Travel Guide

Places To See

Parque Nacional La Tigra

One of Honduras' most beautiful places is the lush cloud forest of La Tigra. This pristine reserve was Honduras' first national park and is now home to an abundance of wildlife, from pumas to peccaries to armadillos and agoutis (rabbit-sized rodents). It's also a botanist's delight, with vines, lichens, large ferns, orchids and other flowering plants.

The park is also home to about 350 species of bird, making La Tigra the country's best bird-watching spot after Lago de Yojoa. If you're lucky, you may even spot a quetzal, which is a distinctive aqua color and has long tail feathers.

Pulhapanzak Falls

Pulhapanzak Falls (43m/141ft) is a magnificent towering waterfall on the Río Lindo. It makes a fine stop along the route from Tegucigalpa to San Pedro Sula, or a day trip from Lago de Yojoa. Surrounded by a lush park with places to swim in the river, it's a popular spot but can be crowded on weekends and holidays.

Basílica de Suyapa

On the Suyapa hillside, the huge Gothic Basílica de Suyapa dominates the landscape. La Virgen de Suyapa is the patron saint of Honduras and all of Central America. The construction of the basilica, which is famous for its large, brilliant stained-glass windows, began in 1954 - finishing touches are still being added.

La Virgen de Suyapa, who is believed by many to have performed hundreds of miracles, is a tiny wooden statue, measuring only 6cm (2.4in). She is brought to the large basilica on holidays, especially for the annual Feria de la Virgen de Suyapa beginning on the saint's day (February 2) and continuing for a week; the celebrations attract pilgrims from all over Central America.

Most of the time, however, the little statue is kept on the altar of the very simple Iglesia de Suyapa (you'll see her if you squint). Built between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, the church stands behind the impressive basilica.

Pre-Departure Information

When to go?

Town fairs and celebrations are held throughout the year - the largest are between February and August. While the coastal lowlands are warm year-round, the mountainous interior can be cool and rainy (especially between May and October). On the Caribbean coast, it can rain year-round though flooding only occasionally impedes travel. The best time of the year to visit is between February and March, when the climate is relatively dry but the vegetation is still lush.

Travel Visa Overview

Citizens of most European countries, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan normally receive 90-day tourist cards when entering the country. Upon arrival you will fill out a short immigration form, the yellow portion of which will be stapled or folded into your passport. Don't lose it! This form will be collected when you depart and stamped if you seek an extension on your stay. Once inside Honduras, you can apply for an extension once, for a total stay of 180 days. After that you must leave the country for at least three days and then re-enter.

Electricity

110/220V

60Hz

Electrical Plugs

American-style plug with two parallel flat blades above a circular grounding pin

Japanese-style plug with two parallel flat blades

Health Information

Hepatitis

Several different viruses cause hepatitis; they differ in the way that they are transmitted. The symptoms in all forms of the illness include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, feelings of weakness and aches and pains, followed by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored feces, jaundiced (yellow) skin and yellowing of the whites of the eyes.

There are 6 known types of viral hepatitis: A, B, C, D, E and G. G is not dangerous. A and E are passed on by the fecal-oral route of transmission; there is a vaccine. Seek medical advice, but there is not much you can do apart from resting, drinking lots of fluids, eating lightly and avoiding fatty foods. A and E cause an acute illness, but you will recover fully from it.

B and D are passed on via blood, saliva, semen and vaginal fluids. They can be passed on by close contact, sexual contact, and blood-to-blood contact. The symptoms of hepatitis B may be more severe than type A and the disease can lead to long-term problems such as chronic liver damage, liver cancer or a long-term carrier state. There is a vaccine.

Hepatitis C is only passed on from blood-to-blood contact. There is no vaccine.

Dengue fever

Unlike the malaria mosquito, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits the dengue virus, is most active during the day, and is found mainly in urban areas, in and around human dwellings.

Signs and symptoms of dengue fever include a sudden onset of high fever, headache, joint and muscle pains, nausea and vomiting. A rash of small red spots sometimes appears three to four days after the onset of fever. Severe complications do sometimes occur. You should seek medical attention as soon as possible if you think you may be infected. A blood test can indicate the possibility of the fever. There is no specific treatment. Aspirin should be avoided, as it increases the risk of hemorrhaging. There is no vaccine against dengue fever.

