Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

5 day (quick) trip to Honduras arriving in San Pedro tomorrow afternoon

Country forums / Central America / Honduras

I arrive tomorrow afternoon in San Pedro at 12:40 pm. And I leave 1:39 pm from San Pedro on Sunday. I know its a terribly short trip so I could use some advice on an itinerary. I love nature. And I'm not a huge fan of ruins but I like them nevertheless.

Places Im thinking about:
Copan Ruins
Cusuco National Park
La Ceiba (Not sure whats out there)
Mayyybe the bay islands although Im pretty sure its not enought time.

So...what should I pick from the above and did I miss something?

I really love Copán Ruinas - plenty there to keep you busy. That said, you could also fly or bus to La Ceiba, see if you can connect with some rafting, kayaking, waterfall hikes, etc., then head to Utila or Roatán. Check out Omega Lodge for the activities outside La Ceiba.

I'm afraid you'll face some challenges booking places this late and such a popular time for people to head out for a quick vacation. Good luck!

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Thanks for your prompt answer.
Is it possible to head to the Copan Ruins straight after I land in San Pedro? I would like to stay as as little as possible in SPS

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According to this website I just Googles "Copan Honduras Busses" and you can make the later bus most likely-

[http://www.travelsinparadise.com/honduras/copan_1.html]

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According to the Hedman Alas website there's a 2:15 shuttle bus from the airport to the bus station to connect with a 3pm bus to Copán. If you don't want to wait that long you could take a taxi to the station and see if another company is leaving sooner. Just know that it might not get there soon since many of the buses stop enroute to pick up add'l passengers.

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Forget La Ceiba. It's only a stopping point for the ferry to the Bay islands. Nothing of great interest there, especially if you only have 5 days. If you must see Copan then from there get back to SPS and from there I would go to Tela for some fun in the sun and maybe venture over to Triunfo de la Cruz a beach a 1/2 hour east of Tela. In Tela Garifuna Tours does nature trips in the area. Also Lake Yojoa is really beautiful with some pretty cheap big resorts on the lake with awesome views.

http://www.garifunatours.com/

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Thanks for the website info. Very helpful for someone coming into Central America and planning a trip.

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Just came back from the trip. Thanks for all the info guys.

Notes:

  1. Tours from Tela to Punta Sul or anywhere else for that matter won't be running unless there are 4-5 people signed up. And Tela the town itself is not that great. The beaches are decent though. The view from the Maya Vista hotel is beautiful.

  2. The definition of "directo" bus varies. What can be claimed as a 3 hour journey can easily take 4/ 4 and a half hours. Plan accordingly.

  3. Agua Caliente near Copan is beautiful .....when you arrive early and find yourself alone there. Wait a few hours and join the families and the kids and it quickly diminishes in worth.

  4. Maybe everyone else knew about this and I just didnt do my homework.... but there's a 36 USD airport tax that I have to pay before I leave. Took me by surprise.

  5. The fruits. Oh the fruits. To die for.

  6. When in Copan Ruinas, try this great Microbrewery called Sol de Copan. Run by an awesome and friendly German expat. Ima add an entry in wikitravel for it.

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Thanks for coming back with feedback from your trip. I'm fond of Hedman Alas buses because they are soooo direct - very efficient and comfortable. I've only been to Agua Caliente on week days and it's been pretty empty - sounds like weekends or holidays are different. That tax is surprisingly high; Belize has been high for years but Honduras was fairly cheap until last spring and we were surprised at the increase when we left last summer.

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