Honduras is synonymous with gangs and violent crime. It has a reputation as being one of the most violent countries in the world, with the highest homicide rate in Central America. These worrying figures put off many people from visiting Honduras. Despite this, Honduras is a country with abundant natural beauty. Check out my Honduras travel experiences below!
Copan Ruinas, Lake Yojoa, Tegucigalpa
Most travelers we met in other Central American countries said they were either skipping Honduras completely or just venturing across the border to Copan Ruinas and back. One Guatemalan tour guide that we met in Belize even explicitly warned us against visiting Honduras, describing it as the most dangerous country in Central America by far. It’s true that Honduras struggles with gang violence, especially in the major cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, as well as drug smuggling and poverty in rural areas. In El Salvador we learned that many Salvadoran gangsters fled to Honduras to escape President Bukele’s ‘cleaning up of the streets’, adding to the already bad situation in the country. It’s now shocking to see the difference between El Salvador and Honduras in terms of crime and safety. I can only imagine parts of Honduras are similar to El Salvador before Bukele’s forces arrested all the gangsters. Social problems in Honduras are nothing new – it was the original ‘banana republic’ and previous presidents have been indicted in the USA for turning the country into what they described as a ‘narco-state’. Hondurans consistently form a large percentage of illegal migrants fleeing to America for a better life and work opportunities. With all these domestic issues it’s easy to understand why so many Hondurans make the dangerous journey in search of something better.
Given the challenges facing the country, is Honduras worth visiting, you might ask? Resoundingly yes! While many parts of the country are no-go areas such as the gang-controlled neighbourhoods in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, Honduras has so much to offer the intrepid traveller, from incredible Mayan ruins at Copan Ruinas to the hidden oasis of Lake Yojoa and Caribbean island paradises of Utila and Roatan, nestled in the Bay Islands. As long as you keep your wits about you, don’t wander off into sketchy neighbourhoods late at night and stay vigilant on public transport, you shouldn’t have a problem in most of the country. The major cities of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula are a different story and travel to these places is not recommended. I would recommend ditching any designer clothes or expensive cameras as it’s best to avoid openly advertising your wealth.
A monolith at Copan Ruinas archaeological site and Finca Paradise nature reserve close to Lake Yojoa
We visited both ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ places in Honduras to get an overall picture of the country. However if the idea of spending the night in Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula fills you with dread, it’s easy to skip the more dangerous cities in favour of safer towns such as Copan Ruinas, Lake Yojoa and Utila. If you stick to Copan Ruinas and Lake Yojoa you’re unlikely to encounter the dark side of Honduras. These areas are fine for tourists and are relatively out of harm’s way. It’s important to note that you will have to transit through San Pedro Sula (infamous for crime and violence) to reach Lake Yojoa or Tegucigalpa (the gang-ridden capital) if you want to travel to Nicaragua. Rest assured, the bus station at San Pedro Sula is actually quite safe and has a great range of shops and restaurants inside. There’s even a food court with Burger King and KFC. It’s heavily guarded by military-level security personnel. These badass-looking guys wander around the bus station clothed in camo and are constantly patrolling for any trouble. For more info on traveling around Honduras, check out my blog post on public transport in Central America.
An armed guard at a Burger King in Tegucigalpa
It was very challenging to travel from San Salvador (El Salvador) to Copan Ruinas (across the border in Honduras) in one day. With some rigorous planning and a bit of sheer luck we managed to do it, however other travelers have struggled to complete this tough route and got stuck somewhere along the way for the night. For more information about how we crossed the border from San Salvador to Copan Ruinas and tips on how to pull it off successfully, check out this blog post.
Baleadas, baleadas and more baleadas. While El Salvador claims the pupusa, Honduras boasts the baleada as their go-to snack, anytime of the day or night. We were so excited to hear that baleadas are made with both wheat and corn tortillas. This is great if like us you’re not mad about corn-based products. Baleadas are heated tortillas folded in half, crammed with refried beans, hard cheese and sour cream with your choice of protein (chicken, chorizo, scrambled egg, fried pork rind or beef) and avocado slices. You can usually order one with ‘todo’ i.e. everything or sencilla (simple) baleada. They’re usually cheap, filling and super tasty! A firm favourite of any traveller looking for an economical meal. It’s impossible to visit Honduras without bumping into a baleada.
