Best of Honduras

January 6, 2015

Are you looking for the top Honduras Eco Resorts?

Honduras offers many different possibilities to enjoy magnificent eco tourism. There are many Honduras Eco Resorts, and although many of the more frequented properties are located on the Bay Islands of Honduras, there are absolutely great options in mainland Honduras.

The largest concentration of mainland Honduras Eco Resorts can be found in Atlantida, a magnificent region with two medium sized cities, La Ceiba and Tela; 8 National Parks or protected areas, and a beautiful Caribbean coastline that stretches over 100 km, providing beaches, mangrove lagoons, Garifuna Villages and lots of wildlife. Nestled in the eastern end of Atlantida, you can find the Cangrejal River Valley , a lovely, very scenic area with tons of eco tourism options, including some of the best white water rafting in Central America!

Here in this magnificent hidden paradise you can find several different Honduras Eco Resorts. La Villa de Soledad is probably one of the most outstanding of all Honduras Eco Resorts, offering spacious, comfortable rooms with their own porch and hammocks. Private bathrooms with hot and plentiful water provides the option for memorable showers after a long day of eco tourism activities, that include rappelling down waterfalls, white water rafting, hiking in the tropical rain forests, swimming in the rivers, horseback riding and even a zip line canopy tour!

Possibilities are endless if you include the nearby attractions at Cuero y Salado Wildlife Reserve, a trip to the nearby Hog Islands, known locally as the Cayos Cochinos, or a visit to the mystical hot springs at Sambo Creek, where a relaxing massage and mud therapy will rejuvenate you together with the magical powers of the these natural hot springs. Although you can find other Honduras Eco Resorts elsewhere in the country, the truth is that the experience within the Cangrejal River Valley is unique even by Central American standards, and your eco tourism vacation will be absolutely superb if you choose to stay at one of the Honduras Eco Resorts located in the Cangrejal River Valley.

La Villa de Soledad has been awarded with the 2014 Travelers Choice Award by Trip Advisor, and is currently the number one bed and breakfast and inns in La Ceiba. Give yourself a break at stay at this truly unique Honduras eco resort, and discover why it gets raving reviews from its guests!

January 5, 2015

Best of Honduras, Best of La Ceiba, National Parks

Are you looking for the perfect eco hotel in Honduras for a memorable vacation?

Honduras, located in the heart of Central America offers some of the best eco vacations opportunities in the area. Best of all, the country is not overrun with tourists all seeking for an eco adventure vacation. Famous travel blogger, Johnny Ward recently commented on his travels to Honduras describing Honduras in three words only: “Enchanting, picturesque and adventuresome. Enchanting due to the lack of tourism, it sucks you in and shows you the real Central America. Picturesque – self explanatory but amazing mountains scenes, white water Rivers, Caribbean coasts, world-class diving. And adventuresome because the tourism infrastructure only covers certain hotspots, so to access the rest, you have to earn it with local travel, and I love that.” For the full interview with Johnny Ward visit my blog post:

So if you are looking for an enchanting, picturesque and adventuresome vacation, look no further, come to Honduras! Of course, the question comes up, where do I find the perfect eco hotel in Honduras? The answer, once again, is easy, come to La Ceiba, on the Caribbean Coast of Honduras. It is easy to get to, close to the Bay Islands of Honduras, and has one of the best kept secrets in Central America just outside the city: The Cangrejal River Valley! Here, you can find a variety of magnificent eco lodging options, with La Villa de Soledad B&B on the top of the list.

Within easy access from this unique eco hotel in Honduras you will find hiking trails into Pico Bonito National Park, outstanding White water rafting as well as many other activities. The Cangrejal River Valley, just outside La Ceiba offers the perfect setting for memorable eco vacations, and you will find that La Villa de Soledad is the perfect eco hotel in Honduras for those vacations. Nestled between two National Parks, within walking distance to zip line canopy tours, white water rafting, waterfalls, and many different activities, this small property is the perfect eco hotel in Honduras!

Go ahead and make your reservations now at La Villa de Soledad and be prepared to have a great eco vacation at the best eco hotel in Honduras!

January 4, 2015

Best of Honduras Honduras travel blogs

Travel Blogger Johnny Ward visits Honduras!

2014 was a great year for us, and I had the personal experience of meeting some travel bloggers that ventured into Honduras and came through the Cangrejal River Valley and stayed at La Villa de Soledad. One of these mates is a young Irish man who officially lives in Thailand (he has been on the road for almost a year, so he has not really had a fixed residence in that time)

It is always a lot of fun to talk to talk to travelers that are on the road, and get their views on our destinations. Johnny Ward was kind enough to allow me interview him, and I am happy to share the interview with you all. Here are the straight forward and candid answers about traveling in Honduras:

JD (John Dupuis, myself): Good day Johnny! You have been on the road for almost a year this time around, living your dream of visiting every country in the World. This particular trip has brought you to Latin America, where you started out in Mexico City and have travelled down the continent through Central America into South America. One of the countries you travelled through is Honduras, that small country that has been getting really bad press over the years about being terribly dangerous and is now in the middle of the humanitarian crisis in the US. How was your experience traveling through Honduras?

JW (Johnny Ward): You know what John, it’s been absolutely amazing. I really, really have loved it. In a way the bad press has scared off a lot of the tourists, which selfishly made it even more of an amazing experience, as I felt I had vast chunks of the country to myself. The landscape is just breathtaking too, you guys have it all.

JD: You did most of your travel within Honduras using the public transportation system, did you ever feel threatened in Honduras, where you thought your life might be at risk or your belongings would be stolen from you?

JW: Not really. The only worries I carried were simply due to the fact that everyone kept telling me to be careful, so that had made me wary whereas in reality, once there, it was just a normal backpacking experience. Long bus journeys and smiling locals.

JD: IF you had to describe Honduras in three different words, what words would you use? Why?

JW: Wow, tough. Enchanting, picturesque and adventuresome. Enchanting due to the lack of tourism, it sucks you in and shows you the real central America. Picturesque – self explanatory but amazing mountains scenes, white water rivers, Caribbean coasts, world-class diving. And adventuresome because the tourism infrastructure only covers certain hotspots, so to access the rest, you have to earn it with local travel, and I love that.

JD: Obviously you have expectations for every country you visit. What were your expectations for Honduras? Where these met or did Honduras fall short of your expectations.

JW: Actually I was a bit wary, like I mentioned, from all the warnings. Public transport especially has an awful reputation and I spend a lot of my life on public transport! Lol I knew Utila/Roatan would be beautiful, and they certainly were, but I wasn’t expecting the mainland to be so lush – it was breathtakingly gorgeous.

JD: Johnny, if you were to give advice to someone about whether or not they should travel to Honduras, what would you tell them?

JW: I’d say ignore the western media. It’s true that Honduras has it’s problems, well documented ones at that, but the crime is hugely targeted stuff – gang on gang. Go and explore a place that hasn’t been altered by tourism like Costa Rica or Panama, it’s a real experience in an age when that’s hard to find.

JD: Although you only spent a few days in Honduras, and did not get to visit all of it, what sites did you like best and would recommend that should be included in any visit to Honduras?

JW: Internationally I’d say the Copan ruins are the most famous, along with the diving in Utila and Roatan in the north, and although I loved both I actually preferred my time in La Ceiba and Lake Yojoa even more, they are two spots that aren’t often hit up, and I couldn’t recommend them highly enough.

Johnny, thank you very much for taking the time to share with us your experience in Honduras. Most of all, I appreciate your being absolutely candid in your answers to my questions and your willingness to this short interview. I wish you all the luck in your quest to visit every country in the World and urge you to continue sharing your experiences via your travel blog www.onestep4ward.com Have a great day!

