Copán Ruinas

Understand

The ruins are quite substantial and a major tourist attraction in western Honduras. While less visited than the better known Chichen Itza, in Mexico, many people find them more interesting. When referring to Copan Ruinas many call it just "Copan," but that can be misunderstood. "Copan" is the name of the departamento (like a state). If you want to refer to the area of the old Mayan city, then you should use the full name. Both the archaeological zone and the nearby town use the name. Copán is in a fertile river valley and nestled among rolling hills, at an elevation 700 m so it is a bit cooler. Although many just stop by the ruins on a day trip, the town is pleasant and safe and can be worth spending a day or two.

Getting there

The modern village of Copán remains relatively remote today, as such the Honduran government hasn't prioritized high quality road construction in this area yet. There is an airport a few miles from here, but no commercial flights serve it. So however you get here, expect a bit of a bumpy ride.

By bus Copán Ruinas is not well connected to the rest of the country. For local connections, La Entrada will be your destination of choice, and for most any other Honduran service you'll need to start at San Pedro Sula. Bus leaves 4 times a day, but don't trust the printed schedule. For example, the schedule showed a bus at 13:00, but time in the sold ticket was 12:10, and that's when the bus left. So, check the time on the ticket or ask a cashier. Getting to San Pedro Sula from Guatemala is possible on local busses, but if you have the extra coin, it will save you a lot of time and headaches to book direct transit from Guaté or Antigua. Almost every bus in town leaves from the 1 Main Bus Terminal; it doesn't have any real amenities to speak of, it's just a small parking lot adjacent to the river on the east side of town.

From Guatemala City Take a bus from Centra Norte to Chiquimula (every 10 minutes, Q45, 4 hr). From Chiquimula, take a small bus to the very calm border El Florido (every 10 minutes, Q16, 2 hr with connection in Jocotán.) Across the border, buses go every 20 minutes to Copán Ruinas (L20, 30 minutes.)

From El Salvador Cross the border at El Poy, and from there get a shared taxi to Ocotepeque (L20). Next, board a San Pedro Sula bound bus and get off at La Entrada (L90), finally switch to a minibus for Copán Ruinas (L40). There are also direct shuttles between Copán Ruinas and many tourist spots in El Salvador, such as Santa Ana, San Salvador, or El Tunco. Any of which may be booked in advance through your hotel, or online. The nearer option includes going via Guatemala. Santa Ana (El Salvador) -- Chiquimula (Guatemala) -- Copan Ruinas.

By car Your o

Getting around

Copán is a small community, so don't worry about mapping sights before you get there. If you are a walker and sure-footed, it is safe to walk the cobblestone streets anywhere in town or walk to the ruins on foot. Streets are reportedly safe after dark, but standard precautions apply. Mototaxis (Honduran rickshaws) will take you anywhere in town for a small fee (L10 around town, L20 to the Ruins/Macaw Mountain). The Mayan Ruins are a short walk out of town and a further 20 minutes walk will take you to Las Sepulturas, a wonderfully open section of the ruins that many people fail to visit - don't! There is also a short nature walk at the main ruins that meanders around other smaller ruins.

See

Las Copán Ruinas (entry US$ 45/person, as of Dec 2024) are the highlight of Copán. Although quite extensive, they are not as huge as Tikal in Guatemala or Teotihuacan in Mexico, but there is more sculpture here than any other Pre-Columbian city. The ruins are prized for the carved stellae of ancient rulers, and the well preserved hieroglyphics including the hieroglyphic stairway. Also in the archaeological park is a marvellous Mayan museum (entry US$7/person) with a reconstructed temple and fabulous artefacts. Fans of Maya art or ancient ruins can easily spend two full days between the two main ruins sites and museum. The tunnels are reportedly not worth the extra fee, and are not authentic, having been dug by archaeologists in the 1980s (these tunnels were originally dug for investigation and they show to the visitors the buried parts of older temples since the Mayans built on top of the older structures to make the new ones taller ). In July 2011 it was possible to visit the Sepulturas on the next day without purchasing a second ticket although the main ticket office may not tell you this. It's recommended to be there when it opens at 08:00, as the site gets very hot by mid-day. Hire a guide at the entrance to the ruins for US$50 divided between however many people you can collect. Cesar (good accented English) and Antonio (few teeth, excellent English) are recommended if they're around. The price of $50 is extremely high, so try to talk to other people around to see if you on your own can cobble a group together. It is not in the interest of guides to allow you to assemble the group, so do not expect any help from the guides, unless you specifically tell them that you will hire them only if you get a small group. Besides the ruins, the countryside is attractive. Slow paced local life is quite calm, and farming of corn, beans, coffee, and tobacco is the main vocation. A LOT of wildlife can be seen at Copan Ruinas, especially at the ruins themselves. Many birds spe

Do

Luna Jaguar Aguas Termales. A natural hot springs spa under an hour's drive (25 km) from Copán Ruinas. Several man-made pools of differing temperatures mimic Mayan structures and are fed by the hot springs. A variety of adventure tour companies will take you there for US$10/person plus $60/group, which is outrageous considering the alternatives. For cheaper transportation, pickups and minibuses congregate at the soccer field (right before the bridge on the way to the ruins). Gather a group together, and you might negotiate a pickup for US$50. They may be willing to wait up to 3 hours for you. Even better, be patient, and a (tiny) seat in a minibus is only L35 each way. To get back to town, start walking, and a minibus will pass before long. The drive is very scenic, so enjoy it! One can easily spend the whole day at Luna Jaguar, but bring your own food. Massages available. entry US$12/person. 1 Macaw Mountain. An excellent bird sanctuary a short (L20/person) mototaxi ride from el Centro. The price may seem steep, but the sanctuary is commendable for its beautiful location, free tours in English, swimming hole, and obviously healthy, well cared-for birds. As of November 2023, the birds that are being rehabilitated are brought out for holding at 15:00. The ticket is valid for 3 days, so come back and swim for free. entry US$10/person. (updated Nov 2023) 2 Mariposario Mayan Hills. A butterfly sanctuary just outside town. entry L100/person. Canopy/zip line. Copán has one of the world's longest zip lines, including one about 1,000 meters (3,200 feet) long.