The Hog Cays

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!

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!

August 30, 2015

Best of Atlantida, Best of La Ceiba, Best of the Bay Islands Caribbean, Cayos Cochinos, Garifuna, Honduras, La Ceiba, Roatan, Sambo Creek, The Hog Cays

Getting to Cayos Cochinos AKA the Hog Cays is easy!

Cayos Cochinos is one of the last pristine set of islands in the Caribbean Sea! Fortunately, they are not out in the middle of nowhere and impossible to get to. Getting to Cayos Cochinos is actually easier than you think!

Located about 14 miles off the Caribbean Coast of Honduras, Cayos Cochinos are an idyllic set of islands, consisting of 2 small islands and 13 tiny sandy cays. The area is under a protection status by the Honduran Government, as a National Marine Monument. This means that access to the islands is restricted and there are rules to comply with.

There are two major launching points that provide the proper best options for getting to Cayos Cochinos. One is from the Garifuna Village of Sambo Creek, very near the city of La Ceiba, the other is from the Island of Roatan. Most people take the first option, which is much more affordable, however the boats and service are also quite a bit more basic. From Sambo Creek, getting to Cayos Cochinos will take you about 45 minutes. Because the boats are relatively small, the tour always leaves early in the morning and returns early in the afternoon, to insure they are back on the mainland before the surf gets rough.

From Roatan, you will find several different options. By far the best is offered by Ruthless Roatan Charters, which operates once a week from Roatan to Cayos Cochinos. Enjoy the trip in a vintage 41 foot Hatteras that has been fully refitted, and offers the classiest option as far as getting to Cayos Cochinos is concerned. The trip departs from West End at 7:00 a.m. and returns around 4:00 p.m. This is one heck of a tour!

One of the highlights of Cayos Cochinos is the Garifuna community at Chachahuate, another are the extremely healthy reefs and beautiful white sand beaches.

Regardless of whether you are vacationing in Roatan or La Ceiba, a trip to Cayos Cochinos will certainly be one of the highlights of your trip. Many travelers like to experience both, La Ceiba and Roatan. If you are interested in visiting both, we, at La Villa de Soledad would be more than happy to help you arrange your trip to Cayos Cochinos departing from either location. Come and enjoy the magic of the tropical rain forests of Central America, and then take a short trip to Roatan to relax in some of the best beaches in the World, in a true Vintage Caribbean Style!