Visiting the Garifuna Villages Around La Ceiba is a Great Introduction to this Unique Culture!
One of the highlights you will find in Atlantida are the Garifuna villages. This interesting and unique culture is the result of the ethnic and cultural mix of two distinct races. Of the two cultures is from West Africa. Slaves in transport from Africa to America were shipwrecked off the coast of Saint Vincent, in the Grenadines. They mixed with the local Carib Indians that inhabited the island. Need to survive and keep their freedom brought to very different cultures together and produced a new unique culture.
Over the years, the Brits, who controlled that part of the Caribbean decided that the Garifuna people where becoming a thorn in their foot and captured them, put them on a boat and marooned them in the Island of Roatan, one of the Bay Islands of Honduras. From there, the Garifuna people eventually migrated to the mainland of Honduras and spread along the Caribbean Coast of this country, eventually getting as far as Northern Nicaragua and Southern Belize. Because of their rich and unique heritage and culture, the UNESCO has granted this culture the status of Cultural Heritage of Humanity!
Corozal and Sambo Creek
Within the environs of La Ceiba, you can find two different Garifuna Villages. Both on the eastern side of the city. These are The communities of Corozal and Sambo Creek, both proud of their Garifuna Heritage. You will find some fine restaurants within the community. As an example, in Corozal you can find Chamorros. A Garifuna owned unique restaurant offering the best of Garifuna cuisine, which consists basically of fresh seafood. In Sambo Creek you will find Kabasa and Kays Place as the most outstanding Garifuna cuisine restaurants. There are also some hotels on the eastern side of the town, allowing you to spend the night and get more of a feeling for this interesting culture.
Getting to the Garifuna Villages
Getting to the these communities is very easy. If you are driving your own vehicle take highway CA13 in direction of Trujillo and you will soon arrive in Corozal. This Garifuna Village is only about 7 km from La Ceiba. Sambo Creek is about 9 km beyond Corozal. If you do not have a car, you can take one of the public buses that leave from the San Jose Market bus station. If on a bus that does not enter town, get off at the entrance to town and walk into town. For a guided tour to Sambo Creek contact Reservaciones Turisticas La Ceiba or Tourist Options, they are your best bets.
