Best of Atlantida

February 6 2019

Adventure Travel in Honduras, Best of Atlantida, Best of La Ceiba, National Parks adventure tours in Honduras, canyoning and rappelling, hiking in the rain forest, White water rafting 0

I recently had a young couple visiting us at La Villa de Soledad B&B. Together they are a great team and have a vlog promoting Honduras. Daniel is from Honduras, but has lived in the United States for several years. Danielle is from the US and has an Italian Heritage. I invited them over to discover all the things that you can do in the Cangrejal River Valley. Daniel grew up in La Ceiba, and thought he knew that Cangrejal River Valley well. Wow, was he in for a surprise!

We coordinated picking him up in Indura, the luxury golf resort in Tela. what a surprise when they walked into La Villa de Soledad. The spacious areas blend into the outdoors almost seamlessly. Comfy rooms have a great cross ventilation and direct access to a porch. You even have your own personal hammock! But they were more impressed with the high speed internet in the middle of the jungle! Yes, La Villa de Soledad has outstanding high speed internet provided via a fiber optic cable!

A Two Day Itinerary for the Perfect Cangrejal River Adventures: Day One

After giving them a glass of passion fruit juice, we sat down and discussed their itinerary for the next two days. Day one had a white water rafting trip arranged with Omega Tours. The tour is a half day adventure that would start in the morning and end with a lunch at their facilities, just up the road from La Villa de Soledad. The white waters of the Cangrejal River provided some outstanding class III and IV rapids. Best of all, they made friends with a couple from South Africa that was staying at the Omega Tours Lodge.

After Lunch, I would pick them up and give them a transfer three kilometers down the road to Las Cascadas Lodge. There, they would hike up into the forests of Nombre de Dios National Park. The goal was to reach the top of some beautiful waterfalls and then descend by rappelling down the face of the falls. This is Canyoning at its best. Certainly the best place in Honduras, probably in all Central America, for this exciting adventure!

A Much Needed Rest For Another Adventure!

Needless to say, they were exhausted by the end of the day. What an adventure filled day. World Class white water rafting in the morning. Then exploring the tropical rainforest and finding some lovely waterfalls and descend down to the crystal clear pools at the bottom! By the end of the day, some celebrating was in order. So they headed out to the lovely La Jungla Bar to regroup with their new friends from South Africa. After some good times and a couple of cocktails they were ready for a good night sleep at La Villa de Soledad.

It’s hard to describe the peaceful nights at the Villa. The murmur of the water racing down the Cangrejal River towards the Caribbean lulls you to sleep. The usual cool breeze blowing down the valley keeps you nice and cool. You will want to cover up under the cotton sheets, and might even ask for a blanket on some cooler nights. Just before dawn, the sounds of the jungle will let you know it will soon be time to get up and ready for a new adventure. If you are into birding, this will signal the time to get up and out to see all the birds!

A Two Day Itinerary for the Perfect Cangrejal River Adventures: Day Two

For the second day, we had scheduled a hike into Pico Bonito National Park. The lovely El Bejuco Waterfall is at the end of a jungle trail. Watching the fall from the bottom is unbelievable. Daniel was astounded that as a local, he had never visited these stunning falls he had often seen from the road. Access is through an “Indiana Jones” style suspension bridge that spans over 400 feet high across the Cangrejal River. The views from the bridge are outstanding and worth the effort. From the bridge, a 1 ½ hour hike will bring you to the foot of the waterfall. I invite you so take a look at the video that Daniel and Danielle put together to admire the sheer beauty of El Bejuco Waterfall.

If you are looking for a site for adventures in nature, you will be hard pressed to find a better site than the Cangrejal River Valley. You will find that La Villa de Soledad is the ideal lodge for such an adventure. It is within walking distance to all these adventure activities. You will also enjoy our inviting hammocks with the company of a refreshing cocktail to help you relax in nature after a unique day of adventures. This is one experience you will cherish for a lifetime. It will be one of the highlights of your trip to Central America. Best of all, it is an affordable experience in one of the safest areas in Honduras.

