Utila

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Honduras Travel, the New Honduras Travel  Blog!

La Villa de Soledad B&B is happy to be associated to the new Honduras Travel Blog. This new site, which is the result of over 23 years of traveling around Honduras and being part of the tourism private sector in the country is yet one more effort to change the image of Honduras abroad and educate the potential traveler so that they can feel more secure and at ease when planning a trip and visiting Honduras!

Honduras travel

This blog is meant to have a full, regularly updated section about the different destinations in the country, highlighting the different things to do, the unique National Parks to visit, as well as tips about where to stay, where to eat and how to be a better traveler within Honduras and Central America.

Honduras travel will also have regular travel posts, which will make up the blog, and share the experiences of someone who has traveled extensively throughout Central America. If you love Honduras, and feel that potential travelers are not getting a fair image of the country, pitch in, Honduras and the different tourism service entrepreneurs need all the help they can get!

Initially, Honduras Travel is offering information on the three most important and popular destinations in Honduras: Atlantida, with its hubs in the Cangrejal River, La Ceiba and Tela; The Bay Islands, including Guanaja, Roatan and Utila, and Copan, which includes Copan Ruinas and Santa Rosa de Copan. They will be expanding this initial limited information progressively, and are confident that they will soon become “The Travel Blog for Honduras”, with updated travel info on all of Honduras .

We are happy to share this breaking news with you, and invite you to visit the Honduras Travel web page and send Honduras Travel your comments and suggestions, as well as sharing the tips with your friends. They now have a facebook page as well as a twitter (@hondurastravel) account which you can follow.  Surely Honduras Travel will become an important tool to market Honduras!

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A asked our guests: Why Honduras?

I picked our guests from Victoria, British Colombia yesterday to bring them to La Villa de Soledad. After our brief, auto introduction to each other, I blurted out: Why Honduras? (Poor Honduras has such a bad, unfair reputation, that most travelers go out of their way not to visit us, so it is always interesting and learning to listen to the reasons they decided upon visiting Honduras.)

As it turns out, Lauren has been to pretty much the rest of Central America, however for her husband Tristan this is the first time to Central America. It turns out that Tristan wanted to visit the Caribbean, and Lauren wanted to visit Central America. This basically left two options: Belize and Honduras.

For the adventure traveler, there is just so much more to see and do in Honduras than in Belize that they quickly decided on visiting Honduras. With only a week to enjoy vacations in Honduras, they decided that La Ceiba and Roatan seemed like the ideal destinations. This is of course  absolutely true. You can enjoy the best of tropical Central America around La Ceiba, especially along the Cangrejal River Valley, where hiking, zip line canopy tours, white water rafting and swimming in one of the most beautiful rivers in Central America are all possible and within walking distance of several different lodges and accommodations, including La Villa de Soledad B&B.

Cangrejal River: how do I get there?

With only a 30 minute drive from the Cangrejal River to the port facility in La Ceiba, you can catch one of two daily departures from La Ceiba to both, Roatan and Utila, and be in an authentic, Caribbean setting within one hour if headed to Utila and 1½ hours if headed to Roatan! Diving in the Bay Islands is absolutely spectacular: you see the Bay Islands of Honduras are actually on the southernmost end of the Meso American Barrier Reef, the most biodiverse barrier coral reef in the World! It also offers the best preserved conditions in all of the Caribbean, allowing you to dive in near pristine conditions. Add the fact that Utila is world famous for its affordable prices to get scuba certified and to spot the majestic whale shark year round, and Roatan is famous for its spectacular West Bay beach and you find the perfect match! The above seems sum up the answer to my why Honduras question!

About Pico Bonito National Park

Best of all, Honduras is not overrun by tourists, you will enjoy hiking in trails in peace and quiet, snorkeling and diving with small groups, and most importantly, you will discover that Hondurans  are friendly, charming people that will go out of their way to keep you safe and make memorable vacations out of your time in Honduras! Now you know why Honduras. No more reasons needed, hurry and book your Honduras trip before everyone discovers the truth about why Honduras is the best travel destination in Central America and the Caribbean!

