With the up-coming national holiday of Semana Santa (Easter Week), many Hondurans will have the opportunity to travel to other parts of the country along with a surge of international visitors and tourists. Here we present a quick summary of the most popular destinations along with recommendations of what to see and do. We hope this provides a useful guide for those deciding on where they can visit. It shows the rich variety of places and activities unique to Honduras and, at a glance, gives concise information on what is out there to enjoy.

Tegucigalpa

Tegucigalpa, or Tegus as it is known, is the Capital of Honduras. It is located in the south of the country and is twinned with sister city Comayaguela A bustling and busy sprawl, the city is not a place for visitors looking for tranquil scenery but rather its character, pace, and host of art and cultural exhibits. Furthermore, the excellent restaurants in the city and the nightlife on Blvd Morazan provide good opportunity to get a taste of Honduran city life.

During Semana Santa the coastal towns are more busy and popular than Tegucigalpa but there are still activities in the country’s largest city for the tourist. The celebrations that remain in the city are centered on religion and spirituality. Comayaguela has always kept the tradition of Good Friday proces­sions and recently Tegucigalpa has made an effort to participate more with a ´Santa Vma Crusis’ of its own. This procession can be seen in many cities across Latin America and consists of colorful ‘rugs’ of sawdust being laid over the streets which the procession then walks through to the cathedral. While staying here during this time many hotels remain open, some hosting celebration activities of their own. A pleasant place to stay is the Hotel Honduran Maya which has a restaurant and glori­ously large pool. Tourist can take a walk through Parque Central, visit the cathedral or museums, including the National Art Gallery. Spectacular sites are the Christ of Picacho on the hillside above the town and the Basilica de Supapa, an impressive church building with stained glass windows located 7 kilometers south of the centre.

Around Tegucigalpa…

Valle de Angeles and Santa Lucia

Located 35 km from Tegucigalpa Valle de Angeles is picturesque old mining town with quiet streets and colonial buildings. There are a lot of small, local restaurants and art galleries as well as a surprising number of souvenir and handicraft shops. It is quiet and there is little activity during Semana Santa. There are villas available out of town and a relaxing place to stay in the centre is Posada del Angel which has a pool.

Very close to Valle de Angeles is La Tigra National Park, which is a cloud forest with a high diversity of flowers and fauna and numerous waterfalls.

In Santa Lucia, another nearby colonial town, sites include a serpentarium and a beautiful town church. Like Valle de Angeles it is a quaint, charming town with pleasant restaurants and places to stay.

El Zamorano

Located 30 km. east of Tegus, The Yaguare Valley is better known as Zamorano. ‘El Zamorano Agricultural School’ is located here, which cultivates most of the land. Despite being a small town it is good for its large food market with fresh fruits and vegetables produced by the world-famous agricultural school. The Zamorano cafeteria and El Segoviano are also excellent places to eat.

Yuscaran

Another attractive place to stay and escape the capital is Yuscaran. Located 66 km from Tegus it is one of the best preserved colonial mining towns of the country. There is a small central park and a pretty colonial church and we recommend Aparthotel Nolasco as an enjoyable place to stay. Yuscaran is famous for the Distileria El Buen Gusto that produces “guaro,” Honduras’ favourite drink. Tours of the distillery are available during the week. During Semana Santa, these towns remain fairly quiet with some activities put on by the locals.

Lago de Yojoa

A good place to spend a relaxing long weekend, here is a large, peaceful lake located half way between Honduras’ main cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa. It is off the mainstream tourist trail but is well worth a visit. Locals take visitors on boat trips out into the lake for a tranquil afternoon surrounded by lovely scenery. Plenty of restaurants are located on the main street where the specialty is delicious fried fish and plantains. We recommended El Cortijo del Lago as a place to stay and also the local ´D&D’ brewers has tropical cabins available and, of course, plenty of nice beer.

Tela

Tela is a sleepy coastal town located on the North Coast, which is working its way toward becoming a popular beach destination, easily reached by bus and car from San Pedro Sula. During Semana Santa it becomes a much less quiet affair, filling up with Hondurans coming to the beach to relax and celebrate for the holiday. If you can get avail­ability, a popular place to stay is the ‘Hotel Villas Telamar,’ which is both family friendly and houses a beautiful pool, complete with pool­side restaurant and bar.

More than just a seaside town, Tela is famous for the production of Chiquita bananas as well as for its beautiful beaches and tropical vegetation. It has a strong Garifuna community with many Garifuna villages within close reach of the town. Attractions include Lancetilla Botanical Garden, Jeanette Kawas National Park and Punta Izopa National Park, all places of stunning natural scenery and exotic wildlife.