February 6 2019

Best of Atlantida, Best of La Ceiba 0

One of the pleasures of traveling is trying new foods and different ways of preparing tradional meals. Everyone has his preferences when it comes to food. Thus it is difficult to determine where you can find the best food in La Ceiba. There are several restaurants in La Ceiba that offer outstanding food. But where can you find the best food in La Ceiba?

La Villa de Soledad is a bed and breakfast, not a restaurant. Our isolated location on the Cangrejal River Valley makes it hard to find nearby restaurants. Because of this, we do offer our guests lunch and dinner when they wish to eat while spending the night with us. If you go by the reviews that guests put up on travel sites such as tripadvisor, you would think we are a restaurant! Guests who stay and have a meal with us rave about the food we serve.

Soledad, my wife and fellow innkeeper and wife is not a chef. She has never studied at a culinary school. For that matter, she has never taken cooking courses! Yet she has a natural knack when it comes to preparing food. I compare it to singing, you can either carry a tune or you can’t. I can’t carry one for anyone’s business! But Soledad can sure cook a meal! She has a passion for it. She also enjoys experimenting. If she is watching TV, she usually is seeing one of the cooking programs that air on TV. She considers it a good way to get fresh ideas for her meals.

Soledad did work for several years at the restaurant in the Hotel Marina Copan, in Copan Ruinas. There she was a waitress, and as such she would be in and out of the kitchen during the day. There she learned many tricks that she puts to use when cooking a meal for our guests. She also loves to go out to eat to different restaurants. Soledad enjoys trying different dishes, and likes to guess what the ingredients are in her meal. She will ask, although not everybody shares their secrets.

Without doubt, one of the places where you can find the best food in La Ceiba is at La Villa de Soledad! The one drawback, is that we do not have a restaurant that is open to the public! If you wish to try Soledad’s outstanding meals, you will have to spend at least a night at La Villa de Soledad B&B.

If you do visit us to spend the night, you will be glad you did. Our setting is awesome! Our lovely view over the Cangrejal River to Pico Bonito National Park is yours to enjoy. You will be lulled to sleep by the fast waters of the Cangrejal River. Morning will greet you with a natural symphony of birds celebrating a new day. Your cozy room opens out to our gardens, were you can relax in your own personal hammock and see the day break!

But getting back to the best food in La Ceiba, you will find that Soledad will not offer you a printed menu. She will give you a couple of options to choose for each meal. A meal will cost you between 13 and 16 dollars. It can be a bit more expensive depending on what she offers you. She only prepares food for our guests, so take advantage of this unique privilege! A good time to visit La Villa de Soledad is during our low season. Rates are 30% off high season rates, making it a bargain at only $70 dollars per room in a double occupancy. This includes breakfast and taxes! That is only $35 US per person! Our low season rates are in effect between now and December 22nd.

Give yourself a break, and enjoy the best food in La Ceiba at La Villa de Soledad B&B!

February 6 2019

Best of Atlantida, Best of Honduras, Best of La Ceiba cangrejal river hotels, Cangrejal River Valley, Hotel in La Ceiba, La Ceiba Hotel, Nombre de Dios National Park, Pico Bonito National Park 0

Chatting with one of our guests this week he described La Villa de Soledad as a Jewel in the Jungle! I of course could not resist to write about this, so here I go…

The truth is that we are in the jungle and we do have a special place.

Getting to our Personal Jewel in the Jungle.

As is customary, I picked up our guests, Keith and Dana at the ferry dock. They arrived from Roatan on the Galaxy Wave ferry at 3:30 p.m. It took them a while to collect all their bags. The Ferry operation is outstanding; but they do need to work on the baggage collection. After meeting with them, we headed towards the Cangrejal River Valley. In total, we travel a distance of about 8 miles from the ferry to La Villa de Soledad.

Although a short drive, most of it is on a dirt road, which delays the arrival a few extra minutes. En route, it is normal for guests to reach a state of awe with the lush jungles and lovely river. About ten minutes after boarding the car, we are in a jungle road which follows the Cangrejal River. There is a dense forest coverage on both sides of the river. To the right is Pico Bonito National Park, to the left is Nombre de Dios National Park. It is easy to wonder where the heck it is you are headed for!

