Is it safe in Honduras

[gkornfeld]

I'm traveling w/ my son (who is 15) in early april to Roatan and the mainland (Copan). I'm reading a lot of bad press and I'm looking for some locals to set me straight. Is it safe? We are seasoned travelers to places like MX, Belize etc....so we realize we are not in Kansas anymore. I just don't want to take any unnecessary risks with my son when there are lots of dive options.


Thanks

 

[Captain Morgan's]

Hi there,
I just returned from a trip from Utila to Copan Ruinas. It was really easy, fairly fast and I had no problems at all. I left Utila on the early ferry, caught a regular pullman bus to San Pedro Sula from Ceiba (Diana, 100lemps, about 3 hours), and then from SPS to Copan. In SPS the bus will let you off at the main terminal, which is huge, walk from where you are let off in the terminal down to the other arm and look for a ticket window with Copan Ruinas above it, I think I was on the 3PM bus, i had to wait an hour or so, and it cost 130 Lemps. I was in Copan just after dark. Copan is small, and quite charming. A friend and I walked around after dark and it didn't feel threatening at all. The next day I walked from the hostel out to the ruins (about 1km out of town) and it was fine.

I have been to La Ceiba twice and walked around the downtown bit during the day and it was fine. I was told by a couple of people not to walk around the Mega Plaza and some back streets, and not to walk around after dark to any greta extent. I didn't get a bad feeling, not to sure if this warning is area dependant, or what.

I have not been to Roatan myself, but if it's anything like Utila it is fine, no unecessary risks here!

 

[Doc]

Roatan, for the dive tourist, has been pretty harmless so far.

I'll make an assumption- traveling with a 15yo... that means not going out to bars or wandering the streets late at night. Everything should be fine.

Personal Safety 101: The minute alcohol adds into the mix, odds increase. The later the hour into the night, bump it up. Off the tourist track, plus one. In an area that is obviously a drug available zone, add a point.

There are specific AI resorts that are located on isolated smaller islands, including CoCoView and Barefoot Key. Other semi-isolated resorts include Anthony's Key, Fantasy Island and Reef House Resort. Other resorts may have more "porous" walls, but most have internal security- be sure to ask if this is an issue. Also- do not be alarmed if you see a darker skinned Honduran in blue jeans, baseball cap and something of a uniform shirt toting a shotgun. That is hired security and they belong there- as they are all over Central America. Most of them are pretty good at their jobs, they know they scare you by just being around, and the better ones just try to be invisible. If you see a guard, just understand that, as you say, it isn't Kansas anymore.

The "bad press" that you may have read in regards to the Bay Islands (and most every other crime in the world) involves incidents between individuals who have developed some sort of previous relationship with each other... 3 way love triangles, bad business dealings, drug theft, business jealousies, that sort of thing. Random acts of violence are an extreme rarity in 99% of the world. Property crime is attracted by wealth. Do the math.

The Bay Islands know how their feedbag is filled. The "Tourist Police" are not there to fuss with you. They know the local problem children on sight, that's why they don't come into the tourist zones. They deal with any transgressions in ways that we likely should be using here in the US.

See? If you go and act like a smart tourist, you're good.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

The only people that are in danger in the mainland are the camp3sin0s and people in the left wing media, since they are systematically picked off by the junt4 & their cr0nies.

 

[rob@diveinutila.com]

I'm traveling w/ my son (who is 15) in early april to Roatan and the mainland (Copan). I'm reading a lot of bad press and I'm looking for some locals to set me straight. Is it safe? We are seasoned travelers to places like MX, Belize etc....so we realize we are not in Kansas anymore. I just don't want to take any unnecessary risks with my son when there are lots of dive options.


Thanks

The route from Roatan to Copan is OK. Just be sensible about your travel arrangements.
It is possible to do in one day but easier (more relaxed) to do it in 1 and a bit. I usually try and do it in a day.

The Hedman Alas bus company travel from La Ceiba via San Pedro Sula to Copan.
They depart La Ceiba at 5:15am and 10am. https://www.hedmanalas.com/horarios.html

They operate their own private bus stations with access only for customers and staff.
Buses are comfortable, a/c (too much for me - I have to bring something warm), some have bathroom.
They are direct without stopping between major destinations (i.e. one stop in San Pedro for your trip).
When you change buses you do so within their own walled private bus station in San Pedro.

They sometimes have (limited) refreshments as well.

All passengers have to present ID and are photographed before being allowed to enter the bus. Also checks for weapons, etc are made. They don't even allow lighters to be taken on board the bus.

I think the La Ceiba/Copan ticket is about $35.

If I remember right; if you catch the 5:15am you'll in be in Copan before 4pm but to catch that one you'll need to stay over night in La Ceiba.

The ferry terminal in La Ceiba has cabs waiting when the ferry arrives at about 7:30am. The cabs typically operate collectivo style which means you'll be sharing a cab into the city center. If you are catching the 10am bus then have the cab driver drop you at the Hedman Alas bus station in La Ceiba. It is pretty central - just over the (4 lane) road to the mall. You can check in your bigger bags at the bus station and either choose to wait in their waiting room (pretty boring & uncomfortable wait for two hours) or take a cab to go find some breakfast.

The mall is safe to walk around in but not much opens before 9:30am but it should be possible to get coffee and something to eat, even if it is just a pastry with the coffee.

If you decide to overnight in La Ceiba then I recommend choosing a hotel with a restaurant, bar, room service, etc. For the one night you are there down town La Ceiba is not really worth exploring. You should take cabs everywhere. After dusk/dark don't walk anywhere even if just going one block. And you should be careful any time of day keeping your wits about you if you are walking around down town.

If just staying one night a bigger hotel with restaurant, room service, etc removes the need to go out for food. Not that there is much choice of restaurant to go out to (I'm not counting Pizza Hut, Applebees, Wendy's, etc as restaurants). I really miss Ricardo's restaurant in La Ceiba - probably amongst the best restaurant steaks in Honduras (at least at that time) and a great selection of wine and great service.

Plus you'll be able to get a reliable cab at 4:45am (ish) to take you to the Hedman Alas bus station. A cheap hotel/hostel will not have a 24hr cab service and you'll be reduced to trying to wave one down in the road in the early hours - a very bad idea. This happened to me once choosing to stay budget for the early bus to Copan. Next morning (of course) my booked cab didn't show, I had never really expected it to but still... you never know your luck! I ended up having to walk two blocks at 4:30am looking for a cab. Fortunately nothing bad happened but you can imagine the funny & inquisitive looks this gringo was getting walking around alone at this time of night (morning) in down town La Ceiba.

Hotel Paris is central around $40 a night and has room service, restaurant, pool, bar, and 24 hr cab service. Almost all the staff speak English. It's not so smart by US or European standards but it's not at all bad. Make sure you get a room over looking the pool. Rooms over looking the road are noisy from the 24hr traffic. There are some other options - a couple of newer hotels - but I haven't used them yet.

If you want to stop more than one night in La Ceiba I highly recommend getting up to Omega Tours about 20 minutes outside La Ceiba up in the jungle on the edge of Pico Bonito. It is a beautiful location, great staff, stunning location with rain forest all around and views down the valley. Accommodation to suit all styles from dorm to luxury cabin. They have all kinds of outdoor activities as well to explore and pass the time. You can relax here and enjoy the jungle. They also have a decent restaurant and selection of wines (some of you may be spotting a theme here).

Hope that helps!