December 30, 2014

Best of Honduras, getting to La Ceiba, Tours in La Ceiba

The best Honduras Vacations include La Ceiba and Roatan, the perfect combination!

As the cold weather sets in the Northern Hemisphere, there are more and more people looking to plan their winter vacations to Central America, and the idea of some nice tropical Honduras Vacations suddenly seems quite enticing!

Central America is a relatively close destination from Canada, and the fact that Sunwing was charter service from both Toronto and Montreal towards two different gateways within Honduras makes it really easy to plan some Honduras vacations from Canada. Sunwing offers packages to both the Island of Roatan as well as to the Caribbean cities of Tela and La Ceiba, using the international airport that is located in La Ceiba, Honduras. A short and very affordable 5 hour flight means that you can soon be flying relaxing in some pleasant, tropical balmy beach or jungle in Honduras.

If you choose to fly into Roatan, it is good to be aware of the fact that Roatan and La Ceiba are very close to each other, and that the ferry service between both cities takes less that 1 ½ hours so you can easily combine a vacation visiting both destinations in one single trip, either by splitting a week between both or spending one week in each! This is truly a great option for the perfect Honduras vacation!

You might not yet be on to this, but many Canadians have found the mainland of Honduras so attractive, that they have invested in real estate and either have moved to Honduras for retirement or are planning their retirement in Honduras. Community developments sponsored by Canadian investors and companies have blossomed into total success stories, and it all started with some good home grown Honduras vacations that investors enjoyed in this lovely Central American country.

You will find that the Canadian tour operator, Sunwing, is offering a very limited selection of hotels and resorts where you can stay. If you are looking for an all inclusive resort, then you are probably best purchasing their package, however if you are looking for the possibility of getting to know more of Honduras, and having a vacation that is rich with experiences and that allows you to get the feel of the country, then you should seriously consider purchasing an air only solution and setting up your own arrangements on where to stay and what to do. In other words, you can easily arrange your own Honduras Vacations without having to fit into the limited packages that are offered on the market!

One of the best kept secrets within Central America is the Cangrejal River Valley, a unique location just outside of La Ceiba where you can enjoy magnificent adventure activities, such as white water rafting or waterfall descents by means of rappel! You can also have direct access to the hiking trails in both, Pico Bonito National Park and Nombre de Dios National Park, located on opposite banks of the lovely Cangrejal River. This is truly the perfect setting for some unique Honduras Vacations!

One of the top options in the Cangrejal River Valley is La Villa de Soledad B&B a unique, friendly, very cozy hacienda style inn where you will feel like the owner of a lovely home and enjoy the great outdoors with friendly, fully bilingual English Spanish service; best of all, very affordable pricing will make you plan on coming back again and again. Give us a ring or drop us an email about planning your own special Honduras vacations with us, you will end up with a memorable vacation that you will cherish for a lifetime!

December 23, 2014

Best of Honduras, Best of La Ceiba, Copan, getting to La Ceiba Copan airport, The perfect Honduras Vacation

Copan and La Ceiba: a perfect match for your holidays.

If you are looking for a spectacular vacation, where you can combine the mythical Mayan ruins in Central America jungles that were first brought back to life by American explorer John Lloyd Stephens and his drawer, Mr. Frederick Catherwood, and some of the most majestic tropical rain forests that you will find in all of Central America or the Caribbean, look no further, and start planning the perfect vacation: Copan and La Ceiba.

Traditionally these two destinations, Copan and La Ceiba, within Honduras have been hard to connect, with the only reliable option of the Hedman Alas bus company that provides service to both destinations via their hub in San Pedro Sula. (www.hedmanalas.com) the only drawback to this option was the fact that the travel distance between both destinations was over 7 hours in total, making you lose a full day going and another full day coming back.