Keith shared with me that he did at one point ask himself if he had selected the right property to stay in. It seemed like we are on our way to a remote location, and the dense jungle made him think he would need to rough it out. He was looking for a nice place in the jungle, but was not particularly excited about rustic lodging!

First Impressions are Always Important!

A jewel in the jungle — Nestled in the tropical jungles of Nombre de Dios and Pico Bonito National Parks.

After about 20 minutes up the Cangrejal River Road we arrived at our destination. A steep drive up the hill usually gets our guests wondering if the car will make it up. The truth is you do need a four wheel drive vehicle to make it up. Half way up the hill you finally are aware of the place you chose to stay in. Our lovely Hacienda style home sits on a small bluff overlooking the Cangrejal River. It also faces the lush green mountains of Pico Bonito National Park.

I love it when guests finally walk into what we call our living room and acts as the lobby for our Bed and Breakfast. High cathedral ceilings and open porches blend into the natural surroundings. They always draw some awe inspired sighs! “Wow”, and “Oh My God” are common expressions when our guests walk in.

We are proud of the photos that we have in our website, but the general consensus is that we need better photos. What we have does not do justice to our property! The truth is that we are proud of our jewel in the jungle. We love seeing the impression on our guests faces when they first arrive! It does make for great first impression! Of course, we work hard to keep that good impression throughout their stay.

So now you know… if you are looking for a special place in the tropical rain forests of Central America. Consider staying at La Villa de SoledadBed and Breakfast in Honduras. You will find that it is a true jewel in the jungle. Go ahead and book now, to make sure that you can enjoy this lovely paradise that we call home!

April 4 2016

Best of Atlantida, National Parks, tourism in Honduras Atlantida, fire at jeannette kawas national park, Punta Sal National Park, Tela

Update to Jeannette Kawas National Park After the Fire

This past weekend, a group of persons set fire to the heart of Jeannette Kawas National Park. The raging fire burned over 400 hectares, equivalent to about 1000 acres, of pristine tropical forests. It took the effort of the Honduran Air Force, the Honduras Army, the Tela Firemen and most of the population of Tela to extinguish the fire. The success was made possible thanks to the support and direct actions by the United States Bravo Task Force based at the Soto Cano Air Force base near Comayagua, who pitched in with a total of 4 helicopters, and a large contingent of persons who worked day and night for over 5 days.

Although the result is tragic, and we hope the culprits are found, put before a trial and sentenced, the good news is that no human lives were lost. It will take years to quantify the damages caused to the eco system.

On the bright side, we can categorically state that the most visited natural attraction in Tela is completely unaffected and open to the public. I refer to the Punta Sal Peninsula, which is part of the Jeannette Kawas National Park. The damage to the park is deep inside, and there are no visible signs of it from the coast line, which you follow on the boat trip from the beaches in Tela to Punta Sal. In addition, for those looking to visit the Garifuna Village of Miami, access is normal and there is no damage to be seen neither from the access road nor from the Los Micos Lagoon, which is also one of the main tourist attractions for the Jeannette Kawas National Park.

From a visitor’s point of view, Tela, and the Punta Sal National Park continue to be a very attractive part of Destination Atlantida and can be enjoyed to the fullest.

I hope you find this update to Jeannette Kawas National Park useful and that can proceed to continue your plans of visiting Tela and Jeannette Kawas National Park. As a matter of fact, if you are interested in helping restore the damaged area of the park; one good way to do so is by visiting Tela and buying a tour to the park. When you do so with one of the official tour operators, you are paying an entrance fee that goes to the park administration, and the funds will be extremely handy in the wake of efforts to restore the damage and keep invaders out of the park.

April 2 2016

Best of Atlantida, Best of Honduras, Best of the Bay Islands, Copan, National Parks, tourism in Honduras Atlantida, Bay Islands, Cangrejal River Valley, Copan, Copan ruinas, Guanaja, La Ceiba, Roatan, Tela, Utila

Honduras Travel, the New Honduras Travel Blog!

La Villa de Soledad B&B is happy to be associated to the new Honduras Travel Blog. This new site, which is the result of over 23 years of traveling around Honduras and being part of the tourism private sector in the country is yet one more effort to change the image of Honduras abroad and educate the potential traveler so that they can feel more secure and at ease when planning a trip and visiting Honduras!

