Honduras Travel Advisory for 2019
These days, everybody wants to check a travel advisory or warning before they start planning to trip. The World has gotten smaller and its easier than ever to travel around it. Surprisingly, destinations that were once considered very safe, such as France and Germany have been targeted by terrorists. As such, there are no safe countries or dangerous countries to travel to. More that ever before, relying on your “common sense” is vital! Many travelers forget to pack that common sense with them before leaving on a vacation. This can be a dangerous mistake!
Our Updated Honduras Travel Advisory for 2019
Following please find our updated Honduras Travel Advisory for 2019 that we hope will help you decide and plan your trip to Honduras. As the leading Honduras destination travel guide and blog, we are well fit to write about travel in Honduras. After all, we live here! We have been here for over 25 years! If you want an honest Honduras travel advisory, rely on someone who is on the ground and up to date, not on someone in an office in a foreign country!
Our most important Honduras travel advisory 2019 is to read through the reviews that current travelers are writing about their experience in Honduras. If you are expecting to read about crime and danger you will be disappointed. Travelers that do venture out to Honduras find a lovely country with friendly people. Check out the travel blogs about adventurous bloggers coming this way. Bloggers usually travel alone, and you would be surprised at how many of them are solo women traveling through the world. You will be surprised at how safe they felt in Honduras!
Honduras Travel Advice for Divers
A view of the sunset as seen from Sundowners BarFantastic destinations include the best diving in Central America and the Caribbean. The Bay Islands of Utila, Roatan and Guanaja are world famous for their diving and snorkeling. Imagine diving with the docile whale sharks in Utila. Or diving the walls in Guanaja or Roatan! You will find their reefs are the most bio-diverse in the World! Ok, maybe this is not important to you if you are not a diver. Yet you will love the fact that Honduras has done a better job than other countries and is keeping its reefs healthy! If you have never tried diving, you should at least snorkel one of the close by reefs to discover this magnificent underwater world![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Honduras Travel Advice for Nature Lovers.
As for our Honduras Travel Advisory for 2019 regarding nature, you will be surprised! Did you know that one quarter of Honduras’ territory is under protected status? This means that a chunk bigger than El Salvador, or two thirds the size of Costa Rica is part of the Honduras National Park system! Yes Honduras has the most extensive National Park system in Central America! This includes the World Heritage Site we call the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve. Incidentally, the Lost City of the Monkey Good was recently found by a National Geographic Society expedition. Imagine finding a lost city in the twenty-first Century! If you are into birding, hiking, canoeing or other sort of nature activity be prepared for a mayor shock! Honduras is nature´s Garden of Eden! Yes, we are not exaggerating, this authentic Honduras Travel Advisory 2019 is for those travelers that are seriously into nature!
The Nature and Adventure Hub in Honduras. Photo by Luis AgueroThe Cangrejal River is Honduras’ nature and adventure hub. If you are into adventure activities, such as white water rafting, canyoneering or zip lining, this is one destination you can not afford to miss! Nestled between the Nombre de Dios National Park and Pico Bonito National Park, the area offers unparalleled hiking alternatives. This is one of the birding hot spots in Honduras, and you will certainly be able to check a few extra birds on your list. Best of all, there are many different lodges nearby where you can stay to enjoy the area! Nearby, sites like Cayos Cochinos and Cuero y Salado offer great alternatives for explorers and adventurers. This area is one the must visit destinations in our Honduras Travel Advisory 2019 list![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
The Lake Yojoa Area
Regatta at Honduyate in Lake Yojoa.Another great place that our Honduras Travel Advisory recommends you include in your trip is the Lake Yojoa area. This lovely lake, the largest natural lake in Honduras is a great nature hub. With two different national parks around it, if offers a variety of nature activities to enjoy. Hiking trails, bird-watching, kayaking, sailing and visiting coffee plantations are some of the alternatives here. There are several different hotels around the lake. At least one of them will fit your budget and needs.[themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Honduras Travel Advice for Cultural Tourism
The Beautiful ball court in Copan RuinasBut perhaps you are more into cultural tourism. If so, please heed our Honduras Travel Advisory for 2019 recommendations! The Mayan Archaeological Site at Copan Ruinas is the most studied Mayan site in the World. Expert Archaeologists and Anthropologists from reputable universities have spent countless years here. This includes the University of Tulane, Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania, just to name a few. Scholars refer to Copan as the Paris of the Maya World. This is due to its sophisticated and delicate high relief sculptures. The site includes a charming colonial town where you will have a chance to interact with the local population. Get ready to make friends here! Hondurans are one friendly bunch of people! They will go out of their way to help you and make you happy during your visit here![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
