Must See

The Bay Islands

Located 50 km (31 mi) off the north coast of Honduras, this archipelago of three major islands and several smaller ones offer white-sand beaches and excellent diving. Utila is the most budget friendly of the islands, and has wide sandy beaches ringed by tiny cays surrounded by palm trees.

Hilly, tropical Roatan and Guanaja are protected by a coral reef, and are wonderful dive sites as well as home to some excellent fishing. Roatan is the largest (64 km long) and most developed of the Bay Islands, and is now a port for cruise ships. Carambola Gardens in Sandy Bay (Roatan) has some trails that wind through forests of palms, fruit trees, orchids, ferns, mahogany and spices. Iguana Wall is a sheer section of cliff that is home to a breeding area for iguanas and parrots.

The Caribbean Coast

Honduras's long Caribbean coast offers beaches, forts and wildlife reserves, interspersed with towns such as the urban centre of La Ceiba along with tiny Garifúna fishing villages.

Nestled between Bahía de Trujillo and the tropical peaks, the small town of Trujillo is one of the Caribbean's best beach towns. It was once the old capital of colonial Honduras and a thriving port, but is now home to some fascinating pirate history, superb tropical beaches and old Spanish buildings. It was near Trujillo that Columbus first set foot on the American mainland on August 14, 1502.

The coast has plenty of good hotels and tropical beaches, but you can also take a day to explore the nearby Pico Bonito National Park, a rainforest on steep slopes with countless waterfalls and wonderful views. The park covers an area that rises from sea level to 2,200 m (7,300 ft), boasting the largest change of altitude in Honduras. Visitors can follow the trails through the park's unmarred rainforest as jaguars prowl and butterflies flit nearby.

Copan

This ancient city, just over 170 km from the banana and sugar centre of San Pedro Sula, remains the best example of Mayan Indian culture. Dating back nearly 2,000 years, the site offers visitors chance to see the magnificent Acropolis (with superb carved reliefs of the 16 kings of Copán), the Stelae of the Great Plaza, and the Court of the Hieroglyphic Stairway.

The Mosquito Coast

The Mosquito Coast (or La Mosquitia) is a vast area that encompasses the entire north-east coast of Honduras, consisting of tropical rainforest, marshlands and flat savannah.

Although some of the area is virtually unexplored, travellers can easily visit the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, which is home to a number of Pech, Garifúna and Miskito villages, and some of Central America's best rainforest. This world heritage site is one of the few remains of a tropical rainforest in Central America and contains abundant plant and wildlife in its mangroves, grasslands, undisturbed beaches, coastal lagoons and patches of pine savannah.

Tegucigalpa

Untouched by those common Central American disasters - fire and earthquake - Honduras's capital city has retained its traditional core. Visitors can admire the view across Tegucigalpa from the site of the city's most recent monument, Christ of the Picacho, set on top of the hill known as El Picacho. There is also a small zoo and replicas of Mayan ruins located on the hill. Other highlights of the city include the National Art Gallery (Galería Nacional de Arte) housed in the old university, which features art from prehistoric to colonial times, along with modern art.

Visitors should also take some time to see nearby La Tigra National Park; one of the most beautiful places in Honduras. Located at an altitude of 2,270 m (7,446 ft), the unspoiled 18,480 acre cloud forest has six paths for hiking and is home to quetzal, monkeys, pumas, ocelots, orchids, along with 200 species of birds.

There are several charming colonial villages within easy driving distance from Tegucigalpa: Santa Lucia (12 km away), Valle de Angeles (21 km away), Ojojona, Yuscaran and San Juancito. Each has its own distinct character and sense of history and all of them make easy day-trips out of the city.