Honduras
Nestled between the borders of Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua exists Honduras, which is the second largest country in South American and offers an exciting destination for tourists. The country is soaked in the rich history of colonial villages, Mayan ruins and natural parks. The Bay Islands that exist along the coast offer a serine environment for avid divers and snorkelers.
Getting Around
In essence, there are four ways to explore the beautiful scenery that Honduras has to offer people. First, you can choose to travel by Train. There are passenger trains available in La Ceiba and, during holidays and festivals there are additional trains typically running from San Pedro Sula.
The second way to travel is, of course, by boat. There are two primary ferries to shuttle people between primary destinations concerning the islands off of the coast of Honduras. The first boat (Galaxy Wave II), which costs $45 also includes comfortable seating and entertainment and usually takes slightly longer to cross as to where the New Princess boat costs $30 dollars and typically takes less time to cross.
The third way to travel around Honduras is by automobile, but if you do not wish to rent a vehicle then the fourth and final option is to utilize your thumb and hitch-hike around the country. This is a common practice in Honduras when a bus connection does not exist for a desired location. You may ask around to determine departure locations and typically pay the fee for your journey upon arriving at your desired destination.
Things to See & Do
There are several activities to undertake and a plenty of attractions to see, but a few are more popular than the rest. For example, hiking in San Pedro through the Cusuco National Park by utilizing the Cusuco backpacking mountain route is immensely popular. It does not matter whether you are an avid adventurer or just seeking a day in the sun, there are waterfalls to behold, treks during the evening hours and even a dwarf forest to explore.
A program called Volunteer Honduras is another excellent way to get involved with exploring the history and scenery of the country. For $725, you can spend a week in Honduras that includes 5 days of volunteer-work and 3 days of travelling to popular and attractive destinations.
Another brilliant place to behold is the world’s second largest stretch of coral reef that exists throughout the Bay Islands. Even if you are not a certified diver you can complete these courses in Utila or choose from a variety of other activities in the area such as hiking and kayaking.
In Western Honduras, at Copan, there are remains of Mayans inhabiting the land sometime during 1200 BC. This has been designated as an official UNESCO world heritage site. Further, there are several informative museums and a litany of natural sites for people that are more eco-conscious.
Food & Drink
There are three traditional plates of food that anyone travelling to Honduras should sample. The ‘Plato tipico’ is probably the most well-known dish to sample while exploring Honduras. Next, you will want to try Baleadas, which is served in a flour tortilla as well. For a special treat you should sample the baleada especial, which typically includes eggs and sometimes avocado or a meat product.
There are also many unique beverages to try while visiting Honduras. For example, there are several national beers that include Barena, which is the most recent national beer to be developed. There is also Nicaraguan rum that is very popular and known as rum Flor de Caña.
Coffee is another plentiful and wonderful beverage to explore with beans from Lepaera having been voted some of the best in the entire world. Finally, you may want to taste one of the various Licuados, which are also a common Honduran beverage to ask for while travelling throughout the country.