View from Celaque National Park. Photo Courtesy of Visit Gracias.You probably know that Honduras is the most mountainous country in Central America. This provides for incredibly scenic routes through rural Honduras. A perfect example is the Lenca Trail, that follows the highlands of Western Honduras. If you are into coffee, you will love this area. Honduras is the fifth World producer of coffee! It produces high quality, mountain grown coffee. Many of the coffee estates throughout Honduras offer the opportunity to visit their coffee plantations. Our Honduras Travel Advisory for 2019 recommends that you plan on visiting one of them along your route. As a coffee lover, you will love to see the coffee production process.[themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Honduras Travel Advice For San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa
Downtown San Pedro Sula.Photo by Peter A Hughes
Heck, you will love this! San Pedro Sula is the fastest growing non-capital city in Central America! Maybe even be the fastest in Latin America! This city offers the best US franchise hotels within its premises. This includes, Intercontinental, Hyatt, Hilton and Crown Plaza among others. Add the outstanding gastronomy and night life in the city and you will want to spend at least a couple of nights here! The good news is that San Pedro Sula is the best gateway into Honduras, with the busiest airport in the country! Its great highway system makes it easy to visit great attractions that are only one hour away. Our Honduras Travel Advisory 2019 says that you should not be afraid to visit this city! Use your common sense and you will be fine![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
Isla del Tigre, Home to Amapala,Tegucigalpa and Southern Honduras are more off the beaten path. However, they are well worth your time if you have the proper time to explore. We appreciate any comments to our Honduras Travel Advisory for 2019 and hope that you enjoy your trip through Honduras. Remember to pack your common sense when traveling anywhere in the World. You will find that it is very useful and will keep you away from trouble! Happy Travels![themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]
February 25, 2019 @ 5:20 pm
You are not being honest about the risks of travel around Honduras. I love Honduras and I lived there myself for many years and speak fluent Spanish, but Honduras has become a very violent country, and you need to be up front about that. Here is a quote from the Canadian travel advisory for Honduras:
“There is a high level of violent crime in Honduras, and the country has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and the presence of street gangs pose significant security concerns. The government of Honduras lacks sufficient resources to properly respond to, investigate and prosecute cases. As a result, criminals linked to organized crime operate with a high degree of impunity throughout Honduras.”
https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/honduras
I am not saying that you should tell people not to travel to Honduras, but you need to be truthful about the risks so that people can plan appropriately. To equate Germany and France with Honduras, as you seem to do in the first paragraph, is irresponsible and misrepresents the relative risks.
February 25, 2019 @ 9:18 pm
Hi Dan! Thanks for reaching out and expressing your concerns about safety during travel through Honduras. Honduras has come a long way in the last four or five years and the number of homicides has drastically been reduced. From a high of almost 80 homicides per 100,000 persons, it has come down to almost 40 homicides per 100,000 persons. This is still astronomically high, I am not trying to hide that. However if you sift through the data, you will find that the number of foreign citizens that are murdered, the numbers are much less alarming. The Observatorio Nacional de la Violencia, which is run by the National Autonomous University of Honduras produces the most respected document regarding violence, including homicides. I asked them to put together a report a couple of years ago regarding nationality of individuals murdered. They wanted to know why I was interested in such a report, and I explained that I wanted so see how dangerous it really was for tourists to visit Honduras. The results were the following: In 2015 there were a total of 5148 homicides in Honduras. Of those, 4106 where Honduran citizens, 1018 did not have a citizenship reported, and a total of 26 were foreigners. Most of those 23 to be exact where from Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia and Mexico. My guess is that they were somehow related to organized crime or drug cartels. The other three were one each I stand by my point that foreigners are safe in Honduras and that Honduras is not any more dangerous than other countries that are considered safe. I can send you a copy of the report that I have if you would like to see it.
