Honduras

<<updated 2007 >> Maps & Information

This is Honduras. I visited the Bay Islands at the top of Honuras as we look at a globe and also Copan which is on the border of Guatemala. And yes I will be careful of thieves as Honduras doesn't have a great reputation. Thanks again to Outlook Expeditions for their tips on security etc.

Map of Honduras I spent months & months in the Bay Islands on an island called Roatan and loved every minute of it. It was much more americanized than I expected it to be but it was still amazing. I would recommend the diving in and around the Bay Island any time especially the company I dived with who are certainly worth a special mention.

I travelled from the aiport Tegucigalpa (say that after a bottle of red wine!) pretty much straight to the bay islands. I started with my PADI open water advanced then the went to stay and work with Coral Cay Conservation on one of their marine projects for a while. (2003 entry)

Honduras is part of Mesoamerica. The region is considered a biodiversity hotspot due to the numerous plant and animal species that can be found there. Like other countries in the region, Honduras contains vast biological resources. This 43,278 square mile (112,092 km²) country hosts more than 6,000 species of vascular plants, of which 630 (described so far) are Orchids; around 250 reptiles and amphibians, more than 700 bird species, and 110 mammal species, half of them being bats.

In the northeastern region of La Mosquitia lies the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, a lowland rainforest which is home to a great diversity of life. Sometimes called "The Last Lungs of Central America", this Reserve was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List in 1982.

Honduras has rain forests, cloud forests (which can rise up to nearly three thousand meters above sea level), mangroves, savannas and mountain ranges with pine and oak trees, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. In the Bay Islands there are bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, parrot fish, schools of blue tang and whale shark.

The magrove borders are fantastic although in danger from tourism and building so be sure to have a look from your boat as you pass - hopefully on your way to a great dive spot!

The lonely planet website will tell you lots about Honduras which used to be called British Honduras.

I came home a Rescue Diver with about 150 dives under my belt and a new career in Marine Biology studies awaiting me as a result. (2004)

copan The ruins at copan are mayan in origin and whilst most of the archeological Mayan sites today bear the name given to them by their discoverers it is thought that copan is close to the original mayan name. They are spectacular and I will definately visit while I am staying in the town of Copan Ruinas. (they were amazing!)

copan-ruinas I was planning on doing some spanish classes while in Honduras too and planned to stay with the Guacamaya Spanish Academy in Copan Ruinas. It is worthwhile considering a few trips or projects like this and doing some research, emailing them etc and making some contacts. You can visit the Spanish Academy school on Copan website at http://www.guacamaya.com/index.htm

My experience in Honduras

Honduras was an amazing country. If you are travelling here try to take some Spanish lessons as this will help when you land and travel. Getting through the airport and across the country without speaking their language was hard work but they appreciate you at least making an effort with hello & a few words if you can.

The airport was probably the most scary bit. After leaving Miami it was a huge culture shock to get off the plane in a tiny airport and not have a clue what is going on. I got lost in the system and at point was surrounded by airport security because i had not handed in my luggage ticket. They don't speak english when they are shouting at you and they carry guns. Big guns!

Learn to relax because this is the carribean and carribeanitous gets everyone. On the islands electricity was limited and you only received power two thirds of any day. Power outages / cuts are pretty common and in some cases a requirment as they dont produce enough electricity to power the whole of an Island like Roatan all day for everyone. We got used to having to store water & eat dinner by candle light. Anyway you live in the sun so you wake with the sun and sleep not much longer after sundown. Your day becomes a 5am to 10pm ritual like everyone elses. Amazing!!

Diving around the bay islands

Spooky Channel - is located directly off the end of the Sunnyside pier. There is a maze of zigzags and tunnel like effects leading throughout the reef at depths of up to 95 feet. Boat moorings are on the inside and outside of the reef. Fish are abundant in this area and include blue runner, harlequin bass, black durgon, butterfly fish, grouper, angelfish, parrotfish, octopus, lobster, shrimp, spider crab, trunkfish, porcupine fish, turtles, and rays. During our last dive we spotted turtles, an eagle ray, green moray, trumpetfish, barracuda, reef squirrelfish, blue hamlet, fairy basslet, black grouper, tiger grouper, Nassau grouper, rock hind, octopus, lobster, flounder, jack, dog snapper, trunkfish, blue stripped grunt, foureye butterfly fish, intermediate queen angelfish, yellowtail damsel fish, Spanish hogfish, rainbow parrotfish, stoplight parrotfish, queen triggerfish, black durgon, and honeycomb cowfish amongst others. The corals included flower coral, smooth starlet, ribbon coral, brain coral, sea rod, sea fans, tube sponges, and basket sponges. The picture shows a Spiny lobster at spooky channel. This was my most favourite dive spot & chosen as my last dive.

Visit http://www.roatanyachtclub.com/activities.html for details of the best dive club in Roatan - as far as I am concerned and some of the best dive sites!

I plan eventually to add a feature on my dive log book !!!! When I have time !!