Tours in La Ceiba

reasons to visit the Cangrejal River Valley

December 5 2015

Best of La Ceiba, La Ceiba general information, Tours in La Ceiba, white water rafting Cacao Lagoon, Cangrejal river tours, Cayos Cochinos, Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, hot springs in La Ceiba, La Ceiba zip line canopy tours, Nombre de Dios National Park, Pico Bonito National Park, The Hog Cays

Few destinations offer so many different options for activities while you are visiting. The different options for La Ceiba day tours are such that you will certainly have a tough time deciding which ones you should take, unless of course, you have planned to spend several days in the neighborhood of La Ceiba.

As a general rule, there are three hubs in La Ceiba where you can plan on staying to have the best access the top La Ceiba day tours available: One is within the Cangrejal River Valley; a second one is in the vicinity of Sambo Creek and the last one in the area known as “El Pino” located just west of La Ceiba.

The Cangrejal River Valley offers a variety of great lodges to stay in, including the award winning La Villa de Soledad. In this area, you will find that the top La Ceiba day tours include world class white water rafting in the Cangrejal River, zip lining through the forest canopy, hiking in the rain forests of Pico Bonito National Park, horseback riding in Nombre de Dios National Park and rappelling down tropical waterfalls hidden within the jungle.

The area around Sambo Creek offers some great options nearby, such as the Cayos Cochinos Marine Reserve, the Sambo Creek hot springs and zip line canopy tour and a tour of the Cacao Lagoon which is part of Nombre de Dios National Park.

Last, but not least, near the community of El Pino you can access trails into Pico Bonito National Park, visit the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Reserve and touring local organic farms that welcome tourists.

Keep in mind that these three areas are actually fairly close to each other, so you can easily stay in the Cangrejal River Valley and visit Cayos Cochinos or Cuero y Salado as options for your La Ceiba day tours.

We at La Villa de Soledad invite you to book with us, and we will be more than happy to help you arrange the different available La Ceiba day tours that are more interesting to you. We will do it helping you get the best deals and using your vacation time wisely. Come and enjoy the different La Ceiba day tours with us!

Things to do in Pico Bonito National Park

November 26 2015

Best of Honduras, hotels in la ceiba, Tours in La Ceiba boutique Hotels, boutique hotels in Atlantida, boutique hotels in La Ceiba, Hotels in Honduras

Looking for special boutique hotels in Honduras to stay in?

Honduras might be a small country many people have never heard about. It might also have a bad reputation that it does not stand up to, but it certainly has many beautiful, unique destinations and some truly special boutique hotels to stay in.

Perhaps the most famous of all boutique hotels in Honduras is located in La Ceiba, capital of Atlantida, the new upcoming destination that you should not miss. The Lodge at Pico Bonito is located just a few kilometers outside of La Ceiba, and offers a beautiful setting within Pico Bonito National Park. But there are several other boutique hotels in Honduras that you can find in La Ceiba and surroundings. Take for example, the Cangrejal River Valley, an absolutely gorgeous area located only 5 miles from downtown La Ceiba! The Cangrejal River, which gives its name to the area, is a beautiful river with crystal clear waters, with a steep slope dropping towards the Caribbean and offering a spectacular white water arena, where you will need to paddle hard around huge boulders and hold tight as your rafting guide helps you negotiate 5 and 6 foot drops into calm natural pools.

Here you will find that the Cangrejal River is actually a natural boundary between two national parks: Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios National Parks. This means you get to visit two national parks in one tour! Best of all, there are several boutique hotels within the Cangrejal River Valley. One of them is the award winning La Villa de Soledad B&B a unique, family run hotel that offers some of the best service in town! La Villa de Soledad is located within easy walking distance to different attractions, including white water rafting, zip line canopy tours and hiking in Pico Bonito National Park.

But of course there is a lot more to Honduras than Atlantida! You can find a selection of outstanding boutique hotels in Honduras in places such as Copan Ruinas, San Pedro Sula, Roatan, Tegucigalpa and many other cities. If you are interested in checking these out, check out a new Honduras travel blog that offers up to date information regarding all the above destinations and much more!

