The Amateur Traveler talks to Matt Wall about traveling to and living in Honduras.
Matt recommends the Bay Islands in the Caribbean for a beach resort vacation, scuba diving, and snorkeling.
The main island of Roatan has everything from all-inclusive resorts to backpacking accommodations in West End.
Matt lived in the town of Copán Ruinas near the Guatemala border named after the “pretty incredible” Mayan ruins there.
For the very adventurous who are willing to rough it Matt also suggests the Mosquito Coast at the far Western edge of Honduras which is a rain forest area sometimes called the “little Amazon”. “You go there if you want to have a jungle experience”.
[itunes: https://traffic.libsyn.com/amtravm4a/291AmateurTraveler.m4a]
right click here to download (mp3)
right click here to download (iTunes version with pictures)
Show Notes
Honduras.com
Honduras on Wikipedia
Urban Promise: Honduras
Copán Ruinas
Copán Ruinas
Mosquito Coast
The Mosquito Coast (film)
Tegucigalpa
San Pedro Sula
Roatán
Útila
Guacamaya
Baleada
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Antonio ahd a bone to pick with Travel to the Azores – Episode 290
and I also heard from Jameson:
My name is Jameson and I am a rather new listener. I’ve been listening to your show for about the past 3 months and find it quite enjoyable. I like the format and enjoy sharing in other peoples adventures as you interview them. Your equipment sounds really nice and the interview format always brings a new dynamic to the show.
I was listening to your episode this morning on my commute to work about the Azores. At one point, you were discussing the rock type on the Azores, and you asked if it was a pumice like the a’a’ found on Hawaii and your guest Janine corrected you and said “no it is basalt rock”. I feel like you are a knowledgeable guy and I think you slightly misunderstand the difference here.
Pumice is a textural term given to various kinds of extrusive rock, or lava rock as many people know it. It forms when super heated rock under high pressure is explosively expelled from a volcano rapidly cooling and depressurizing the rock. It traps the air bubbles inside the rock creating the “pumice” texture. Generally pumice is the name of a rock that is less dense then water due to the conditions under which it is formed. It can be any type of lava rock, from basalt to rhyolite.
‘A’a on the other hand is basalt characterized by flow properties containing blocky and irregular patterns. It is a Hawaiian word that comes from the sounds you make when you walk on it, “Agh, Agh” (geology joke).
As you may have guessed I am a trained geologist. I love the outdoors and understanding how things were formed around me.
So while you weren’t exact with your definitions the fact that you are aware of pumice and ‘A’a is great. I’m always impressed with your extensive knowledge in a range of different areas.
Thanks so much and keep up the good work.
Jameson
…but I actually did know that
Bola commented on Travel to Nigeria – Episode 289
Wow what a wonderful episode! As a fellow Nigerian I really enjoyed and appreciated the descriptions (and many definitions) of Lagos. The presenter was very honest, yet despite that I STILL felt very happy and very proud of my country. Addictive Chaos… indeed lol!
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Biking Through Honduras, Guatemala and Belize – Episode 120
3 Things to Do Underwater in Roatán, Honduras
by Chris Christensen
Chris Christensen is the creator of the Amateur Traveler blog and podcast. He has been a travel creator since 2005 and has won awards including being named the "Best Independent Travel Journalist" by Travel+Leisure Magazine.+Chris Christensen | @chris2x | facebook
2 Responses to “Travel to Honduras – Episode 291”
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Tags: audio travel podcast, honduras, podcast
CJ
Says:October 10th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
There are hundreds of places to visit in Honduras. Most people know about Roatan and Copan Ruins, but there are several other alternatives depending on what you are looking for in a vacation or adventure trip: beaches, archaelogical sites, ecotourism, mountains, rain forest jungles, spanish colonial towns, national parks and reserves…….. you name it.
If you ever come to Honduras I´m sure you’ll love it, or if you’ve already been there I´m sure you’ll want to come back someday, there is a lot to see…
Paul Velasquez
Says:December 25th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Honduras like any other country in the world has its share of problems, but the world is imperfect, no matter where you go. Born in Honduras, I had lived mostly of my life outside, that beautiful country, which leave me with the advantage to see from inside and outside the country.First, don’t let the bad news stop you from going to Honduras. Safety is not worst than in New York or any big city in the world.Don’t let the idea of “third world” fool you. Honduras has an impressive First World reasons why the country is worthy to visit, not once but many times, unless you decide to move there. With the second largest coral reef in the world,the Bay Islands (Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja, plus other smaller ones) are paradise in earth. No other country in the Continent or the world, has so many islands, with an incredible coral reef, white sand beaches, and cristal clear water, more than Honduras. Discovered by the fist white man, Colon, the islands hold historical richness, with Paya natives, Spaniard explorers, and English, Dutch, French pirates, along Black Caribs that eventually forged another ethnia, the Garifunas.Been part of Honduras since 1859, the islands today hold Spanish and English as common languages, showing a colorful spectrum of colors.
