Honduras

Understand

The word Honduras means "depths" in the Spanish language.

History During the first millennium, Honduras was inhabited by the Maya civilization in the western part and other Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures in the rest. Columbus first explored the country in 1502, and Honduras became a Spanish colony. Honduras, with four other Central American nations, declared its independence from Spain on September 15, 1821 to form a federation of Central American states. In 1838, Honduras left the federation and became independent. Political unrest rocked Honduras in the early 1900s, resulting in an occupation by U.S. Marines. Dictator Gen. Tiburcio Carias Andino established a strong government in 1932. In 1969, El Salvador invaded Honduras after Honduran landowners deported several thousand Salvadorans. Five thousand people ultimately died in what is called “the football war” because it broke out during a soccer game between the two countries. By threatening economic sanctions and military intervention, the Organization of American States (OAS) induced El Salvador to withdraw. After two and a half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras was a haven for the anti-Communist contras fighting the Sandinista government of Nicaragua and an ally to Salvadoran government forces fighting against leftist guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused almost $1 billion in damage, seriously affecting the development of the country and its vital infrastructure.

Climate Honduras is hot and humid almost year-round. Temperatures vary by altitude rather than season. The average high temperature nationwide is 32°C (90°F) and the average low is 20°C (68

See

Ruins of Copan Roatan Island Utila Island Birdlife, including the Ara macao, the country's national bird

Do

Honduras is great not only for tourism, but also for opportunities to volunteer and help aid those that live in impoverished conditions. This nation is a popular destination for medical aid groups and various private aid and mission groups. Aid organizations that have a presence in Honduras are World Vision, World Gospel Outreach, Fundacion Casa De Luz, Red Cross, Foundation Free The Oppressed, and several o

Getting there

Entry requirements Citizens of the EU, Japan, Norway, Malaysia, Singapore, Switzerland, South Africa, India, Taiwan and most western countries do not need a visa. If you do need a visa, contact a Honduran consulate. Note that your passport expiration date must be a least 3 months later than the date of your scheduled departure from Honduras.

By plane Major international airports with daily flights to Atlanta, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Madrid, Mexico City, New York, San Salvador, and Houston are in San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa (Palmerola), and Roatan. The main international airlines serving the region are Avianca, Copa Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Spirit, and American Airlines. Air Europa operates flights from Madrid to San Pedro Sula while Iberojet operates flights to Palmerola north of Tegucigalpa. Maya Island Air also has a direct flight from Belize to San Pedro Sula (phone number +1 501 223 1140 or [email protected]). For interior flights check CM Airlines, Lanhsa and Aerolineas Sosa. The interior domestic airlines frequently have flight cancellations, do not guarantee service, and are under no obligation to issue refunds if a flight does not occur. However, American carriers and their international code share partners listed above guarantee travel per US industry standards. Hence, it is advisable not to rely on a domestic carrier to connect to an outbound international flight without having an alternative means to get to the departure point of the foreign bound aircraft in a timely fashion. For instance, if a flight cancellation occurs in La Ceiba headed to San Pedro Sula due to insufficient ticket sales (a common occurrence), a taxi can be hired for a US$50-100 spot price to run the distance in under 2½ hours. When leaving Honduras there is an ai

Getting around

By train Railroads in Honduras have been built in the northern lowlands (Valle de Sula) since 1880s by two competing banana growers. They never extended to the capital Tegucigalpa or to the Pacific coast and never linked to other countries. There are three segments operated under the management of Ferrocarril Nacional de Honduras (FNH):

San Pedro Sula - Barracoa: occasional passenger trains around San Pedro Sula, for example during carneval and other holidays. City rail in La Ceiba (3 km, passenger transport between downtown and a western suburb, Col. Sitramacsa) Line between La Unión and Salado Barra in Atlantida. This is a funky train that you use to enter Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge. Parque Nacional Cuero y Salado.

By car Small roads are often in poor condition and can be dangerous to drive on. During the rainy season, the condition of roads deteriorates considerably. It is best to avoid driving at night. Driving on rural roads can be risky at all times; carjackings and violent attacks are possible. When driving, doors should be kept locked and windows closed. If one party to a road accident is seriously injured, the police have the right to arrest the other party, regardless of whether or not they caused the accident. In such situations, it is a good idea to take down the details of the other party. In the event of an accident, always wait for the police to arrive before moving vehicles.

By boat There is regular boat service from La Ceiba to the bay islands of Roatan and Utila. Service to Roatan is on the Galaxy Wave II. The ferry trip costs less than flying, and leaves (mostly) on time. A round-trip prima class ticket costs US$53; round-trip general class, $43. Both prima and general seating areas are comfortable and offer air conditioning and flat-scre