HONDURAS
TRAVEL TIPS
A collection
of important information that can make your trip more enjoyable.
Honduras
is a vibrant country, brimming with clear turquois waters, pristine beaches,
lush jungles, breathtaking mountains, challenging rivers, and fascinating
ancient ruins. Vast expanses of mother nature are to be found everywhere.
We welcome you here to learn more about this beautiful country, explore
all it's wonders, and eventually, see Honduras for yourself.
HONDURAS
GENERAL INFORMATION
Area: 112,492 sq km (43,433 sq miles).
Population: 6,535,344 (official estimate 2001).
Population
Density: 58.1 per sq km.
Capital: Tegucigalpa. Population: 1,089,200 (official estimate 2001).
Government: Republic. Head of State and Government: President Ricardo Maduro
since 2002.
Language: The official language is Spanish. English is widely spoken
by the West Indian settlers in the north and on the Bay Islands
off the Caribbean coast. |
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Religion: Roman Catholic majority.
Electricity: 110/120/220 volts AC, 60Hz.
GEOGRAPHY: Honduras shares borders in the southeast with Nicaragua,
in the west with Guatemala, and in the southwest with El Salvador. To
the north lies the Caribbean and to the south the Pacific Ocean. The interior
of the country comprises a central mountain system running from east to
west, cut by rivers flowing into both the Caribbean and Pacific. The lowlands
in the south form a plain along the Pacific coast. The Gulf of Fonseca
in the southwest contains many islands which have volcanic peaks. The
large fertile valleys of the northern Caribbean lowlands are cultivated
with banana plantations. However, large areas of land in Honduras are
unsuitable for cultivation. The majority of the population lives in the
western half of the country, while the second-largest concentration of
people is in the Cortés area which extends northwards from Lake
Yojoa towards the Caribbean.
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HONDURAS ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Visas: Citizens of most Western European countries, Australia, Canada,
New Zealand, the U. K. and the USA can stay 30 days without a visa. Extensions
giving a total of 90 days are possible. You need a valid passport to enter
the country. Most other countries require a visas and a valid passport. Click here for more Visa informations
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HONDURAS
TRANSPORTATION
. Airlines within Honduras - Before discussing Honduran airlines,
let's discuss your return flight home. In Honduras, you must reconfirm
your return flight to Canada or the States. You can do that before you
even leave the airport. Elsewhere in the country, travel agents will charge
you 100 lempiras to make that call for you.
◊ Frequently scheduled flights - Between Tegucigalpa,
San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, and Roatan. Several airlines.
◊ Less frequent - Utila, Guanaja, Trujillo,
and parts of the Mosquitia.
◊ Sosa Airlines, Isleña Airlines (TACA owned), and
Atlantic Airlines all fly to different parts of the country. Be advised
-- If you are booked into Honduras with a secondary destination, you will
be flying a 15-passenger Isleña flight, not a TACA flight.
◊ Our experience with Isleña was bad. They bumped us -- despite
reservations and being 2nd in line; at first they provided no information
and then misinformation. They were totally indifferent to us as customers.
From my reading and discussions with others, our experience isn't isolated.
We also used Sosa and were very pleased.
More thoughts on Honduras airlines:
◊ Scheduled flights within Honduras are price-regulated,
so there is no need to price shop. Schedules change often. Sosa Airlines
has a site with a schedule of flights within Honduras. (Sale means departs; llega is arrives and dias are days of the
week). Isleña/TACA does have a site that will give you an idea of frequency.
◊ Arrival and departure times are pretty loose. Carry
a good paperback.
◊ Keep $25 back (in $s or lempiras) to pay the exit tax when
you leave Honduras. At the La Ceiba airport, they have added about a $2
tax when you fly out of the airport.
.
Chicken Buses - To my delight, the standard-class buses in Honduras
were better than Guatemala (well, anything would be) and Costa Rica. Chicken
buses -- aged, transported North American school buses3 --
go everywhere and quite frequently. They are very inexpensive.
It is best to print out the routes and connections from San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa
before you leave home (scroll to the bottom of the page for each city's
schedule). Keep in mind that these routes may change.
Other schedules throughout Central America are listed at the Magic Bus, Old Site.
◊ San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa have numerous bus stations
located throughout the cities. Be alert to which bus station you need.
◊ When possible, find out if there is a directo (non-stop)
bus. If there is, take it and be prepared to stop 14 times en-route anyways.
◊ Easy on the liquids before bus rides. You may have a long
wait.
◊ Carry small lempira bills so change doesn't become an issue.
Learned that one the hard way in Guatemala.
.
