Coffee, Cowboys and Captivating Ruins
By Jolyon Attwooll
Whoever named Copán Ruinas had it easy.
A town springs up by mysterious Maya ruins in Honduras’ Copán Valley? Presto, just link the location to its main attraction.
Visitors often presume this tranquil town near the Guatemala border is all about the archaeology: Not true. If you only stop at the amazing Maya excavations - granted, no Central America jaunt is complete without doing so - you’ll miss the small town’s many beguiling charms.
Just take a look beyond the town’s buildings. From the outskirts you can watch morning mist unfurl around Guatemalan mountaintops. From the sloping streets, you can gaze out over the lush Copán valley.