Where To Go
Most visitors pass through the capital, Tegucigalpa , at some stage, where a stay, however short, is enlivened by the generally relaxed ambience, and the presence of facilities and services you won't find elsewhere. Though small, the city has a reasonable range of places to eat, drink and make merry. A couple of hours on the bus from Tegucigalpa brings you to the peaceful mountain towns of Santa Lucia and Valle de Angeles , with hiking close by in the cloudforest of La Tigra . Further away is the little-visited getaway of Isla El Tigre , becalmed in the warm waters of the Golfo de Fonseca and perfect for a few days spent doing nothing much at all. Many travellers head straight for the western highlands and the Maya ruins of Copan , one of the finest archeological sites in Central America. Though it's an arduous trip from the capital, there are some worthwhile places to break the journey, notably Comayagua , a couple of hours from Tegucigalpa, the former colonial capital, which has a wealth of historic churches and a couple of good museums. The equally charming colonial city of Santa Rosa de Copan also makes a logical destination on the way to or from Copan. In the east of the country, the rugged, sparsely populated region known as Olancho is home to the rarely visited national parks of La Muralla and Sierra de Agalta . The latter contains the most extensive stretch of virgin cloudforest remaining in Central America. Heading towards the Caribbean you're almost certain to pass through Honduras's energetic second city, San Pedro Sula , the commercial centre of the country and a useful transport hub. Just an hour or so south of town is one of Central America's premier spots for ornithologists, the placid, blue, fresh waters of Lago de Yojoa . Frequent buses fan out from San Pedro to the north coast , with its pristine white beaches, clear warm waters and endless sun. Tela, La Ceiba and Trujillo are all lively towns with a thriving nightlife, while the fishing village of Omoa moves at a quieter pace. For a glimpse of a different way of life, make for the friendly Garifuna villages dotted along the coast. Also within easy reach is the coastal wetland reserve of Punta Sal , near Tela, sheltering a multiplicity of bird and marine life amid mangrove swamps and marshes. It requires a little more planning to get into the heart of Pico Bonito , a mountainous reserve near La Ceiba, but the effort is spectacularly rewarded. The jewel in the crown of Honduras's natural resources, however, is the biosphere reserve of the Rio Platano in Mosquitia. Encompassing one of the finest remaining stretches of virgin tropical rainforest in Central America, the region is largely uninhabited - a trip here really does get you off the beaten track. Finally, the Bay Islands are the ultimate base for a beach holiday, with world-class snorkelling and diving, and an extravagantly rich cultural mix.
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