I am certainly not trying to misguide any tourists about Honduras. I am simply trying to put the facts where they are. I am aware that many countries set up travel advisories against travel to Honduras. Many of those advisories miss represent the reality of Honduras and the risks of traveling to Honduras.
March 1, 2019 @ 9:24 pm
Good afternoon, do you know when the level 3 travel ban to Honduras will be re-evaluated?
March 3, 2019 @ 5:09 pm
Hi Bryan! I understand that the US State Department advisories are reviewed on a regular basis. I believe that they are used as a tool to induce governments abroad to comply with US policy regarding corruption, impunity and drug trafficking. They do not reflect the reality of traveling to Honduras. There are over one million US citizens visiting Honduras on a yearly basis, and incidents of crime against them are rare and uncommon. When the the level 3 travel ban to Honduras will be re-evaluated depends on the US State Department, not us. So my guess is as good as yours!
April 22, 2019 @ 7:06 am
When asked question about current safety problems you respond with figures from 4 years ago. Just seems as though either you don’t want to tell the truth or you are hiding current facts in hopes they will go away.
April 22, 2019 @ 4:24 pm
Good morning Bill! Not at all, things have improved considerably in Honduras. I mention figures from four years ago because that what I had at hand. As a matter of fact, last month, La Prensa, the most important newspaper in Honduras published a report issued by an NGO: Citizen council for public security that shows that San Pedro Sula went from the most dangerous city in the world a few years ago to number 35 in 2018! It is interesting to note that according to that NGO, there are two cities in the USA that are more dangerous than San PEdro Sula: St. Louis and Baltimore. Detroit is not far behind. You can check the source at https://www.laprensa.hn/honduras/1266886-410/tegucigalpa-san-pedro-sula-lejos-ciudades-violentas-mundo. Once again, I must stress that foreigners are not targeted by criminals in Honduras, and that it is important for you to use common sense when traveling anywhere in the world to keep yourself safe.
I might add to the fact that the figures from San PEdro Sula are actually inflated, since cities number three and four in Honduras (Choloma and El Progreso) do not have a morgue and therefore homicides from there are added to San Pedro Sula, which inflates the reports of homicides in San Pedro Sula. The fact that San PEdro Sula is in place 35 and Tegucigalpa in place 40 does not make Honduras the most dangerous country in World. As a matter of fact, most of the tourism destinations in Honduras, such as the Bay Islands, Copan and Atlantida are actually very safe, safer than many other cities in the World, including many in the USA.
Under no reason am I trying to hide the truth, but I am trying to help potential visitors to understand the reality about travel in Honduras. The government is not hoping that the problems in Honduras disappear, they are actively working to make Honduras a safer place to live in. Fortunately, they are on the right track!
July 28, 2019 @ 3:41 pm
What about this article in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/07/25/opinion/honduras-corruption-ms-13.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage
July 29, 2019 @ 10:36 pm
Hi Simon! Thank you for sharing the New York Times article. By chance, I had already read it, but I took some time to read it again. Indeed, life in the communities and neighborhoods that are controlled by gangs is not easy and can be deadly. Fortunately, that is not the general case throughout the country, but my heart does go out to those poor families that live in these neighborhoods. As for corruption, indeed it is a serious problem. However, Honduras does not hold an exclusivity regarding corruption. The fact that Honduran press inform about it is important. Rafael Leonardo Callejas, a former president in Honduras is in the USA serving sentence on corruption charges. I would not be surprised that the two previous ex-presidents of Honduras end up with the same tale. Things are slowly improving, and the help of the USAID offices in Honduras has made a difference. There is much more needed before we can say we turned the corner. But not all things in Honduras are bad and life in the neighborhoods controlled by gang members is not the norm throughout Honduras.
