Coral Garden

• Honduras is the second biggest country in Central America.
• Tegucigalpa is the capital of Honduras.
• It is comprised of colonial villages, ancient Mayan ruins, natural parks, a Pacific and Caribbean coastline and the Bay Islands.
• With great beaches and coral reefs, snorkeling and diving are exceptional and a very common activity.
• The country is neighbored by Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
• Honduras terrain is mostly mountains in the interior, with narrow coastal plains.
• It has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the nearly uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast.
• It experiences frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes.
• Spanish is the primary language spoken. English is hardly spoken outside of the biggest towns or Bay Islands.
• The population below the poverty line was 50.7% in 2004.
• The population is around 7.8 million inhabitants.
• The area of Honduras is 112.090 square kilometers.

HISTORY

• Honduras was inhabited by the Mayan during the first millennium.
• Columbus explored the country in 1502.
• Honduras declared its independence from Spain in 1821
• In 1838, Honduras became independent.
• Political unrest rocked Honduras in the early 1900s
• In 1969, El Salvador invaded Honduras after Honduran land owners deported several thousand Salvadorans. Five thousand people ultimately died in what is called “the football war” because it broke out during a soccer game between the two countries.
• After 2½ decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982.
• The country was overwhelmed by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused almost $1 billion in damage

FACTS

• The term “Banana Republic” was first applied to Honduras by the American writer O. Henry, for the influence the U.S. banana companies had at some time.
• Trujillo is believed to be the place where the first Mass was celebrated in the Americas.
• Platano Forest was nominated as one of the new seven new wonders of the world.
• There are no active volcanoes in Honduras, and there is only one natural lake: Lake Yojoa.
• Comayagua has one of the oldest clocks in the world.
• With the amount of coral reefs that are in the Bay Islands, Honduras is the second country in the world with more coral reefs after Australia.
• In addition to receiving gifts at Christmas, children are celebrated and receive gifts on September 10th, day of the Honduran Child.
• The most important national hero of Honduras is Francisco Morazán, who fought for the unity of Central America and died executed for his ideals in Costa Rica.
• September 15th is celebrated as Independence Day in Honduras, which coincides with that of the other countries in Central America.
• The national flower of Honduras is the Rhyncholaelia digbyana which replaced the rose in 1969.
• The national mammal is the white-tailed deer; the national bird is the scarlet macaw.
• The Honduran flag consists of three horizontal stripes: the upper and lower stripes are blue, and the center stripe is white. In the central stripe there are five blue stars representing the five republics of Central American Union, and the central star represents Honduras.
• The National Anthem of Honduras consists of a choir and seven stanzas, but usually only the chorus and the last stanza are sang at public events.
• Soccer is overall the country’s favorite sport.
• The main export products are bananas, coffee and wood.

Copan Temple

• Inexpensive restaurant 3.50 US
• Meal for 2, midrange restaurant, 7.50 US
• Combo meal and McDonalds, 4.50 US
• Scuba diving 20-35 US per tank
• Roatan Jungle Zipline 65 US per person, including transport
• Roatan Botanical Garden 5 US admission
• Roatan Iguana Farm 5 US admission
• Dolphin shows around 4 US admission
• Snorkeling off the boat on two snorkel sites for one hour each including pick up and drop off at cruise ship $60/person

Click here to see The Economist’s Big Mac Index. It is arguably the world’s most accurate financial indicator to be based on a fast-food item.

Honduras House

• As you should when traveling anywhere, it is recommended to use common sense at night.
• Foreigners are sometimes robbed on the streets of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula at night by thieves who stake out areas in front of tourist hotels.
• When taking a taxi in Tegucigalpa make sure the windows are not tinted for your own safety
• San Pedro Sula has the highest murder rate of any city of Honduras, though this is mainly due to rival gangs

Click here to see Canadian Government Travel Reports and Warnings on http://www.voyage.gc.ca/. Travel Reports offer information on safety and security, local laws and customs, entry requirements, health conditions and other important travel issues.

Shipwreck

• Honduras is hot and humid almost year-round.
• Temperatures vary by altitude rather than season.
• The average high temperature nationwide is 32°C (90°F) and the average low is 20°C (68°F).
• The temperatures are the coolest in mountain areas.
• The Caribbean coast can experience a lot of rain, most rainfall being from September to February.
• The climate in Tegucigalpa is more temperate and the dry season is from December to May.

Tropical Beach

Bay Islands

• Make a splash in the exotic archipelago of the Bay Islands.
• Hilly, tropical Guanaja and Roatán are protected by a great coral reef.
• Utila has wide sandy beaches ringed by tiny cays surrounded by palm trees.

View Map

Copan Ruins

• The Copán Ruins Archaeological Park is the best remaining testament to the culture of the Mayan Indians.
• Among the best of the ruins are the magnificent Acropolis, the Great Plaza, and the Court of the Hieroglyphic Stairway.
• Located in the western part of Honduras, about 60 kilometers from the border with Guatemala

View Map

Comayagua

• Once the former capital of Honduras and now a colonial masterpiece of cobbled streets, tiny plazas and whitewashed houses.
• The best time to visit is during the unique and fervent celebrations of Easter week.

View Map

Pico Bonito National Park

• Take advantage of the excellent hiking in Pico Bonito National Park, near La Ceiba.
• It also offers spectacular scenery, steep slopes and numerous waterfalls.

View Map

Cuyamel Caves

• Go spelunking in the Cuyamel Caves, near Trujillo.
• The caves have been used by various ethnic groups since pre-Colombian times.
• Hire a guide as they are well hidden but worth seeking out.

Platano Forest

• Home to some of the most endangered and unique wildlife species in the world
• One of the few remains of the tropical rainforest in Central America that has certainly become a paradise for the wildlife-lovers throughout the world
• Also known as Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, Platano forest consists of lowland tropical rainforest, mangroves, grassland, patches of pine savannah and also coastal lagoons, and some wonderful serene beaches

Communication Etiquette:
• Greetings
– A firm handshake for men
– Women meeting women will sometimes just give a nod – or a handshake
– Me meeting women handshake if formal if not formal is informal
• Most people tend to communicate in an indirect manner
– They often say what they think you would like to hear
• They will stand a little less than an arm’s length – may be less between good friends
– Will also touch during conversation
– On public transportation they are often sitting close to each other – personal space is not a problem for them
• Many people point by turning their heads and pushing their lips in the direction they wish to point
•

Business Etiquette:
• Business Dress
– Men – Dark colors and conservative suits are normal
– Women – Skirts, slacks, nice shoes, dresses or suits
– Nice clothes and being well-groomed is appreciated
• They value relationship building
– Avoid hard selling
– Decisions are made from the top down
– Small talk isn’t always expected but is a friendly gesture
• Meetings don’t tend to follow a strict agenda
• Address people by their titles
– No specific ritual for exchanging business cards