Chagas' disease

This parasitic disease is transmitted by the reduvid bug. It infests crevices and palm fronds, often lives in thatched roofs and comes out at night. A hard, violet-colored swelling appears at the bite site in about a week. The disease is treatable in the early stages, and the body usually overcomes it unaided, but it can eventually be fatal if it goes untreated. Avoid sleeping in thatched-roof huts, or use a mosquito net, insecticides and repellents, and check for hidden insects.

Cholera

This diarrheal disease can cause rapid dehydration and death. Cholera is caused by a bacteria, Vibrio cholerae . It's transmitted from person to person by direct contact (often via healthy carriers of the disease) or via contaminated food and water. It can be spread by seafood, including crustaceans and shellfish, which get infected via sewage.

Cholera exists where standards of environmental and personal hygiene are low. Every so often there are massive epidemics, usually due to contaminated water in conditions where there is a breakdown of the normal infrastructure.

The time between becoming infected and symptoms appearing is usually short, between one and five days. The diarrhea starts suddenly, and pours out of you. It's characteristically described as 'rice water' diarrhea because it is watery and flecked with white mucus. Vomiting and muscle cramps are usual, but fever is rare. In its most serious form, it causes a massive outpouring of fluid (up to 20L a day). This is the worst case scenario - only about one in 10 sufferers get this severe form.

It's a self-limiting illness, meaning that if you don't succumb to dehydration, it will end in about a week without any treatment.

You should seek medical help urgently; in the meantime, start re-hydration therapy with oral re-hydration salts. You may need antibiotic treatment with tetracycline, but fluid replacement is the single most important treatment strategy in cholera.

Prevention is by taking basic food and water precautions, avoiding seafood and having scrupulous personal hygiene. The currently available vaccine is not thought worthwhile as it provides only limited protection for a short time.

HIV/AIDS

HIV (Human Immuno-deficiency Virus) develops into AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), which is a fatal disease. Any exposure to blood, blood products or body fluids may put the individual at risk. The disease is often transmitted through sexual contact or dirty needles - body piercing, acupuncture, tattooing and vaccinations can be potentially as dangerous as intravenous drug use. HIV and AIDS can also be spread via infected blood transfusions, but blood supplies in most reputable hospitals are now screened, so the risk from transfusions is low. If you do need an injection, ask to see the syringe unwrapped in front of you, or take a needle and syringe pack with you. Fear of HIV infection should not preclude treatment for any serious medical conditions. Most countries have organizations and services for HIV-positive folk and people with AIDS. For a list of organizations divided by country, plus descriptions of their services, see www.aidsmap.com.

Malaria

If you are traveling in endemic areas it is extremely important to avoid mosquito bites and to take tablets to prevent this disease. Symptoms range from fever, chills and sweating, headache, diarrhea and abdominal pains to a vague feeling of ill-health. Seek medical help immediately if malaria is suspected. Without treatment malaria can rapidly become more serious and can be fatal.

If medical care is not available, malaria tablets can be used for treatment. You should seek medical advice, before you travel, on the right medication and dosage for you. If you do contract malaria, be sure to be re-tested for the disease once you return home as you can harbor malaria parasites in your body even if you are symptom-free.

Travelers are advised to prevent mosquito bites at all times. The main messages are: wear light-colored clothing; wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts; use mosquito repellents containing the compound DEET on exposed areas (prolonged overuse of DEET may be harmful, especially to children, but its use is considered preferable to being bitten by disease-transmitting mosquitoes); avoid perfumes and aftershave; use a mosquito net impregnated with mosquito repellent (permethrin) - it may be worth taking your own. Impregnating clothes with permethrin effectively deters mosquitoes and other insects.

Weather Information

The mountainous topography of Honduras means that climate varies significantly depending on altitude. Mid-altitude temperatures are fairly moderate with regular sunshine making the mercury climb from 15-20°C (59-68°F) to about 28°C (82°F) during the middle of the day. Rainfall is low to moderate with a patchy wet season from May to October. Lowland and coastal regions experience less of a temperature range with warmer nights and slighty less rainfall, though the Caribbean coast is wet year-round. Hurricane season is from June to November.