This blog is meant to have a full, regularly updated section about the different destinations in the country, highlighting the different things to do, the unique National Parks to visit, as well as tips about where to stay, where to eat and how to be a better traveler within Honduras and Central America.

Honduras travel will also have regular travel posts, which will make up the blog, and share the experiences of someone who has traveled extensively throughout Central America. If you love Honduras, and feel that potential travelers are not getting a fair image of the country, pitch in, Honduras and the different tourism service entrepreneurs need all the help they can get!

Initially, Honduras Travel is offering information on the three most important and popular destinations in Honduras: Atlantida, with its hubs in the Cangrejal River, La Ceiba and Tela; The Bay Islands, including Guanaja, Roatan and Utila, and Copan, which includes Copan Ruinas and Santa Rosa de Copan. They will be expanding this initial limited information progressively, and are confident that they will soon become “The Travel Blog for Honduras”, with updated travel info on all of Honduras .

We are happy to share this breaking news with you, and invite you to visit the Honduras Travel web page and send Honduras Travel your comments and suggestions, as well as sharing the tips with your friends. They now have a facebook page as well as a twitter (@hondurastravel) account which you can follow. Surely Honduras Travel will become an important tool to market Honduras!

February 15 2016

Best of Atlantida, Best of Central America, Best of Honduras Cangrejal River, pico bonito, Rafting in Pico Bonito

White Water Rafting in Atlantida: one of the truly unique activities to enjoy in Central America!

Nestled between the Caribbean Sea, and the rugged Nombre de Dios Mountains, you will find the department of Atlantida, one of the 18 departments that Honduras is divided into. Atlantida offers a magnificent territory that is abundant in nature; it actually has a total of 7 protected areas that are legally declared and part of the Honduras National Park system within its territory.

The largest of these areas in Atlantida is Pico Bonito National Park, which is separated from its neighbor, Nombre de Dios National Park by the beautiful and mighty Cangrejal River. The river, which is born in the high, jungle clad mountains of Atlantida and Yoro descends rapidly towards the Caribbean, in one of the steepest runs you will find in Central America. It drops from an altitude of 250 plus meters to sea level in only 30 kilometers, forming small falls, drops and lovely natural pools, creating a technical run that offers class III and IV, and even an occasional class V rapid.

Here, in the heart of Central America, where Central America meets the Caribbean, you will find the best white water rafting in Central America: yes white water rafting in Atlantida is truly World Class! Best of all, is the temperature of the water in the Cangrejal River. A far cry from the normally frigid waters where good rafting can be found, water in the Cangrejal River is delightfully pleasant, which makes white water rafting in Atlantida one of the preferred activities to be enjoyed in all of Honduras. Its close proximity to the Bay Islands of Honduras means that travelers enjoying their vacations on these lovely Caribbean Islands can easily do a day visit to the mainland for a white water rafting experience.

Many, though, prefer to spend a few nights in the area, to enjoy all of the adventure and nature activities available here. Most of those that do choose to stay within the Cangrejal River Valley, where there are several different lodges to choose from, including the award winning La Villa de Soledad B&B.

You can choose between several different rafting outfitters that operate in the Cangrejal River Valley. Most of their guides are licensed river guides by the International Rafting Federation. White water rafting in Atlantida is an absolutely great activity that you should not pass on!

February 2 2016

Best of Atlantida, Best of Honduras, Best of the Bay Islands, tourism in Honduras Bay Islands of Honduras, Mainland Honduras, Roatan, Utila

Questions about Pico Bonito National Park?

This weekend I had a chance to travel to Utila for a couple of days. It was a work trip, but nonetheless, there is always time to kick back and relax. After the cold front that passed through the area the week before, the sky was clear, the ocean was calm, and traveling on board the new Utila Dream Ferry was truly a treat! Although I usually hide from the sun, as my skin does not take it very well, I could not resist traveling on the outside deck on the bow, and enjoying the scenery while feeling the fresh marine breeze blowing on my face…

And this is where my post about Pico Bonito National Park comes to be. You see, when the air is crisp and clean, you get a magnificent view of the Nombre de Dios Mountains and Pico Bonito National Park, especially from Utila, although you can also see it from Roatan. The skyline of the coast, with the rugged peaks jutting over the clouds makes you wonder about Pico Bonito National Park and everything it has to offer. Truly, a visit to the Caribbean Bay Islands of Honduras is magnificent, however a visit to the mainland to discover all there is about Pico Bonito National Park brings your visit to Honduras to a complete new level!