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Traveling between Utila and Roatan just got easy!

Despite being sister islands, traveling between Utila and Roatan has always been complicated. With no scheduled service between both islands, it has always been a travelers nightmare traveling between them. Until now, the easiest, and practically only way of travelling between Utila and Roatan has been to take the ferry from Utila to La Ceiba, and then board the ferry from La Ceiba to Roatan. While the schedules worked in both directions, not only where you paying more, you were actually traveling twice the distance and spending more than twice the time you really needed.

The good news is that the Utila Dream, the new ferry that has come to service Utila will now be operating twice a week a Utila to Roatan route, which will be running on Thursday and Saturday making traveling between Utila and Roatan a piece of cake. Departures from Utila will be at 9:30 a.m. from the Municipal dock in Utila, and return from Roatan will depart at 2:00 p.m.  from the Coconut Tree Dock at West End. By using this arrival and departure location, passengers will actually be arriving or departing directly from the heart of the most popular location in Roatan: West End.  The trip will be a short 40 minute ride between both islands!

Island Air, a small airline based in Utila is also offering round trip service between Utila and Roatan on Saturdays, which of course is even more convenient if you are traveling to Roatan to catch an international flight, since you arrive at the Roatan International Airport (RTB).

For those tourists coming in from Belize and Rio Dulce in Guatemala, we have even more good news! The Utila Dream will be traveling between Utila and Puerto Cortes twice a week on Friday and Sunday! Departures from Utila will be at 9:30 a.m.  from the municipal dock and the passage will be only 2 ½ hours, arriving at Puerto Cortes at noontime. Departures from Puerto Cortes will be at 12:30, arriving in Utila by 3:00 p.m.  The cost of the service will be only Lps 700 each way, which is approximately $31 US. Not only will you be saving time, you will also be saving money!

This new routes will be in effect starting the first week in March, 2016, and will certainly make traveling between Utila and Roatan, and between Rio Dulce and Utila much, much easier!

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Questions about Pico Bonito National Park?

This weekend I had a chance to travel to Utila for a couple of days. It was a work trip, but nonetheless, there is always time to kick back and relax. After the cold front that passed through the area the week before, the sky was clear, the ocean was calm, and traveling on board the new Utila Dream Ferry was truly a treat! Although I usually hide from the sun, as my skin does not take it very well, I could not resist traveling on the outside deck on the bow, and enjoying the scenery while feeling the fresh marine breeze blowing on my face…

About Pico Bonito National Park

And this is where my post about Pico Bonito National Park comes to be. You see, when the air is crisp and clean, you get a magnificent view of the Nombre de Dios Mountains and Pico Bonito National Park, especially from Utila, although you can also see it from Roatan.  The skyline of the coast, with the rugged peaks jutting over the clouds makes you wonder about Pico Bonito National Park and everything it has to offer. Truly, a visit to the Caribbean Bay Islands of Honduras is magnificent, however a visit to the mainland to discover all there is about Pico Bonito National Park brings your visit to Honduras to a complete new level!

As seen from Utila, you can only imagine what lies within these spectacular, jungle clad mountains.  From afar, you will notice that if you look towards the east, (left if you are on Utila) of the triangular shaped peak appropriately named Pico Bonito, you will see a dip in the mountains. It is precisely along this valley where the Cangrejal River, which is the natural boundary between Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios National Parks, flows towards the Caribbean.

About Pico Bonito National Park

The Cangrejal River Valley is probably the most unique tropical rainforest area within Central America. Its scenic setting, together with a variety of different lodges and activities are to be found, making it a prime spot to look for a hotel in La Ceiba where to stay and enjoy yourself.

