The Eastern and Northern Shores
The CA-5 from Tegucigalpa runs along the lake's eastern shore, passing through the small village of PITO SOLO , at its southeast tip. The Los Remos hotel here (tel 552 0618; US$15-25), the only accommodation at this end of the lake, is somewhat shabby and overpriced, and it's better to head on to one of the hotels further on. Fresh lake fish is served up at the row of comedores in the village, and at another cluster about 2km further along the highway. On the lakeshore 15km north of Pito Solo is the comfortable new Honduyate hotel (tel 990 9386; US$40-60), owned by an English-Honduran couple and with a fine restaurant attached. The highway north divides at the junction of La Guama , 7km further north, from where a dirt road runs east for 5km to the entrance to Parque Nacional Cerro Azul Meambar (daily 8am-4pm). Named after its highest peak, the blue-hued Cerro Azul Meambar (2047m), this is one of the smaller reserves in the national network, with a core of untouched cloudforest. Anyone planning to hike here should be prepared for precipitously steep gradients in the upper reaches of the reserve, with sheer rockfaces, dense vegetation and tumbling waterfalls. With luck, you might spot quetzals, and spider and white-faced monkeys. Cerro Azul is managed by a private organization, PAG, based at 3 C, 1-2 Av NO, Siguatepeque (tel 773 2741), with another office in Tegucigalpa (tel 232 8287); they can provide information on hiking and hiring guides. The park's education centre at the entrance occupies the old coffee finca of Los Pinos and has accommodation in the form of cabins with bunks (up to US$5), plus information on a number of short walking trails that are being opened up. There's no public transport to the park. A paved road heads northwest from La Guama along the northern shore of the lake, passing the Hotel Agua Azul (tel 991 7244; US$15-25), one of the most agreeable hotels in the area. Though the rustic cabins are a little run-down, they enjoy a magical setting among wooded grounds sloping down to the waterside, and the restaurant's veranda has fabulous views across the lake; there's also a pool, and the hotel rents boats and organizes horse-riding on request. AGUA AZUL village, just past the hotel, has some basic stores and a couple of comedores - the only eating places around here outside the hotels. Continuing along the road:, it's 6km to the Finca Las Glorias (tel 556 0461, fax 556 0553; US$40-60) an equally characterful but more pricey hotel; fishing trips and tours of the surrounding coffee finca are available. Four kilometres further on, the shabby, overgrown village of PENA BLANCA is the commercial focus for the area. There are several cheap comedores here, including the Comidas Rapidas right on the main junction, and also simple, clean double and triple rooms at the Hotel Maranata (US$5-10). Buses running along the highway will stop at Pito Solo and La Guama if requested; there's an hourly service from the latter to Pena Blanca.
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