Buena Baleada in Copan Ruinas
Copan Ruinas
This charming town is memorable for its cobblestone streets, local indigenous population and proximity to the large Mayan archaeological site nearby, which is also called Copan Ruinas. The town has a smattering of hostels and restaurants catering to international and domestic tourists. Tuk tuks, annoying as they may be, are the main form of transport in the town rather than taxis. Watch your step as they often whizz by at unrestrained speeds, lurching from side-to-side on the uneven roads. The town of Copan Ruinas was an unexpected treat for us. While we were only really expecting to see the archaeological site and then move on, the town itself hasn’t yet been drowned with tourists and retains an authentic character. Only the occasional gringo can be spotted in the main square. A breath of fresh air! It remains relatively untouched by mass tourism. We liked Copan Ruinas so much we actually extended our stay.
The only gringo in Copan Ruinas main square – me!
Accommodation
Berakah B&B – more like a hotel than a hostel. This place has a nice rooftop hangout area to watch the sunset. It doesn’t have a shared kitchen but the price does include a typical Honduran breakfast of scrambled eggs, fried plantain, salty sour cream (crema), refried beans and tortillas. Overall a good choice for the price and very centrally located.
View from the rooftop at Berakah B&B
Foodie Places
Buena Baleada – As the name suggests, you’ll find good baleadas here. In fact some of the best baleadas we had in the country. This was our first introduction to baleadas and we were instantly hooked. After initially ordering only one baleada each, we couldn’t resist gorging on another. Go for the chicken, chorizo and avocado option, you won’t be disappointed! Make sure you don’t leave it too late to visit as they do sell out of toppings. We personally saw a couple of customers being told that certain ingredients had run out. This unpretentious eatery offers both takeaway and eat-in options.
Cafe Via Via – a veritable meeting place for all the gringos in Copan Ruinas. When we walked in we were surprised to see what looked to be every gringo in the whole town in the restaurant. This place is a hostel too and also has an on-site tour agency, which may explain things. The menu is in English and Spanish and the staff also speak English for those with limited Spanish language skills. The cuisine is a mixture of international fare including Greek gyros, Balinese curry and Mexican favourites. Although maybe not the most authentic local place, we ate here several times. We couldn’t get enough of the pasta alfredo and thai curry!
Dan and his doggy companion at Café Via Via
3 Tiempos – a rooftop restaurant serving a limited menu of Mexican food and bbq shared plates called parrilla. Bursting through the saloon doors at the entrance to the restaurant was also pretty cool. Dishes are more on the expensive side at this establishment.
Activities
Copan Ruins – The main visitor attraction in Copan Ruinas is, of course, the eponymous Copan ruins. Northern Honduras is the southern limit of the Mayan civilisation and these ruins are one of the most important Mayan archeological sites. This ancient city was the heart of ceremonial, administrative and civic activities in the Copan Valley region. The archeological site is within walking distance of the town centre in Copan Ruinas and the road to the archeological site is lined with stelae. Outside the entrance you can hire a guide (available in English and Spanish) to walk you around the site, explaining the history and ceremonial meaning of the various pyramidal structures, plazas, plinths and monoliths. We decided against this as it was not economical for just the two of us but if you’re part of a larger group, splitting the cost of the guide would be more affordable and a potentially enlightening experience.
Scale model of Copan Ruinas site
We were impressed by the Ceremonial Plaza. Standing tall in the centre are numerous intricately carved monoliths featuring the faces of the local Mayan rulers with fascinating hieroglyphs listing their deeds. Copan is also famous for having the longest Mayan inscription in existence on the Hieroglyphic Stairway. Each individual step features a hieroglyph carefully carved onto the face, and when viewed alongside all the other steps forms a complete text. The Eastern Plaza features some jazzy, disco-dancing jaguar sculptures. From the Eastern Plaza it’s possible to visit tunnels created by archeologists to investigate the structure of the pyramid; they cut into a section of the pyramid to uncover earlier incarnations of previous pyramids. There is an additional cost to enter the tunnels, you have to purchase special tickets at the main ticket office. We decided not to pay extra for this but we read that you can see cross-sections of the older pyramids underneath the current one.
Copan Ruinas archaeological site is packed with interesting sculptures. Check out the disco-dancing jaguar!
Another interesting piece is a stone plinth depicting the transfer of power from the previous ruler to his son. You are also able to ascend to the top of the Acropolis and appreciate a birds-eye view of the nearby structures. We found it interesting to see the restoration efforts visible on the pyramids; parts of the pyramids are now covered in concrete. Restoration work is essential to repair unstable structures and some pyramids were found partially collapsed before restoration efforts could begin.
A ceremonial plinth in the Western Plaza and restored pyramidal temple
Flocks of scarlet macaws provide the background noise to the whole experience, creating a cacophony of loud squawking from high up in the trees. We learned that some of these macaws have been released back into the wild through the efforts of the Macaw Mountain conservation centre. The park now provides a home for the macaws, with feeding areas providing the perfect photo opportunity to get up close and personal with these magnificent birds. Just don’t touch or disturb them! There is a museum onsite but you have to pay extra to go inside. This annoyed us a bit as we are self-confessed museum snobs!
Scarlett Macaws feasting on fruit at Copan Ruinas Mayan ruins
Macaw Mountain – this wildlife sanctuary is within walking distance of Copan Ruinas, but it’s uphill and if you don’t fancy the walk it’s possible to grab a tuk tuk from the main square. Macaw Mountain is a conservation project originally founded by an American expat to take care of abandoned, domesticated Macaws. Macaws are native to Honduras and sadly kept as pets in the country and throughout the world. The project supports education programs for the local community to promote conservation efforts and spread the message against destroying the native habitat of the macaws. It also has a successful breeding program which aims to reintroduce bred-in-captivity macaws back into the wild. You can see some of these reintroduced macaws at Copan Ruinas archeological site, flying freely together over the site. We also noticed some wild macaws who’d decided to return to Macaw Mountain, perched on feeders and nesting in boxes close to the centre. It was particularly heart-warming to witness a freed macaw sitting on the top of a cage, interacting with another macaw still in captivity. It’s clear some of these birds still have an attachment to the facility and friends waiting to be released.
It was so nice to see a scarlet macaw visiting their captive friend
On their website it states the aims of Macaw Mountain are:
‘To educate and to connect our visitors with the rescue, rehabilitation and release programs for the birds under our care, to promote the conservation of our cultural and natural heritage and to lobby for an environmentally responsible society.’
Although the centre is mainly focused on Macaws, specifically Scarlet Macaws, there are also other interesting birds for visitors to admire. The park proudly proclaims to have around 350 birds from more than 30 different species, many of which are endangered. These include a Black Mandible Toucan, a Barn Owl, a Caracara, an Aracari, an Emerald Toucan, a Pygmy Owl, Blue and Yellow Macaws, Great Green Macaws, a Keel-Billed toucan, a King Vulture and an array of parakeets and parrots.
Two barn owls and a toucan at Macaw Mountain
We loved visiting Macaw Mountain, walking the trails and admiring the birds while knowing that our entry fee had gone to a good cause. We also enjoyed the scenic downhill walk back from Macaw Mountain to the centre of Copan Ruinas.
Horse-ride to Los Sapos with a stop at an indigenous Chorti village booked through ViaVia Hostel – The Chorti village feels quite remote even though it’s only a 30 minute walk from Copan Ruinas. There is a real difference in living standards between Copan Ruinas and the Chorti village. The community is impoverished; I’m sure many isolated villages in Honduras and elsewhere in Central America are suffering the same fate. The villagers are indigenous Maya and live in simple wooden or corrugated metal dwellings, in comparison to brick houses in the nearby town. Our guide told us that the school teachers have to travel by horse from Copan Ruinas every day. In the small settlement, the local women run a shop called Jardín de Mujeres Tejiendo Maya Chortí where you can buy hand-woven textiles such as scarves, table cloths, headbands and bracelets. It’s a worthwhile initiative to support employment for local women.
