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WHERE TO GO |
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Most visitors pass through the capital, Tegucigalpa , at some stage,
where a stay, however short, is enlivened by the generally relaxed
ambience, and the presence of facilities and services you won't find
elsewhere. Though small, the city has a reasonable range of places to
eat, drink and make merry. A couple of hours on the bus from Tegucigalpa
brings you to the peaceful mountain towns of Santa Lucía and Valle de
Ángeles , with hiking close by in the cloudforest of La Tigra . Further
away is the little-visited getaway of Isla El Tigre , becalmed in the
warm waters of the Golfo de Fonseca and perfect for a few days spent
doing nothing much at all.
Many travellers head straight for the western highlands and the Maya
ruins of Copán , one of the finest archeological sites in Central
America. Though it's an arduous trip from the capital, there are some
worthwhile places to break the journey, notably Comayagua , a couple of
hours from Tegucigalpa, the former colonial capital, which has a wealth
of historic churches and a couple of good museums. The equally charming
colonial city of Santa Rosa de Copán also makes a logical destination on
the way to or from Copán.
In the east of the country, the rugged, sparsely populated region known
as Olancho is home to the rarely visited national parks of La Muralla
and Sierra de Agalta . The latter contains the most extensive stretch of
virgin cloudforest remaining in Central America. Heading towards the
Caribbean you're almost certain to pass through Honduras's energetic
second city, San Pedro Sula , the commercial centre of the country and a
useful transport hub. Just an hour or so south of town is one of Central
America's premier spots for ornithologists, the placid, blue, fresh
waters of Lago de Yojoa .
Frequent buses fan out from San Pedro to the north coast , with its
pristine white beaches, clear warm waters and endless sun. Tela, La
Ceiba and Trujillo are all lively towns with a thriving nightlife, while
the fishing village of Omoa moves at a quieter pace. For a glimpse of a
different way of life, make for the friendly Garífuna villages dotted
along the coast. Also within easy reach is the coastal wetland reserve
of Punta Sal , near Tela, sheltering a multiplicity of bird and marine
life amid mangrove swamps and marshes. It requires a little more
planning to get into the heart of Pico Bonito , a mountainous reserve
near La Ceiba, but the effort is spectacularly rewarded.
The jewel in the crown of Honduras's natural resources, however, is the
biosphere reserve of the Río Plátano in Mosquitia. Encompassing one of
the finest remaining stretches of virgin tropical rainforest in Central
America, the region is largely uninhabited - a trip here really does get
you off the beaten track.
Finally, the Bay Islands are the ultimate base for a beach holiday, with
world-class snorkelling and diving, and an extravagantly rich cultural
mix. |
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