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Tegucigalpa
The Honduran capital - as noisy and busy as you'd expect
a Central American city to be - is cradled in a bowl-shaped
valley surrounded by pine-covered mountains and blessed with
a cool, pleasant climate. It was named 'silver hill' (in the
local dialect) when the Spanish established it as a mining
settlement in 1578.
The city is divided into two by the Rio Choluteca
with Tegucigalpa to the east and Camayaguela, a poor
market barrio, across the banks of the river. Always poor,
Camayaguela has become positively menacing as poverty levels
have increased since Hurricane Mitch caused flooding that
devastated the neighbourhood in 1998 and left 1000 people
dead. The level of degradation is acutely depressing; there's
rubbish piled metres high and vultures circle overhead. A
visit here brings you face to face with the human cost of
Honduras' struggling economy - be careful of your possessions
in the market and at the bus terminals.
Tegucigalpa contains all the city's attractions: several
well-preserved colonial churches (notably the domed eighteenth
century cathedral on the Plaza Morazán), interesting
buildings like the Antiguo Paraninto Universitaria
(now an art museum) and a smattering of lively parks. Wandering
between these sites on the narrow streets of the old centre
and encountering all manner of city dwellers is the main charm
of the capital.
Copán
Copán is one of the best Mayan sites in Central America.
What it lacks in size (compared with Tikal or Chichén
Itzá) it more than compensates for in craftsmanship.
Diego García de Palacio, the first known European
to see the ruined city in the sixteenth century, commented
that it was built with "such skill that it seems it could
never have been made by people as coarse as the inhabitants
of this province".
Copán was first inhabited about 2000 years ago and
grew slowly until its Golden Age between 553AD and 800 AD
when a string of strong leaders expanded its military power
and cemented its regional dominance. The greatest relics of
the highly stratified and traditional Mayan culture were constructed
during this period including the Hieroglyphic Stairway of
the Great Plaza, the Acropolis and the Altar Q. The Mayan
world began to decline in 900AD and by 1100AD Copán's
rule was over.
Less than a mile away, Copán Ruinas, a wonderfully
peaceful village with white adobe buildings and red tiled
roofs, is the base for visits to the site (open daily).
Gracias
Gracias in western Honduras is a colonial city retaining
much of its original atmosphere. It's situated in the department
of Lempira - named after a Honduran hero famous for
resisting the Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century.
His exploits are commemorated every June with a lively city
festival that includes a fair of local crafts and produce,
traditional dances and parades.
A tripartite of churches (San Sebastian, Las Mercedes
and San Marcos) give the city its central focus.
There's little to actually do in town but somehow it captivates
visitors with its timeless pace. Head up to the Fort of
San Cristobal on a neighbouring hill for a great view
of the city, surrounding valley and the Montana de Celaque,
the highest peak in Honduras at 9000ft above sea level and
part of the Celaque National Park. You can choose to spend
several days in the park and hike your way to the virgin cloud
forest that starts at 8000ft or opt for a quick sortie into
lower level foliage and the neighbouring organic coffee farm
to view orchids and colourful tropical birds including the
ever popular quetzal.
La Mosquitia
La Mosquitia (Mosquito Coast), encompassing the whole north-east
corner of Honduras, is like nothing else in the country -
endless stretches of virgin rainforest, coastal marshlands
and flat savannahs. Unsurprisingly, with only two peripheral
roads and a minuscule population scattered across a few towns
and villages, a trip into this forgotten fifth of Honduran
territory really does entail leaving the beaten track.
The major attraction of this region is the Río
Plátano Biosphere Reserve, home to some of Central
America's least touched rainforest and several ethnic groups
including around 30,000 Miskitos who spoke a unique
form of English until only a few generations ago. Palacios
is the most accessible town in the area. From here you can
arrange tour guides, collect supplies and launch yourself
into the unknown. For many, this is the highlight of their
Central American trip.
Trujillo
Trujillo, nestled between the forested peaks of Cordillera
Nombre de Dios and picturesque Caribbean beaches on the
Bahía de Trujillo, is a quiet town that belies
its current and historical importance. It was near here in
1502 that Columbus first stepped onto the American mainland;
these days it's the capital of the department of Col'n.
It is revered as one of the country's best Caribbean beach
towns but is only busy during its festival in late June. The
lovely beach, relaxed atmosphere and a good range of hotels
make it an enticing destination and a difficult place to leave.
At the eastern end of the bay Puerto Castilla, the
busy port that ships out produce from the region's plantations,
is the place to go for evening revelry. |
