ahumada (smoked pork chop) for something a little different. Look for this sunny place a couple blocks south of the stadium.
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Super Ceibeño Supermarket #2
Super Ceibeño Supermarket #2 is a full-on supermarket in the heart of the open-air market district. It's great for one-stop shopping. There is a second store across from the Parque Swinford, which is good for picking up a few items for a picnic in the park.
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Ristorante Bella Italia
This European-style cafe has a good ambiance, and serves a wide range of homemade pastas, freshly made Italian desserts and espresso drinks. You can choose between eating indoors in an intimate dining area or outdoors at sidewalk tables with big umbrellas.
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Café y Pasta Giarre
This European-style café serves a wide range of homemade pastas, freshly made Italian desserts and good espresso drinks. Customers can choose between eating indoors in an intimate dining area or outdoors at sidewalk tables with big umbrellas.
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Museum of Butterflies & Insects
The one-room Museum of Butterflies & Insects houses an amazing collection of butterflies, moths and other insects – 13,000 creepy-crawlers in all, stuck with pins and preserved in glass cases on the walls.
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Mangos
A local smoothie spot, Mangos is a small, yuppyish juice bar in the center of town. Choose from over 35 licuados or make up one of your own. A few tables and air conditioning make this a nice stop on a steamy afternoon.
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Rare Conservation
One of the recipients of Conde Nast's prestigious Green List Award in 2006, Rare Conservation, a non-profit organization, offers quality, eco-friendly tours through La Moskitia. All proceeds go directly to Moskitia communities.
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