As seen from Utila, you can only imagine what lies within these spectacular, jungle clad mountains. From afar, you will notice that if you look towards the east, (left if you are on Utila) of the triangular shaped peak appropriately named Pico Bonito, you will see a dip in the mountains. It is precisely along this valley where the Cangrejal River, which is the natural boundary between Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios National Parks, flows towards the Caribbean.

The Cangrejal River Valley is probably the most unique tropical rainforest area within Central America. Its scenic setting, together with a variety of different lodges and activities are to be found, making it a prime spot to look for a hotel in La Ceiba where to stay and enjoy yourself.

If you are traveling to Roatan or Utila, make sure that you plan a couple of days to visit the Cangrejal River Valley in the mainland and learn about Pico Bonito National Park, the most bio-diverse national park in Central America!

January 25 2016

awards, Best of Atlantida, Best of Honduras Best Bed and Breakfast in Atlantida, best bed and breakfast in Honduras, best bed and breakfast in la ceiba, Best bed and Breakfast in the Cangrejal River, travelers choice award

La Villa de Soledad is awarded the 2016 Travelers Choice award and named the Best Bed and Breakfast in Honduras!

Tripadvisor, the World’s leading travel web site has recently published the list of winners or their 2016 Travelers Choice Awards. The list, which is based on the reviews that different guests have posted in the trip advisor web page concerning their travel experience, is generally considered the most trustworthy source to outstanding travel adventures. Let’s face it, you are reading what other travelers have actually experienced, not what the owners or managers are telling you about their property, which is always biased!

Achieving this Travelers Choice Award is not an easy task. Getting it several years in a row is an even harder task! With the 2016 Travelers Choice Award, La Villa de Soledad has now been awarded this recognition for three years in a row! Best of all, is the fact that we have been honored with the top position in the list of best Bed and Breakfast in Honduras for two consecutive years! This is living proof that a family run operation can excel in service and personal attention, and that making guests feel at home and part of the family is truly the best way to go! At La Villa de Soledad we are proud to work together as a family to welcome guests at our home and provide the best of Honduran hospitality.

As a family, we want to thank all our guests, and especially those that have taken the time to post a review about their stay at La Villa de Soledad. Your comments are an important part of our business! Sharing your experience helps us keep up the good work, make corrections when necessary and entice other potential guests to come and visit our little part of the World! Come and visit the scenic Cangrejal River Valley and enjoy the magical rain forests of Atlantida in Central America.

We are committed to continue working hard to stay in position number one for the best bed and breakfast in Honduras! Thank you for your support!

January 6 2016

Best of Atlantida, hotels in la ceiba, National Parks Atlantida, award winning hotel in La Ceiba, Cangrejal River Valley, La Ceiba

Top Reasons to Travel to Atlantida:

Atlantida, the destination in Central America that offers the best National Parks in Central America, and the friendliest people in the region d is also the Gateway to the Bay Islands, the most popular Caribbean destination in Central America is probably the most complete destination in the Central American Isthmus.

You see, it is hard to get so many things into one single destination. This alone is certainly one of the top reasons to travel to Atlantida.

But here is a short list of a few other reasons to travel to Atlantida:

It is easy to get to! You can fly from the major gateways in the USA nonstop to San Pedro Sula and or Roatan International airports. From there you are just a short distance from the main hubs in Atlantida: Tela and La Ceiba.

Many people in Atlantida speak your language: English. You see, Atlantida began a swift development over 100 years ago, with the arrival of two competing US based fruit companies: United Fruit Brands (Chiquita Banana) and Standard Fruit Company (Dole). These companies brought in many English speaking executives and workers, and the locals also were quick to learn this second language. In addition, the proximity to the English speaking Bay Islands of Honduras has always encouraged locals to learning that second language!

