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 has become the
most elite-oriented, with many of the better hotels
on the Islands located here. Guanaja is a unique
island, as it 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
Dive
Centers & Accommodations
New
Travel Regulations
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
The proposed implementation timeline has two
phases:
Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including
U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the
United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and
South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will
be required to present a valid passport, Air
NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner
Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form
I-551, if applicable.
As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including
U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and
Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the
Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including
ferries), may be required to present a valid
passport or other documents as determined by
the Department of Homeland Security. While recent
legislative changes permit a later deadline,
the Departments of State and Homeland Security
are working to meet all requirements as soon
as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided
to enable the public to obtain passports or
passport cards for land/sea entries.
The passport requirement
does NOT apply to U.S. citizens traveling to
or returning directly from a U.S. territory.
U.S. citizens returning directly from a U.S.
territory are not considered to have left the
United States and do not need to present a passport.
U.S. territories include the following: Guam,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American
Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands. More
Details... |
Getting
There
The main airport serving the area is the San Pedro
Sula International Airport. Serviced regularly by
LACSA,
TACA,
COPA, American, Continental
and Iberia,
San Pedro Sula is easily reached from the following
North American gateways: Miami, Houston, New Orleans,
New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, Mexico
City and Cancun. In addition, there are excellent
connections via the Central American Airlines through
San Jose, Costa Rica; San Salvador, El Salvador; Panama
City, Panama and Guatemala City, Guatemala. There
is also daily air service by Isleña Airlines
to San Pedro from La Ceiba, Roatan and Tegucigalpa.
La Ceiba is perhaps the best communicated city in
Honduras. The largest domestic carrier, Isleña Airlines
has its operations hub here, and from here you can
fly to Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, Choluteca, Roatan,
Utila, Guanaja, Trujillo, as well as the Miskito Coast.
Aerolineas Sosa and Rollins Air also have their main
bases in La Ceiba. In addition, TACA
and LACSA
both have international flights to San Salvador, El
Salvador, San Jose, Costa Rica, as well as Houston,
Miami, New York and New Orleans, in the USA.
La Ceiba is also a departure point to the Bay Islands.
Schedules are subject to change, so check with your
destination or travel agent for any changes.
For visitors coming from Europe, you may book through
KLM,
Lufthansa,
Alitalia,
Air
France, British Airways, and Iberia.
Getting to the islands from the mainland is an easy
task these days
Roatan
By Ferry
La Ceiba is the closest city to Roatan on the mainland,
which is only thirty miles away. The Galaxy ferry
travels between Roatan and La Ceiba on the mainland
of Honduras.
La Ceiba - Roatan 11:00 a.m. daily
La Ceiba - Roatan 4:15 p.m. daily
Roatan - Ceiba 6:00 a.m. daily
Roatan - Ceiba 1:45 p.m. daily
15$ adult and 7.50$ child approximately - All prices
are subject to change without notice.
By Air
Taca Airlines provides direct flights from Miami (Sundays),
New Orleans and Houston (Saturdays) www.taca.com. Solair also
provides direct flights from Miami (Fridays, return
Saturdays) www.solair.net.
Continental
(from Houston) and American
(from Miami) also fly into San Pedro Sula (where you
can then travel to Roatan on smaller local airlines,
listed below). Continental Airlines also provides
a new nonstop Saturday service between Houston and
Roatan.
Utila
By Ferry
Ferry service between La Ceiba and Utila aboard the
118' Utila Princess - UtilaPrincess@yahoo.com
Departs La Ceiba 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM Tickets may be
purchased at La Ceiba's main cargo port.
Departs Utila 6:20 AM and 2:00 PM - Tickets may be
purchased at the Utila Municipal Dock.
By Air
Aerolineas
SOSA and Atlantic Airlines service
Utila locally (see schedules
on Utila page).
Guanaja
Getting to Guanaja is only by air only. Isleña
Airlines and AEROLINEAS
SOSA has flights from La Ceiba to Guanaja. Flights
are generally $35.US to $45.US each way.