July 29, 2019 @ 3:44 pm
We are arriving in San Pedro Sula in August and a driver will pick us up at the airport and drive us to Copan and drive us back the next day to SPS to the airport. Is the road from the airport to Copan safe? We are worried about robberies, car jackings, etc.Thanks for any informatoin
July 29, 2019 @ 10:21 pm
Good morning Tom!
Yes the road to Copan Ruinas is safe, as well as the whole route from the San Pedro Sula Airport to Copan Ruinas. The town is also safe to walk around in, so I am sure you will have a pleasurable experience. It is a shame that you are only spending one night in Copan Ruinas, as there is so much to see. You need not worry about robberies, car jackings etc. Enjoy your visit to Copan Ruinas!
July 30, 2019 @ 3:00 pm
John, thanks so much. We are looking forward to the adventure!
August 5, 2019 @ 5:22 pm
Hello John, thank you for your info. Do you have contact info for End of the World resort and travel info to get to the resort? Thanks for your asst.
August 5, 2019 @ 8:38 pm
Hello Mary Jane! Thank you for reaching out to us! You can find contact information for the End of the World Resort via their web page or social media pages. Their web page is https://www.endoftheworldresort.com/ and you can find the contact info under the reservations tab. Getting to Guanaja is not easy, you need to fly between La Ceiba or Roatan to Guanaja. If you do so via La Ceiba, you should consider a couple of nights at the Cangrejal River VAlley. I own and run La Villa de Soledad B&B a delightful boutique bed and breakfast in Pico Bonito National Park. For more info, please follow this link: https://www.lavilladesoledad.com/
September 29, 2019 @ 9:04 pm
Great blog. As with anywhere – including the United States – you need to pay attention to your surroundings. We live in Minnesota and do not travel to downtown Minneapolis anymore due to reduced police presence and crime spikes in an area that used to be relatively safe and is still crowded with people.
We are looking for a place to retire to in the next couple of years. Roatan and La Cieba are interesting to us (I’m in love with Roatan from what I’ve read and seen on tv)
However, we are concerned about health care in case we need it and the average travel time in case we need to get back to the States in a short period of time.
What can you tell me about those?
October 2, 2019 @ 10:36 pm
Good day Jay! Thanks for your comments. Roatan know has a private hospital that is quite good, it is the Cemesa Hospital, a branch of one of top hospitals in San Pedro Sula. I addition, La Ceiba offers the Dantoni Hospital and a Medical Center that has many specialists known as Medicentro. Both are good options, however the facilities in La Ceiba are more complete than those in Roatan. There are daily flights from Roatan to San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, and you can find medical facilities there as well. Travel time between La Ceiba and Roatan is only 20 minutes by plane and 1 1/2 hours by ferry. Travel time between Roatan and San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa is under one hour by plane, with several flights available daily. You can not only get quality medical service in Honduras, you will also find that it is very affordable by USA standards. Feel free to ask any other question that you have in mind!
November 21, 2019 @ 8:48 pm
I’m travelling to Honduras Next week Arriving in SPS. I plan on having a driver get us straight to the area of Pico Bonito where we will be staying on a hostel a couple of days. After that we are going to la ceiba and straight to Utila. We only have 6 days in Honduras, so after Utila we are heading back to SPS and back to the states.
How safe is it to leave SPS at 4pm towards La ceiba and staying there the night, or do you recomment staying the night in SPS and then going early in the morning to Pico Bonito area?
Are these roads safe?
What are the best(most secure) transportation companies you would suggest?
Thanks in advance… any extra tips would be appreciated .
