Useful tourist information about Honduras, including all the things to know before leaving for a trip or vacation in this state of Central America.
Honduras in short
- Capital: Tegucigalpa
- Area in sq km: 112 492
- Population: 7,600,524 (2010)
- Religion: Religion: 86.7%, Protestants 10.5%, others 2.8%
Where is it
Honduras (República de Honduras) is a state of Central America washed to the north-west by the Gulf of Honduras, to the north and east by the Caribbean Sea, to the south-east it borders Nicaragua, to the west with El Salvador and Guatemala, to the south, overlooks the Gulf of Fonseca for a short stretch of the Pacific Ocean.
The Islas de la Bahía (Bay Islands), Guanaja, Útila and Roatan also belong to the country while since 1973 also the islands of the Cisne (Swan Islands), located in the Caribbean Sea, previously occupied by the United States. Since 1992, El Tigre island located in the Gulf of Fonseca has also been part of Honduras.
The territory of the country is mainly mountainous, the highest peak is Mount Cerro Las Mina which reaches 2,865 meters above sea level.
In the western part three series of reliefs develop in a south-west, north-east direction, separated by fertile valleys.
In the eastern part various mountain ranges are arranged from north to south, reaching in some places the Caribbean coast, as in the stretch in front of the Islas de la Bahía, where the coast is high and rocky.
The remaining part of the Caribbean coast is generally low and bordered with lagoons, occupied by the vast plains of Mosquitia and Sula, which however are only a limited part of the overall territory of Honduras. Another narrow coastal plain overlooks the Gulf of Fonseca, on the Pacific Ocean.
Hydrography
The main rivers of Honduras flow into the Caribbean Sea: Ulúa, which crosses the Sula plain, Aguán, Patuca and Rio Coco which marks much of the border with Nicaragua.
The most important rivers on the Pacific side are Goascorán, which flows on the border with El Salvador, and Choluteca, which originates from the mountains near Tegucigalpa.
Climate
The climate of Honduras is tropical, influenced by the sea on the coast, and mitigated by the altitude in the highest areas of the interior.
The rains are abundant on the Caribbean belt, especially from October to December, and the temperatures (27-30 ºC annual average) on the coasts and the lowlands record very slight diurnal and seasonal temperature variations.
Recommended readings- Honduras: useful information
However on the hills, even if the temperatures drop, they generally never drop below 15 ° C.
The inland valleys and the Pacific side, unlike the Caribbean side, have a dry season from November to April.
Hurricane risk is present in the period from June to November in the Caribbean coastal areas.
Population
The population of Honduras is made up of 90% of mestizos and the remainder of blacks, Amerindians and whites.
Time zone
The time zone in Honduras is 7 hours behind Italy and 8 hours behind when daylight saving time is in effect in Italy.
Spoken language
The official language of Honduras is Spanish. In the Islas de la Bahía, a Creole language is spoken, which is affected by the influence of the English language, and in the interior regions, Indie languages are also spoken.
Economy
Honduras has a weak economic situation, highly dependent on foreign capital, international aid and immigrant remittances.
Foreign multinationals, especially North American ones, have introduced commercial plantations of products for export, including coffee, bananas, sugar cane, cotton, fruit trees and more, to the detriment of the production necessary for internal consumption.
Fish products are also intended for export.
The country can also count on mineral reserves (silver, gold, lead, zinc), which are not exploited, and on a rich forest heritage whose exploitation must be protected.
When to go
The best time to visit Honduras is from January to April.
From June to November on the Caribbean coast there is the risk of hurricanes.
Necessary documents
To enter Honduras you need a valid passport and a return and onward travel ticket.
An entry visa is not required for up to 90 days of stay for tourism purposes.
Phone
- The international code to call from Italy to Honduras is: 00504
- The international prefix for telephoning from Honduras in Italy is: 0039
The GSM network covers most of the country.
Electricity
The electric current in Honduras is 110 V 60 Hz. The sockets are of type A (American 2-pole) and type B (American with earth contact), therefore it is advisable to have a current transformer from 110 V to 230 V and of an adapter for American sockets.
Money and credit card
The official currency of Honduras is the lempira.
Credit cards are recommended for paying in major hotels, restaurants and shops.
In banks it is possible to exchange Travelers Checks and US dollars, the only currency easily convertible, into local currency.
How to get
By air
To reach Honduras from Italy, there are no direct flights, but Tegucigalpa international airport, the main airport in Honduras, and San Pedro Sula airport are well connected to some North and Central American airports.
The main companies operating the connections are American Airlines, Delta air lines and Condor.
Vaccinations
No mandatory vaccinations are required to enter Honduras.
The yellow fever vaccination certificate is required only from travelers over the age of one year from areas at risk of transmitting the disease.
After medical consultation, vaccines against Typhus, Hepatitis A and B are still recommended.
The malaria risk P. vivax is high in the departments of Gracias in Dios and the Island of Bahía, and moderate in Atlántida, Colón, Olancho, Valle and Yoro.
The risk of transmission of P. falciparum transmission is high in Gracias in Dios, and some cases have occurred in Atlántida, Colon, Bahía Island, Olancho and Yoro.
It is also advisable to follow some hygienic measures, drink only bottled water without adding ice, eat only cooked meats and vegetables, fruit only if peeled personally.
Before departure, the stipulation of a health insurance that covers medical costs and those for a possible repatriation is recommended.
