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General
Information
Honduras with it's Bay Islands is a stunningly
beautiful country, with marvelous beaches, lush
green mountains, the idyllic Bay Islands, and the
ancient Mayan city of Copan - just to scratch the
surface.
Honduras is located in Central America bordered
by Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Most visitors
arrive by air.
Whether you are exploring the Mayan ruins, diving
in the Bay Islands or relaxing on the North Coast
at Tela or La Ceiba, there are great places to visit
and things to do. The people of Honduras are very
friendly and visitors and travellers are most welcome.
If you have a spirit of adventure, make Honduras
your next vacation spot.
Off the northern coast of Honduras, from 12 to 35
miles offshore, you will find the Bay Islands. They
are located along the largest barrier reef in the
Western Hemisphere.
 The Bay
Islands remain today as some of the Caribbean’s
most beautiful, pristine and tranquil islands. This
exotic archipelago is a divers paradise, boasting
clear waters and unspoiled reefs that are among
the healthiest in the Caribbean. These virgin reefs
teem with a myriad of unique reef creatures and
95% of all species of the Caribbean’s coral can
be found in these alluring waters.
Roatan is the largest island, with the most infrastructure
and the most developed for tourism. It is a long,
thin island, measuring almost 40 miles in length
and with a total land mass of 49 square miles. The
island has a mountainous backbone and is totally
surrounded by coral reefs, offering superb diving.
The
tallest of the islands, Guanaja does not have any
roads, and the largest community, known as Bonaca
is not even on the island itself, but on a small
cay a short distance from Guanaja. Guanaja has a
paved runway as an airport, and is forested with
the unique Caribbean pine that distinguishes it
very much from its sister islands.
Climate Average High 85F 29C
Can cool to about 68F 20C at night.
Water Temp 78 - 83F 25 - 28C
U/W Visibility 80 - 150 ft 24 - 45 m
Getting
There
There
are a number of options availbe in traveling to Honduras
and the Bay Islands. International flights direct
to the mainland, direct and connecting flights to
Roatan, local flights to Utila and Guanaja. Flights
to the mainland can be combined with bus and ferry
services to Roatan and Utila. We have included airline
information below for your convenience but these are
subject to change, always check with your travel agent
for the best options from your city. If you are making
your own reservations, check diectly with the airlines
or use one of the popular search engines such as Orbitz,
Expedia,
Travelocity
or One
Travel. These sites wil provide you with schedule
options and discounted prices.
By
Air
From
USA/Canada
American,
Continental,
Delta,
Copa,
Spirit,
United
and TACA
Airlines all fly from the U.S. and Canada to the city
of San Pedro Sula on mainland, Honduras.
The
main airlines flying direct flights into Roatan are
Continental
(Saturday/Sunday out of Houston, Saturday out of Newark),
Delta
(Saturday out of Atlanta) and TACA
(Saturday out of Houston, Sunday out of Miami) Aerolineas
Sosa and Islena
also services Roatan with regularly scheduled domestic
flights.
Utila
is serviced by flights from Aerolineas
Sosa.
Guanaja
is serviced by Aerolineas
Sosa.
The
main airlines flying to La Ceiba are TACA,
SOSA and Islena.
Sunwing
Airlines will begin direct flights From Toronto
to Roatan beginning November 2011.
From
Europe
Most
European Airlines have direct flights to Miami or
Houston, from where you can take a connection flight
to Roatan with above-mentioned Airlines.
Ferry
Services
Besides
air service to the islands, you may also fly into
San Pedro Sula, take a private bus service, such as
Hedman
Alas to La Ceiba, then ferry to Roatan or Utila.
Hedman Alas offers four trips daily from San Pedro
Sula to La Ceiba on air conditioned executive buses
- 06:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 03:20 p.m., 06:20 p.m.
Roatan
By Ferry - La Ceiba
The ferry, named the Galaxy Wave, is a 152 foot catamaran
yacht, with a 460 person capacity. There is a concession
area onboard which offers snacks and refreshments.
Onboard entertainment is available. Cost is approximately
US$28./Adult, US$15. Children 5 -10 years.
Schedule
Depart 7:00 am Roatan - Arrive 8:15 am La Ceiba
Depart 9:30 am La Ceiba - Arrive 10:45 am Roatan
Depart 2:00 pm Roatan - Arrive 3:15 pm La Ceiba
Depart 4:30 pm La Ceiba - Arrive 5:45 pm Roatan
Utila
By Ferry
The cost for the La Ceiba - Utila ferry is approximately
$22 each way; the ferry is called the Utila Princess.
Schedule
Morning
Leave Utila 6.20am
Arrive La Ceiba 7.30am
Leave
La Ceiba 9.30am
Arrive in Utila 10.40am
Afternoon
Leave Utila 2pm
Arrive La Ceiba 3.10pm
Leave
La Ceiba 4.00pm
Arrive Utila 5.10pm
Entry
Requirements
Passport valid 6 months beyond intended stay in Honduras.
Ticket for return or onward travel.
Departure tax US$37.00.
Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, USA
and most Western European countries can stay 30 days
without a visa. Nationals from most other countries
not mentioned above must obtain a visa, please check
ahead with the Honduran embassey before traveling.
Helpful Information
Getting Around on the Islands
There is little need for transportation on the smaller
islands. Roatan with it's 60 miles of roads, offers
cars, trucks, bikes and scooters for rent.
Language
Spanish is the official language of Honduras. English
is spoken in the Bay Islands and in most tourist areas.
Medical Facilities
There are two decompression chambers on Roatan and
one on Utila. Both Utila and Guanaja have medical
clinics, while Roatan has four good sized facilities
located in Sandy Bay, Coxen Hole, French Harbour,
and Punta Gorda. La Ceiba and San Pedro Sula, the
nearest large cities on the mainland, have fully equipped
hospitals with many U.S. trained doctors. Medivac
is available if needed.
Bay Islands Climate
Temperatures range from a high of close to 100 degrees
in August and September in the noon day sun ...to
a low of 68 degrees in the middle of a December night.
Trade winds keep the tropical humidity and heat under
control. The rainy season extends from October through
January -- with a total approaching 80 inches, providing
lush greenery and exotic flowers. Tropical storms
are rare but can occur in the fall. The Bay Islands
are located so far west that they’re rarely bothered
by hurricanes.
Electricity
Power on the islands is the same as in the US: 110
volts AC -60 cycles.
Time Zone
The islands are in the Central Time Zone (which is
equivalent to UTC (or GMT) less 6 hours). Daylight
savings time is not observed.
Taxes/Tipping
A 12% value added tax is added to the price of all
services and merchandise. Also many restaurants or
hotels will add an additional 10% service charge as
a tip. This is not compulsory to pay. Check your bill
before tipping as it may have already been included.
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