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San Pedro Sula might seem at first glance as a modern city with few options for the visitor to enjoy. Aside from its fantastic restaurants, museum and cultural center, San Pedro makes a great place from where to launch your discovery of Honduras. Geographically blessed with many attractions nearby, it is connected by the most complete network of highways in Central America, making it a breeze to visit the different points of interest in the area. Following are a few of the more interesting options, however, we recommend that you consult with the local tour operators to get the best out of your venture to discover Honduras. Golf There are two 9 hole Golf courses in the neighborhood of San Pedro Sula. The Lomas Golf & Country Club, located in Choloma, on the road towards Puerto Cortes, and the Lima Country Club, located in la Lima past the airport on the road towards El Progreso. Both are open to the public and equipment rentals are available. El Cusuco National Cloud Forest Park. Located just west of San Pedro Sula, in the impressive Merendon Mountain Range that dominates the city, this cloud forest is probably the one park with the best infrastructure for tourists in Honduras. It is easily reached by taking the western highway towards Copan, turning off at the entrance to the town of Cofradia and continuing up a dirt road to the village of Buenos Aires. From this village you are in the proximity of the park and its visitors center. I must warn you that the dirt road from Cofradia on is not easy, and that during the rainy season, it is imperative to have a four wheel drive vehicle to make it to the visitors center. The center has basic installations, including camping facilities, running water and toilet facilities. In addition, information on the different trails in the park is provided, as well as the different species living in the park. Perhaps the most famous of these is the enigmatic Quetzal, famed to be the loveliest of all tropical birds, which has been sent to the brink of extinction because of loss of habitat as well as over hunting because of its beautiful long tail feather. The best place in town to obtain information of the park is at the Hector Rodrigo Pastor Fasquelle ecological foundation, located on 1a Calle corner with5a Avenida N.O., just above the pizzeria Italia. This foundation has taken upon itself to work closely with the local park authorities and has several conservation and community education projects within the park. The park can be visited in one day from San Pedro Sula. It takes from 2 to 3 hours to reach the visitors center from downtown San Pedro Sula, and it is a good idea to visit the park very early in the morning, as this is the time when the most wildlife can be seen. For those with the spirit to camp, the early morning sightings will certainly be more than your prize for enjoying this lovely natural park in Honduras.
The entrance fee to the park is $!5.00 USA per person, and for those
wishing to overnite at the Buenos Aires Cabin the cost is $12.00
USA per person, although reservations must be made in advance to
be able to make use of the cabin The Maya Ruins of Copan. Perhaps the most enchanting of all Mayan archaeological sites, and unquestionably the most artistic, this intriguing ancient city is easily reached from San Pedro Sula. The highway that connects these two cities is the Western highway, which leads to Santa Rosa de Copan and on to the Guatemalan border. Travel 104 km and you will arrive at la Entrada, a junction town that has become an important commercial center for the western part of Honduras. From here you will take the road that leads towards Copan Ruinas, which will lead you through lovely mountain scenery for 64 km into the Copan Valley, where the ruins are located. Total travel time between San Pedro Sula and Copan is no more than 3 hours if you have purchased a tour package. However, please note that if you have opted for public transportation, you will have to plan on an overnight stay in Copan, since the trip will take you at least 5 hours each way. Another alternative, probably the best, is to take the North Coast Shuttle, which has three weekly departures from San Pedro Sula to Copan. With a one way fare of only US $18 per person, the comfort of air-conditioning and only 2 1/2 hours travel time, it is hard to beat. Check the schedules in the inter city bus schedule in this section.
