Laurence Ourac Travel Blog: Top Five Destinations at Honduras

Tegucigalpa – the capital and largest city in Honduras

Welcome to the beautiful country of Honduras. It is a country filled with various attractions majority of which are natural.

Mother Nature blessed the country with natural beauty like the Bay Islands. The boundless beauty and intriguing architecture of the country continues to attract tourists from near and far.

Bay Islands

HONDURAS

GEOGRAPHY

Honduras could be found in Central America. It is the second biggest and second most populous country in the area.

To the north of the country is the Caribbean Sea and on the south is the Pacific Ocean. On the northwest one could find Guatemala, to the south is El Salvador, and to the southeast is Nicaragua.

Generally, Honduras is a mountainous country in the center with plains along the coastlines. The highest peak is at Cerro Las Minas which stands at 2,870meters.

It is rich in rainforests, cloud forests (which is around 3000 meters above sea level), mangroves savannas, mountain ranges, plants, and various animal species; it is considered a biodiversity hotspot.

Honduras (1)

CLIMATE

In general, Honduras experiences a hot and humid climate. Temperature could range from 20 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees Celsius all depending on elevation.

Usually the months of September to February are rainy.

FIVE PLACES OF INTEREST

1. BAY ISLANDS

Bay Islands (2)

The famous Bay Islands is composed of three main islands: Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja. Other islands include Cavos Cochinos and Swan Islands.

These islands are approximately 25 to 50 kilometers north from the main land of Honduras.

Aside from visiting the island, tourists also come to see the amazing reefs which home to a variety of fishes, coral, sponges, rays, sea turtles, and whale sharks.

Brian coral at Roatan (3)

Hawksbill turtle at the “Black Hills” dive site

Big Rock Beach at Utila, Bay Islands

Sunset at Bay Islands (4)

2. RIO PLATANO BIOSPHERE RESERVE

Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (5)

Another beautiful natural attraction is Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve. It is a 5,250 square kilometer protected lowland rainforest.

The rainforest serves as home to a number of plant and animal species. There are mangroves, freshwater swamps and marshes, savanna and gallery forest.

Some animal species living here include the puma, jWhite-headed Capuchin, mantled howler, and spider monkeys.king vulture, harpy eagle, Great Curassow, scarlet macaw, and many more.

There are also endangered species like the giant anteater, jaguar, ocelot, margay, West Indian manatee, and Central American tapir.

In 1982, the said reserve was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List.

In 2011 it was included in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage in Danger due to illegal hunting, logging, and cattle crazing.

Brown throated sloth

3. LAKE YOJOA

Lake Yojoa

Next on the list of attractions in Honduras is Lake Yojoa. Lake Yojoa has a total surface area of 79 square kilometers with an average depth of 15 meters.

These measurements make it the largest lake in the country. Surrounding the lake are two national parks: Santa Barbara National Park and Cerro Azul Meambar National Park.

There are also a number of restaurants that serve fresh fish from the lake. Due to its scenic location a number of tourists as well as locals enjoy picnics here.

One can enjoy fishing, bird watching, and just relaxing at the area.

4. PICO BONITO NATIONAL PARK

Pico Bonito National Park

Another place of interest is Pico Bonito National Park. The total park consists of a mountain range that occupies an area of 564.30 square kilometers with peeks ranging from 60 to 2,480 meters.

It is a protected area by different government and nongovernment agencies. Tourists could enjoy a nice hike, birdwatching, rafting, and kayaking.

5. MAYAN RUINS AT COPAN

Copan Ruins (6)

Fourth on the list of attractions in Honduras are the Mayan Ruins at Copan. Copan is considered to be the archeological site of the ancient Maya Civilization.

Tourists flock the area to see the astonishing Mayan architecture and sculptures. In the year 1980 the site was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Below are some structures preserved at the site.