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!

October 6 2015

Best of La Ceiba, National Parks, Tours in La Ceiba Cayos Cochinos, Garifuna, The Hog Cays

Searching for the perfect La Ceiba Tours?

One of the most attractive things about visiting Atlantida is the huge variety of tours and activities to choose from. For example, there are many different La Ceiba tours to choose from. One of the best alternatives to enjoy a large variety of tours is to stay within the Cangrejal River Valley. Award winning eco lodges, such as La Villa de Soledad are located within this area and offer many different nearby activities. For example, you can choose between awesome white water rafting, hiking through the jungle to breath taking waterfalls, experience a zip line canopy tour over the Cangrejal River and through the jungles of Pico Bonito National Park or take a horseback riding tour to the local communities and through jungle trails.

The Cangrejal River area is by nature the perfect spot to explore both Pico Bonito National Park and Nombre de Dios National Park. This is bird watching country at its best, and considered one of the hot spots for birding in Central America. With many different Trails in Pico Bonito National Park to choose from, you will have a great time using this area as a base for your hiking adventures.

Within a short drive from La Villa de Soledad you will find many additional La Ceiba tours to enjoy. There is no doubt that the most popular of all La Ceiba tours is a visit to the Cayos Cochinos, AKA the Hog Cays. This pristine archipelago of small islands and cays is absolutely beautiful, and will certainly fit into anyone’s dream description of paradise on earth! This popular La Ceiba tour departs from Sambo Creek, a charming Garifuna Village, where you can meet and interact with the local Garifuna community, and even enjoy a meal at one of the different restaurants within the village. Nearby, in the mountains, you will find a great set of natural hot springs that will be a unique treat to your body. This is the ideal setting to relax, soothe your muscles after a full day of activities enjoying the various options of the different La Ceiba tours and even get a massage!

If you like to paddle in tranquil waters, the nearby Cacao Lagoon offers a great setting. A small lagoon surrounded by mangrove forests offers mysterious canals to paddle into in your quest to find some of the local fauna. Howler and capuchin monkeys are usually quite easy to see. Alligators and a variety of different birds are another treat waiting for you in this natural setting.

The Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge is another alternative as an interesting alternative as far as La Ceiba Tours are concerned. The area is much larger that the Cacao Lagoon, and is usually visited in a motor boat. Here, one of the most interesting facets is the actual access to the refuge: An ancient, funky train that runs of railroad tracks that are 100 years old is the only way into the refuge, and offers an insight to what was once the original capital of the first authentic Banana Republic!

As you can see, there are many different La Ceiba tours to choose from. You will have to decide what your particular interests are to make the best of your time in La Ceiba, or better yet, plan your itinerary to make sure that you have plenty of time to discover the best of La Ceiba and its different tours available!

September 28 2015

Best of Atlantida, hotels in la ceiba, La Ceiba general information, tourism in Honduras, Tours in La Ceiba Atlantida, Honduras travel apps, La Ceiba, Tela

Planning to visit Atlantida on your next vacations?

The brand new visit Atlantida app for IOS and Android operating systems is now available for free at the Google play store and the Apple store. This visit Atlantida app is designed to give you all the tools you need to plan your next vacation to Atlantida. To download this app to your android smart phone, follow this link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hr.apps.n206984407

But why visit Atlantida? Well, for one it is the most complete destination in Honduras, and possibly all of Central America! Atlantida offers outstanding alternatives for traditional beach and sun vacations, with two distinct hubs to choose from: Tela and La Ceiba. It is also an extremely complete eco tourism and nature destination, with a total of 8 national parks or protected areas to choose from, with 7 of these offering a variety of tourism services, each unique and particular that will fit into your interests: from hiking in the rain forests to kayaking through mangrove canals, diving in pristine coral barrier reefs or riding in a century old railroad track on a funky banana train, the variety is almost endless! If you are interested in adventure, then maneuvering through the white waters of the Cangrejal River, mountain biking in a remote location or horseback riding through the jungles of Nombre de Dios and Pico Bonito National Parks.