There are a total of 8 protected areas within Atlantida. Of these, 7 are easily accessible to travelers. These areas are so diverse, that you will have a blast visiting the different habitats, and learning more about how they interact. They include rugged mountains completely covered with tropical rainforests, marine estuaries surrounded by mangrove forests, with both fresh and salt water canals, ideal for a diversity of land and marine life; and finally marine sanctuaries with some of the best preserved coral reefs in the Caribbean. You can choose between visiting any one of these or better, yet: all of them!

A magnificent white water river: the Cangrejal, which rushes rapidly from the high mountains of Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios National Parks on its way towards the Caribbean Sea. Here, in the Cangrejal River Valley, you will find a variety of different lodging options, such as the award winning La Villa de Soledad B&B. Come and see it for yourself!

A port facility with regular ferry service to the Bay Islands of Utila and Roatan, both unique, and yet so very different between themselves! You choose which you prefer to visit, or better yet, visit them both!

Atlantida is a safe destination. Thousands of tourists visit it regularly, both to stay and explore Atlantida as well as on their way to the Bay Islands.

Traveling to and from Atlantida within the region is easy and affordable. With an international Airport in La Ceiba, the port facilities that give you access to the Bay Islands, and good paved highways that provide easy access to the region, there are also several different bus companies and tour operators that offer services between the area, including regular connections towards Antigua Guatemala, and Leon Nicaragua.

I believe the above are all good reasons to travel to Atlantida! You will find that you will Atlantida offers a great variety of activities and lodging options to choose from. It will certainly become a highlight of your trip to Central America.

November 19 2015

Best of Atlantida, Best of La Ceiba, tourism in Honduras, Tours in La Ceiba, World Heritage sites in Honduras Cangrejal River Valley, Chachahuate Cay, Garifuna, Nombre de Dios National Park, Pico Bonito National Park

Community Tourism in La Ceiba, great alternatives at a magnificent value!

Few Central American destinations offer such a great variety of options for community tourism as does La Ceiba! You see, La Ceiba is right on the Caribbean Coast of Central America, and is the gateway to the Bay Islands of Honduras. La Ceiba is the capital of Atlantida, the new up and coming destination that offers the most extensive alternatives for Honduras Travel!

The Garifuna culture is one of the brightest highlights in Atlantida, and for that matter, all of Honduras. This unique, Afro Antillean culture has been given the status of Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO. There are several places within the destination where you can experience the Garifuna community tourism in La Ceiba: The Garifuna villages of Corozal, and Sambo Creek are located only a few miles east of La Ceiba. You can easily drive to these communities and experience first hand the highlights of Community tourism in La Ceiba. For a more complete experience, consider traveling to the Cayos Cochinos Marine Reserve, a unique National Park that offers a pristine Caribbean setting with the added benefit of boasting the most authentic Garifuna community in the World: Chachahuate.

This small community lives on a tiny cay, with the same name: Cayo Chachahuate of Chachahuate Cay, a sand bar where you will find rustic cabins made of wood, thatched palms and a lively Garifuna community all set in a white sand beach completely surrounded by the turquoise blue Caribbean Sea!

For those looking for a full immersion in the Garifuna culture, you can even plan on staying on the very primitive and Spartan accommodations in Chachahuate, or you can also plan on staying at the Cabanas Laru Beja in East End, another small Garifuna community in the Cayos Cochinos, which offers much better facilities.

Cayos Cochinos is located a few miles off the coast of Sambo Creek, and can easily be seen from the mainland. Travel time to Cayos Cochinos is a mere 40 minutes is a motor boat, making a trip to the Hog Cays very easy!

Other options for community tourism in La Ceiba can be enjoyed in the Cangrejal River Valley, in the vicinity of the community of Las Mangas. Here you can visit a small rural community, sleep in their community owned cabins, and enjoy a series of hiking tours around Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios National Parks. Visit a grass roots community organization, Guaruma that offers computing and environmental education to local kids, who will personally give you a tour through some of the trails they maintain!

Community Tourism in La Ceiba truly offers many different alternatives! Come and stay with us at La Villa de Soledad B&B and have a memorable experience interacting with the local communities!