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Honduras' slow pace, natural charm, and low-profile tourism make it particularly appealing to travelers who enjoy getting off the beaten track. Beauty, magic, and traditions abound in the Mayan archaeological city of Copan, the Caribbean Coast, and the Bay Islands, a true haven for scuba diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. |
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| GEOGRAPHY |
| Honduras shares borders in the southeast with Nicaragua, in the west with Guatemala, and in the southwest with El Salvador. To the north lies the Caribbean and to the south the Pacific Ocean. The interior of the country comprises a central mountain system running from east to west, cut by rivers flowing into both the Caribbean and Pacific. The lowlands in the south form a plain along the Pacific coast. The Gulf of Fonseca in the southwest contains many islands which have volcanic peaks. The large fertile valleys of the northern Caribbean lowlands are cultivated with banana plantations. However, large areas of land in Honduras are unsuitable for cultivation, and communications tend to be difficult. The majority of the population lives in the western half of the country, while the second-largest concentration of people is in the Cortes area which extends northwards from Lake Yojoa towards the Caribbean.
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| MONEY EXCHANGE |
Currency:
Lempira (La) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of La100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 centavos. A real is one-eighth of a Lempira, and is used colloquially, though there is no such coin.
Currency exchange:
Sterling cannot normally be exchanged, except at branches of Lloyds Bank; visitors should therefore take US Dollar travellers cheques.
Credit cards:
MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa are accepted. Check with your credit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.
Travellers cheques:
To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.
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| PEOPLE |
Population: Honduras has 5.6 million inhabitants. Most are Mestizo (of mixed Indian and European heritage), but a number of indigenous groups have preserved their traditional customs and language.
Honduras in Numbers:
Rural population: 57%
Urban population: 43%
Population density: 48.2 per km2
Population growth: 2.8%
Unemployment rate: 30%
Labor force: 1.7 million in agriculture: 0.7 million in industry: 0.2 million other: 0.8 million
Language: Spanish is the official language, except in the Bay Islands, where locals speak English. Many Hondurans have studied English as a second language, however people with at least a working knowledge of English are easy to find, especially in larger cities.
Ethnic Groups:
There are many ethnic Indian groups in Honduras: the Chorti, who are descendants of the classic Maya; the Lenca, who spawned the national Indian hero Chief Lempira; the Tolupanes, Tawahka, Pech and Miskitos of the La Mosquitia rainforest; the Afro-American inhabitants of the Bay Islands and the Garifuna of the North Coast. All of these cultures offer a rich variety of dances, food and music, which give visitors a great opportunity to make friends.
Religion:
Honduras is predominately Roman Catholic, although evangelical Protestant groups have grown in the last decade. Other churches represented include Jewish, Anglican, Baptist, Mennonite, Mormon, Moravian, Methodist, Presbyterian, Jehovah's Witness and Baha'i.
Although the class structure in Honduras is similar to that in other Latin American countries, the manner in which these classes interact presents less conflict than is exhibited by Honduras's immediate neighbors. The relative lack of tension in class relations raises the possibility that Honduras might avoid the social and political violence that has plagued Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. Political dynamics peculiar to Honduras tend to lessen social pressures, although it is still possible that class tensions, growing poverty among the majority of the population, and increased concentration of wealth in a minority could result in violence in the future.
The low level of social tension in Honduras has its origins in the country's colonial and early republican history. During the colonial period, the province that later became Honduras was a backwater in the territories held by Spain. Because much of the indigenous population either had been exterminated or had died of disease, the province was sparsely populated. Ethnically, this meant that Honduras had a more homogeneous mestizo culture than most other Spanish colonies. The area was isolated because the majority of Honduras's population settled in the central and western highlands, far from the main transportation route that linked the southern and northern regions of the Spanish Empire. Furthermore, the area lacked any significant mineral deposits or other easily exploitable wealth. Consequently, the colonial elite in Honduras came to be defined by their control of the province's political system rather than by their accumulation of wealth. In later centuries, the absence of coffee exporting concerns in Honduras became another factor differentiating it from its neighbors. In most of Central America, large coffee plantations resulted in a wealthy elite. The accumulation of large fortunes by a land-owning minority took place much later in Honduras during the twentieth century, when much of the wealth from the new banana businesses went to foreign investors who owned the banana companies.
