Getting in and visas for Honduras

By plane

Major international airports with daily flights to Miami and New York and Houston are in San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa (Toncontin) and Roatan. The main international airlines serving the region are TACA, Copa Air, Delta Airlines, Continental Airlines, and American Airlines. Iberia, Spain operates daily flights from Madrid to San Pedro Sula via Guatemala City (connecting with Taca). Maya Island Air also has a direct lfight from Belize to San Pedro Sula (phone number 011-501-223-1140 or info@mayaisland.com). For interior flights check Isleña, Atlantic and Aerolinas Sosa. Note that the interior domestic airlines frequently have flight cancellations, do not guarantee service, and are under no obligation to issue refunds if a flight does not occur. However, American carriers and their international code share partners listed above guarantee travel per U.S. industry standards. Hence, it is advisable not to rely on a domestic carrier to connect to an outbound international flight without having an alternative means to get to the departure point of the foreign bound aircraft in a timely fashion. For instance, if a flight cancellation occurs in La Ceiba headed to San Pedro Sula due to insufficient ticket sales (a common occurrence), a taxi can be hired for a $50-$100 spot price to run the distance in under two and a half hours.

By car

Possible from Guatemala, El Salvador, or Nicaragua. Cars are a good selection, but you must always be careful since the roads are not as well developed but good enough to have a pleasant ride. Traffic enforcement outside of stops to curtail the drug trade is minimal to non-existant, and drivers should be cautious of speeding vehicles as well as agressive driving tactics (e.g. passing on uphill, curved terrain).

By bus

From Guatemala - Tica Bus and Hedmann Alas From Nicaragua - Tica Bus and King Quality From El Salvador - Tica Bus and King Quality

By boat

Boats from Belize come in to the Caribbean ports like Puerto Cortes, but schedules are not regular and cannot be checked through the internet. Cruise ships commonly stop at the Bay Islands, however. There is regular boat service from La Ceiba to the bay islands of Roatan and Utila. Service to Roatan is on the Galaxy Wave II. The ferry trip costs less than flying, and leaves (mostly) on time. A round-trip prima class ticket costs $53; round-trip general class, $43. Both prima and general seating areas are comfortable and offer air conditioning and flat-screen TVs for your entertainment. The crossing takes about 80 minutes each way. Service to Utila is on the Utila Princess. Tickets cost about $30 round trip and the crossing takes about 60 minutes. Both ferries leave from the same dock. You should arrive at the dock in La Ceiba about an hour early to buy tickets and check luggage. **If traveling to the bay islands during Semana Santa (Easter week) it is highly recommended to fly, as the wait for a ferry can be up to 8 hours. If you are a Senior citizen you will find the rate very attractive. If you are prone to sea sickness, the trip North to Roatan can be very uncomfortable, as the Galaxy is fighting the currents. Windy days, re-consider. Otherwise it is a delightful trip, Utila to the West and the Cayos to the East. Last trip of the day to Roatan is awesome with a fanastic sunset. FERRY SCHEDULES THE GALAXY II DEPARTUE TIMES: Roatan - La Ceiba 7:00 A.M.; La Ceiba - Roatan 10 A.M.; Roatan - La Ceiba 1:00 P.M.; La Ceiba - Roatan 4:00 P.M. THE NEW PRINCESS DEPARTURE TIMES: Utila - La Ceiba 6:20 A.M.; La Ceiba - Utila 9:30 A.M.; Utila - La Ceiba 2:00 P.M.; La Ceiba - Utila 4:00 P.M.

By thumb

Hitchhiking is possible in Honduras, although it might be tricky to leave larger cities because its hard to find the right local bus without good area knowledge. In rural areas the driver sometimes might expect you to pay him. This should rarely be more than 2 USD (40 L). Hitchhiking is common in rural areas, even for single women, when there is no proper bus connection.