First class buses - Hedman-Alas has routes which link San Pedro Sula,
La Ceiba, Tegucigalpa, and Copan Ruinas -- with a connection through to
Guatemala City for those venturing on. Here is Hedman's schedule.
Hedman
offers excellent service. Most recently, Hedman has added a bus that leaves
from the San Pedro Sula airport to the downtown office. All their
buses have on-board toilet. Hedman has its own separate bus stations in
very secure areas.
◊ Note: As a foreigner, your ticket price is more than the
posted price in the Hedman station (posted rate is a price for citizens).
Other buses have the same price for tourists and Hondurans.
.
Ferries - Ferries run daily from La Ceiba to Utila and Roatan (Guanaja
once a week). The port is located a few miles east of Ceiba. The trip
to Roatan takes about 1.5 hours and runs around $10. For those prone to
motion sickness, the ride from the islands back to La Ceiba is gentler.
The ferry leaves in the a.m. for Utila and at 1.45 pm and 4.15 pm for
Roatan. Always check the Honduras Tips magazine (available throughout
the country) for current times.
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HONDURAS DUTY FREE
- Tobacco:
200 cigarettes, 100 cigars, or 454 g of tobacco
- Alcohol:
2 liters of alcoholic beverage
- Perfume:
A reasonable amount of perfume for personal use;
- Other:
Gifts up to a total value of US$1,000
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Prohibited
or Restricted
- Unregistered firearms
- Controlled
drugs
|
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HONDURAS
COMMUNICATIONS
Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 504. Outgoing international code:
00.
Mobile
telephone: GSM 850/1900 networks are available. Celtel is the
main network provider (website: www.celtel.net). Alo is another (website:
www.alo.hn).
Fax: Empresa Hondureña de Telecomunicaciones (HONDUTEL) offers a service.
Internet: ISPs include NetSys (website: www.netsys.hn). Internet cafes exist in
major towns.
Telegram: Ordinary and letter telegrams (minimum 22 words) may be sent.
Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes between four and seven days.
Post office hours: Mon-Sat 0800-1200 and 1400-1800.
Press: Daily newspapers are in Spanish, and include El Heraldo, La Prensa, El
Tiempo and La Tribuna. The weekly Honduras This Week is published in English.
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HONDURAS
BUSINESS PROFILE
Economy: The economy of Honduras, which is one of the
poorest nations in the western hemisphere, relies on agriculture and timber.
The main agricultural products are bananas, beans, coffee, cotton, maize,
rice, sorghum and sugar; there is also some dairy and beef farming, and
a trade in shellfish. Apart from wood and wood products, light industries
produce a variety of consumer goods. There is a small mining industry
which produces lead, zinc and silver for export. The economy draws heavily
on various forms of US-sponsored aid – both direct and multilateral
(through the IMF, Inter-American Development Bank and others). Export
earnings have been badly hit in recent years by low world prices and slack
demand within the Central American Common Market, of which Honduras is
a member. To compound its difficulties further, Honduras was badly affected
by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which caused an estimated US$3 billion worth
of damage. The USA is the principal market for exports, followed by Germany,
Belgium and the UK.
Business: It is customary to address a professional person by his or her title,
particularly on first meeting or during early acquaintance. Businesspeople
are generally expected to dress smartly and some dining rooms require
men to wear a jacket. There are very few local interpreter or translation
services available. Though many businesspeople throughout the country
also speak English, correspondence should be in Spanish. Office hours:
Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1400-1700, Sat 0800-1100. Government offices: Mon-Fri
0830-1200 and 1300-1630.
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HONDURAS SOCIAL PROFILE
Food
& Drink: The name of the favorite tourist meal is "Plato
Tipico." It does vary in content but usually includes rice, beans,
fried bananas, potatoes, yucca, cheese, tomato, cabbage and some category
of meat which often may be chicken. The coastal areas have lots of fish
which are quite good although you may not recognize their names. Normally
fish is fried, but try to get it cooked in coconut sauce - it is wonderful!
Be wary of food in areas away from cities, hotels and resorts as care
to cleanliness is not assured. As always, soft drinks are everywhere,
but ask not to have ice included as the water which made it may not have
been pure. Fruit drinks may also have been mixed with water so ask how
it was prepared. The country has several brands of beer and well as wines.
Nightlife: There are cinemas and discos in the main cities.
Special
Events: A great many religious celebrations and local festivals
take place throughout the year in Honduras; for a full list, contact the
Embassy of Honduras (see Contact Addresses section). The following is
a selection of special events occurring in Honduras in 2005:
May Fiesta de San Isidro (carnival festivities), La Ceiba. Jun Fiesta
de San Antonio, Tela; Fiesta de San Juan Batista, Trujillo. Sep 15 Independence
Day Celebrations, nationwide. Oct Morazan Day (Soldiers Day), nationwide.