However the government of Honduras has finally decided to make a decades old dream come true, a small airport in Copan Ruinas. President Hernandez apparently understands the importance of this runway, and he has taken the executive decision to build it immediately. Ground was broken earlier this year, and construction is progressing very much on time, with the new facility scheduled to be finished in March 2015, within 12 months of breaking ground.

The facility will be able to handle regional airliners of up to 100 passengers and will surely be able to put Copan Ruinas on the map. Best of all, it will also help travelers on the backpacker trail traveling between Copan and La Ceiba as well as on the Bay Islands of Honduras with a faster option to travel between these two destinations.

For the clients who travel from the Cayman Islands to La Ceiba using the great air service provided by Cayman Airways, the possibility of spending three nights in one destination and four in the other will surely enhance their experience in Honduras, giving them the best of two different worlds within easy reach.

It is expected that air service between the destinations of Copan and La Ceiba will commence soon after the inauguration of the airport facility early next year!

For a perfect Copan and La Ceiba experience, plan on staying a few nights at La Villa de Soledad B&B in La Ceiba. Innkeepers, John and Soledad will help you arrange the best deals for you based on your specific interests. Soledad is a native of Copan Ruinas, and John was the editor of Honduras Tips magazine for many years, both can provide you with valuable tips for a fantastic stay in both cities.

December 11, 2014

Best of Honduras, Best of La Ceiba, hotels in la ceiba Countryside inns in Honduras, Honduras Country Side Inns, Rural inns in Honduras

The Perfect Honduras Country Side Inn

Are you looking for a pleasant and unique place to stay in? How about looking for a Honduras country side inn to stay in? Although there are not many country side inns in Honduras, there are a few that are truly unique and worthwhile to stay in. Honduras country side inns are perfect to get a feel for what the real life in Honduras and Central America is all about.

Staying at a Honduras country side inn will give you an insight to life in rural Honduras, get a chance to see how life really is in Central America and best of all give you a chance to experience the best of Honduran hospitality.

The most outstanding Honduras country side inn can be found at the Cangrejal River Valley, a unique natural area that provides the perfect setting for a serious immersion to the tropical rain forests of Central America. Located just outside the city of La Ceiba, on the Carribbean Coast of Honduras, La Ceiba is a perfect option to combine with your trip to the Bay Islands of Honduras. The ferry boats to both the islands of Utila and Roatan depart from La Ceiba with two regularly scheduled departures each. For information on the Roatan Ferry visit www.roatanferry.com and for information on the Utila Ferry visit www.utilaprincess.com

La Villa de Soledad is probably the nicest Honduras country side inn, and it is located only 12 Km, or about 8 miles from the ferry terminals in La Ceiba, making it a short 25 minute drive up a lovely scenic road through the Cangrejal River Valley.

At La Villa de Soledad you will enjoy spacious grounds with ample porches where hammocks abound. Views of the Nombre de Dios Mountains are spectacular, and you always hear the Cangrejal River as it rushes towards the Caribbean, providing some of the best white water rafting in Central America! Trails into Pico Bonito National Park are also available, with several different options to choose from, including a hike to the impressive El Bejuco Waterfall.

Another advantage that this Honduras country side inn is that it offers great options to interact with the local communities of El Naranjo and Las Mangas. You can either walk to these communities and hire a local English speaking guide who is an expert in bird watching and nature, or purchase a horseback riding tour that will take you through these local communities and visit natural streams and creeks where you will enjoy a picnic and have a chance to plunge into the cool mountain waters.

If you are looking for a Honduras country side inn, then La Villa de Soledad B & B is your perfect option!

December 9, 2014

Best of Honduras

Honduras Rural Inns

There are not many Honduras rural inns, and those that do exist are far and spread apart from each other. However those that do exist are truly unique places where you will have a chance to relax and enjoy a change of pace.