If you are traveling to Roatan or Utila, make sure that you plan a couple of days to visit the Cangrejal River Valley in the mainland and learn about Pico Bonito National Park, the most bio-diverse national park in Central America!

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Most travelers that come through La Ceiba do so on the way to the Bay Islands of Roatan or Utila. Because of this, very few of them actually overnight in La Ceiba. They are in such a hurry to get to the Honduras’ famous Caribbean Islands that they never figure out what they are missing out by not staying overnight in La Ceiba and explore the surroundings.

Without doubt, the nicest and most versatile area within La Ceiba is the Cangrejal River Valley. This area is only 10 km. (6 Miles) from town and offers great lodging, outstanding eco and adventure activities and friendly bars and restaurants where you will meet other travelers who will gladly share their travel experiences with you.

You see, the first thing you will learn if you do decide to overnight in La Ceiba in the Cangrejal River Valley, is that you will need at  least two, probably three nights to take full advantage of all there is to do there.  Most of all, you will be happy that you did decide to overnight in La Ceiba, because a stay at the Cangrejal River Valley will easily turn into one of the highlights of your visit to Central America.

I have yet to meet a traveler who was disappointed by the beauty, charm and diversity available within the area. I have, however met many a traveler who was sorry they did not plan on a longer stay in the Cangrejal River Valley, so make sure you leave some time to enjoy the area!

from the UK to Honduras

Amongst the different activities available are white water rafting, zipline canopy tours, hiking in the tropical jungles, horseback riding, mountain biking, and some truly spectacular bird watching.  You will find the crystal clear and temperate waters of the Cangrejal River too tempting to resist and have the time of your life swimming in the natural water pools within the river.

Hotels in Pico Bonito National Park

Best of all are the variety of lodges available. La Villa de Soledad B&B is one of the most popular and truly beautiful lodges in the area. Come and stay with us and find out why we get raving reviews from our clients!

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Are you looking for the best hotel in La Ceiba?

There is no doubt that the best place to stay in La Ceiba is the Cangrejal River Valley. Here you will find the best of nature, the best of peace and quiet and the best activities to enjoy. This being said, you will also find the best hotel in La Ceiba!

La Villa de Soledad B&B, the best hotel in La Ceiba

La Villa de Soledad B&B is the best Hotel in La Ceiba! Who says so? Check out what our guests think on tripadvisor. You will find that we consistently get raving reviews about our location, our service and our facilities. The setting is absolutely stunning, the facilities are comfortable and cozy, the service is friendly and hospitable, and the activities that you can enjoy are many a varied.

We can truly say that coming to La Ceiba, and not staying in the best hotel in La Ceiba is a real mistake, especially when it is son affordable! Our low season rates, which span from August 30 till December 16th are only $75 US per room in double occupancy and including taxes and tips! Now if that is not a deal what is?

La Villa de Soledad B&B is such a good deal, that visiting the nearby Bay Islands of Utila and Roatan, and not stopping in La Ceiba for a couple of days to relax in best Hotel in La Ceiba is truly an unforgivable mistake.

Best Hotel in La Ceiba

La Villa de Soledad offers direct access to two National Parks, Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios, great natural swimming areas in the Cangrejal River, and best of all outstanding hospitality and knowledge of the area. Best of all the bilingual innkeepers will go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and satisfied. Come, discover the Cangrejal River Valley and some of the best kept secrets in Central America at the Cangrejal River Valley in La Ceiba!

Do yourself a favor, do not pay attention to what the travel warnings and the press have to say about Honduras. Check out the different comments that fellow travelers have put up as reviews in the diverse properties around the Cangrejal River. You will find that the area is safe, peaceful, and relaxing. Pamper yourself by visiting La Villa De Soledad B&B, the best hotel in La Ceiba!

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Tips about Pico Bonito National Park: How to get there & what to expect.

