The Old La Ceiba Municipal dock is getting a major face-lifting!
A local NGO, that is looking to jump start the tourism industry in La Ceiba has been working hard to restore the historic La Ceiba Municipal Dock and build a board walk in the beachfront just east of the dock.
This is the heart of La Ceiba, as the city grew around this dock.The old buildings that still stand in the vicinity of the La Ceiba Municipal Dock have a tale to tell. Historical buildings include the original Banco Atlantida office, the first bank in Honduras that celebrated 100 years of continuous operations since its founding in 1913. The original building, art Deco style building was brought entirely from New Orleans, and still stands proudly today on the Corner of Avenida San Isidro and First Street.
The other iconic building is the old customs warehouse. This is where all the merchandise that was brought to La Ceiba from abroad cleared customs before it entered the country. The Building, which dates back to 1917 is now under the management of Fundacion Casa de La Cultura de La Ceiba, and there are plans to restore it and use it as a museum. Without doubt, the center for all this refurbishing of downtown La Ceiba is the La Ceiba Municipal dock.
The “new” La Ceiba Municipal dock has been named after a generous local entrepreneur that donated over $100,000 USA dollars to get the project underway. Don Reynaldo Canales passed away a few weeks ago, and unfortunately will not see the dream he helped create a reality.
The La Ceiba Municipal dock is expected to become the most popular local park in the city, with many local ceibeños looking forward to its upcoming inauguration. The La Ceiba Municipal dock will not be handling boats of any kind. All of the cargo, ferry services and tourist fishing services will continue to operate out of the “Muelle de Cabotaje” facilities, located just east of the city. The “new” old dock will be a recreational area, where families are expected to come see the sunrise or sunset, fishing off the wharf, or strolling the area. Facilities will include public bathrooms, police security, and plenty of public lighting in the evenings and nights. Entrance fees will be charged by the managing entity, Fundetur, which will be used to maintain the facilities.
The La Ceiba Municipal Dock is expected to have a major impact on visitation to the city of La Ceiba, and will offer a variety of restaurants, a pleasant bar, as well as places where to buy a snack or a softdrink.
Committing to promote tourism, Honduras will sign the UNWTO Golden Book!
President Juan Orlando Hernandez has given tourism an important place in his government. This coming month of March, he will go even a step further: Honduras will sign the UNWTO Golden book. Mr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization will visit Honduras this coming month of March, 2015. His visit to Honduras has three distinct motives:
Above all, Honduras will sign the UNWTO Golden Book! This means that the government of President Hernandez publicly commits to tourism as an economic development tool under the promotion of sustainable tourism. This is good news for the tourism industry in Honduras, which has been left pretty much on its own for the past few years. Last year, President Hernandez signed a decree declaring that Tourism was a National Priority for Honduras; now with the signing of the UNWTO he takes his commitment a step forward and shows the community of countries that form the United Nations that he truly means business!
Besides the fact that Honduras will sign the UNWTO Golden Book, Honduras will also sign an agreement with UNWTO to establish the first UN Sustainable Tourism Observatory in the Americas! Yes, this will be the first such observatory in the Americas, and the fact that it will be established in Honduras, with headquarters in the city of La Ceiba in Atlantida, is a clear indication that Honduras believes that sustainable tourism can indeed make a difference in its quest to reduce poverty and make its economy more dynamic. To this day there are only 6 UN Sustainable Tourism Observatories in the World, 5 are in China and one in the Greek Isles.
Last, but not least, the Private Tourism sector, led by CANATURH will sign the UNWTO Code of Ethics, committing to adhere and promote the following of this code of ethics by all of its members nationwide.
There are many different reasons why you should visit Honduras. Here is a list of my top 10 reasons to visit Honduras.
1.- Honduras has a warm, temperate climate; it always does… You will never get snowed out or have subzero temperatures. As a matter of fact, it seldom gets below 60 degrees in all of the country!
2.- Honduras has over 100 protected natural areas. Almost 40% of its territory is legally protected. This is equivalent to more than 50% of the territory of Costa Rica. Honduras has the largest territorial surface of protected areas in all of Central America. The best preserved tropical rainforest of Central America lies in the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, on the Northeastern Caribbean coast of Honduras. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Honduras.
3.- Honduras has four international airports that are regularly serviced by international airlines with non stop service from North America. It is easy to get to ( less than 5 hours flying time from the northeast of the USA and around 2 hours from the Gulf Coast of the United States) . You can fly non stop to Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, Roatan and La Ceiba!
