Trip Report: Honduras
Visited in March 2024
Poor Honduras. Not only are you the least visited country in Central America, most visitors I know only stay for one or two days. Many travel from Guatemala either as a day trip or sometimes with an overnight stay to Honduras, visit the Copán Ruins, a Mayan site, and then leave again.
I must confess that during my research on Honduras, I found it challenging to discover attractions that truly captivated me. For me personally, the Copán Ruins seem lackluster, particularly when compared to Tikal in Guatemala that we were going to visit later on the trip. This leaves the islands of Roatán and Utila, which appear appealing. Nonetheless, the flight connections made these options unfeasible for us.
So, I considered flying to San Pedro Sula, once known as the murder capital of the world, thinking it would at least make for an interesting story. The responses to my Instagram posts asking, “Is it safe there?” suggest that the city still evokes unease among many. However, for us, San Pedro Sula was merely a layover.
Honduras marked the fifth country for me in Central America and the second destination of a three-week trip together with Kati. Having just arrived from Nicaragua, which we adored, our next venture after Belize would be Guatemala, concluding my travels in this part of the world.
The original plan for Honduras was to explore San Pedro Sula in a single day and possibly take a day trip elsewhere. However, I discovered a hotel named D&D Brewery on Lake Yojoa, which provided a range of nearby activities. Subsequently, I found out that Lonely Planet had previously named this hotel the best in Central America. Thus, the itinerary was set: we would spend the first and third night in San Pedro Sula, with a visit to Lake Yojoa in between.
Our flight landed at around 11pm in Honduras’ second-largest city, following the capital Tegucigalpa. The immigration process was super-slow, consuming nearly an hour. Subsequently, after a thirty-minute drive, our Uber reached the Hyatt, which served only as a place to rest before our departure at 8am the following morning.
In theory, we could have taken the bus from San Pedro Sula to Lake Yojoa, which would have been about a two-and-a-half-hour trip. However, an Uber ride, costing less than 40 dollars and promising a journey time of 90 minutes, seemed like a great luxurious alternative. Despite refusals from the first three drivers, a fourth one hesitantly accepted the job. Considering the fuel likely cost as much as he earned, we gave him a substantial tip at the end.
We spent the following two days at Lake Yojoa, Honduras’ largest lake. The D&D Brewery, nestled in a wooded area adjacent to a village, offers a unique experience. A short drive leads you to the entrance, and within moments of walking, you’re enveloped by the jungle ambiance. Notably, the area can be seen as touristy by Honduran standards, featuring numerous hotels, kayak rentals, souvenir shops, and more.
Nevertheless, the area wasn’t swamped with tourists. But our hotel was quite occupied, primarily by travelers from Europe or the USA. Similar to those we encountered in Nicaragua, these visitors are likely touring across Central America, with Honduras being one of the countries they pass through, probably for a short duration.
Upon our arrival, we arranged for a driver to take us to Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park. The journey lasted approximately 45 minutes. The park offers several hiking trails, and we opted for the longest loop, estimated to take four hours. The trail primarily winds through the forest, ascending around 400 meters before descending back. Along the way, there are several vantage points offering views of Lake Yojoa and the surrounding landscape.
The trail also features one or two waterfalls that, while not particularly spectacular, are still worth a glance. Additionally, hikers have the opportunity to spot wildlife within the forest. Near the end of the trail, Kati almost ran into a two-meter-long black snake lounging on the path. Luckily, the snake was more scared than we were and swiftly retreated into the bush.
We completed the hike in just under three hours. Was it worthwhile? To be honest, it was enjoyable to get some exercise. The hike wasn’t especially scenic since it mainly winds through a forest, and forests tend to look more or less the same everywhere, don’t they? We don’t regret the experience, but I wouldn’t suggest making a special trip from San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa solely for this park.
