Honduras Travel Tips

Social Conventions
There are strong Spanish influences, but the majority of the population is mestizo, mainly leading an agricultural way of life with a low standard of living. Many rural communities can still be found living a relatively unchanged, traditional lifestyle. Social courtesies should be observed. It is customary for a guest at dinner or someone’s home to send flowers to the hostess, either before or afterwards. Conservative casual wear is widely acceptable with dress tending to be less conservative in coastal areas. Beachwear and shorts should not be worn away from the beach or poolside. Men are required to wear dinner jackets for formal social occasions. Hotels, restaurants and shops include a 12% sales tax on all purchases.

International Travel:

Getting There by Air
American Airlines (website: www.aa.com) operates daily flights to Honduras from Miami. There are no direct flights from the UK; connections are generally via the USA.

Departure Tax
US$25 is levied on all passengers aged 12 years of age and over. Exempt are transit passengers leaving within 12 hours.

Main Airports
Tegucigalpa (TGU) (Toncontín) is 5km (3 miles) southeast of the city. To/from the airport: Taxis and buses are available to the city. Facilities: Bar, restaurant, duty-free shop, bank, car hire, post office and first aid facilities.

There are also international airports at San Pedro Sula (SAP) (La Mesa International Airport), at La Ceiba (LCE) (Golosón) and at Roatán (RTB) (Dr Juan Manuel Galvez).

Getting There by Water
Main ports: Amapala, El Henecan, La Ceiba, Puerto Cortés, and Roatán. 

Some ships and vessels have limited passenger accommodation. Cruise liners stop at some ports, most commonly Roatán.

Getting There by Rail
There are no rail services between Honduras and neighboring countries.

Getting There by Road
Road routes run from El Salvador and Nicaragua via the Pan-American Highway, and from Guatemala on the Western Highway. Visas must be obtained before the journey is undertaken. Border crossings can be fraught with long delays. Areas around the border can be dangerous.

Bus: Ticabus (tel: 220 0579/0590; website: www.ticabus.com) runs international services to all Central American capitals, but these comfortable coaches are often booked days in advance.

Overview
The following goods may be imported into Honduras without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 450g of tobacco; two bottles of alcoholic beverages; a reasonable amount of perfume for personal use; gifts up to a total value of US$50.

Internal Travel:

Getting Around By Air
The three local airlines, Isleña Airlines (website: www.flyislena.com), Sosa Airlines (website: www.laceibaonline.net/aerososa/sosaingl) and Rollins Air, operate daily services which link Tegucigalpa and other principal towns. Sosa Airlines runs services to Utila, the cheapest Bay Island (off the Caribbean coast). Over 30 small airfields handle light aircraft and commercial aviation. Air travel is especially more convenient for business visitors.

Departure Tax
There is an airport tax on internal journeys of US$1.30.

Getting Around by Water
Ferries operate between ports on the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines. For details, contact local port authorities. There are sailings from La Ceiba and Puerto Cortés to the Bay Islands several times a week’ schedules regularly change. Arrangements must be made with local boat owners.

Getting Around by Rail
There are only three railways and they are isolated, generally unreliable and limited. Visitors can, however, take a trip from San Pedro Sula on a banana train, and, with some forward planning, to Cuero y Salado National Park on a coconut train.

Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. An all-weather road exists from Tegucigalpa to San Pedro Sula, Puerto Cortés, La Ceiba and towns along the Caribbean coast, as well as to the towns around the Gulf of Fonseca in the south. Otherwise road conditions are poor. During the rainy season even major highways may be closed due to rockslides and flooding. Some minor roads are still being repaired after Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Bus: Local lines run regular services to most large towns, but the services are well used and booking in advance is essential. On the whole the services are very cheap. Taxi: Not metered, and run on a flat rate within cities. For other journeys, fares should be agreed before commencing journey. Car hire: Self-drive cars are available at the airport. Travelers are advised not to drive at night as many vehicles drive without lights on and animals wander onto the road. Regulations: All drivers and passengers must wear a seatbelt. The phone number of the Transit Police is 222. Documentation: Both international and foreign driving licenses are accepted for up to 90 days.

Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Tegucigalpa to other major cities/towns in Honduras.

	Air	Road
Comayagua	-	1.00
Bay Islands	0.40	7.00*
Sta Rosa de Copán	6.00	-
Puerto Cortés	-	4.00

* Includes sea crossing of 2 hours.


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