4.- Honduras offers the best of the Central America and the Caribbean in one easy trip. Honduras is the only Central American country whose development in on the Caribbean. In addition to this, it is the only one with infrastructure for tourism developed on the Caribbean, making it truly unique. Traveling between mainland Honduras and the Bay Islands is a piece of cake, and you even have the option to do so by sea using the local ferry or by air using the local airlines!
5.- Honduras is home to the unique Garifuna Culture, an unlikely ethnic group that was created with the mix of native Africans with native Carib Indians. The result is a culture so unique that it has been declared intangible World Heritage by UNESCO. Garifuna people are friendly people who live on the coast, and there are many different Garifuna Villages along the Caribbean Coast of Honduras. 95% of the Garifunas live in Honduras, so this is an experience that you cannot find elsewhere in Central America or the Caribbean!
6.- Despite the bad reputation that the international press have given Honduras as a dangerous destination, the fact is that tourist are not only welcome, but actually looked after by the local population. There are fewer crime related incidents with tourists in Honduras that there are in most of the other Central American countries. This bad reputation does have a silver lining for you as a tourist visiting Honduras: You will not find Honduras to be a tourist trap! Currently, all of the destinations in Honduras are actually with low occupancies, and you will find that almost wherever you go, you will have the chance to enjoy the sites and attractions without being overrun by tourists! Hurry and enjoy this before the rest of the World realizes how much they are missing out on!
7.- Hondurans are friendly to foreigners. They always have been. Furthermore, Honduras has traditionally been the most faithful Central American ally to the USA. Hondurans look up to the USA as a big brother to their country and are thankful for the international aid that they have received over the years.
8.- Honduras is incredibly diverse despite the fact that is a small country: The tropical Central American rainforests, the lovely Spanish Colonial cities, the magnificent archaeological site of Copan Ruinas, the best Caribbean Beaches in Central America and World class barrier reefs in the Bay Islands are all to be found in Honduras. Best of all, they are all within close reach of each other, easy to get from one to the other. The Mayan Archaeological site of Copan is the most studied and understood of all Mayan city states, and offers the possibility of touring the site with scientific information regarding this pre Colombian city, home to the most advanced native American civilization that we know of! Copan, by the way, is also a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO!
9.- If you are looking for pristine Caribbean beaches, there is no other place in Central America that is better suited for you to visit than Honduras. The Bay Islands of Honduras offer an insight to both, pristine beaches and islands, as well as to World Class resorts. There are several islands with different atmospheres and degrees of development, and you will surely find the one that is perfectly suited for you!
10.- Honduras has the highest percentage of English speaking population in Central America. Yes, there is a higher percentage of English speaking Hondurans than there is of Costa Ricans. (And the population of Honduras is almost three times that of Costa Rica) This means that chances are that you will always find someone who speaks enough English to be able to communicate with and settle your needs.
Please note that I have written about the 10 reasons to visit Honduras, and not about the destinations that you should not miss when you come here. I invite you to read my post about the top ten places in Honduras and the top five tourist sites in Atlantida for ideas about where to visit while in Honduras.
Are you looking for the perfect Central America Tropical Destination?
Central America is, by definition, a tropical destination; however, not all of Central America is actually a lush tropical destination. For starters, the Pacific Coast of Central America is actually quite dry, and depending on the time of the year when you visit it, you will find it brown and gloomy or a lushy green.
The reality is that the true Central America tropical destination lies on the Caribbean coast of Central America. Most people however do not refer to this coast as the Caribbean, but rather the Atlantic coast and both are actually right. The Caribbean Sea is of course part of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea has its western geographical border with Central America.
Another geographical and political comment applies to what is Central America? Geographically, Central America includes parts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, however, politically; Central America is comprised of only 5 countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
This being said, if you are looking for a Central America tropical destination that is green, with rainforests and cloud forests and a humid tropical climate, you should look at the Caribbean Coast of Central America. For starters, Guatemala has a tiny coast on the Caribbean, so it does not really offer much in the sense of a tropical destination. El Salvador does not have a coast on the Caribbean, so this totally discards it as a Central America Tropical Destination.
This leaves us with three countries: Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Although all three have a Caribbean coast, the truth is that Nicaragua and Costa Rica are developed towards their Pacific coast, attracting the bulk of their tourism towards the Pacific, and having very little infrastructure on the Caribbean.
Honduras on the other hand, has most of its development on the Caribbean Coast, with an important natural corridor made up of protected areas and national parks that provide the backbone of a true Central America tropical destination. Best of all, this whole area is easily accessible, with three international airports located in San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba and Roatan, all on the Caribbean. Along this area, you will find Atlantida, one of the departments in Honduras, which has two main destination hubs, La Ceiba and Tela. Both are on the coast, and both have borders with national parks. La Ceiba has the advantage of its port facilities, which is where the ferry to Roatan and Utila depart from, making it the perfect Central America tropical destination: combine the lush green tropical rainforests of Central America with the truly affordable Caribbean Bay Islands of Honduras.