We spent the evening at our jungle hotel, which hosted about thirty to forty guests. The staff appeared to be overwhelmed by the number of people. Google reviews indicate that the D&D Brewery may have seen better days and must now ensure that its previous achievements aren’t overshadowed by subpar service. The place was still okay but far away from terrific.
The following morning, we embarked on our second hike. The hotel organizes guided hikes up a hill that promises a spectacular view of Lake Yojoa, costing $10 per person. Regrettably, our guide informed us upon departure that the view from the summit might be somewhat bad. Indeed, the haze had been persistent since our arrival at Lake Yojoa.
We opted for the hike regardless. After all, what were our options? Stand-up paddling and kayaking didn’t appeal to us, so the only other choice was to idle away the hours at the hotel. The hike turned out to be quite challenging, ascending 300 meters up a steep incline. The visibility up there was indeed very poor. Fortunately, we had set low expectations, which saved us from feeling too let down.
I still believe that the hike is worthwhile in good weather, definitely more so than the national park we visited the previous day. Our guide shared photos on his phone of the view on a clear day, and it truly looked impressive. Moreover, for 10 dollars, one could certainly find less enjoyable activities.
The same driver who took us to the national park also returned us to San Pedro Sula. He charged 1,500 lempira for the journey, approximately 60 USD. I agreed but requested an extra stop at Pulhapanzak Falls, one of Honduras’ largest waterfalls. I promised him that we wouldn’t linger too long.
Pulhapanzak Falls, which sounds to me like it could be in Kazakhstan, is essentially an amusement park centered around a massive waterfall. Activities like ziplining or abseiling are available, and the place was teeming with visitors. It was the start of Semana Santa, the Easter celebration period in Latin America. In Honduras, the entire country is on holiday, leading to crowded tourist spots.
The place wasn’t exactly charming, yet it turned out to be the most photogenic spot in Honduras. My friends mocked me for taking another pictures of waterfalls around the world. I get their point, but when I looked at the rest of my photos of Honduras, there was simply nothing that looked even a bit pretty. There’s just something about waterfalls – they never fail to impress.
We returned to the Hyatt in San Pedro Sula late in the afternoon and decided not to venture out again. After all, there isn’t much to see in San Pedro Sula. While dining on the restaurant’s terrace, I observed the streets to see if there were any pedestrians. The roads were bustling with cars, yet there were no people walking. Is it because the city is too dangerous? Honestly, I believe that San Pedro Sula isn’t dangerous as long as you remain within the hotel at night and stick to the central areas during the day.
The following morning, we headed to the airport early to continue our journey to Belize, marking my second-last country in Central America. My time in Honduras was brief. So, what’s my takeaway? It’s important to note that forming a fair conclusion about a country after just three nights and two full days is not possible. Nevertheless, I can determine whether this brief encounter has left me yearning for more.
It hasn’t. Nothing I encountered struck me as particularly interesting. Having come from Nicaragua, I found the people there to be somewhat more hospitable. This isn’t to say that Hondurans weren’t friendly, but the country didn’t earn any extra points for exceptional warmth.
One might suggest that I should spend more time to discover more of Honduras. Yet, I would struggle to find other interesting places to visit. Copán still seems boring to me and doesn’t attract me in the slightest. The capital, Tegucigalpa, doesn’t appeal to me either. During my visit, I came across a Facebook post from someone who had spent 10 days in Honduras and was full of praise. He highlighted Lake Yojoa, which I personally found… okay. So, if that’s considered a highlight, I’m not eager to see the rest.
That leaves the islands: Roatán and Utila. The coastal region around La Ceiba looks nice too, which I believe could be true. Will I return to Honduras to explore these places? I wouldn’t completely rule it out, but it’s not on my immediate agenda. After all, out of all seven Central American countries, Honduras was my least favorite.
In fairness, the competition among these countries is quite fierce. However, if asked for a recommendation, I would be more inclined to suggest the neighboring countries of El Salvador or Nicaragua as preferable destinations. However, it might be worthwhile to explore the country yourself and spend some more time there. Perhaps, it will convince you more.
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