Honduras is known for being an incredibly dangerous place, two of it’s city’s San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa are in the top 3 most dangerous cities in the World outside war-zones. This picture that has been painted about Honduras definitely has reason behind it and sadly there is a stigma attached to this beautiful country. Honduras shouldn’t be ruled out by anyone searching for a new destination to visit and here is why you should ignore the horror stories and head to Honduras this year.
Island Life
All that is good about Honduras is in the North, there are several problems in the Southern regions and cities and also the North of the country sits on the beautiful Caribbean coastline. It is on the coastline where the islands of Roatan and Utila sit, two ‘very’ Caribbean islands that have become home to activities, party-lifestyle and hundreds of tourist seeking to SCUBA dive in one of the World’s best locations. Island life could not be more different than that of the Honduran cities, they are laid-back, relatively cosmopolitan thanks to it’s numerous hostels that attract backpackers from the World over. Whilst Roatan is a bit more lively, Utila is where you will find a more tranquil environment with calm beaches and a more traditional island culture. These Honduran islands are a great place to visit for those looking for a vacation that’s a little different.
The Locals
Whilst there is a strong gang culture within the cities in Honduras, outside of them you will find locals that are firstly, extremely happy that you have chosen to visit their country, and secondly incredibly welcoming and hospitable. Many of the locals hate the reputation that their country has and extend their hands in kindness with the hope of changing this. Regardless of where you are from and where you are staying, my experience of the Hondurans was nothing but pleasant and incredibly humbling.
Pico Bonito National Park
To get to the aforementioned islands, you will need to take about from the port town of La Ceiba in the North, around 30 minutes drive South from La Ceiba is the Pico Bonito National Park and one of Honduras’ hidden treasures. The Nation Park surrounds the vast and rapid Cangrejal River, a river that is the home to many activities from white-water rafting, kayaking and gorge walking through the rivers’ huge boulders. The National Park is more of a jungle, with a humid climate within the tree-line and large vines and climbing plants sprawling the rugged landscape and waterfalls and springs that appear from nowhere. This huge forest area houses several species of rare birds and spiders amongst a whole host of wildlife in the rivers and trees. If this location was anywhere other than Honduras then you can bet your bottom dollar that you would be paying through the nose to stay in one of the many eco-lodges and jungle retreats that hide amongst the tress. . Fortunately, this is Honduras and the prices are fantastic.