Perhaps the most outstanding spot within Atlantida is the Cangrejal River Valley, a true Central America Tropical destination. Bordered by two national Parks, Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios National Parks, flowing in the Caribbean sea, and providing some of the best white water in Honduras, the Cangrejal River Valley is the epitome of the true Central America tropical destination. Best of all is the easy access, the many different service providers, which include tour operators, inns and hostels, and many different nature and adventure activities. The Cangrejal River Valley is located only 6 miles from downtown La Ceiba and 8 miles from the port facilities where the ferry’s to the Bay Islands of Honduras operate.
Here, in this perfect Central America tropical destination, you will find the charming La Villa de Soledad B&B, a family run eco lodge with a boutique décor set perfectly into the tropical rainforests of Nombre de Dios National Park, and providing easy, walking distance access to Pico Bonito National Park.
Considerations for some great vacations in Honduras:
If you are planning on visiting and spending some vacations in Honduras, this means that either you have family in Honduras, are an adventurer, or you have read about Honduras and everything it has to offer. All three are valid reasons to plan some great Honduras vacations, and chances are that they will live up to your expectations!
There are many reasons for planning some vacations in Honduras, and I will allow myself to mention a few of those that I consider most outstanding:
Pristine National Parks and Protected Areas make of Honduras a great nature destination. Although eco lodges are not abundant, there are outstanding options that will surprise you and make of your Honduras vacations a great experience. Amongst the different options, you can plan on visiting Pico Bonito National Park in Atlantida, Cerro Azul Meambar near Lake Yojoa, or if you are truly in a serious adventure mode, an expedition into the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, probably the most pristine natural area in the North American Continent!
In addition to the national parks, Honduras has some magnificent cultural heritage: The Mayan Archaeological site at Copan is one of the outstanding World Heritage sites declared by UNESCO in Honduras. In addition, the Garifuna culture, the unique heritage of the ethnic group that was formed by the intermingling of African slaves and native Carib Indians has found its home in Honduras, where over 90% of the Garifunas in the World live. Their language and culture was been declared an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO.
Honduras also offers an authentic Caribbean setting at the Bay Islands of Honduras. This small archipelago is actually at the southeastern tip of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef system, considered the most bio diverse barrier reef system on planet Earth! The lovely Bay Islands, which include Utila, Roatan and Guanaja offer a unique opportunity to explore some of the best preserved coral reefs in the Caribbean! Does this sound like the perfect setting for some great vacations in Honduras?
One of the most overlooked areas by visitors coming to Honduras is the department of Atlantida. Located on the North Coast (Caribbean coast) of Honduras, Atlantida is the perfect hub for your vacations in Honduras: It gives you direct access to Pico Bonito National Park, which is undoubtedly the grand daddy of all national parks in Honduras. Its easy access to the Bay Islands of Honduras is another plus that has to be taken into consideration. There are many different Garifuna Villages in the close neighborhood of La Ceiba, and soon with the new airport in Copan Ruinas, you will be able to fly directly from La Ceiba to Copan Ruinas, thus making La Ceiba the ideal hub for the perfect vacations in Honduras!
Within La Ceiba, make sure you include the Cangrejal River Valley in your plans for the perfect vacations in La Ceiba. The Cangrejal River offers direct access to Pico Bonito Trails, Pico Bonito Waterfalls and some of the best white water rafting in Central America and the Caribbean. As such, I can state that the perfect vacations in Honduras must include a stay at the Cangrejal River Valley. La Villa de Soledad is a lovely eco lodge on the Cangrejal River, where you will enjoy all the comforts of modern life in a pleasant natural environment with many different nature and adventure activities nearby. Come relax in nature and enjoy the perfect vacations in Honduras at La Villa de Soledad.
Following is a list of my favorite top ten places in Honduras:
Having lived in Honduras for over two decades, and made a living by putting together a travel guide about what to do; where to go; where to stay in Honduras, I consider myself an expert on travel in Honduras. I have explored most of the country, discovered truly beautiful places and am happy to share with you my list of top ten places in Honduras that you should visit.