Social
Conventions: There are strong Spanish influences, but the majority
of the population is mestizo, mainly leading an agricultural way of life
with a low standard of living. Many rural communities can still be found
living a relatively unchanged, traditional lifestyle. Social courtesies
should be observed. It is customary for a guest at dinner or someone’s
home to send flowers to the hostess, either before or afterwards. Conservative
casual wear is widely acceptable with dress tending to be less conservative
in coastal areas. Beachwear and shorts should not be worn away from the
beach or poolside. Men are required to wear dinner jackets for formal
social occasions. Hotels, restaurants and shops include a 12 per cent
sales tax on all purchases. Tipping: Service is included in most restaurant
bills. In hotels, cafes and restaurants, 10 per cent of the bill is customary
where service is not included. Porters and cab drivers should be tipped
when helping with the luggage (La0.50 to La1). Hotels, travel agencies
and tour operators charge an extra 4 per cent for tourism services.
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HONDURAS HEALTH
The central government coordinates the medical establishment. Facilities
are not of a high standard but adequate for emergency use. Hotels have
access to multilingual doctors and medical assistants. Medicines are in
short supply. Fortunately, most illnesses are preventable either
through vaccination, or by taking the necessary precautions against infection. Travelers
should carry insurance, and long-term visitors should have a policy with
evacuation services. All travelers should visit either a travel health
clinic or their personal physician four to eight weeks before departure
for regular vaccinations and any specific medications needed for travel.
Vaccinations
Required : yellow fever
Suggested : hepatitis A and B, typhoid, tetanus-diphtheria, measles,
chickenpox
Immediate Concerns
- Health
risks
Malaria, and travelers' diarrhea, and exposure to: HIV, Chagas disease,
American trypanosomiasis, bartonellosis (Oroya fever), Venezuelan
equine encephalitis, Eastern equine encephalitis, visceral and cutaneous
leishmaniasis, tick-borne relapsing fever, brucellosis, paragonimiasis
(Oriental lung fluke)
- Food
and Water
Do not drink tap water unless boiled or chemically treated, and avoid drinking
anything with ice in it; avoid fruits and vegetables unless they can
be peeled or are pre-cooked; and stay away from un-pasteurized dairy
products, including ice cream. Do not eat raw or undercooked meat
or fish, it may contain harmful poisons or parasites.
- Insects
Mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies are a common cause of disease
in Honduras.
Medical Precautions: It
is important for all travelers to bring medications for malaria and travelers'
diarrhea, along with a personal medical kit complete with necessary medications,
including syringes and a physician's letter documenting their medical
usage. This kit should include extra pairs of contact lenses and glasses,
as well as any specific medications for travelers' diarrhea, allergies,
motion sickness, or other over-the-counter medication, as supplies are
often limited and expensive.
Insect repellents are also recommended, in conjunction
with other measures to prevent insect bites, such as protective clothing,
bed-netting, and DEET-based repellent. For additional protection,
apply permethrin-containing compounds to clothing, shoes, and bed nets.
Avoid contact with stray animals, especially farm animals. If bitten,
clean wound thoroughly with soap and water, and seek medical attention
immediately.
HIV/AIDS is present. Use condoms for all sexual
encounters, and avoid blood transfusions or injections.
Women's Health Issues: Women should pack a personal
medical kit to cover a broad range of personal health requirements, including
birth control pills and specific medications. Note that differences in
climate can cause changes in a woman's pH balance. If prone to bacterial
infections, women should pack any necessary supplies to counteract this
problem. Women should also consider taking extra vitamin, mineral, and
food supplements to ensure optimum physical health. See Women's Health
Issues .
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HONDURAS SECURITY BREIFING
The security situation in Honduras requires a high degree of caution.
Poverty, gangs, and low apprehension and conviction rates of criminals
contribute to a high crime rate. Many men in Honduras carry firearms and
machetes, and disputes are sometimes settled with violence. Violent and
petty crime are prevalent throughout the country. While crime affects
everyone in Honduras, criminals have at times targeted tourists, particularly
those coming from airports and hotels, as well as wealthy-looking residents
in San Pedro Sula, Tela, Trujillo, and Tegucigalpa. Street crime is a
principal concern, with thefts, pursesnatching, pickpocketing, assaults,
and armed robberies on the rise in urban areas. Carjackings, kidnappings,
muggings, and home invasions are not uncommon. There have been some incidents
of sexual assault. Tourists and residents should avoid walking at night
in most areas of Honduras, especially in the major cities. Tourists, in
particular, should not hike alone in backcountry areas, nor walk alone
on beaches, historic ruins, or trails.