Following is a list of what in my opinion, are the top Honduras rural inns:

In the Caribbean Coast of Honduras, nestled in the Cangrejal River Valley, you can find La Villa de Soledad B&B a truly unique rural boutique bed and breakfast, which also offers all of the conditions of a true eco lodge accommodation, due to its location right in between two National Parks! With a Spanish Colonial architecture, large spacious outdoor porches with hammocks offer spectacular views. Outdoor activities include outstanding bird watching, horseback riding tours, hiking in the rain forests and the best white water rafting in the Honduras and the Caribbean! La Villa de Soledad B&B is truly one of the nicest of all Honduras rural inns. Inn keepers, Soledad and John Dupuis offer fully bilingual service, friendly atmosphere and great food.

Another truly unique property that is in our list of Honduras rural inns is Hacienda San Lucas. Located just outside the town of Copan Ruinas. Hacienda San Lucas is an old farm that has been in the same family for over 100 years. It offers 8 lovely spacious rooms with an authentic rural feeling. A favorite activity here is to relax a with your favorite cocktail and watch the sunset over the colonial town of Copan Ruinas. For information regarding Hacienda San Lucas, visit www.haciendasanlucas.com. Food at Hacienda San Lucas is truly spectacular, with the local cuisine taken to a gourmet level. The result is awesome. Furthermore, host, Flavia Cueva is extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to chat with.

Last on my list of special Honduras rural inns is Caserio Valuz, located just outside of Tegucigalpa, on the road towards San Pedro Sula. The property is in the town of Zambrano, and is located in the outskirts of town, amongst pine trees that blend into the nearby forests. Rooms are spacious and decorated with different art pieces from Central America. Caserio Valuz provides a pleasant homey atmosphere. For more information, visit: https://caseriovaluz.wordpress.com/ . Jorge Valle Aguiluz is a friendly host who goes out of his way to make guests feel at home.

December 7, 2014

Best of Honduras

Are you looking for rural inns in Honduras?

There are not many rural inns in Honduras, and those that do exist are far and spread apart from each other. However those that do exist are truly unique places where you will have a chance to relax and enjoy a change of pace.

Following is a list of what in my opinion, are the best rural inns in Honduras:

Another truly unique property that is in our list of rural inns in Honduras is Hacienda San Lucas. Located just outside the town of Copan Ruinas. Hacienda San Lucas is an old farm that has been in the same family for over 100 years. It offers 8 lovely spacious rooms with an authentic rural feeling. A favorite activity here is to relax a with your favorite cocktail and watch the sunset over the colonial town of Copan Ruinas. For information regarding Hacienda San Lucas, visit www.haciendasanlucas.com.

Last on my list of special rural inns in La Ceiba is Caserio Valuz, located just outside of Tegucigalpa, on the road towards San Pedro Sula. The property is in the town of Zambrano, and is located in the outskirts of town, amongst pine trees that blend into the nearby forests. Rooms are spacious and decorated with different art pieces from Central America. Caserio Valuz provides a pleasant homey atmosphere. For more information, visit: https://caseriovaluz.wordpress.com/

November 28, 2014

Best of Honduras, Best of La Ceiba, hotels in la ceiba Adventure activities in La Ceiba, Hotel in La Ceiba, Hotel in the Cangrejal River Valley, Nature Activities in La Ceiba

Looking for a Hotel in La Ceiba

Are you looking for a hotel in La Ceiba? Choosing just the right hotel in La Ceiba can be a difficult chore. Perhaps I can lend a helping hand to get your choice correctly.

Probably the first question you should ask yourself when looking for a Hotel in La Ceiba is why you are coming to the city. Is it a business trip? Are you here for the nightlife? Did you decide on visiting the area because of its eco tourism and adventure tourism options? Are you coming here because you are looking for a beach resort to enjoy and relax in?

Okay, I guess that I have overwhelmed you with questions and got you even more confused… Lets try to sort it out. If you are on a business trip that is bringing you to town and you need a hotel in La Ceiba, then you should choose a hotel that is downtown, or at least within the city. Three great options are the Gran Hotel Paris, the Hotel La Quinta and the Hotel Quinta Real. This last one has the additional benefit of being on the beach.