The visit Atlantida mobile phone app also offers a complete list of hotels and lodges in Atlantida where you can stay, as well as restaurants and eateries and tour operators that you can use to arrange your package if you choose to do so through a professional tour operator.

A list of places to see and activities to do complete this new app that also allows a lot of interaction, such as setting you profile, checking into hotels and even writing reviews and comments regarding the establishment you visited or the attraction you visited and activities you enjoyed.

For a more complete resource, the visit Atlantida web site also offers a complete source of information, both in English and Spanish.

August 17 2015

Best of Central America, scuba diving, tourism in Honduras, Tours in La Ceiba Bay Islands, Honduras, PADI, scuba certified

Looking into getting scuba certified in Honduras?

Is Honduras really the place to go to get scuba certified? The answer is a definite yes! Getting scuba certified in Honduras is easy, affordable and most of all fun! Honduras has actually carved itself a name in the diving world as the most affordable place to dive and get certified in the world.

You will probably ask me, how can a country in Central America be so outstanding to get scuba certified? Well, if you look at a map, things will start to make sense… fast!

First of all, Central America is bathed by the Caribbean Sea! Second, Honduras is the one country in Central America that is most developed on the Caribbean coast, most of the other countries are more developed on their Pacific coast. And third, Honduras is the only Central America country that actually has a small archipelago on the Caribbean; the Bay Islands of Honduras. The Archipelago has 6 islands and many tiny cays, this without counting the Hog Cays, or Cayos Cochinos, which consists of two small islands and 13 sand cays.

Of the 6 main islands that form the Bay Islands of Honduras, three are permanently inhabited, Utila, Roatan and Guanaja. All three offer unique and very different experiences to the traveler, each including diving. So you will ask, how should I go about getting scuba certified in Honduras?

There is no doubt that the most popular, most affordable, and probably the most fun is the island of Utila. There are over a dozen dive shops in Utila, and they all offer PADI courses from open water diving to different advanced courses. The Dive shops all have small hostels and inns where they offer special deals to the travelers that book the scuba courses with them, making your stay and certification truly affordable.

Perhaps the most outstanding trademark of getting scuba certified in Honduras is the fact that there is a true party atmosphere within the different bars as soon as the sun starts to set. Find one of the multiple bars, such as Tranquila Bar and Rehab, which are located on the waterfront for your first beers or cocktails of the day while you enjoy the sunset. After, you can continue on to Skidrows, Treetanic Bar or even Casa Dr. John for a true party atmosphere and challenges that will earn you a much desired t shirt after guzzling down a series of shots. Check out this video to get an idea of what to expect!

Another good option for getting scuba certified in Honduras is the island of Roatan. This is a much bigger island than Utila, so you should plan on staying in the village of West End. Here you will find many different dive shops, and although the prices are not as cheap and the variety of bars are not as wild as those in Utila, you will still find a very affordable destination with good entertainment for your scuba certification.

You should take note that most travelers heading to the bay islands in their quest for getting scuba certified in Honduras pass through the city of La Ceiba on the mainland just to catch the ferry to the islands. This is a big mistake! If you are coming this far, you should make sure you check out the Cangrejal River Valley, a truly beautiful spot that is unique in Central America. Natural scenery, great white water rafting and zip line canopy tours, hiking in the rain forests and relaxing in nature are just a few of the options you will find there.

Make sure that you do not miss out visiting the Cangrejal River Valley when following your mission of getting scuba certified in Honduras. You will thank me for having given you the tip of this beautiful area in La Ceiba. If you are looking for a place to be pampered, check out La Villa de Soledad B&B a lovely boutique property on the Cangrejal River that has been awarded the trip advisor Travelers Choice award in 2014 and 2015.

August 8 2015

awards, Best of Atlantida, National Parks, Tours in La Ceiba Cangrejal River, international rafting federation, Nombre de Dios National Park, Pico Bonito National Park, white water rafting in Honduras

A long time dream has come true for the three white water outfitters that provide white water rafting services in the Cangrejal River: Their local guides have finally received all the necessary courses and have passed the different exams with flying colors. The result: The International Rafting Federation issues guide certification cards to Cangrejal River guides!

