Hondurasinfo | travel and vacation

Most visitors from the U.S. , Central and South America need a valid passport. Travelers from other countries may need a visa.

Legal Requirements to Enter and Leave Honduras:
The documents and fees required upon entering or leaving Honduras are: Valid passport duly stamped by the Honduran Department of Immigration. (See list for visa requirements per country of origin)

Minors traveling to Honduras
In Honduras, like many other countries, any person under the age of 18 is considered a minor. Very strict regulations govern travel by minors into Honduras. For example, if traveling alone, the minor must have a notarized consent form signed by both parents. If traveling with only one parent, the minor must have a notarized letter of consent signed by the parent not traveling.

Geography
Honduras, in the north-central part of Central America, has a Caribbean as well as a Pacific coastline. Guatemala is to the west, El Salvador to the south, and Nicaragua to the east. The second-largest country in Central America, Honduras is slightly larger than Tennessee. Generally mountainous, the country is marked by fertile plateaus, river valleys, and narrow coastal plains.

Government: Democratic constitutional republic.

National name: República de Honduras

Area: 43,278 sq mi (112,090 sq km)

Population (2005 ): 6,975,204

Capital and largest city: Tegucigalpa - 1,248,300

Monetary unit: Lempira

Languages: Spanish but English is widely spoken in business

Ethnicity/race: mestizo 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%

During the first millennium, Honduras was inhabited by the Maya. Columbus explored the country in 1502. Honduras, with four other Central American nations, declared its independence from Spain in 1821 to form a federation of Central American states. In 1838, Honduras left the federation and became independent. Political unrest rocked Honduras in the early 1900s, resulting in an occupation by U.S. Marines. Dictator Gen. Tiburcio Carias Andino established a strong government in 1932.

Honduran citizens have culturally diverse histories

Honduras is home to a variety of ethnic groups related to ancient Maya civilizations, pirates and Spanish conquistadors.

The Pech, Tawahka and Miskito live in very remote areas of Honduras. The Pech and Tawahka are believed to be descendents of the Paya who, in turn, may have descended from a South American group called Chibchas. The Moskitia are thought to have come to live in the area of La Mosquitia long after the Pech and Tawahka first settled there nearly 3,000 ago.

The Moskito may be descendents of shipwrecked slaves from the many boats that sank off of Honduras’ northeastern coast.

Within the Spanish empire the long narrow strip of central America is known as Guatemala. It is among the earliest of colonial conquests on the mainland. Pedro de Alvarado, a leading member of Cortés’ small party in the conquest of Mexico (1519-21), is sent south in 1523 to subdue the smaller area now known as Guatemala. In 1524 he pushes on into El Salvador. In the same year Spanish conquistadors enter Costa Rica and Nicaragua from the east, invading from Panama.

Honduras, the buffer region between east and west, is disputed between the rival groups of Spaniards. An advance guard from Panama gets there first. Cortés sends a force from Mexico, which eventually prevails.

Recognizing the forceful leadership of Iturbide, the colonists of Guatemala offer to merge their region in 1821 with Mexico - uniting as one nation the previous viceroyalty of New Spain. The link holds when Iturbide makes himself emperor, in 1822. But with his sudden fall and flight from Mexico, in 1823, Guatemala decides to assert its own independence.

The region from the southern border of Mexico to Panama now declares itself to be a new nation. It is to be known as the Central American Federation, with its capital in Guatemala City.

Honduras is under the control of a conservative faction when it breaks away from the Central American Federation in 1838. It is leaving an organization headed by a Honduran, Francisco Morazán, who is liberal and passionately committed to the idea of central American unity. So Honduras has at its heart, from the beginning, the essential 19th-century clash between liberal and conservative interests. As in most of Latin America, the conservatives are more often the ones in power.

In 1838 the Caribbean coast of the nation (the Mosquito coast) is of little economic use. Indeed during the Spanish colonial period it has largely been abandoned to buccaneers. But this changes in the late 19th century.

Packing for Honduras differs depending on where you go. The central plateau and mountainous zones such as Tegucigalpa, tend to be cool, while the coastal regions, like Tela and La Ceiba, are warmer with relatively high humidity. The time of year can also play a part. The rainy season runs from May to October, it is advisable to carry a raincoat. If you go sightseeing bring sturdy hiking boots and wear light, loose clothing, which is great for trekking. Conservative attire is best for smaller towns such as Sambo Creek, and the interior of the country while sporty, comfortable beachwear is ideal for resort areas such as Roatan and Utila. When traveling to Honduras, bug repellent is usually a good idea in the National Parks, such as Pico Bonito National Park, and some beaches, such as those found on Guanaja. Sunscreen is also a must because of Honduran bright sunshine and long days - perfect for vacations!

US dollars are easily exchanged for Lempiras in banks, major hotels, airports and exchange houses. Most honduran banks are open on weekdays only from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Exchange houses are open longer and offer quicker service (and usually a better exchange rate) than banks.

A 12 percent value added tax (“ ISV ” ) is added to all retail items except medicine. Some luxury goods have a higher tax. In restaurants, a 12 percent tax is added to food and drink items, and a 15 percent tax is added to alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, and cigars.
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