One of the best known National Parks in Honduras, Pico Bonito is a true gem that many travelers miss out on. It is incredible that many tourists pass right by this national park and totally miss out on all it has to offer. In an effort to make it easier for you we have decided to put together a small note on Pico Bonito National Park: How to get there & what to expect. I truly hope that you find it useful and decide to visit this magnificent National Park, the largest in Atlantida and one of the largest in Honduras.

So let’s start with the how to get there! Pico Bonito is located on mainland Honduras, and is separated from the Caribbean Sea by a narrow coastal plain. The park is part of the Nombre de Dios Mountain Range that can easily be seen from Utila, and also from Roatan’s West End on a clear day. If you are on your way to the Bay Islands of Honduras, chances are that you will be traveling overland to the City of La Ceiba, located on the North Coast of Honduras. This is the gateway to the Bay Islands of Honduras, as the ferry service that operates between the mainland and the Bay Islands does so from La Ceiba.

If you flew in directly to Roatan, then the easiest way to get to Pico Bonito National Park is using the Roatan ferry, which has two daily departures. The passage between Roatan and La Ceiba is just under two hours. Another alternative is to fly, it is a short 15 minute flight, and there are several different airlines that provide service on this route. Personally, I prefer the ferry; it always departs on schedule and is much more reliable!

Pico Bonito National Park: how to get there & What to expecto

Once in La Ceiba, you have several options to get to Pico Bonito: The first is to go the community of El Pino, located about 15 miles west of La Ceiba and visit or stay at The Lodge at Pico Bonito, the premier luxury eco lodge in Honduras. IF you prefer something closer and more affordable, the you should certainly plan on visiting the Cangrejal River Valley. This area actually has a total of 10 small hotels and lodges, a myriad of activities, both for the active adventurer as well as for the relaxed naturalists that wants to enjoy some serious bird watching or simply sit back and relax in nature.

Cangrejal River: how do I get there?

You will find some award winning properties within the Cangrejal River Valley that you will certainly enjoy, including the beautiful La Villa de Soledad, a unique boutique bed and breakfast that offers the perfect setting to relax in nature, or to set out on a seriously active adventure.

Hotel in La Ceiba

I hope you have a clear idea of Pico Bonito National Park: how to get there & what to expect! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] for questions concerning Pico Bonito National Park and the Cangrejal River Valley.

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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!

Cangrejal River: how do I get there?

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!

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Do You Want to Explore Volcanoes in Honduras?

Although it is generally said that Honduras is the only Central American country that does not have volcanoes, this is actually not true. What is true is the fact that there have not been any eruptions by volcanoes in Honduras for several thousands of years.

Geology scientists agree that there are 4 volcanoes in Honduras. Two of them are located within the Gulf of Fonseca, and are actually aligned with the coastal axis of volcanoes that exists on the Pacific coast of Central America, spreading from Guatemala through El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

One of these volcanoes in Honduras is located on the island of Zacate Grande, and is within private property, so you cannot plan on visiting it; however the other, located on the Isla del Tigre, is a beautiful symmetrical conical volcano that you can visit if you are interested. With an elevation of 2,583 feet (783 meters) the stratovolcano at Isla del Tigre has not been known to erupt in recorded history. Although steep, there is a trail to get to the top of the volcano. The hike, which at times is almost a climb, will take you about three hours to reach the summit. The reward is a fantastic view that lets you see three different countries, Honduras, of course, as well as El Salvador towards the northwest and Nicaragua to the southeast. Sunsets are out of this World here, but if you do decide to stay and watch the sunset from the top, make sure you bring some flashlights with you to get you back down safely!

Amapala offers several different lodging options that you will enjoy during your stay there. Getting to the island is fairly simple. Take a bus to San Lorenzo, Valle, and from there take another bus to Coyolito, which is less than an hour away. Coyolito is the small port from where the boats depart towards Amapala. If you are coming from Nicaragua or El Salvador on the Pan-American highway, you will pass right next to San Lorenzo. If you need to spend the night there, there are several different options; I would suggest the Villa Conchamar which offers the best views of Gulf of Fonseca and the mangrove canals.

