Despite how much I love Honduras, I recognise that it’s not top of most people’s list of must-see destinations. However, it feels like a personal mission to change people’s minds about that. With everything I’ve written and will write, I hope I can show people that Honduras is definitely a country worth your time. At the same time, Honduras has a certain reputation that precedes it that I don’t think is representative of the country as a whole. It is safer and easier to navigate than it might appear. That’s not to say that there aren’t things to watch out for and you also shouldn’t expect the same level of tourism infrastructure as somewhere like Costa Rica. With that in mind, there are a few things that I think are important to know before you visit so that your expectations are in line with reality.
Take what you might have heard with a pinch of salt.
Back in 2015 when I was first embarking on the journey that would take me to Honduras (the selection and fundraising process started a year before I would actually leave), the prolific BBC investigative presenter Stacey Dooley had just released a two part documentary about the worst places in the world to be a woman and guess where one of those places was? This meant that many of my first interactions with people when I told them that I would be moving to Honduras for a year was shock and horror. This was quickly followed by questions or comments about how bad it is for women there and generally how dangerous it is. At the time, I had no idea how to respond and usually just laughed somewhat awkwardly before moving the conversation along.
Now, I’ll say that while Honduras still doesn’t have the best reputation among international travellers, a lot of the problems (gangs, violence, drugs) are localised to specific areas of bigger cities and visitors are rarely affected or the targets. Outside of the large cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, I have never felt unsafe in Honduras. (Saying that, still don’t take any unnecessary risks.)
Don’t flush toilet paper.
The pipes in Honduras are not what you will be used to at home. It sounds like it’s going to be really annoying and it will definitely take a few days to get used to this but it’s the same throughout most of Central America. You’ll get the hang of it eventually and if not, I hope you’re good with a plunger!
Cash is king.
To be on the safe side, I would assume that nowhere takes card so always have lempiras (the Honduran currency) on you. Most larger towns and cities have ATMs but sometimes these are out of service or there’s an unexpected problem with your card so stock up when you can. In general when it comes to using your bank card, Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. I personally use my Monzo card when I travel because they have pretty good travel rates and won’t block your card if you change countries without telling them. Back to cash, dollars are not really used (other than in very touristy places like the island of Roatán) but can be good to have for emergencies. In smaller shops or restaurants it might be hard to break a 500 lempira note (~£15) for smaller purchases.
Dress a little more conservatively.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll spend the whole time wondering how Hondurans are going about their business in jeans in up to 40° heat! I’m not saying you have to follow suit but Honduras is generally a pretty conservative place so keep that in mind in your clothing. Especially if you travel to a smaller town, somewhere like Candelaria for example, I wouldn’t wear shorts and I would have more coverage on the top, no crop tops or low cleavages. In the cities and on the islands which are used to more tourists, you can be more free with what you want to wear.
Visit the mainland!
So often people travelling Central America will skip Honduras entirely or only visit the Bay Islands of Utila and Roatán. I’m not saying they aren’t worth visiting (I love Utila and have been four times, watch out for the next blog post) but the mainland has so much to offer too! Copan Ruinas are in the northwest of Honduras, near the borders with Guatemala and El Salvador and are most well known for their Mayan ruins. These are the most southern Mayan ruins and my favourite of the handful that I’ve visited. I feel like they are the ones that I could most imagine being full of life and I could still see how everything fit together as a city. The town itself is really cute and there’s also a scarlet macaw sanctuary that’s worth a visit. In central Honduras, you’ll find Lago de Yojoa which is a hot spot for outdoor activities. It’s popular with bird watchers, kayaking out into the middle of the water gives you incredible views and you have to go to one of the many lakeside restaurants and try their specialty, pescado frito (fried fish). Nearby there is also the very impressive Pulhapanzak waterfall, 30 metres high. You can spend the day at the facilities there, go ziplining in front of the falls or go canyoning through them. And of course, there’s always Gracias for the hot springs and zipline.
Basic Spanish will help.