This milestone has been achieved thanks to the effort of the Chamber of Tourism of La Ceiba and funding from the IDB bank who is promoting a sustainable tourism destination in Atlantida. After several different courses, including first aid and swift water rescue, the International Rafting Federation sent a group of Costa Rican instructors who found that the Cangrejal River was a truly astonishing place offering world class white water rafting.

This milestone that is achieved when the International Rafting Federation issues guide certification cards to the Cangrejal River guides, insures that the quality of the service provided by the three different tour operators that offer rafting service is now up to par with international standards.

The Cangrejal River offers a unique setting with crystal clear water flowing down the magnificent Nombre de Dios Mountains, home to both Pico Bonito National Park and Nombre de Dios National Park. The river, which is loitered with huge, house sized boulders, offers a fun, technical class III + rapids in the regular commercial run. It’s easy access, only 45 minutes from downtown or the Bay Islands ferry terminal in La Ceiba makes it a must do trip for those that seek some adventure in a pristine nature environment.

There are several truly unique lodges and inns in the Cangrejal River area. Most outstanding is the award winning La Villa de Soledad B&B, who has been awarded both the Travelers Choice and the Certificate of Excellence awards by tripadvisor for both 2014 and 2015.

Come and stay in paradise and enjoy the best white water rafting in Honduras and possibly in Central America!

August 6 2015

Best of Atlantida, Best of La Ceiba, Tours in La Ceiba Bay Islands of Honduras, Guanaja, Roatan, Utila

So where is the Cangrejal River: how do I get there? what should I expect?

The Cangrejal River, located just outside the city of La Ceiba on the Caribbean coast of Honduras is often overlooked by tourists as they travel through town on their way to the Bay Islands of Honduras. Most tourists are so hurried by their quest to get “scuba certified” that they don’t even realize that they are next to one of the most beautiful areas for nature and adventure travel in Central America!

The first question: Cangrejal River: how do I get there? Is easy to answer. You need to come to the city of La Ceiba. If you are on your way to the Bay Islands of Utila, Roatan or Guanaja, then you are most surely traveling to the city of La Ceiba! The Cangrejal River flows right through the city, however the area worth visiting is 6 miles upriver from town. I must warn you, the river looks rather unimpressive when you are in town and even as you start to drive up the road towards the tourist area of the Cangrejal River. Do not let this disappoint you, continue your journey, you will be happy you did!

Just two miles up from the CA13 road where you took the detour, you will begin to see the Cangrejal River is its entire splendor. Believe me, it only gets better from here!

The second question: what should you expect? You should expect to find 10 different lodging options in the Cangrejal River, that range from hostel to boutique inns. These are generally next or close to the river, and they are not only affordable, comfortable and unique, they are also strategically located so that you can enjoy a variety of different activities available in the area, that span white water rafting, zip line canopy tours, hiking and or birdwatching, etc.

This being said, if you are on your way to the Bay Islands, do yourself a favor, and take the time to spend a couple of nights at La Villa de Soledad B&B one of the premier boutique inns in the Cangrejal River.

The Cangrejal River: how do I get there, what should I expect??? Now you know the answers to both questions do yourself a favor and check it out, you will be glad you did! One last word of advice: many business people on the Bay Islands try hard to keep their guests there as long as possible, and they may offer some “advice” and recommend you stay away from the mainland for safety reasons. This is a lot of BS and offers no facts or reasons that will hold any ground except for selfish self promoting of their business!

March 26 2015

Best of Honduras, hotels in la ceiba, tourism in Honduras, Tours in La Ceiba backpacking, flashpacking in Honduras.

Interested in a few tips about backpacking in Honduras?

Honduras, just as all of Central America, is a great destination for backpackers. Every year, thousands of tourists backpack throughout Central America, and the number is just growing and growing. It’s interesting to note that although we usually think of backpackers as young tourists who are always looking for the best deal, wanting to stretch their cash as far as they possibly can and who will not spend on any frills. The truth is that there are more and more backpackers who are middle aged and even seniors, some are traveling along, many with their couples and there are even a few of them who do so with their families! While they are on a budget, they all have a credit card and do spend on comfort from time to time.