History and Culture

Pre-20th Centure History

There is evidence of Mayan settlement since at least 1000 BC at Copán in western Honduras but, like other Mayan city-states, it was abandoned mysteriously around AD 900. Columbus set foot on the American mainland for the first time at Trujillo in northern Honduras in 1502. He named the country after the deep water off the Caribbean coast (Honduras means 'depths'). The Spanish settled Trujillo in 1525, but soon sought to colonize the cooler highlands. They established a capital at Comayagua in central Honduras in 1537. This remained the political and religious center of the country for 350 years, until Tegucigalpa became the capital in 1880.

Native Hondurans resisted Spanish colonialism, and, by some accounts, almost managed to drive the colonizers from the mainland. An indigenous Lenca chieftain named Lempira led 30,000 indigena against the Spanish, but was treacherously murdered at peace talks in 1538. By the following year resistance was crushed. Gold and silver were discovered near Tegucigalpa in 1570, attracting British and Dutch pirates who terrorized commercial ships on nearby shipping routes. Around 1600, the Spanish estimated that Roatán was home to 5000 British buccaneers. Trujillo was sacked in 1643 by Dutch pirates and was not resettled by the Spanish until 1787.

While Spain concentrated its energies on the interior, the British were attracted to the Caribbean coast by stands of mahogany - black settlers were brought in from Jamaica and other West Indian islands to harvest the timber. Following an appeal by chiefs of the Miskito, a British protectorate was declared over the entire coastal region extending from Honduras into Nicaragua. This lasted until 1859, when the area was relinquished to the newly-formed Republic of Honduras.

Independence from Spain was granted in 1821. Honduras briefly became part of independent Mexico, but then joined the Central American Federation. Conflict between conservatives and liberals led to a break from the union, and Honduras declared independence as a separate nation in 1838. Since then, power has alternated between two political factions and a succession of military regimes. There have been hundreds of coups, rebellions, electoral 'irregularities' and Machiavellian manipulations since independence. The most infamous was the incursion by North American filibuster William Walker in the 1850s. His ill-fated attempt to take over Central America ended in defeat - and his execution - in Trujillo.

Modern History

Around the end of the 19th century, land on Honduras' fertile north coast was purchased by US fruit companies to ship bananas back home. Three US companies (Standard Fruit, Cuyamel Fruit and United Fruit) eventually owned 75% of all Honduran banana groves. Bananas accounted for 66% of all Honduran exports in 1913, making the companies extremely powerful players in Honduran politics. Each allied themself with a domestic political faction - the ensuing rivalries shaped Honduran politics in the first half of the 20th century.

In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador had a brief war. The now-famous Soccer War, which started during a World Cup qualifying soccer match between the two countries, was sparked by the alleged mistreatment of Salvadoran immigrants in Honduras. It lasted only 100 hours but soured relations between the neighbors for decades.

During the 1980s, Honduras was surrounded by turmoil in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. When the Sandinistas overthrew the Nicaraguan dictator, the country became a haven for the Contras. Strong US influence, aid and military assistance maintained stability in Honduras throughout this period, as the US tried to destabilize Nicaragua. The US also trained El Salvadoran military at El Salvadoran refugee camps inside Honduras. When all this became public, the people were outraged. The government refused to sign a new military agreement with the US and told the Contras to leave Honduras.

In November 1998, Honduras was devastated by Hurricane Mitch. The three days of rain that followed caused landslides and floods that killed thousands and destroyed virtually every bridge in the country. When the Río Choluteca flooded, it devastated Tegucigalpa, sweeping whole shantytowns downriver and leaving behind an ocean of mud. By 2000, much of Mitch's mess was cleaned up, but the environmental practices that exacerbated the flooding, such as clearcutting, monoculture farming and rapid urban expansion, continued.

Recent History

In 2001, conservative Ricardo Maduro was elected president with promises to reduce crime - especially gang violence - and promote tourism. His anti-gang measures, known as Mano Dura (Hard Hand) succeeded in reducing gang killings, but were widely criticized by human rights organizations for going too far: they extended police powers to enter homes, and overlooked police and prison abuse.

In 2005, Manuel 'Mel' Zelaya of the opposition Liberal Party was elected president; he has promised to continue many of Maduro's anti-gang measures (which remain popular) and to create more jobs. Zelaya is overseeing Honduras' implementation of the Central America and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which is designed to loosen trade barriers between the US and participating countries. Critics say the program will hurt small business and farmers, but the promise of more maquilas (apparel manufacturing plants) like those north of San Pedro Sula - which employ more than 100,000 Hondurans - overshadow such concerns.