Visitors
should use the same common sense while traveling in Honduras that they
would in any high crime area of a major international city. Jewelry should
not be worn in downtown or rural areas. Do not carry large sums of money,
ATM or credit cards that are not needed, nor other valuables.
Foreigners
are encouraged to follow local news reports and contact the Honduran Embassy
in their country of residence or their embassy in Tegucigalpa for current
conditions
Areas
of Danger: The San Pedro Sula area has seen an upsurge in armed
robberies against tourist vans, minibuses and cars traveling from the
airport to area hotels, some targeting the road to Copan. Vehicles force
the transport off the road, and then men with AK-47s rob the victims,
occasionally assaulting the driver or passengers. Robberies in this area
may be based on tips from sources at airport arrival areas; please exercise
caution in discussing travel plans in public.
Copan
, the Bay Islands and other tourist destinations have a lower crime rate
than other parts of the country, but petty thefts and assaults do occur.
Specifically, visitors to Copan and the Bay Islands have experienced some
petty thefts and, on Roatan Island , robbers have targeted homes and longer-term
leased residences. Hotels and pensions are considered safer. U.S. citizens
visiting the islands should exercise particular caution around sparsely
inhabited coastal areas and should avoid walking on isolated beaches,
especially at night. While incidents of serious violent crime in these
regions are infrequent, three U.S. citizens have been murdered in Roatan
since 1998. However, all the victims in Roatan were either residing in
Roatan and/or involved in real estate or commercial ventures.
Although
not a primary tourist destination, the Department of Olancho is one of
the most violent areas in Honduras. Travelers in that area should use
extra caution.
There
have also been incidents involving roadblocks and violence connected with
land disputes that can delay travel, particularly in the north coast area
near Trujillo .
Incidents
of crime along roads in Honduras are common. There have been frequent
incidents of highway robbery on a number of roads including Limones to
La Union , Olancho (route 41) via Salama and northward to Saba . For more
information, please see the section below on Travel Safety and Road Conditions.
Murder
Thirty-one U.S. citizens have been murdered in Honduras since 1995, and
most cases remain unresolved. There are problems with the judicial process,
including an acute shortage of trained personnel, equipment, staff, financial
resources, and reports of corruption. The Honduran law enforcement authorities'
ability to prevent, respond, investigate, apprehend, file Interpol reports,
and prosecute criminal incidents remains limited.
Robbery:
Do not resist a robbery attempt. Many criminals have weapons, and most
injuries have resulted when victims resisted. Two Europeans tourists were
murdered in July 2002 while resisting an armed robbery of the bus in which
they were traveling. Do not hitchhike or go home with strangers, particularly
from nightspots. Whenever possible, travel in groups of two or more persons.
Police: The government has instituted a "zero tolerance" policy
on crime. As part of this policy, the police patrol jointly with armed
soldiers in major cities in an effort to reduce crime. Honduran police
generally do not speak English. The government has recently established
a special tourist police in the resort town of Tela and plans to expand
this force to other popular tourist destinations.
Transportation:
Night driving is discouraged. All bus travel should be during daylight
hours and on first-class conveyances, not economy buses. Visitors should
pick taxis carefully, and note the driver's name and license number. They
should instruct the driver not to pick up other passengers, agree on the
fare before they depart, and have small bills available for payment, because
taxi drivers often do not make change.
Yachts
and Sailing Vessels: There have been incidents of armed assaults
against private sailing vessels by criminals posing as fishermen off the
northeast coast of Honduras, particularly in the numerous small islands
northeast of the coast of the Department of Gracias a Dios.
The
areas off both coasts of Honduras have been the subject of maritime border
disputes between Honduras and its neighbors. The Honduran Navy patrols
these areas, and all private vessels transiting Honduran territorial waters
should be prepared to be hailed and possibly boarded by Honduran military
personnel to verify documentation. While the Honduran previously used
private vessels as patrol vessels, this is no longer the case. In the
event that any vessel is hailed in Honduran waters in the Caribbean by
a non-military vessel or any suspicious vessel and directed to prepare
for boarding, the vessel should immediately contact:
U.S. Coast Guard Operations Center (by radio or INMARSAT)
Tel: [1] (305) 415-6800
Anyone needing more information can also contact the U.S Embassy and request
the U.S. Military Group (USMILGP) Duty Officer.
Sailors should contact the Coast Guard and yacht facility managers in
their areas of travel for current information.