Visiting the Jardín de Mujeres community shop and getting in the way of a football game
The next stop was Los Sapos archaeological site, it’s named for the distinctive frog-shaped rock found amongst the rubble. This small site hasn’t been excavated by archaeologists yet so it remains mostly hidden under the ground. All you can see are some rocks poking out of the undergrowth. Our guide explained that on a certain rock at Los Sapos, Mayan women would give birth and then the child would be immediately sacrificed. Pretty freaky! The scenic horse-back trail took us along the Copan river, past vast plantain plantations and coffee bush groves in Hacienda San Lucas.
Posing with an iconic rock frog at Los Sapos
The Tea & Chocolate Place – A café and shop dedicated to all things chocolatey. Treating yourself to an iced chocolate whiling away time on the cutesy veranda is a great thing to do! It’s important to note that chocolate doesn’t keep well in hot weather (especially in the Nicaraguan heat, ouch!) so if you’ve got more than a week or two left of your trip, I wouldn’t recommend buying chocolate as a souvenir to take home to family and friends. Back in England when I unwrapped some mocha chocolate I’d purchased the month before it was inedible. Such a waste after lugging it around for the best part of a month. There’s nothing to stop you buying some for yourself though! I liked this shop because you could try samples before you buy. They also have some interesting chocolate flavours such as sea salt, cookies and cream, chilli and mocha. You can also purchase some chocolate-based beauty products and delicately decorated truffles in store. I even spotted some copal incense for sale which is a rare find.
Iced chocolate drinks and cacao pods in the garden at The Tea & Chocolate Place
My Copan Ruinas content is now available on GPSmyCity!
Lake Yojoa
Lake Yojoa is an idyllic lake towards the centre of Honduras. The lake is a haven for birds and wildlife. One cannot resist the feeling of calmness that descends when looking across the waters of Lake Yojoa, and enjoying the untouched nature in the surrounding area. Lake Yojoa is a real treat if you’re brave enough to venture into the depths of Honduras. While Yojoa refers to the wider region, most visitors base themselves near the small town of Los Naranjos which is the home of D&D Brewery, the most popular place to stay in the Lake Yojoa area. There are regular buses from the large bus station in San Pedro Sula to Los Naranjos and D&D Brewery.
There are so many trails to explore at Finca Paradise alongside bubbling streams, Lenca ruins, banana and coffee groves and natural pools
Accommodation
Finca Paradise – We booked through D&D Brewery and didn’t realise Finca Paradise was actually a separate place entirely. Getting to Finca Paradise from D&D Brewery entailed an extra 10 minute walk in the blistering heat after we arrived which wasn’t ideal. I’ve since looked back on their website and it does say as such. It’s definitely more than a 300m walk though, especially when you take into consideration you have to walk from the main D&D building to quite a way inside the park before reaching the Finca Paradise cabins. Staying at Finca Paradise grants you free and unlimited access to the nature reserve in the park, which was a great and unexpected bonus. Finca Paradise was perfectly tranquil and serene, the ideal refuge if you want to get away from the crowds at D&D. The only noise or disturbance we encountered was the local gaggle of guinea fowl wandering the grounds. You can hike the nature trails whenever you like and even go for a swim in their pool or stream (if you’re that way inclined). You also can order cheap basic meals from the family that run the finca, like pancakes and baleadas. The cabins were clean, functional with hot showers and surprisingly free of bugs and insects. While the facilities were more basic than those at the main D&D site, we concluded that in the end we were much happier to be staying at Finca Paradise than D&D.