Many tourists that visit Copan only walk into the main archaeological
park, and never realize that there is a charming colonial town adjoining
the archaeological park. Whatever your time schedule, you should
make it a point to at least go into town for lunch.(There are a
couple of restaurants at the visitors center, where many tourists
end up having a bite before returning). In addition, there is a
good museum with many local artifacts located in the center of town,
and finally, there is Las Sepulturas, the only residential Mayan
site that is open to the public in the Mayan World. This small site
(Las Sepulturas) answers many questions about how the elite of this
magnificent civilization lived. If you have the time, you should
plan on an overnight stay at Copan. There are several hotels and
hospedajes, with prices and services ranging from $5.00 US to $70.00
US per double room. Accommodation may be arranged in advance with
any of the different tour operators featured in the directory. Lake Yojoa and Pullapanzak Waterfall . The largest natural lake in Honduras, Lake Yojoa is a haven for black bass and big mouth bass fishers. It also offers some of the best bird watching opportunities in Honduras. Motmots, toucans, parrots and many other tropical birds live around the lake and the two protected national parks that surround it: Santa Barbara and Azul Meambar National parks. The lake is located 100 km south of San Pedro, on the road to Tegucigalpa, and can be reached within 90 minutes of downtown San Pedro Sula. Lake Yojoa offers great opportunities for both, those who wish to visit the area for the day as well as for those wishing to spend several days exploring the natural wonders of this lovely tropical area. There are several hotels within the area, the largest and most complete one is Brisas del Lago, located on the northern coast of the lake. Just beyond Brisas del Lago is Finca Las Glorias the newest hotel in the area and very charming, located within a working coffee and orange farm. To get there, take the detour to the road leading to the town of Peña Blanca. On this same road you will pass by the Hotel Agua Azul, a more basic hotel with a large open air deck looking onto the lake. From this deck I have seen a variety of birds, the most distinguished of which were some lovely motmots. The Hotel Brisas del Lago offers a large swimming pool, good food and comfortable rooms. In addition, several water activities can be arranged here, including catamaran sailing on the lake. The other hotel in the area is the Hotel Los Remos, located on the southern shore of the lake, just off the main San Pedro Sula to Tegucigalpa highway. In addition, the hotel Oasi Italiano, located on the road leading from Lake Yojoa to San Pedro Sula also offers overnighting possibilities and good food.
Also in the area are some interesting small towns, such as the mining
town of El Mochito. A good number of the hydroelectric plants of
Honduras are located in this area. Among them, The Canaveral and
Rio Lindo Plants. Nearby lies the Fransisco Morazan, better known
as "El Cajon" hydroelectric complex, considered one of
the three most ambitious projects of its kind in Latin America.
A new bed and breakfast, D & D bed and breakfast has just opened
its doors in the vicinity of Pena Blanca. Robert, the owner also
has a fine microbrewery on premises and sells outstanding beer at
approximately 1 US dollar per mug. Facilities include clean rooms,
bathroom with hot water and a very nice pool. There is also a small
restaurant and bar where you can sample the beer brewed right here!
Los Naranjos is Honduras' most recent archaeological park. It is located on the shores of Lake Yojoa; the detour is clearly marked from the main road between Pena Blanca and La Guama, just outside of Pena Blanca. From the detour, there is a dirt road that is approximately 2 miles (3 kilometers) to the community of El Jaral. The road ends at the lake, and on the right side you will find the entrance to the park. Although archaeologically speaking the park is very modest and you will not see much other than a few large unexcavated mounds, the environment around the park is outstanding and you will enjoy very good bird watching. There are over 4 miles (6 kilometers) of trails, including a boardwalk of almost half a mile, a nice hanging bridge over which you can cross a man made canal made for hydroelectric purposes and a very nice visitors center including a small museum and coffee shop. Good clean bathrooms are also available. Entrance to the park is worth $5.00 USA dollars per person. Unfortunately, there are no guides or booklets available to assist you during your visit. You will find many soldiers on premises. The reason for them to protect visitors and tourists in the area, so do not feel intimidated by them, they are there to take care of you. (A couple of isolated incidents prompted the authorities to station the soldiers here). San Fernando de Omoa Fortress. Take a step into the past, when buccaneers roamed the Caribbean Sea and attacked the Spanish centers in the new world! San Fernando de Omoa is one of the most impressive fortifications built by the Spaniards to protect themselves from the fierce pirates. Today it stands as silent testimony to an important, if difficult period in Honduran history. After touring the site, you will have a chance to sunbathe on the Caribbean beaches near Puerto Cortes. To reach San Fernando de Omoa, you must take the highway to Puerto Cortes, and then follow the road to the west along the coast. It will take you less than 75 minutes to be in Omoa. Lancetilla Gardens and Tela Garifuna Communities. The second largest tropical botanical garden in the world is located in Tela, about 100km southeast of San Pedro Sula, on the main road to La Ceiba. The Gardens offer you a vast array of tropical plants, as well as the birds that these usually come with. The seaside community of Tela offers some of the best beaches in Honduras, with good hotels. Neighboring Tela, the Garifuna communities of Triunfo de la Cruz and Tornabe offer a window into the Garifuna traditions that are an important part of the Honduran heritage. As you can see, San Pedro offers vast possibilities to discover the cultural and natural heritage of Honduras. We invite you to venture into this world, all within your reach. Where else can you enjoy the best of both worlds as easily as you can here? White Water Rafting Some of the best white water rafting in Central America is found right here, in Honduras. The Cangrejal river, flowing into the Caribbean Sea forms one of the boundaries of the Pico Bonito Cloud forest park, located almost next to the city of La Ceiba. The incredibly lush green forest is a treat in itself, and the class III and IV rapids an exhilarating experience you will not easily forget. |