Introducing Western Honduras
History is palpable in Western Honduras. The region has been part of the human experience for millennia – it has witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, the ebb and flow of various people’s control over the land and over each other.
History does not seem distant here. Walking through Copán’s ruins, it is not hard to picture the valley a bustling city of 20, 000. Sitting in a centuries-old church in Santa Rosa de Copán, you can easily imagine a time when the same thick walls were new and the paint fresh. Stand in a Lenca village and you’ll see life there as it was generations ago, not much changed.
Certainly the mountains remain: El Cerro de las Minas (the highest in Honduras), Santa Bárbara (the second highest), Montaña de Comayagua and Cerro Azul. Lago de Yojoa still teems with wildlife; sadly, however, the rivers and forest are much changed.
There are pockets of modern life, such as San Pedro Sula, with its gleaming malls and throbbing nightclubs. But these are aberrations – even in San Pedro you might hear a rooster crowing early in the morning – and they emphasize the fact that this is ancient land and we are not so far removed from it as we think.
For many travelers, Copán is the west’s main and only attraction. But the ruins, spectacular as they are, are the tip of the iceberg; Western Honduras boasts colonial towns and villages, national parks, lakes, caves, hot springs, indigenous art centers and museums. Stay a few extra days – it may well surprise you.
Activities in Western Honduras
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula may be second to Tegucigalpa in size, but it is the alpha male in most other respects: Honduras’ booming export industry is based here, the majority of agricultural products pass through here, the airport is larger and more modern,...
Copán Ruinas
Just 1km northwest of Honduras’ most famous Maya site, Copán Ruínas is a charming little town with cobblestone streets, white adobe buildings and red-tile roofs.
Western Honduras destination guides
Santa Rosa de Copán
Santa Rosa de Copán is a small, cool, very Spanish mountain town, with cobblestone streets, clay-tiled roofs and a lovely colonial church with azulejo floors.
Hotels in Western Honduras
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Western Honduras
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Western Honduras
Comayagua
Comayagua, 84km northwest of Tegucigalpa, is the historic first capital of Honduras and was a religious and political center for over three centuries, until power shifted to Tegucigalpa in 1880.
Entertainment in Western Honduras
Gracias
Gracias is a peaceful mountain town with cobblestone streets, colonial churches and a sense that time here moves at a slower pace.
Shopping in Western Honduras