Finca Paradise is heaven for nature-lovers
D&D Brewery – my thoughts
D&D Brewery is a place that almost all travel bloggers rave about. It has a reputation as being one of the best places to stay in Honduras. It’s an open secret amongst backpackers that D&D Brewery is a safe haven located in the stunning natural surroundings of Lake Yojoa. D&D is a mecca for international travellers seeking solitude, immersion in nature and hiking opportunities at nearby Los Naranjos and Biosphere Finca Paradise. The website alone is a gold mine of information about travel routes and nearby activities. We however had a bit of a rocky experience with D&D, much to our dismay. We had such high hopes for the place but found that it was not really as we had expected. One problem we immediately encountered was that we’d booked a room at Finca Paradise through the D&D Brewery website only to discover that Finca Paradise was 650 metres away in a completely separate location. While we admit this was our fault for not checking, it definitely set the tone of our experience.
The main road through the town closest to D&D Brewery
Overall, we found D&D Brewery to be an odd place. Although the website is in fluent English and gives the impression of being a backpacker haven, there was no obvious reception (the reception was at the bar) and most of the staff don’t speak English. This wasn’t a problem for us but it definitely could be if you’re not very competent in Spanish. We also found that the D&D website badly needs updating. Some of the information doesn’t look like it’s been updated since pre-covid. For example the entrance to Pulhapanzak waterfall is now 120 instead of 100 lempira as stated on their website. The price of zip-lining at the waterfall has dramatically increased too from 450 lempira (still on their website) to 550 lempira, even with the D&D discount. We didn’t find this out until we arrived. It wasn’t so nice to find that our cheap day out was becoming way more expensive than planned (on the other hand, the price for a kayak booked through D&D is still the same and this was a fantastic, inexpensive activity). Also the printing services offered aren’t as straightforward as the website suggests, you actually have to go to Los Naranjos park and use their printer?! This wasn’t great for us as we needed to leave at 5am the next day. These all sound like first-world problems – after all, D&D don’t have to offer these services and there probably wouldn’t be much tourism in the area at all if it wasn’t for them. They clearly provide employment to many local people and overall the success of D&D is a good thing for both travelers and the local community. Still, the quality and nature of the website probably sets the place up for disappointment when it doesn’t really match what is delivered. Maybe we were expecting too much. Manage your expectations and you should still have a good stay here.
Also it’s worth saying (and obvious from the map) that D&D Brewery is not actually on the shores of Lake Yojoa, it is actually located quite a way inland. It isn’t clear if it is actually possible to walk to the lake itself from D&D as we weren’t aware of any paths or roads leading there, although they do offer kayaking and other trips to see the lake.
The Restaurant
If Honduras is a relatively cheap country to eat out then D&D is definitely on the upper end of the price spectrum. The food in the restaurant was super tasty, especially the pizza which was freshly cooked to order in a pizza oven. We particularly enjoyed the atmosphere at the open air-restaurant, especially after dark when candles dot the tables and the campfire sizzles close by. The menu is VERY western-centric, we felt that D&D had missed a trick by not offering any typical Honduran cuisine on the menu like baleadas. A downside to the food is that it’s quite expensive, especially for a backpacker wanting to get all their meals on-site. For example it cost us £25 for two mains, one side and 2 orange juices, plus a tip which is added on automatically. A pizza costs around 250 lempira so bear that in mind! It’s a shame to say that getting all your meals at D&D is not economical and will quickly drain your finances. There are other restaurants to choose from along the road RN72 which are more affordable than D&D.
I believe guests at D&D were expected to pay for their meals with a tab rather than paying per meal. As we were actually staying off-site in Finca Paradise we paid per meal.
Foodie Places
Ivo’s Cafe – located on the main highway near D&D, we loved the banana milkshakes and Argentinian-style choripan panini. The dessert counter also had many tempting treats including Oreo cheesecake. The friendly owner spoke good English and was happy to help us out with tips and information about the local area.