Entry Requirements
Passport valid 6 months beyond intended stay in Honduras.
Ticket for return or onward travel.
Departure tax US$25.00.
Visa is not required for stay up to 30 days for nationals
of the following countries: Argentina, Australia,
Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, European Union,
Guatemala, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Puerto Rico,
San Marino, Switzerland, Uruguay, United States and
Vatican.
Visas are required for nationals of other countries
and can be purchased from Honduran consulates.
Visit the City Guide for more detailed information
for specific destinations.
Travel Tips
Getting Around on the Mainland
There are car rental agencies at the airports and
in the larger towns. An international or foreign driving
license is all you need. Roads in the city and on
the highways are in fairly good condition but not
so in the rural areas. Driving is to the right. If
you prefer to let someone else do the driving, you
can hire a taxi. But taxis are unmetered so remember
to fix the fare before you step into one.
The cheapest option is the local buses. The signs
on the buses indicate the direction they are headed
in.
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.
Medical
Medical care in Honduras varies in quality. Although
doctors are generally well trained, support staff
and facilities are not up to U.S. standards. Facilities
for advanced surgical procedures are not available.
The islands of Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja do not have
a general surgery hospital. There is a decompression
chamber on Roatan for divers. Travelers carrying prescription
medicine should ensure that the medication is clearly
labeled.
Language
Spanish is the official language of Honduras. English
is spoken in the Bay Islands and in most tourist areas.
Traditional languages are still used in some remoter
areas of the country such as Olancho and the Mosquitia.
Money and Banking
There are banks in all major towns and cities ( Hours
- Mon-Fri 0900-1500 (some banks open until 1800).
Some branches open Sat 0900-1200 ). However, banks
only exchange US dollars and very few exchange travellers’
checks. Even exchanging currencies of neighbouring
countries away from the border is difficult. There
are a number of ATM machines around but most of them
accept only Honduran cards. Cashing a personal check
is very difficult as is wiring money to Honduras.
The best alternative is to carry US dollars before
you enter Honduras and exchange to Lempira once you’re
in Honduras.
When you first arrive in Honduras, San Pedro Sula
and Tegus airports have exchange cages where you can
exchange enough to hold you until the next day, when
you can visit the bank. Shops and hotels usually charge
hefty commissions to exchange currency.
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.
Shopping
Local craftsmanship is excellent and inexpensive.
Typical items include woodcarvings, cigars, leather
goods, straw hats and bags, seed necklaces and baskets.
General shpping hours are Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1330-1800,
Sat 0800-1700.
Food
The sweet tooth of the Hondurans is obvious in their
variety of desserts. If you like sweets, try the sweet
rice that is soaked in coconut milk and sugar. Coconut
milk is a common ingredient used frequently in Garifuna
cuisine. There is so much to sample, so much diversity,
and so many dishes. And what may be called ‘baleada’
(something like a burrito) in one region may just
turn out to be a tortilla stuffed with fried beans
and onions in another. The staple food is combination
of rice and beans and tortillas. But rice and beans
may not always be just rice and beans - it may be
cooked in animal fat.
Lots of fresh seafood is available, especially around
the coastal areas. Grouper, snapper, tuna and barracuda
are what you’ll find on the menu. Most fish dishes
are liberally sprinkled with spices.
Honduras offers a fair selection for the vegetarians
as well. The choice is somewhat limited but there’s
much to sample and savour.
Wash down your food with Salva Vida beer, the most
popular drink among the Hondurans.
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.
Water
Water is not safe to drink anywhere in Honduras. This
goes for the ice as well. Ask for agua purificada
- purified water. In restaurants always check with
the waitress to make sure it had been boiled.
Time Zone
GMT/UTC -6
Electricity
110/220V, 60Hz
Internet Connections
High speed internet connections are available at cyber
cafes throughout Honduras. Ask at your hotel's front
desk for the cafes with the fastest connections.
Weights and measures
The Metric system is in use here
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