The third of the volcanoes in Honduras is located on the north shores of Lake Yojoa Although the access to the volcano is not well marked, you can easily get a tour to the volcano site. The folks at D&D Brewery offer a tour to the volcano and a few other points of interest nearby. If interested in visiting, contact Bobby at D&D Brewery and he will be happy to set you up! He does by the way have a great hotel and hostel that make your stay truly enjoyable.

The last of the four volcanoes in Honduras is located on the Island of Utila. Stuert Hill, also spelled Stuart Hill and Pumkin Hill are both part of this extinct volcano. You can easily plan on a day trip from Utila to visit this volcano and get to know more of the beautiful Island of Utila.

Island of Utila, home to one of the volcanoes in Honduras

Although I am not a geologist, the amount of natural hot springs along the north coast of Honduras does call my attention, as in my limited understanding, they are somehow natural vents from deep inside the planet that find a way out. Some of these hot springs have a great infrastructure and can offer a great opportunity to relax within the tropical rainforests of the Nombre de Dios National Park. If you are interested in visiting these hot springs, you should certainly plan on spending the night in La Ceiba. As a matter of fact, if you like adventure and or nature or both, you should plan on spending several nights along the Cangrejal River Valley, just outside La Ceiba. Check out our facilities at La Villa de Soledad, we offer ideal accommodations to let you relax after a good days adventure. Our proximity too many different nature and adventure activities has made us a favorite choice amongst many different travelers!

Why stay in La Ceiba?

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La Ceiba, located on the mainland of Honduras, is the natural hub for the Bay Islands.

If you are looking to travel to the Bay Islands of Honduras, chances are that you will be traveling through the city of La Ceiba. With a population of approximately 250,000 souls, La Ceiba is the fifth largest city in Honduras, but actually, the third most important! La Ceiba developed and grew around the operations of the Standard Fruit Company, owned by Dole, and quickly became an important agricultural and economic hub in the Caribbean Coast of Honduras. Because of its geographical location, La Ceiba is the natural hub for the Bay Islands.

La Ceiba the Hub for the Bay Islands of Honduras

The Bay Islands of Honduras are a small archipelago in the Western Caribbean that offers the perfect setting for vacations. Regardless of whether you are looking for diving, beaches, or both, the Bay Islands of Honduras are a true paradise. There are three main inhabited islands: Roatan, Utila and Guanaja, and all of them can be easily reached from La Ceiba. There are two daily ferry departures between La Ceiba and Roatan and La Ceiba and Utila. In addition, the airport in La Ceiba is the perfect to catch a short flight to any of the three islands, with departures being multiple throughout the day.

La Ceiba Hub for the Bay Islands of Honduras

La Ceiba is however, much more that the perfect hub for the Bay Islands of Honduras. On its own, La Ceiba offers the best and most complete array of adventure and nature activities that will satisfy any traveler looking for a bit of the above. Activities ranging from World Class white water rafting to zip line canopy tours and waterfall descents and canyoning are all available within the Cangrejal River Valley, a unique spot just 5 miles from downtown La Ceiba. Hiking through trails in the tropical rainforests of Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios National Parks are also readily available from this same area. Bird watching can be enjoyed from the comfort of a hammock in your verandah at La Villa de Soledad B&B.

accommodation in La Ceiba

So when planning your visit to the Bay Islands of Honduras, make sure that you remember that La Ceiba is the hub for the Bay Islands, and that there is a lot more to La Ceiba that just being a perfect hub for the Bay Islands!

Not to be forgotten, another great option that you have from La Ceiba is the fact that you can launch your expedition to the unique Moskito Coast region, located east of La Ceiba towards the border with Nicaragua from here.  This area is home to the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, one of the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Honduras.

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