Activities
Kayaking on Lake Yojoa – we booked this activity through D&D, a guy from the kayak hire met us at D&D and walked us to the pier. We paid at D&D afterwards rather than directly to the kayak guys. To our surprise there was no time limit on the kayak hire, we were just told to bring it back once we had finished. This would be a great activity for those who want to spend the whole day kayaking on the serene waters of the lake. The kayak dock was actually located on a narrow channel which fed into the lake, rather than being on the lake itself. It took quite a while to paddle from the dock to the main lake. We were pretty tired out by the time we got to the actual lake and spent most of our time resting in the shade of the tall hanging trees close to the shoreline. The lake itself is beautiful and mostly untouched nature. We spotted quite a few interesting birds on the lake, as well as many weird spider-egg sacs on the rocks. If you’re limited on time, this might not be the activity for you due to the time taken to paddle from the dock area to the lake and back.
We didn’t take our phones kayaking with us; here’s the best photo of the lake we managed to snap
Pulhapanzak Waterfall & Zipline – from Los Naranjos, we took the bus from the little bus stop across the road from Ivo’s Cafe to San Buenaventura. I would recommend giving yourself ample time for the bus; although the distance isn’t too far geographically, the buses were really slow with constant stops along the route. Our bus made an unexpected stop for 45 minutes in the centre of Peña Blanca, which was quite annoying as we were pressed for time. Eventually we were dropped off on the highway in San Buenaventura, from there it was easy to walk through the town to the entrance of the waterfall park, saying hello to the many curious and friendly locals on the way. The general entrance ticket grants you access to the waterfall park, including a viewpoint of the magnificent waterfall and a small stream area for paddling. There are also picnic benches and a couple of food vendors nearby. Other than that, though, there wasn’t a huge amount to do in the park. We opted to do the zip-lining activity, although this was quite a steep additional cost we thought the opportunity to whizz over the waterfall was too good to miss. The ziplines offered different perspectives of the waterfall from the air; at least three of the ziplines passed directly over and in front of the waterfall. We also noticed that there was accommodation available within the park in the form of holiday cabins which included access to a private part of the stream and a swimming pool.
Pulhapanzak Waterfall from the viewpoint
Finca Paradise Nature Trails – this was an unexpected delight for us, we were initially confused about being housed here rather than at D&D but we found that the sprawling grounds of the surrounding nature reserve would’ve been worth visiting anyway in their own right. We enjoyed exploring the site’s small Lenca ruins, including the ball court and ceremonial plaza, as well as walking on the many nature trails which also included some great viewpoints of Lake Yojoa. We didn’t see a single other person on any of the nature trails, which only added to the experience. It felt like we had a private slice of paradise on our doorstep.
Picturesque scenes at Finca Paradise
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa is not for the faint hearted, at all. It has a reputation as one of the most dangerous capital cities in the world and you really need to consider carefully and weigh up the risks of visiting. I probably wouldn’t advise it for most people. We decided to spend a night in Tegucigalpa because we like to try to see all aspects of a country, not just the cherry-picked highlights. Our time in Tegucigalpa was memorable, but I would only consider visiting if you’re really confident about what you are doing. We traveled around exclusively by Uber and limited the amount of time spent walking the streets.
Arriving in Tegucigalpa, the tension in the air was almost palpable. We already knew this city had a bad reputation. At points we felt it necessary to take refuge rather than hanging around on the streets. When we first set foot in the city, we rushed inside a nearby transport office and hunkered down to wait for an Uber. In a similar scenario, after feeling too exposed waiting for an Uber in the main square, we darted inside the cathedral to wait it out. This was pretty awkward as a service was taking place!
I never thought we’d have to resort to hiding in a church in Tegucigalpa but it happened!
The security situation is impossible to ignore in Tegucigalpa. We heard that much of the city is controlled by gangs, and in the few parts of town that we did visit there was a noticeable presence of security guards who were usually armed to the teeth with huge rifles and bullet-proof vests. Whilst usually the presence of this sort of artillery would make us a little uneasy, in this case we were happy to see these armed guards. In fact, we made an effort to stand in close proximity to them wherever possible while waiting for an Uber. The high proliferation of firearms seemed like a necessary evil here.