Although the list does not have any particular order, I feel compelled to start with the spot that I found to be number one on the top ten places in Honduras to visit:
1.- The Cangrejal River Valley. This unique area, located just outside of La Ceiba, on the Caribbean Coast certainly deserves to be in the top ten places in Honduras that you must visit list. Nestled between Pico Bonito National Park and Nombre de Dios National Park, the Cangrejal River Valley offers a wide array of options for both the tourist looking for some eco tourism activities as well as those seeking some adventure activities, such as white water rafting or rappelling down waterfalls and canyons. Best of all, there are several different eco lodges where you can stay and enjoy nature with all the modern comforts, including some high speed internet service. Topping the list is La Villa de Soledad, which was just awarded the number one position as the best bed and breakfast and Inn by Tripadvisor!
2.- The Bay Islands of Honduras have long been on the map and are regularly visited by the traveler looking for a unique Caribbean spot where to spend a few days. In my personal opinion, the most beautiful of the Bay Islands of Honduras is Guanaja. This island, which is harder to get to than its sister islands of Utila and Roatan, also tends to be pricier, because of its more remote location, however, I can assure you that this lovely Caribbean gem deserves to be on the list of top ten places in Honduras to visit. There are no roads in Guanaja, and there are no big resorts either. Lodging facilities are usually small and family run, and offer access to breathtaking views and the possibility of interacting with the friendly population of the island. If you are looking for a place to stay, there are several that I can mention, starting with Rolands Garden Guesthouse, La Giralda and Grahams Place. Each a small friendly hotel with diverse atmosphere.
3.- Cayos Cochinos, also known as the Hog Keys, offers a unique and rare opportunity to experience a truly pristine Caribbean. Not only does it have some of the best preserved coral reefs to be found in the Caribbean, it also offers the opportunity to meet and interact with a Garifuna community that still lives much like they did over 200 years ago when they first arrived to Central America. The Garifuna community, which has been declared World Heritage Culture by the UNESCO. There are not many lodging options in Cayos Cochinos, the exclusive Turtle Bay Ecoresort offers diving packages, and the Cabanas Laru Bella in the in community of East End offers friendly, clean service in a community owned facility.
4.- The majestic Mayan Archaeological site at Copan Ruinas is certainly one of the top ten places in Honduras. Although the Archaeological Park is one of the two World Heritage Sites that Unesco has declared in Honduras, Copan Ruinas is much more that Archaeology, it is one of the most charming, friendly towns in Central America. The unique Macaw Mountain bird park, a bird sanctuary calls this town home, and has been working on re populating the Copan Valley with the Scarlet Macaws, much like it was in the glorious days of the Mayan civilization in Copan. Hotels are abundant, and there is something for every taste. My favorites are Hacienda San Lucas, Hotel Marina Copan and La Casa de Café B&B.
5.- Comayagua, the old colonial capital of Honduras has a lot of colonial history and charm to offer the visitor, and certainly deserves being in our list of top ten places in Honduras. Located about 100 km. North of Tegucigalpa, Comayagua has two great museums, 4 colonial churches and very friendly people. The community has bet on tourism as one of the pillars for the development of the city, and it shows. Many hotels, some in lovely old colonial homes have opened in recent years. Comayagua is has become famous in Honduras for its Easter Week celebrations, where the city’s streets are decorated with colorful and elaborate, handmade sawdust carpets that mark the route for the different religious processions that take place during this week.
6.- Roatans East End is a world apart from the tourist packed cruise ship passengers that make the West End of the island seem like a tourist trap during the days when cruise ships are in port, which is usually Monday through Friday. The East end offers view to lovely Caribbean communities, such as Calabash Bight, Oakridge and Jonesville. Camp Bay Beach, which in my opinion competes with West Bay as the loveliest beach on the island is pretty much deserted and yours to enjoy. There are several hotels in the area where you can stay, including the unique Paya Bay Resort, which has its own private beach. If you want to enjoy the authentic Roatan, then consider staying on the East End of Roatan, which is the one that deserves to be in the top ten places in Honduras list!
7.- The colonial city of Gracias is located in Western Honduras, and has a lot to offer: Access to Celaque National Park, which is home to the highest peak in Honduras; some great hot springs just outside of town; great colonial towns and the history of one of the oldest cities in Central America. Gracias is certainly in mi list of the top ten places in Honduras. In recent years, many different hotels have sprung up and are offering a variety of options for lodging. In my opinion, the best option is the Hotel Guancascos, however more elegant options include the Posada de Don Juan and the http://www.realcaminolencahotel.com/web/. All three are within walking distance from Central Park in Gracias.
