Are you worried about staying safe in Honduras?

Honduras has had the unfortunate reputation of being an extremely dangerous country, and many have put the glamorous description of “Murder Capital of the World” to San Pedro Sula. With this reputation, many potential travelers actually wonder if staying safe in Honduras is even possible. The truth of the fact is that Honduras, just as any other country or city in the World, can be extremely dangerous if you venture into the wrong spots in town.

Personally, I can say that I have lived in Honduras for 22 years that I have travelled extensively throughout the country, exploring both cities and rural areas, and have never had a life threatening experience. Believe me, I do look like a gringo, and I do stand out like a sore thumb when in crowds. And yet, I repeat, have never had a life threatening experience. The truth is that staying safe in Honduras is not that difficult, actually it is quite easy! Fortunately, the current government, which took office in January 2014 has taken strong actions to improve security for Hondurans and tourists alike, that the deadly statistics have been going down quite fast. The crime rate has fallen by over 20% in the last year and still headed to an even more meaningful reduction.

Following are some tips about staying safe in Honduras.

Stick to the main tourist hubs. Places like Copan Ruinas, Tela, La Ceiba, Roatan and Utila which are the main tourist hubs in Honduras are generally very safe. La Ceiba, being a larger city, has a few areas that are not safe, but there is no reason for you as a tourist to even get near them, unless you are looking to purchase drugs or looking for prostitutes. Stay within the tourist areas, which by the way, are not tourist traps, you will enjoy them, and you will find that staying safe in Honduras is actually possible. More rural areas, such as Gracias, Santa Rosa de Copan, La Esperanza, Lake Yojoa, Comayagua and other cities that are also popular with tourists are actually quite safe.

Don’t drink yourself silly in the local bars. Alcohol, and drugs, diminish you ability to be alert and make use of your common sense. Have fun, but don’t overdo it! If you are spending some nights in Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula, choose a hotel or hostel that is recommended in the travel books or travel web sites. Don’t save money by spending the night in a cheap hotel in a dangerous area of town. Your safety is certainly worth those extra dollars for a safe place isn’t it?

When travelling between the different tourist hubs, such as between Copan Ruinas and La Ceiba, don’t save a few pennies by using the cheap buses. Remember that while there is good security at the bus terminals, these buses stop on the road and pick anyone up. This means that anyone can stop the bus, board it with a gun and demand your money and valuables. Using a bus company that does not stop along the route goes a long way towards your safety, as the bus company knows who every person is that boarded their bus. Using a bus company such as Hedman Alas or Viana goes a long way towards your personal security.

If you are traveling in rural areas, and using one of the famous chicken buses, make sure you have your valuables, such as credit cards, passports and cash stashed away safely, but, keep some $40 or $50 dollars or its equivalent in local currency at hand, just in case. Simply turn over that cash if you do have the misfortune of being in a holdup. The most dangerous buses in the Honduras are those that operate within the cities, so prefer a taxi, and of course, if at all possible, ask the hotel front desk clerk to get one for you, they have taxi drivers they know and trust, and you will be safe with them.

Finally, once you have checked into your hotel, find a safe place for your valuables, most places have a safety box. Do not run around with all your valuables on you. In the unlikely case of a holdup, you are more likely to act stupid and refuse to turn over your things if you have your valuables on you. Remember take only as much cash on you as you are willing to lose.

The above tips of course apply to traveling around the world, not only to Honduras!

Enjoy your travels through Honduras, you will find that staying safe in Honduras is not difficult, and the county has so many different beautiful places to visit en enjoy! One of the most overlooked places is the Cangrejal River Valley, located just outside La Ceiba. This area offers superb adventure and nature activities, with many different unique lodges, such as La Villa de Soledad, a unique property that you will fall in love with!

July 27, 2014

Best of Atlantida, Best of La Ceiba safety in Honduras 0

Safety in La Ceiba… Is La Ceiba Safe?

Much has been said of safety in La Ceiba, especially in the Bay Islands, where the local inhabitants love to say that La Ceiba is extremely dangerous. The US State Department Travel Warning also mentions the department of Atlantida, whose capital city is La Ceiba, as one of the areas that should be avoided or visited with extreme caution… So what is the reality about safety in La Ceiba? The bottom line to the traveler is whether it is safe or not to visit this area. One issue that has a big influence in this question is the fact that unless you are flying directly into Roatan, La Ceiba is right on your path to the islands. In the end, many of the tourists that do visit the Bay Islands, which are the most visited destination in Honduras, must come through La Ceiba. Most of them use it as a transfer point, simply getting off the bus, jumping in a cab and rushing across the city and then swiftly jumping into the ferry to head off to the islands. Considering that not one single tourist has had a problem in this operation, you could easily conclude that La Ceiba is not truly that dangerous! But let’s look into the situation a bit deeper and see if we can find the truth!

There are some neighborhoods in the city that are outright dangerous. La Merced, La Suyapa and Bonitillo are probably the 3 most dangerous areas in town. Until recently, gangs operated freely in these areas, and although progress has been made in bringing these under control, the fact is that they are still dangerous areas. But then, every city in the World has areas that are dangerous; Detroit, Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago are all proof of this, and yet tourists flock daily to most of these cities and nothing happens to them! Why is this? Simply because there is nothing for them to do or see in the dangerous parts of the city and therefore they do not visit them! The same applies to La Ceiba. Most of the city is very safe, and you can visit the nicer tourist areas without any problem. The Zona Viva, where some of the better hotels and restaurants are established is safe, and the old municipal dock, where the Standard Fruit Company (Dole) used to export its produce from is being renovated and turned into a pedestrian area where you will be able to walk and see locals fishing, enjoy tales of old times, see the magnificent views of the Nombre de Dios mountains or watch a spectacular sunrise or sunset. Now one word of caution: if you stay up late till the wee hours in the zona viva, drink yourself silly and then walk down the streets alone letting everyone know you are absolutely drunk, yes, you are asking for trouble. You have just made yourself an easy target! You will probably be lucky enough to get away with it, but is the risk worth it?

Other areas that are normally visited by tourists in La Ceiba are the Cangrejal River Valley, the Garifuna communities of Sambo Creek and Corozal, the areas around Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge and the Cacao Lagoon. These areas are definitely safe, and very tourist friendly. The Cangrejal River area offers a variety of lodges and B&B, and one of the most outstanding ones in La Villa de Soledad B&B, a lovely Boutique Bed and Breakfast nestled on a small hilltop overlooking the valley and the Cangrejal River.

So now you know the truth, La Ceiba is a safe city for tourists. It offers a huge variety of attractions, which can be enjoyed by the visitors, there is something for every taste and interest, most of all, it is a unique destination in Central America, because of the nature that surrounds it; the fact that it is on the Caribbean Sea and a gateway to the Bay Islands of Honduras. You should definitely plan to stay a few days in the area, take advantage of the ecotourism activities offered and if you are adventurous, do some white water rafting or ziplining. If you are into hiking, there are great options with good trails into Pico Bonito National Park, and you can do some outstanding kayaking in the lagoons and mangroves at Cuero y Salado or Cacao Lagoon, sneaking up on the monkeys, the alligators, and maybe even a manatee! All of this and more… So what are you waiting for? You now know the truth about safety in La Ceiba!