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| TAX |
| Departure tax: US$25 is levied on all passengers aged 12 years and over.
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| HOLIDAYS & FESTIVITIES |
| Jan |
1 |
New Year's Day |
| Apr |
14 |
Day of the Americas |
| Varies |
Good Friday. Easter |
| May |
1 |
Labour Day |
| Sep |
15 |
Independence Day |
| Oct |
3 |
Morazan Day |
| 12 |
Columbus Day |
| 21 |
Armed Forces Day |
| Dec |
25 |
Christmas |
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| COUNTRY ORIENTATION |
No tourist visa required for U.S. citizens. Enter the country with a passport valid for at least 3 months.
Tegucigalpa, the capital, was originally founded as a mining camp in 1524. Unlike so many of Central America's cities, Tegucigalpa has never been subjected to the disasters of earthquake or fire and so retains many traditional features. Visitors to the capital should plan to visit the city's impressive parks, particularly Concordia, where models of Copan's Mayan architecture are displayed, and the United Nations Park for a spectacular view of the city. Also recommended is a visit to neighbouring Comayagua, former capital of Honduras and now a colonial masterpiece of cobbled streets, tiny plazas and whitewashed homes.
The Caribbean Coast: Two coastal towns are important to tourists and commercial visitors: La Ceiba and Trujillo. La Ceiba, which lies at the foot of the towering 1500m (5000ft) Pico Bonito, still a major banana port, now looks to tourism as a future major industry. There are good hotels and beaches, and a new international airport, one of the city's major assets. Trujillo was once a thriving port and the old capital of colonial Honduras.
Trujillo today offers many old Spanish buildings, a fascinating pirate history and superb tropical beaches. New resorts and subdivisions are now opening in the Trujillo area.
Bay Islands: 50km (30 miles) off the Caribbean coast of Honduras lies the exotic archipelago of the Bay Islands. Consisting of three major islands (Roatan, Guanaja and Utila) and several smaller islands, the Bay Islands have a history that spans the ancient Mayan civilisation, early Spanish exploration, colonial buccaneers and the British Empire. Roatan and Guanaja are hilly, tropical islands, protected by a great coral reef that provides fine skindiving. Utila offers wide expanses of sandy beach and is ringed by tiny cays surrounded by palm trees.
San Pedro Sula is a fast-growing banana, sugar manufacturing and distribution centre for the entire north coast. Today San Pedro Sula boasts a new airport, first-class hotels and several excellent restaurants.
The ancient city of Copan is 171km (106 miles) from San Pedro Sula. The Copan Ruins Archaeological Park in western Honduras is the best remaining testament to the culture of the Mayan Indians. Among the best of the ruins are the magnificent Acropolis composed of courts and temples, the Great Plaza, a huge amphitheatre, and the Court of the Hieroglyphic Stairway. Near the Great Acropolis recent archaeological work has brought to light invaluable excavations.
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| WEATHER |
The climate is tropical, with cooler, more temperate weather in the mountains. The north coast is very hot with rain throughout the year, and though the offshore breezes temper the climate, the sun is very strong.
Honduras has almost perfect climate all year around. The dry season is from November to April, rainy season from May through October. Rainy season is frequently marked by perfect mornings, with mid afternoon showers and slightly cooler and more comfortable temperature during this season. Average temperature is between 20C; and 30C; C (68F; - 86 F) However temperatures are usually higher along
Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens; warmer clothes are recommended between November and February and in the mountains. Waterproofs are needed for the wet season.
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Latin America, Mexico, Caribbean and Europe 
