The Coffee Capital of Central America
Santa Rosa de Copan is the Coffee Capital of Central America!
I know you think it’s a rather pretentious claim, but Santa Rosa de Copan is the Coffee Capital of Central America. Most people do not know that Honduras produces coffee. Fewer know that Honduras is the largest producer and exporter of coffee in Central America. And even fewer know that Honduras is one of the top five coffee exporting countries in the World! Wow! That is a big place for a country that is only 112,500 square kilometers!
Honduras is the Leading Coffee Producer and Exporter in Central America!
But then you have the issue of quality. Being a top world producer of quality coffee is worth the mention. Honduras produces high quality coffee that is getting more and more recognition worldwide. Perhaps one of the most astounding facts about Honduras coffee is the fact that most of the coffee produced belongs to small and medium size producers. This means that they all must use similar techniques and processing to insure high quality across the board!
IHCAFE is the Honduran entity in charge of producing and marketing the coffee from Honduras. IHCAFE, which stands for Honduran Institute of Coffee, has a large professional staff. They work with small and large producers, cooperating with them from start to finish. There is even a Honduran variety coffee plant called “Lempira”. This variety has been genetically engineered and adapted to the local climate and land conditions in Honduras.
Santa Rosa de Copan, the Coffee Producing Hub in Honduras
Coffee is grown throughout Honduras. But there are two main regions where quality export coffee in produced. One of them is in Western Honduras, and Santa Rosa de Copan is the largest hub in the region. In the villages around Santa Rosa de Copan you will find a lot of activity between November and February. This is the peak of the coffee harvesting season, and there are not enough people to do the job! Even young school children, who are on vacations for most of December and January, take part in the harvesting activities.
As I said before, most of the coffee growers in Honduras have small farms. This means that many sell their product to larger companies who finish the drying process and may even roast the coffee beans. Many of the coffee buyers around the world prefer to buy their coffee beans without roasting. Thus, they have control of the final product.
Coffee Estates to Visit and Stay Overnight
For those interested in an intense coffee learning experience? I am happy to inform that there are some excellent options. Several different coffee estates and cooperatives offer lodging facilities within their coffee farms. Many are in the vicinity of Santa Rosa de Copan, the coffee capital of Central America.
I fully recommend a stay at Café Capucas. This is a coffee cooperative that is between the towns of Corquin and San Jose de Copan, west of Santa Rosa de Copan. The coffee plantations here are all shade grown, high altitude coffee. They are actually on the west side of Cerro de las Minas, aka Celaque, the highest peak in Honduras. At Café Capucas you can get up close to the coffee bushes. During the harvesting and production season, experience the whole process to insure a great cup of coffee around the world! Cafe Capucas offers some great rooms and cabins where you can overnight.[themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Another great alternative is a visit and stay at Hacienda Montecristo. This is just outside Santa Rosa de Copan. Hacienda Montecristo is a family owned coffee estate that has a huge production on its own. They are one of the largest coffee exporters in Honduras. Their farm includes some cattle ranching and produces fine dairy products. The property also has some great trails that are ideal for bird watching and mountain biking. Hacienda Montecristo is opening its lodging facilities later this month.[themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Coffee Tasting in Santa Rosa de Copan
But back to Santa Rosa de Copan, the coffee capital of Central America. During a walk through this peaceful town, you will enjoy visiting the different café’s. Many of the larger coffee estates in the area have set up coffee shops in town. They all compete between themselves to serve the best cup of coffee in Honduras. Of course, you are the winner, since you get a chance to taste some of the best coffee in the World![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Thus, Santa Rosa de Copan is a must visit while in Honduras if you are a coffee lover. Visit the magnificent estates where coffee grows. Learn the harvest and production process. Best of all, taste some outstanding cups of fresh coffee. Last but not least, buy some coffee to take home and remember your trip to the coffee capital of Central America: Santa Rosa de Copan in Honduras. There are few better things in life than enjoying an outstanding cup of coffee in the morning! Coffee lovers will enjoy a visit to Honduras. Without doubt, this is another good reason to visit Honduras.
