Curfew in Utila

There is no Curfew in Utila!

As you probably know, there is a 10 day curfew in Honduras. It is the result of post electoral unrest after the National elections last November 27th. The curfew went into place on the 1st of December and will be in place until the 10th of this month. The curfew restricts movement between 8 pm and 5 am. The schedule has been expanded by three hours; originally it was from 6 pm to 6 am.

The good news is that the Bay Islands of Honduras are not part of this curfew. This means that travelers and residents of the Bay Islands of Utila, Guanaja and Roatan can go on with life as usual.  The airport in Roatan is operating as usual and with no restrictions. The same can is true for the ferry service between La Ceiba and Roatan, as well as La Ceiba and Utila. Yes you understood correctly: there is no curfew in Utila!

If you are traveling to or from Utila, you should be aware that at this moment, December 5th, the CA13 highway is not open due to protests. This means that there is no bus service between La Ceiba and San Pedro Sula. Do not attempt to rent a car and drive, because you will get stuck on the road. I recommend that you fly from San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa to La Ceiba and then continue to Utila. Another alternative is to fly direct to Roatan. From there you can take the ferry to Utila. You will be happy to know that the Utila Dream Ferry operates the Roatan – Utila daily.

The good news is that if you are going to Utila, you will be able to enjoy the local party scene. No curfew in Utila means that the bars are open. It also means that its life as usual in this lovely little island of Utila. It remains uncertain if the curfew in Honduras will end at the end of the week. Even if they extend it, we know that the Bay Islands will continue to be exempt. So if you are traveling to Utila, don’t cancel your plans and have a great time!

You might also want to note that the Cangrejal River Valley, just outside of La Ceiba is very peaceful. There is no unrest, and should you want to enjoy some fun with nature it is worth your time! There are several small boutique eco lodges in the Cangrejal River. Many of them will arrange to have you picked up in La Ceiba and taken to their facilities. This is one of the safest areas in Central America and you will happy you included it in your visit.