November 22, 2019 @ 2:16 pm
Good morning Juan! Thanks for reaching out to us! It is perfectly safe to drive from San Pedro Sula airport to La Ceiba. I would recommend that you hire one of the airport cabs at the San PEdro Sula Airport. I assume you are staying at one of the lodges in the Cangrejal River Area. The cost of the transfer should be between $145 and $160 US. (I happen to know because I also live an run a bed and breakfast in the Cangrejal River Area! an alternative would be to contact Jesus who works with the La Ceiba Airport cab service, whom we often use and recommend as reliable and a safe driver. you can contact him via whatsapp at +505 9567 0251. He usually answers his phone quickly and as I say he is reliable. If you prefer to take a bus, the best bus company providing service between San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba is Cristina. Although it will be a lot cheaper, take in mind that you need to take a cab from the airport to the San Pedro Sula Bus terminal, and then you will need another one from the Bus Terminal in La Ceiba to the lodge. This will probably be costing you about $50 US in total, plust 20 for the bus seats. The $70 to $80 difference will provide you with more comfort, less stress and get you to your lodge at least a couple of hours faster!
November 22, 2019 @ 4:39 pm
I’m very glad to connect with you. I do not have yet arranged where to stay in Honduras. I plan to visit Canaveral river area. I’m looking for an eco-lodge style place where I can explore freely, I’m mainly looking to photograph snakes and insects, so Wild is good for me and my wife. We also plan visiting the bay Islands and do some snorkeling, so I’d love a suggestion of what is the best snorkeling (not diving) place. If you have suggestions of places and drivers, I’d love to talk to you more about those.
thanks for reaching out and suggesting Jesus.
December 22, 2019 @ 9:29 pm
We booked a stay in utila, but the flights are not running that day and we can’t find a bus – hedman alas says they no longer run that route (and most things are closed the day after Christmas).
Do you have any suggestions on they best way to travel from san pedro sula to la cieba (to catch the ferry) by road? Would a taxi go that far? Is there another bus service than hedman alas? Thanks so much!
December 23, 2019 @ 1:51 pm
Good morning Aaron! Yes traveling through Honduras on Christmas day, New Years and Good Friday is a mess! No local buses, no local airlines, and even the Roatan Ferry shuts down! You can get a private taxi at the airport in San Pedro Sula to bring you to La Ceiba. It normally costs about $120 US for the one way trip. (Could be a bit more because of the day) It is about 120 miles distance between the airport and the Ferry Terminal. Plan on 3 hours for the trip, although it could be a bit shorter on that day because of reduced traffic. I would check with the Utila Dream to see if you can pre purchase your tickets. In any case, expect a busy trip from La Ceiba, the earlier you get to the ferry the better! Because it will be busy that day! The ferry webpage is utilaferry.com
February 18, 2020 @ 12:56 pm
Hey Aaron and thanks so much for that very detailed report!
We are travelling to Honudras in a few weeks and found it very very hard to find any up-to-date useful information the country.
Originally we wanted to spend some time in the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve to experience some untamed wild but were not able to find any information about travelling there at all. No flights, no travel agencies (that still exist), no lodges, no nothing… Do you have any information on whether its still possile to get there?
Thanks a lot!
February 18, 2020 @ 4:23 pm
Hi Steffan! John here from Hondurastravel.com. There are very limited facilities in the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve. La Moskitia Ecoaventura, a local tour operator based in La Ceiba offers expeditions town the Platano River. They would be your best choice to arrange a visit to that area. You can find them at http://www.lamoskitia.hn or email them at moskitiaecoaventuras@yahoo.com. I do not recommend venturing out on your own. Jorge Salaverri, the owner of La Moskitia Ecoaventuras has been doing these expeditions for many years and has many local contacts. He is fully bilingual. Good luck!
February 29, 2020 @ 12:42 am
Talk to Jorge Salaverri about getting to the Rio Platano. I have used his services for 7 expeditions their.