If you want to be close to the sea, but still within town, then you should consider between the Quinta Real Hotel and the Partenon Beach Hotel. These are certainly the two best options. Don’t let others trick you into the fact that they are on the beach. They simply aren’t!

The other option that you can choose if it’s the beach that you are looking for is the Palma Real Resort, this property is on a nice beach, but it is out of town, so it makes for a quieter stay, but a visit to the city can be complicated and expensive. On the bright side, the resort is all inclusive, so you don’t have to worry about finding a place to eat in!

Last, but not least, is the option in Sambo Creek, where you can find a variety of hotels on the beach, such as Villa Helen, Canadian, and Paradise Found.

Most international visitors come to la Ceiba because of eco tourism and adventure tourism potential. If this is your case, then a hotel in La Ceiba that gives you access to nature and adventure is your best bet. The most famous eco lodge in La Ceiba is the Lodge at Pico Bonito, located a few miles west of the city of La Ceiba. This lodge has great access to trails into Pico Bonito National Park.

For adventure activities, your best bet for a hotel in La Ceiba would be within the Cangrejal River Valley. There are actually several hotels in the area, and you can find a complete list in www.cangrejalriver.com . La Villa de Soledad is certainly one of the best options, as can be ascertained from reading the reviews that guests have put up in tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g292023-d1603386-Reviews-La_Villa_de_Soledad_B_B-La_Ceiba_Atlantida_Department.html . The big advantage about the Cangrejal River area is that it gives you direct access to both adventure and nature related activities. It also offers unparalleled opportunities to simply relax and catch up with yourself!

I invite you visit our web page and go through our options, including rooms and tours in the area. We would be honored to have you stay with us at La Villa de Soledad during your visit to La Ceiba and enjoy the multiple options available for both adventure and nature travel. Come and relax in nature with us! If you are looking for a hotel in La Ceiba, we are your best option!

November 12, 2014

Best of Honduras, Best of La Ceiba, National Parks, Tours in La Ceiba Adventure activities in La Ceiba, best eco tours in Honduras, Cangrejal River Valley, eco tours in La Ceiba, Nombre de Dios National Park, Rappel in Honduras, things to do in La Ceiba

A unique opportunity for Canyoning and Rappelling in Honduras!

If you are looking for a truly unique experience, then the canyoning and rappelling in Honduras tour is just for you!

Imagine a dense tropical rain forest deep into steep mountains, with crystal clear creeks tumbling downhill creating beautiful waterfalls… At the end of the fall is a lovely natural pool with clear water waiting to reward you with a fresh dip after some exiting, and definitely adrenalin pumping descent down the waterfall. The creek runs through a deep ravine, and the easiest, actually the only way to descend it is by rappelling down the steep stone cliffs. This is the only regular tour where you can do canyoning and rappelling in La Ceiba! Best of all, you can do it in an absolutely spectacular setting within the Nombre de Dios National Park, in the Cangrejal River Valley!

The tour takes between 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours from start to finish, and does not require any previous experience, although any experience is of course welcome. You will go down drops of up to 50 feet (15 meters) using professional equipment with climbing ropes, harnesses and brake pulleys.

Your descent will provide for fantastic views of hard to see waterfalls and pools, as well as a look at what a tropical rain forest is all about. The tour of course is best on a dry rain, as a rainy day provides more water. IF you are interested in booking this tour you must absolutely make a reservation in advance. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/HondurasCanyoning Tours usually depart at 12:30, to provide more daylight within the canyon. The cost of the tour is $79US per person and includes all the proper equipment. IF you are interested in a truly unique adventure and nature tour, come up to the Cangrejal River Valley and take the Canyoning and Rappelling in Honduras tour. You can stay at La Villa de Soledad B&B and get a quick 2 ½ kilometer ( 1 ½ miles) ride down the road to the starting point of the tour.