The Real Dangers of Traveling in Honduras

Let’s face it, Honduras has a terrible safety reputation. The USA government issues travel warnings that are completely out of place and scare travelers. Honduran press does not help. They compete between each other to see who can print a more disgusting photo on their front page. This in a race to encourage Honduras citizens to buy their newspaper. TV stations do the same, competing for higher ratings during the local news programs. But what are the real dangers of traveling in Honduras?

I have been traveling in Honduras for the past 24 years. Yes, I live here, so you will say I am biased. We all are in one way or another. But contrary to the Travel Warnings that are written by someone sitting in a desk in Washington D.C., I am actually living and traveling throughout Honduras. You will have to give me that credit at least. I actually deal with real dangers of traveling in Honduras! The guy in the state department office does not, he only imagines them, and it is that simple!

So Getting to the Issue, what are the Real Dangers of Traveling in Honduras?

For starters, life is full of dangers. If you walk out to the street back home and get in your car, you could have a car accident. There are thousands of persons in the world who die in car accidents every year. The dangers of being in a car accident are much higher that those of traveling in Honduras!

Here is a List of Some of the Real Dangers of Traveling in Honduras that You Should be Aware of.

1.- You may get distracted while you walk down the cobblestone streets. These are common in Copan Ruinas, Gracias, and other colonial cities in Honduras. The friendly, honest smiles of the locals can distract you. And as you answer back to their call of “buenas!” you could trip and fall. If you do twist your ankle, the locals will rush to help you get up and get you to a comfortable place to recover!

2.- You may drive off the road as you are travel up the Cangrejal River Valley, also known as “Toucan Alley”. There is a danger that you will get distracted watching the keel billed toucans as they fly around from tree to tree between Pico Bonito and Nombre de Dios National Parks. To avoid an accident, park your car and admire these lovely colorful birds!

3.- If you are walking the streets in downtown Tegucigalpa, there is chance you may run into the devil himself! Yes there is a lovely bronze statue of Satan in the Plaza de los Dolores in Tegucigalpa. Need not to worry, Saint Michael Archangel, the patron saint of Tegucigalpa has it all under control! So relax, take a photo and continue your journey.

Top sites to visit in Honduras
The Beautiful Ball Court in Copan Ruinas

4.- As you walk into the Magnificent Mayan Archaeological Park in Copan, you will need to concentrate on watching the trail. This is not an easy task as you have a flock of magnificent scarlet macaws sweeping over your head and screaming out as loud as the can while they do so. Fortunately there is a way to overcome this danger. Stop where you are, get your camera out and take a video of this free show they are offering you![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]

5.- Beware of the hot springs in Honduras! After a relaxing bath in the natural hot springs, you may choose to have a massage. Do take note, the chances of falling asleep in the middle of it are quite high! You may never even get the chance to enjoy it to the fullest because you fell asleep! What a waste of money… or is it?

Baleadas, one of the real dangers of traveling in Honduras
Baleadas, the most typical of all Honduran meals

6.- While in Honduras, you will discover the most popular of Honduran foods: the Baleada. These tasty wheat tortillas stuffed with beans, cream, cheese and other goodies are delicious! Best of all, they are affordable. You will be able to have many of them without it having an impact on your budget. The down side, of course, is the risk of gaining wait while you are traveling in Honduras. Perhaps the best prevention to this real danger of traveling in Honduras is to walk as much as possible when in one of the many great destinations in Honduras. If you where to get sick from overeating, remember that you have a 30 day insurance policy upon arrival to Honduras!  The insurance is 504 Assist and it is free for you upon arrival to Honduras for up to 30 days![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]

7.- Without doubt, some the biggest dangers of traveling in Honduras are present when you drive on Honduran highways after dark. No, I am not talking about highway robberies; these are rare in Honduras. I am talking about the trucks without tail lights. Did I mention the cattle on the road and potholes that are impossible to see? I am also talking about total lack of highway signs on some highways. The chances of hitting a pot hole and blowing a tire are quite high. Fortunately, there is an easy remedy for this risk: stay off the highways after dark!

Honduras, Love Outright…

8.- And then of course, there is the risk that you will go head over heels and fall in love with the country! It is no coincidence that the current marketing campaign to promote tourism to Honduras is titled “Love Outright”! If you do fall in love with Honduras, you can always plan another trip here. Worst case scenario for this danger is that you will become at expat living in Honduras. This is not such a bad situation. I must confess that this happened to me 24 years ago. I fell in love with Honduras and a special young lady. We have been together since, and have a family who live in the Cangrejal River Valley in La Ceiba.

If you happen to be in our neck of the woods, please stop by and visit! We own and run a small bed and breakfast in the Cangrejal River Valley. It is La Villa de Soledad. I promise that if you do come and visit, you will have a complete understanding of the real dangers of traveling in Honduras! Happy travels in Honduras!