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Spreading inland from a deep bay at the point where the mountains of the Sierra de Omoa meet the Caribbean, the fishing village of OMOA has become increasingly popular in recent years, with travellers coming here for total rest and relaxation. Once a strategically important location in the defence of the Spanish colonies against marauding British pirates, today the village dozes lethargically under the heat of the Caribbean sun, with its one outstanding sight, the restored Fortaleza de San Fernando de Omoa (Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat & Sun 9am-5pm; US$1.30), standing in mute witness to this colourful history. Now isolated amidst tropical greenery a kilometre from the coast, having been beached as the sea has receded over the centuries, the triangular fort was originally intended to protect the port of Puerto Barrios in Guatemala. Work began in 1759 but was never fully completed, due to a combination of bureaucratic inefficiency, problems with materials and labour shortage. The steadily weakening Spanish authorities then suffered the ignominy of witnessing the fortress being temporarily occupied by British and Miskito military forces in October 1779. The rather narrow village beach , lined with colourful fishing boats, offers stunning views west across the curve of the bay and the mountain backdrop. At weekends hordes of day-trippers turn up and it's often too crowded for comfort. Better swimming can be had by walking five minutes or so out of the village in either direction, while fifteen minutes around the headland to the east is a much wider and usually emptier expanse of beach.
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