Honduras

Currency: Honduran lempira
Time: UTC-6
Languages: Spanish
Religions: Christianity, atheism
Sections: Get in Visa Customs Cuisine Money Details of interest Popular resorts
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Honduras or officially the Republic of Honduras is a state in Central America. On the north, the country is washed by the Caribbean Sea, on the south by the Pacific Ocean. Honduras shares its borders with Nicaragua, Guatemala and Salvador. The capital city is Tegucigalpa.

The country has a tropical climate with trade winds. The weather is different in different parts of Honduras. In central part (less than 80 meters above the sea), it is a bit colder than in the eastern part of the Caribbean coast. The wet season is from May to October. The hottest climate zone in Honduras is on the Pacific Coast. The tourist season on the Pacific Coast last all the year round. If you are planning to travel to the central part of Honduras, choose the period from December to April.

The official language is Spanish. In the eastern parts, people also speak Creole and Indian dialects. Over half of the population are atheists and 42% of people are the Catholics.

Honduras is a destination for the travelers who prefer to spend their time on the beach and enjoy beautiful nature, to go scuba diving. The best places for diving in the entire country is Guanaja island, Utila island and Roatan island. Fans of windsurfing and kitesurfing, sailing and yachting also head to Honduras. The city of La Ceiba attracts the lovers of ecological tourism. In La Ceiba, there is the Pico Bonito National Park with the most beautiful tropical forest in Honduras.

Excursions to the historical and architectural monuments are arranged in Tegucigalpa. The travelers who like city entertainments can head to San Pedro Sula and visit its museums and planetarium. In Copan, you will see the largest in the country archeological monument of ancient civilizations.

Get in

By Plane

There are no direct flights between CIS countries and Honduras. The travelers can take transit flights with a stop in the USA cities such as Atlanta, New York, Houston and Miami.

Iberia offers flights to Honduras from Madrid.

Airline companies also fly to Honduras through Panama and Havana in Portugal. The international flights arrive at the airports in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and Roatana.

By Land

You can get to Honduras by car or by bus from Mexico, Guatemala and Salvador.

Visa

The citizens of CIS and EU countries do not need to obtain a visa to travel to Honduras and to stay there for 90 days. To cross the border, the travelers should have a valid international passport. If you are planning to stay in Honduras for longer, you must obtain a visa.

In CIS countries, there are no Embassies of Honduras and the tourists will have to come to Berlin or Paris to submit the documents and obtain a permit. You can also obtain a visa in the countries neighboring with Honduras. The documents for a visa must be translated into English or Spanish.

Customs

The travelers can import in Honduras any amount of national and foreign currency. However, the sum of exported money in US dollars must not exceed the sum stated in the declaration.

The tourists can bring in Honduras duty-free the following goods:

a small amount of alcohol and tobacco;
perfume for personal use;
gifts and souvenirs the total sum of which does not exceed 50 US dollars;
personal belongings.

It is not allowed to import:

short shelf life foods;
opioid (narcotic) medications without a doctor's prescription.

It is prohibited to export:

antiquities and old objects (without a special permit);
stuffed birds and animals and their skins.

The tourists can bring in their pets provided that they have an international vet certificate. To bring a dog, the owner must have documents confirming vaccination against hepatitis, distemper and rabies.

Cuisine

The traditional cuisine of Honduras is a mix of Spanish and Indian cooking traditions. The staple food in the country is bananas. They are the ingredients for many dishes both everyday and simple and exotic. Beans, rice, meat and fish also gained popularity among the locals.

Typically, the people in Honduras cook pork and serve rice and manioc as a side dish. The locals love meat dish Topado with minced meat and manioc. If you are lucky to participate in some local celebration, you will be offered chicken and vegetable stew. This is the main dish on any event.

Try a seafood soup in Honduras Sopa de Caracol. Fish dumplings made of achiote paste, greens and vegetables are extremely popular here. If you fancy something more special, try Pescado Fritio-con tajados. This is a local specialty, fish roasted over the charcoal with potatoes.

The people in Honduras often serve foods not in the plates but in maize flour flatbreads. Pastries are typically used in Honduras instead of tableware.

At the end of the meal, try cinnamon rolls and pies with yucca Pan de Chata or with bananas Pan de-ginoe Maduro.

The locals drink a lot of coffee but, actually, the coffee here is not of a very good quality. However, in Honduras, there are some coffee shops where they serve coffee of the highest quality. If you fancy for some traditional beverage, you should try Orchata made of rice and other grains. You may like milk and fruit cocktail Pikuados. And the favorite drink of the locals is Uabul made of mashed bananas and coconut milk.

The most popular alcoholic drinks are rum, Indian Chicha (a local version of bread vodka) and a drink Aguardiente. Columbian beer is produced here in huge amounts. The most popular brands are Salvavida, Polar and Port Royal.

Money

The official currency in Honduras is Honduran lempira (HNL) which is equal to 100 centavos. The bank notes 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 lempiras are in circulation. Coins come in 1, 2, 5. 10, 20 and 50 centavos.

The travelers won't face any problems with exchanging currency. They can do it in exchange offices, large hotels and airport. In the stores, on the markets and in hotels, the locals willingly accept US dollars. In border cities, one can pay with the national currency of Guatemala, Salvador and Nicaragua.

Credit cards are accepted in the malls, hotels and touristic areas. Outside big cities, people prefer cash. The ATMs in Honduras do not accept cards issued by any foreign bank. The holders of VISA and MasterCard will be able to withdraw the money only in the bank Credomatic.

You can cash traveler's checks at the banks in Tegucigalpa and other large cities. To make the process of cashing easier, take the checks in US dollars.

We strongly recommend the tourists to be very careful in the city of San Pedro Sula. The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace acknowledged this city the most dangerous in the world. The local law permits the citizens to carry firearms. Every year, about 169 people die from the gunshot wounds in this city.

Details of interest

Sightseeing in Honduras

In the Republic of Honduras there are two sites inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Copan is the city of the Maya located in the western part of the country near Guatemala. It is the largest monument of ancient civilizations on the territory of Honduras. Copan was founded in the I century A.D. In the 7th and 8th centuries, it was the center of the ancient Mayan Kingdom Shukuup.
The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve is a natural heritage under UNESCO protection. It is situated on the north-east of the country. The total area of the reserve is 5.250 km2. The largest part is covered with humid tropical forests. It is the habitat for 400 species of birds. The travelers can see 5 feliform family species such as jaguarundi, ocelot and margay cat. This park is a place of residence for 2.000 Miskito people.

In Honduras, there are many other places of great touristic interest.

The Church Iglesia de San Francisco is the main religious sight in Tegucigalpa built in the 15th century.
San Miguel Cathedral in the capital city built in the 18th century. It is famous for its luxurious altar and amazingly beautiful carved wooden cross.
The Estado Olimpico Metropolitano is the largest stadium in Honduras. It can host 45.000 people.
Basilica de Suyapa is 7 km from the capital city and this is the center for religious pilgrimage in Honduras.
In Comayagua, the travelers can see one of the oldest clocks in the world created in the year of 1100. The clock is on the tower of the Cathedral of Comayagua.
Comayagua can also boast by the oldest brick church in Honduras – La Merced Church.
The lovers of country holidays and hiking should visit marvelous Zamorano valley.
In the Pico Bonito National park, trekking and hiking routes are created.
The Gumbalimba Park is ideal for the family holidays. It is situated on the Roatan Island. In the park, one can go canoeing, kayaking, have a picnic, go fishing, diving and snorkeling.