We were advised not to walk the streets of Tegucigalpa at all after dark, and to avoid walking the streets where possible even during the day. We definitely sensed an atmosphere of danger, even in the packed streets around Plaza Morazán and the historic centre. We’ve visited other cities that are considered dangerous, but we didn’t feel the same degree of threat as in Tegucigalpa. Unlike in some other cities which are considered dangerous or violent, no areas of Tegucigalpa are really considered safe havens for visitors. We stayed in the Palmira district, considered one of the safest areas of the city, and still the hotel receptionist advised us not to walk even 200m to a nearby restaurant after dark.
Sneaking a quick photo of the streets in Tegucigalpa
Apart from the security issues, Tegucigalpa suffers from major traffic problems around the city centre. Poor town planning and a rapid population growth has led to constantly gridlocked roads, making it very difficult to get around especially at peak times. We struggled to get an Uber back from the city centre to Palmira due to the incessant traffic congestion. This made things even more challenging in an already tough city.
Accommodation
Hotel Ghiza – located in Palmira which is apparently considered one of the safest neighbourhoods in Tegucigalpa, this area isn’t residential and the hotel is situated on a busy thoroughfare so it’s mostly cars outside and not people. Even so, the receptionist warned us not to leave the hotel after dark. We found this hotel was clean, comfortable, secure and we got a great, spacious room at a good price. There was a 24 hour reception and we were able to get takeaway delivered to the hotel and eat it in our room. Overall we were really happy with this hotel.
Foodie Places
Burger King – although this wouldn’t usually be our first choice, the Burger King was close enough to our hotel that we could walk there safely. Even the Burger King had its own armed security guard at the door. We also witnessed what I assume was a money collection – this was more like a military operation as several highly-armed, scary-looking guys pulled up in an armoured van and took up position with their assault rifles to guard the entry points in order to facilitate the cash collection, all while we sat there stuffing our faces with burgers.
Venturing out to a nearby Burger King in Tegucigalpa
After dark, it’s best not to really attempt to walk the streets at all. We got a takeaway delivered to our hotel using PedidosYa.
Activities
Despite its reputation, we couldn’t resist spending a day looking around the centre of Tegucigalpa. We took an Uber from our hotel to the historic centre, where the main museums and government buildings are located.
Museum for National Identity – this is less of a museum and more of a modern art gallery, with several temporary exhibitions displaying mostly the work of up-and-coming Honduran artists. Some of the art pieces pushed the boundaries – we saw one exhibition which featured art made from menstrual pads and a wall of imitation male genitalia!
An interesting painting of a chicken bus and interactive display at the Museum for National Identity
Old Presidential Residence and Historical Museum – this palace contains some historical exhibits and information about the history of the country and its presidency. The admission cost was around $10 and all of the information was in Spanish. Upstairs it is possible to walk out onto the palace roof, where you can take in the views of the city and appreciate the contrast between rich and poor. While the inside of the palace is opulent and grandiose, the view from the roof over the polluted river and ramshackle temporary shelters quickly brings you back to the reality of the city. There was also a small exhibition about the restoration of antique artwork and an initiative by the Honduran government to train young artists in this process.
The inside and outside view of the Presidential Palace stand in stark contrast with one another
Museo Casa Morazán – previously inhabited by Francisco Morazán, the national hero of Honduras, this house now contains a small museum dedicated to Morazán as well as the history and independence of Honduras and other iconic independence figureheads from Honduras and the wider region. Admission is free too!
We spent a couple of hours admiring the murals, artwork and literature at Museo Casa Morazán
St Michael the Archangel Cathedral – we finished our brief escapade in the centre of Tegucigalpa at Plaza Morazán, the main square which is dominated by this colonial church. We took refuge in the church while waiting for an Uber back to our hotel, which took a lot longer to arrive than expected due to the terrible Tegucigalpa traffic. The church seemed to be a typical grand colonial-style Catholic church, but we couldn’t see too much of it due to the service that was taking place.
My Tegucigalpa content is now available on GPSmyCity!
After visiting Honduras, we headed to Nicaragua. To read about my experience traveling from Tegucigalpa to Leon via the Guasaule border crossing, click here!