Want to go beyond the typical tourist bubble? Honduras is a country with a lot to see. You can hike through tropical rainforests, cloud forests, and mountains, paddle around mangrove swamps, rivers, and lakes, or visit Mayan archaeological sites full of ancient secrets.

Along the coast, there are beaches and reefs, and it’s easy to find a place to have a rum punch or a shot of the local drink, gifiti, and have a good time. Here is our list of the best places to visit in Honduras.

Copán Ruins

Copán is a Mayan ruin that was found by Diego Garcia de Palacio in 1570. The political, civic, and religious life of the Copan Valley centered here. After being inhabited by Maya for a few thousand years, the city was left deserted at the turn of the tenth century.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, you are free to explore the enormous territory and learn about the old civilization at your own pace. Check out the Maya citadel, where you may view stelae, which are stone portrait monuments, step pyramids that overlap, and numerous abandoned structures.

Pico Bonito National Park

Within the Nobre de Dios mountain range, surrounded by pineapple plantations, cattle ranches, and the Rio Santiago and Cangrejal rivers, is Pico Bonito National Park. A mountain summit within the park rises 2,435 metres (7,988 feet) above sea level.

Plant and animal life on Pico Bonito range from lowland tropical rainforest to highland cloud forests. The Lodge at Pico Bonito is a popular ecolodge in the park, and with good reason: it is surrounded by abundant animals and woodland.

There are excursions and other outdoor experiences, like kayaking or whitewater rafting, available in Pico Bonito, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest parks in Honduras for outdoor sports.

Utila

Utila, one of Honduras’ Bay Islands, is well-known among scuba divers for its low prices and extensive selection of dive sites. While rates aren’t as low as they once were, this is still the greatest location to go if you want to see baby whale sharks and swim among beautiful coral reefs.

Utila’s tiny size and abundance of hotels, restaurants, and pubs along the island’s few paved roads make it a favourite vacation spot for young travellers on a budget. Many parts of this beautiful island have yet to be settled, so getting around will need some boating.

Jeannette Kawas National Park

Jeannette Kawas, an environmental activist who fought to get this area designated as a national park before she was assassinated in 1995, is honoured with this park’s naming.

There are more than 100 different types of birds and dozens of different mammals, including howler and white-faced monkeys on land and manatees and marine turtles in the water.

Lagoons, coral reefs, tropical forests, swamps, and wetlands make up the surrounding area, making it a popular tourist destination in Honduras. Visitors may get up up and personal with the local fauna on a boat ride along the Ro Ula.

Roatán

Located in the Bay of Honduras, the island of Roatán has quickly risen to prominence as a popular tourist destination in recent years. Many tourists come to the Cayman Islands to do scuba diving or snorkeling among the coral reefs.

West Bay is a popular spot to stay due to its wide variety of hotels, from the inexpensive to the luxurious. Roatán is known mostly for its beaches, although the east part of the island is still relatively undeveloped and secluded.

Lake Yojoa

Taking up a whopping 79 square kilometers of Honduras, the massive Lake Yojoa was created by extinct volcanoes (30sq mi). It is a popular destination for vacationers in Honduras. The lake is situated along a major thoroughfare connecting the capital city of Tegucigalpa with the second biggest city, San Pedro Sula.

Sadly, deforestation, livestock grazing, and development all pose risks to the verdant terrain. Hiking trails go to a distant waterfall and coffee farms from here. It’s important to keep an eye out for endangered species of birds.

Comayagua

High above the highway between Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula is Comayagua, the country’s former capital and a city renowned for its Spanish colonial buildings. Once the capital, the city lost its status as a centerof politics and religion after 1880.

Explore the city and its spectacular architecture; the cathedral has the oldest clock in the Americas, and the neoclassical city hall dates back to the 16th century. It’s a fantastic spot to observe the traditional Catholic traditions of Easter.

Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

This tropical rainforest in Central America is home to many unique plant and animal species, and this Unesco World Heritage site is a prime location to see them.

Ro Plátano has a wide variety of ecosystems, including dense woods, open savannahs, and hilly areas, and is also the location of over 2,000 indigenous people and several significant archaeological sites.

Hiking through the mountains is the greatest way to get a feel for the area, and visitors who take advantage of guided tours have a good chance of seeing wildlife like harpy eagles, macaws, sloths, and even jaguars.

The Mosquitia (or Moskitia)

One of the remaining really pristine regions of the nation may be found in the Mosquitia biosphere reserve. Despite comprising about a quarter of the nation, this region of marshy mangroves, unspoiled rainforests, and untamed coasts is home to just two major highways and a sparse indigenous population.

Incredible animals, breathtaking scenery, and a vibrant indigenous culture await you. Mosquitia is far from the typical Honduras tourist destination, and a stay there is exceedingly primitive (there is no running water or flush toilets), yet it is a rewarding experience for individuals with an adventurous spirit.

Cusuco National Park

Located in the mountains to the east of San Pedro Sula, this national park is another another protected region of Honduras. Inaccessible roads make it difficult to enter the park, but hiring a local guide will allow you to make the most of your time there by leading you to exotic birds and other animals.

The park is home to around 260 different bird species. Parrots, toucans, and quetzals are most easily seen between April and June, and early morning is the ideal time to watch them.

Guanaja

Guanaja, one of the three major Bay Islands, is often considered to be the most picturesque. Due to the absence of development and inconvenient transportation choices, the natural beauty of the area has been maintained.

Hike the four kilometre (2.5 mile) walk to Michael’s Rock Peak and take in the breathtaking vistas of this verdant landscape. You’ll be passing the lone waterfall in all of Honduras on the way there.

Tela

Tela, located on the northwest Caribbean coast, is a popular tourist destination. Although it shares a history with La Ceiba as a banana producing centre, the city’s current appeal lies in its beachside resorts and its gastronomy.

If you’re sick of fried fish, you should definitely try the sopa de caracol (snail soup), a dish so famous it has its own hit song.