Obviously knowing the language of wherever you’re visiting is always a massive help, this almost goes without saying. But Honduras isn’t Costa Rica where so much of the economy relies on tourism that English is fairly widespread. Even in touristy areas like Utila, Roatán and Copán Ruinas but especially outside of it, a basic command of Spanish will go a long way. I think it’s polite and shows respect to the country you’re visiting to know a few phrases at least and people like it when you make the effort! Being able to have a basic conversation, ask for directions and order food are the most important things to learn but the more the better! Have Spanish downloaded on the Google Translate app as a last resort too.
People are generally kind, generous and willing to help.
You can’t generalise a whole country of people but I have found most Hondurans to be some of the most friendly and welcoming people. It’s hard to put into words how welcome I was made to feel when I lived there and am still made to feel every time I go back. I’m welcomed back into the home and the family that I lived with, my friends won’t let me pay for anything and I’ve had amazing interactions with strangers. This ranges from interesting conversations and lifts from bus stations to getting the best, authentic but otherwise unknown recommendations.
Trust the bus men throwing your bags on top of buses (and in public buses in general).
There are some private shuttles that you can take from the more touristy destinations in Honduras, from the islands to Lago de Yojoa or Copan Ruinas, or to the main cities like Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula but they’re expensive and if you want to venture further afield, more than likely you’re going to have to trust in public buses. There’s not a nationwide bus network, instead there are a collection of bus companies in each city running specific routes to another city. There’s no app or website in most cases so your best bet is to turn up at the bus station and ask around! There are times when someone will grab your bag and run off with it but they’re not stealing it (probably) – the men who work on the buses are very helpful but not always the best with instructions. Follow your bag and you’ll find the bus you need to get on. What looks like chaos on the surface is actually a well oiled machine.
Cold showers are the standard.
Unlike at home where hot showers are the norm, almost no matter the weather, you’ll have to get used to bracing yourself for freezing water. If you go around expecting this, hot showers become a welcome luxury which is nicer than constant disappointment. Your hair maybe won’t be as nice but take it as an opportunity for some cold water meditation and focus on your breathing. It’s hot enough anyway that you might welcome the cold water!
Women will most likely get catcalled.
Honduras has a strong culture of ‘machismo’ which is defined as an exaggerated sense of masculinity. This manifests itself as Honduras being a very male dominated culture. Men are the heads of the households, the primary breadwinners and much more visible in public and high-level positions. In day to day interactions, one of the ways the macho culture manifests is in catcalling. When I was living there, I had to get used to walking around with the background noise of whistles, kissing noises and various comments. Honduran men have yelled ‘I love you’ in English at me more times than I can count. Usually it’s harmless and ignoring it works. As a tourist, it won’t usually go further than this catcalling although that is unfortunately not the case for many Honduran women who suffer from high levels of violence, both in the home and in society at large.
Go to the local restaurants (comedores).
From the outside they don’t look like much, sometimes a bit more like someone’s living room than a restaurant. It might be tempting to go for more aesthetic choices and of course there’s always times when you just want some pizza but you’d be missing out if you don’t give the comedores a chance. You might be wary, particularly at the beginning of the trip, about the cleanliness or hygiene of a place but there’s usually signs to tell if the place is safe, the main one being if it is popular with locals. Try some of the classics like baleadas, fried chicken or a typical dinner. Big plates of food can cost up to around 120 lempira (£4) so it’s a cheap option too. But still trust your gut if something looks too dodgy.
Things will go wrong but they’ll all work out.
A good motto for visiting Honduras is ‘go with the flow’. The phrase ‘organised chaos’ comes to mind but embrace it. Particularly when it comes to transport, things don’t usually go to plan (add at least an extra hour on to the supposed length of any bus journey). Everything is a bit more relaxed in Honduras though, especially timekeeping (although I wouldn’t recommend turning up late for buses). Being open to new experiences can lead to some amazing things! Talk to people and you never know what might happen, you might end up in the most incredible situation that you wouldn’t otherwise have experienced. There is magic in the chaos.
Sara Somewhere 