Loss
of Passport: The loss or theft abroad of a passport should be
reported immediately to the local police and to the nearest embassy or
consulate of the country from which the passport was issued. Citizens
applying for replacement passports will be asked to present proof of citizenship
and identification. Passport replacement can be facilitated if the traveler
has a photocopy of the passport's data page.
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HONDURAS CURRENCY/MONEY
Currency: Lempira (La) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations
of La500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 50,
20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 centavos. A real is one-eighth of a Lempira, and is
used colloquially, though there is no such coin.
Banking: Banks are open Monday through Friday 9 am until 3 pm.
A few have Saturday morning hours.
Money
Exchange: The best place to exchange currency is at banks, however
not all banks will do it. It can be very difficult to cash travelers checks
and then only at banks and hotels.
Credit
cards: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are
accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of
merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
Travellers cheques: To avoid additional exchange rate
charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.
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HONDURAS
SHOPPING
Monday through Friday 9 am until noon and 2 pm until 5 pm. Wood carving
and wooden musical instruments are popular as well as embroidery and baskets.
Leather goods, brightly colored ceramics and textiles are also good to
consider. If you are into cigars, Honduras has many of its own brands.
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HONDURAS TIPPING
Service is included in most restaurant bills. In hotels, cafes and restaurants,
10 per cent of the bill is customary where service is not included. Porters
and cab drivers should be tipped when helping with the luggage (La0.50
to La1). Hotels, travel agencies and tour operators charge an extra 4
per cent for tourism services.
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HONDURAS
PEOPLE
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HONDURAS
CLIMATE & CLOTHING
Climate: The climate on the mainland of Honduras varies
due to being located between two oceans. The North is hot and humid; the
central is cooler and the south is usually hot and dry. There are two
seasons dry and rainy. The dry season is from November to May and the
rainy from June to October.
Clothing: Like other Central American countries it all depends on what part of the
country you are in. Sweaters or a jacket are a must if you are staying
in the mountains. Light colored cotton clothing is essential when you
visit the Caribbean coast and other lowland areas.
Business attire: Honduras is a poor country and many
of its citizens wear secondhand clothing imported from wealthier nations.
T-shirts with slogans in English, French, or German are everywhere, but
the person wearing the shirt may not know what the words say. In contrast,
wealthy businesspeople are very fashion-conscious and wear the latest
styles from North America and Europe.
In
general, a conservative business suit will do well for both men and women.
Keep in mind the more humid climate and choose natural fabrics, if possible.
Nights can get cool, so bring suitable covering. A collapsible umbrella
is also suggested for frequent afternoon showers, especially in the rainy
season, mid-May to mid-September.
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HONDURAS SPORTS & ACTIVITIES
Ecotourism: The exciting, unspoilt landscape of Honduras
and the multitude of flora and fauna that can be found there offer much
interest to nature lovers. There are wildlife refuges and national parks
all over the country. Cloud forests, mountains, dry forests, pine forests
and huge rivers are among the natural features to be enjoyed. The coastal
wetlands are home to monkeys and manatees, and visitors can take boat
rides through the swamps to view these animals. Toucans and orchids are
amongst the attractions of the cloud forests. The centre for activities
focusing on ecotourism is La Ceiba and, particularly, the nearby Pico
Bonito National Park, which offers excellent opportunities for hiking
through the rainforest. For birdwatching, the premier destination is Lake
Yojoa in the west of the country. Wildlife enthusiasts can also take boat
trips along the winding canals of the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge,
which provides a habitat for numerous animal species (including monkeys,
alligators and manatees) and dozens of waterbirds.
Watersports: There is excellent diving in the clear waters of the Bay Islands, teeming
with coral and tropical fish. The gateway to these islands is La Ceiba
which has gained an excellent reputation amongst the many diving destinations
in the Caribbean. Some hotels include hire of equipment in their price.
Safe swimming can be enjoyed on both seaboards, where beautiful sandy
beaches are found. There is good fishing on both coasts and Lake Yojoa
offers some of the best bass fishing in the world. Whitewater rafting
is popular on the Río Cangrejal in Pico Bonito National Park and
day trips can be arranged from La Ceiba.
Other: Golf is an increasingly popular sport, with courses available in most
major populated areas. Football is the most popular spectator sport. A
new popular activity is canopy touring; a series of cables are fixed from
tree to tree, and attached to a pully while wearing a harness one can
‘fly’ through the canopy of the rainforest (contact Junglas
Tropicales’s Jungle Canopy Tours in La Ceiba: tel: (504) 440 1268).
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HONDURAS TIME ZONE
Honduras is in Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala
and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),
between El Salvador and Nicaragua. Honduras Standard Time is GMT - 6.
Honduras does not operate Daylight-Saving Time
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