Backpacking in Central America offers great opportunities for unique experiences, and despite what you read in all of the travel warnings, it is actually quite safe to do so. Lately, there are more and more tourists backpacking in Honduras, and there is a good reason for it! Honduras, together with Nicaragua, offer great backpacking destinations at affordable prices. While places like Panama, Costa Rica and Belize have become more and more expensive, Honduras is still very, very affordable. Best of all, tourists are welcome in Honduras, and the more you get away from the big cities, the more friendly people get!

In the last year, we have had three different travel bloggers who visited us at La Villa de Soledad, and each of them was carrying their backpack. I found that while they usually go out for the more budget hostel stays, they also love to give themselves a break and “splurge” from time to time, and if you are backpacking in Honduras there are many different places where you can splurge at affordable costs for unique properties that are truly priceless!

Each of the three travel bloggers who stopped by La Villa de Soledad for a few days while backpacking in Honduras wrote about their experiences in Honduras in their blogs: The first one, Travel blogger Johnny Ward has a blog called onestep4ward. The second travel blogger that came our way was Jonny Blair from Dontstopliving. The last of the three travel bloggers that were backpacking in Honduras and stayed with us is Shivya Nath, a dynamic young woman from India who has a true talent for travel writing. She has an outstanding travel blog called the shooting star.

There are many different unique places to visit while backpacking in Honduras. Best of all, you will find many authentic, charming hostels, hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts that will provide great service at a fair price. Don’t let those exaggerated travel warnings by the US state department keep you from having a great backpacking in Honduras experience! Come and see for yourself how beautiful, safe and friendly Honduras really is!

March 21 2015

Best of Honduras, Best of La Ceiba, hotels in la ceiba, Tours in La Ceiba eco lodge accommodations in La Ceiba, Hotel in La Ceiba, Hotels in La Ceiba

Are you looking for the top accommodation in La Ceiba?

La Villa de Soledad B&B offers top accommodation in La Ceiba. Located on the Cangrejal River Valley, just 5 miles (8 km) from the CA13 highway in La Ceiba, this lovely boutique bed and breakfast offers outstanding accommodation in La Ceiba. 5 lovely, individually appointed rooms, each with its private bath, hot water, and unique original art by some of the best Honduras artists.

Our spacious verandahs have many hammocks strategically hung around them, allowing you to lay down, relax and read your favorite book, or to enjoy some lazy bird watching from the comfort of your own hammock! Colorful tropical birds are abundant, and you will spot many species without even having to get up from your comfortable hammock! La Villa de Soledad offers some of the top eco accommodation in La Ceiba.

Easy, walking access to trails into both Pico Bonito National Park, as well as Nombre de Dios National Park give you different options, depending on your hiking skills and interests. Bilingual guides are available for hire if you prefer to have a local expert with you as you hike through some of the most lush tropical rainforests of Central America.

If you are looking for something a bit more active, La Villa de Soledad B&B boutique hotel also offers plenty of adrenalin pumping activities: Outstanding, world class white water rafting is amongst the best in Central America and the Caribbean. Zip line canopy tours are also nearby for your enjoyment, and if you prefer to test your nerves doing some waterfall descents using the rappelling technique, this is also an option!

Best of all, this outstanding accommodation in La Ceiba is easily accessible from the World famous Bay Islands of Honduras. The ferry that serves the Roatan to La Ceiba and the Utila to La Ceiba routes has its terminal a short 30 minute drive from La Villa de Soledad.

If you are enjoying the Bay Islands of Honduras, and looking to get a feel for mainland Honduras, the Cangrejal River Valley is the best alternative. It is beautiful, safe, easy to get to and affordable. Best of all, you will find accommodation in La Ceiba available precisely in this spectacular valley.

La Villa de Soledad is much more than one of the top options for accommodation in La Ceiba, you will find it to be your home away from home. Nothing like feeling taken care of and pampered during you vacations!