La Ceiba

La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras and capital of the department of Atlantida. It is a busy port town due to agricultural exports. It is a vibrant city but also a popular destination for nature attractions and activities such as canopy rides, canoeing and horseback riding. Furthermore, it has long-been a hotspot for Semana Santa, on account of its beaches, making it a hub of activity during this time.

The most picturesque beaches can be found in Cayos Cochinos, small islands visible from the mainland northeast of La Ceiba. There is a dive resort available on Cochino Grande (the only inhabited island) and diving tours to the island are available from resorts on the mainland. A variety of adventurous activities are available around La Ceiba. For example, a 45 minute drive from the city and you can find white-water rafting on the Cangrejal River which sports grade IV rapids. Canopy tours are available as well as kayaking and biking trips, also originating at Rio Cangrejal.

Again, many Hondurans visit the city of La Ceiba during Semana Santa on account of the beaches. At this time the city will be in full festival and carnival mode, making it an exciting time to visit. In general there is a wealth of good restaurants and bars and the city is known for its vibrant and popular night life. If you are considering visiting La Ceiba, we recommend Hotel Quinta Real.

San Pedro Sula

The second largest city in Honduras, San Pedro Sula is well-situated with many activities for visitors within the city and in areas nearby. It lies right between two top destinations, Copan Ruinas and the Bay Islands. Like Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula is not a popular place to visit during Semana Santa, but as a large city, it still maintains a busy atmosphere. More well-known for its industry and shopping, San Pedro Sula includes an excellent Archeology and History museum as well as a pleasant downtown area, a good range of restaurants and a lively bar and club scene.

Puerto Cortes

Located 65km from San Pedro Sula, it is the largest and most important port in Honduras. Most visitors hail from San Pedro Sula to visit the beaches, making it a busy place during Semana Santa, with its friendly atmosphere. Following the coast to the east you will arrive at the Garifuna communities of Travesia and Bajamar. As well as relaxing on the beach, there are mountain biking tours available for the more adventurous.

Bay Islands

The Bay Islands are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Honduras due to inexpensive, world-class diving and a veritable paradise of white-sand beaches.

The area consists of three islands, each offering its own distinct experience and catering to all types of travel. They are all accessible by air and both Roatan and Utila are easily reached by ferry. The islands are the number one destination for vacations during Semana Santa.

To begin with, the smallest island, Guanaja, is the most unusual, off-the-beaten track island to visit. About 90% of the land has been declared national forest reserve and marine park. The Island has a few tiny settlements and a principle town called Bonacca. Accommodations here are mainly upscale hotels and resorts and the main activities are snorkeling and diving.

Roatan is the largest and most developed of the islands, with both cheap and expensive hotels, a range of shops and connecting bus routes. It is also home to the West Bay beach which is perfect to relax on with sugar white sand and beautiful sunsets. There is the chance to swim with dolphins and, of course, amazing diving.

Last but not least, Utila is the first island that you reach by ferry, and is less developed than Roatan with only a few cars and no buses. However it is cheaper for accommodation and food and therefore attracts a large backpacking crowd, which, combined with a strong local presence gives the island a vibrant and refreshing atmosphere. The beaches are made up of shells, but are still picturesque with clear water and scuba diving to match Roatan. Nightlife is developing fast in Utila: bars and nightclubs are popular and generally cater to a young crowd; a popular choice is the Tree House Bar.

Copan

Santa Rosa de Copan is the capital of the department of Copan, located in Western Honduras close to the border of Guatemala. Year round, Copan Ruinas is popular with tourists due to its rich cultural heritage and the center of the city has been declared a national monument. Visitors can spend a day wandering around stunning colonial architecture on cobblestone streets. During Semana Santa the town remains a tourist destination but is not as crowded as the beach towns. It is pleasant to visit during this time as the tours to the Copan Ruinas generally remain open and there are more people around to enjoy the main activities of the town. The celebrations during Easter week are not as full-on as other places and keep a religious theme.

In the evening some lively places to drink can be found in the heart of town and on the outskirts where clubs run late in to the night.

San Lorenzo

Located 95km from Tegucigalpa on the southern coast of Honduras it is the only port that opens on the Pacific. San Lorenzo is famous for both its excellent seafood and the hospitality of its people. Not as popular as the north coast for Semana Santa, it still gets busy as a beach destination for Capitalinos. As well as a visit to the picturesque beaches in this town, there is a range of places to stay: we recommend a visit to the popular and varied market for crafts and souvenirs.