8 . Lake Yojoa is the largest, and really only natural lake in Honduras. It is located between San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, and is surrounded by two national parks: Parque Nacional Santa Barbara and Parque Nacional Cerro Azul Meamber. It is a popular weekend spot for the locals, and there are many different places where you can stay. The most popular spots are the D&D Brewery, located on the far side of the lake, past the town of Pena Blanca, on the road towards the old mining town of El Mochito. The other recommended hotel is Honduyate, where you can enjoy a great pool, access to boat rentals and unsurpassed hospitality.
9.- Amapala is located on the Isla del Tigre, Tiger Island, in the Gulf of Fonseca, and is the largest of several islands that Honduras has on the Pacific. Amapala is a small sleepy town, without much going on, however it is a pleasant and very picturesque town with a lot of history. Accommodations are basic, but you will find several different hotel options on the island. La Casa de Las Gargolas Bed and Breaksfast is one of them. Another basic, but functional property in town is Mirador de Amapala. You will not see many tourists in Amapala, but it still is one of my favorite spots in Honduras, and therefore, I am adding it to my top ten places in Honduras list.
10.-Tela is last, but not least on my list of top ten places in Honduras to visit and enjoy. Remember that the list was put together without any particular order! Tela is a pleasant sleepy town that is located on the Caribbean Coast of Honduras. It is famous for its beaches, although its first claim to fame comes from having been the headquarters of the United Fruit Brands local subsidiary in Honduras: The Tela Railroad Company. The company, which still produces and exports the Chiquita Bananas in Honduras originally had its headquarters in Tela, and shipped most of its produce through this port. One of the many legacy’s from the old Banana days is the magnificent Lancetilla Botanical Gardens, an experimental garden where tropical fruits from around the world were brought in and planted to see if it would be feasible to produce from a commercial point of view. This is where the first African palm trees where grown, as well as where rambutan and mangosteen trees were first planted in the country. Tela is also home to two beautiful national parks: Jeannette Kawas, also know as Punta Sal, and Punta Izopo National Parks. It is also home to the most ambitions centrally planned tourism development in the country, Indura, which has one of the best signature designer golf courses in Central America.
I hope my list of top ten places in Honduras helps you plan your vacation to Honduras and get to the best, most unique places in this beautiful country of Central America!
As 2015 gets off to a start, I want to take a few minutes to analyze and share which, if any will be the big events and happenings for Honduras tourism 2015.
Right off the bat, there are two different events that will mark the year and the progress of Honduras tourism 2015: The inauguration of the Copan Ruinas airstrip at Rio Amarillo Copan will be one, the other truly significant event will be the visit of the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai to Honduras.
The Copan Ruinas airstrip is well under way and should be officially inaugurated at the end of February or early March. I would be willing to bet it will be postponed until March to coincide with the visit of the WTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai.
Mr. Rifai’s visit to Honduras will be significant because of two different reasons: He will arrive on the 19th of March to Tegucigalpa, and is scheduled to meet with President Juan Orlando Hernandez and the members of CANATURH (National Chamber of Tourism of Honduras) in an event that will include the inclusion of Honduras to the World Tourism Organization’s “Golden Book”. This, by far the most important event for Honduras tourism 2015 means that the government of Honduras will officially commit to promote sustainable tourism and make tourism an important pillar of the Honduras Economy. Of course, tourism is already an important pillar of the Honduran economy; however, the government of Honduras has never truly acknowledged it nor given it the importance that tourism deserves. Hopes are high that this event will not only have an impact on the tourism budget for years to come, but also open the doors for international aid and financing for tourism related projects.
A second significant result of the visit to Honduras by Secretary General Taleb Rifai will be the commitment by the Honduran Institute of Tourism, the National Autonomous University of Honduras, and CANATURH to establish a Sustainable Tourism Observatory under the auspices of the World Tourism Organization to monitor and measure the impact of tourism to the destinations of La Ceiba and Roatan. It is important to mention that today there are only 6 such observatories functioning in the World, five of them in China and one on the Greek Mediterranean Islands. As such, this will become the first such observatory on the American Continent! No small feat for a small country that has been struggling to recover from the economic impact generated by the political crisis of 2009. Mr. Rifai is scheduled to visit both La Ceiba and Roatan during his visit, and as I mentioned before, I would be willing to bet that he will then fly to Copan Ruinas for the inaugural event there. If this does happen, three destinations will be highlighted by the World Tourism press during the Secretary Rifai’s visit: La Ceiba, Roatan, and Copan Ruinas.
I am confident that these two events will have a major impact on the future of tourism in Honduras, and that Honduras tourism 2015 will be remembered as the year that tourism jumpstarted the Honduran economy for good!
I will be happy to report both events as they come together! Have a great year and keep your eyes open to follow Honduras tourism 2015 with me!