Another big reason to visit Honduras is the long year presence of the sharkwale, the largest animal in the planet, around the Bay Islands, the only place in the world where they remaind the whole year, and recently the reason of a scientific study.
There in the main land, Honduras has another world second record, the famous Garden of Lancetilla, the second largest botanical garden in the world, with trees, flowers,and plants from almost all over the world, near the town of Tela. The town has some of the most beautiful beaches of any urban area in Honduras.For those with more adventure spirit and skills, there’s the second Amazon, the Mosquitia (is NOT “moskito” coast) mispelled by some, a wild jungle about the size of El Salvador.Air and costal reach is the only way to get there. Miskitos and another etnic groups populate the area, with some Hispanic presence. This is the real jungle with spider monkeys, fer de lance snakes,jaguars and crocodiles.
Airports, lodgings, roads are primitive in the region.
But before explorers and pirates, Honduras was inhabitated by Mayans,mostly in the western part of the country, one of the most advance civilizations in Meso-America. The concept of the “zero” is credited to be invented by them, as also were well advance in architecture, mathematics, astronomy and other sciences. Today Copan Ruins is an amazing archeological park, the center Mayan called the “Athens of the Mayan world”, no because its size, but because Copan was indee the scientific center of the Mayan.Another incredible achievement was the high quality of stone carving proper to Copan. Few ancient cultures of the world, were so skilled in so much details, the stone carvings of Copan will amaze you, you have to see it to believe it.
Copan Ruins is also the same name of the Colonial charming town, where the Mayan park is located. A small town with cobled stone streets, give you a sight of a 18th century Spanish town. You can find since budget to luxury hotels in town, and a variety of restaurants, as also Fincas or Haciendas, dedicated to coffee and cardomomo cultivation.The area provide relaxation, horse rides, natural hot waters, bird watching etc.
Few hours from Copan is Comayagua, another colonial town, that was the second Capital of the country, with impressive Spanish colonial buildings,good museums, and broad lodging options. The Cathedral, in the main plaza, has one of the oldest, if not the old working clock in the world.
Given by one of the Spanish Kings to Comayagua in the xv century, the clock is about 1000 years old. You can see the original mechanism protected by glass inside the temple, but you need to make an appointment for that, but worthy the effort…
I can’t write about Lencas and its culture, or other colonial towns like La Esperanza, Gracias, Marcala, Santa Barbara,but Honduras has more to offer to the tourist, more than Costa Rica, and Guatemala, except the volcanos..more like diversity of cultures..like Honduras is the country with the largest “palestinian” community in the world, a country of the size of Tennessee, with more flora and fauna that the USA, caves, the original “glowing skulls” are in Honduras, a country with the best fine wood in the world, best coffee, living cultures, lakes, rivers, two oceans, a land that produce fruits and vegetables..but the greatest richness of Honduras is its people, some of the most friendly in the world.At first they are shy, but eventually they can turn into you best friend in matter of minutes.Mostly of them are honest and decent people, and they will offer help anytrime you need it, just for the pleasure of help a visitor.
Tourist are welcome in Honduras, and very rare will be victims of violent crime in the cities, the country side are almost free of crime.
Try to learn basic Spanish before going there, English is spoken in large hotels and main tourist atractions. Honduras has good inter city transportation, with Mercedes Benz buses. Air traffic connect the main cities, Honduras in the only country with five International Airports in Central America, no the biggest or fancy, but functional.As matter of preference I recommend to land in the San Pedro Sula (second city) instead of the hair rising airport in the Capital Tegucigalpa.By good bus, you can travel between those cities in 4 hours.Taxis are plenty and cheap in Honduras, but many are in bad shape, wait for one in better shape, but mostly of those guys are honest, arrange before enter the car.For better quality and safety in night use “Radio Taxi” cost more but give you more peace of mind, find them in the Yellow pages.
Even when Honduras is not a gastronomy paradise, you can find good reataurants in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, Copan, and the Bay Islands. The menu goes from Argentinian to German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, if hungry for American fare, there’s Apple’sbee, Mcdonald, Burger King, etc.. Tegucigalpa y San Pedro have good Malls and supermarkets for shopping. Finally Honduras Craftmen produce some of the most interesting souveniers in leather, wood, metals, and native materials.
I hope this help you to make your mind and go to Honduras.Like in any place in the world, use common sense, keep shiny jewelry at home, stay in the main path at night, be open to learn from another culture, don’t be a nasty tourist, be polite and you will have the best trip of you life, Hondurans are humble but inteligent people,treat them with respect,and probably you wil think about stay there forever.
My mai is paul12tribus@hotmail.com, drop me a line, if you have a question or comment.