Honduras

Key facts

• Region: Central America — Sovereign states
• Capital: Tegucigalpa
• Currency: Honduran lempira (HNL)
• Languages: Spanish (plus indigenous languages and English on the Bay Islands)
• Main airport: TGU — Toncontín International Airport, serving Tegucigalpa
• Best time to visit: December to April, the dry season; the Bay Islands stay diveable year-round, though September to November is the wettest and most storm-prone stretch

Overview

Honduras is best known to travellers for its Bay Islands and their reef diving, which is among the cheapest in the Caribbean. The mainland offers major Maya ruins at Copán, cloud forest and river country, but has a higher crime reputation that makes travel there more cautious than in neighbouring countries. The islands are generally considered safe and are the main reason most visitors come.

Airports

Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (SAP) in San Pedro Sula is the busiest international gateway on the mainland. Toncontín International Airport (TGU) serves the capital, Tegucigalpa, and is known for a difficult approach into the surrounding hills. Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport (RTB) on Roatán and Golosón International (LCE) at La Ceiba are the main gateways to the Bay Islands and the north coast.

Main cities

Tegucigalpa is the capital, with limited appeal beyond its colonial centre and museums. San Pedro Sula is the industrial and transport hub, used mainly as a connection point. La Ceiba is the north-coast port and ferry departure point for Roatán and Utila. Roatán's West End and West Bay are the main tourist towns on the islands. Copán Ruinas is a small town beside the ruins and the best base in the western highlands.

Places to go

Copán, in the west near the Guatemalan border, is one of the most important Maya archaeological sites for its carved stelae. Roatán, Utila and Guanaja make up the Bay Islands, with Roatán the most developed and Utila the cheapest for dive certification. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef runs past the islands. Pico Bonito National Park near La Ceiba covers rainforest and mountain. Lancetilla Botanical Garden, also near La Ceiba, is one of the largest tropical botanical gardens in the region. Lago de Yojoa is a large inland lake popular for birdwatching. The colonial town of Gracias in the western highlands sits near Celaque National Park.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Honduras, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked