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Traveling by Bus in Honduras

In most of Central America, there’s really no other way to get around (unless you want your own rental car) than by bus. The good news about bus travel in Central America is that it’s very cheap, sometimes shockingly so. The bad news is that it’s not the most comfortable, convenient way to travel. It’s no different in Honduras.

If you’re willing to ride the ubiquitous “chicken bus” – those rickety, cramped, old American school buses that serves as local transport in much of Latin America, you can travel from place to place for just a few dollar.

However, this is not recommended for any long distance bus trips, as you’ll find that unless you are seriously strapped for cost, the discomfort is not worth the savings. Instead go one step up to a cheap tourist bus – even these can get you across the country (and even to Guatemala or Nicaragua) for under $20.

Though the cost is a bit higher, you’ll find the trip much more comfortable and efficient. The buses generally stop less along the way, and many have bathrooms, tvs, and even air-conditioning – certainly an improvement over sharing the bus with farm animals.

Some travelers argue that by not riding the local buses, you’ll miss out on an “authentic” local experience. Luckily traveling on a budget in Central America often provides plentiful other opportunities to travel slowly, get to know the locals, and have a genuine cultural experience. So if you’d rather have a more comfortable seat, or are on a tight timetable, opt for the nicer tourist bus instead. It still won’t bus your budget and you’ll arrive to your destination rested and (relatively) on time.

Photo by LShave

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Honduras travel guide

Supporting Honduras at the 2010 World Cup

honduras-home1The world’s biggest sporting event, the 2010 World Cup, is coming very soon, and it’s time to throw your support behind the Honduras national team as they enter their first World Cup since 1982. Los Catrachos will have a tough road to qualify for the later rounds, but they bring one of their strongest squads ever to this tournament, so they might just be a dark horse contender.

Get to know the team:
Honduras doesn’t have as many players from the big European leagues as some other countries do, but there are a few excellent players on the squad who could make a real impact in the World Cup. Carlo Costly has only been playing with the national team for 3 years but is already 8th on the all-time Honduras scoring list with 14 goals for his country. Amado Guevara has spent much of his career in the United States, but has returned to Honduras to play his club football now, and is captain of the team. Other stars include Maynor Figueroa and a potent strike partnership of Carlos Pavon and David Suazo.
>> Check out the entire Honduras World Cup squad.

Wear the gear:
Honduras has new home and away kits for this World Cup, and there’s no better way to show your support for the team than to get your jersey and wear it on match days. The Honduras home jersey is white with a blue pattern across the chest, and the Honduras away shirt has white and blue vertical stripes, with a large blue “H”. Get your kit and be ready to kiss that crest when the first “golazo” goes in.

Know the enemy:
That “H” on the away jersey will be doubly significant, since Honduras has been drawn into World Cup Group H. They will fancy their chances to take points away from Switzerland, but will face two serious challenges in the other group matches, against a very strong Chile team that beat Argentina in qualifying, and against the mighty Spain, already champions of Europe and looking to add their first World Cup trophy to that achievement.

Follow along online:
Here are some links to help you stay up to date with the Honduras World Cup campaign:
Honduras World Cup Blog
Honduras World Cup on Twitter
Honduras for the World Cup on Facebook

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Honduras travel guide

Honduras is Still “Up & Coming”

beachThere’s always some destination in the world that can be called “up and coming,” and one of the places on that list this year is Honduras. The country is working overtime in the PR department and has been bringing in travel writers from all corners to see what’s available for travelers in Honduras. Every person I’ve talked to who has gone on one of those trips has come back with nothing but incredible things to say about the country, both to me and to anyone who’ll listen. So obviously Honduras is doing something right!

One of the things that you can take advantage of in Honduras is agritourism – there are working farms all over the country which you can visit and engage in a varying degree of agricultural work. If you just want to go for a horseback ride through the farm’s property and learn about what they grow, that’s fine – and if you’re looking for something a bit more hands-on there are places you can get in on the fruit picking, for instance. It’s a great way to support local farmers while digging a little deeper than you might on an ordinary vacation.

Luckily, although places on “up and coming” lists don’t tend to stay under the radar for long, airfare to Honduras is still pretty cheap right now. This is especially true if you’re looking at a trip to Honduras as opposed to a trip to – for instance – somewhere in Europe. World airfare prices are on their way back up for any destination that’s big in the months of June-August, but they’re still relatively inexpensive. And if you can travel in the next couple of months, you could get a great deal on a flight.

And just think, whatever money you save on your airline ticket to Honduras, you’ll have more to spend on food in Honduras and Honduras souvenirs!

photo by BlogMama

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Featured Articles Honduras

Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve

Over the last decade or so, Honduras has been focusing its efforts one eco tourism. Maybe they are just jumping on the bandwagon that made Costa Rica so popular, or maybe they just trying to make a buck. Either way, a number of extremely beautiful preserves and parks have been popping up all over the country. One such park is the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve.

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Featured Articles Honduras

Finca El Cisne

There are plenty of cheap places to stay in Honduras and just as many tours and activities to do. But, for less than the cost of mid-priced hotel, you can get a truly amazing experience and the accommodations for it! A small farm by the name of Finca El Cisne offers a glimpse into life of a not so distant Honduras.

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Honduras travel guide

Staying Safe in Honduras

In the grand scheme of things, Honduras it still very young when it comes to tourisim. As such, the country has done little to enforce safety in most of the major tourist areas. This point is not meant to scare you away from visiting Honduras, but more to make sure you are aware of the dangers so that you can protect your self from them.

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Honduras travel guide

Eating in Honduras

While each country in Central America has its own take on food, there are a few staple items that you can find everywhere. If you have ever been anywhere in Central America, you knew right away what I was talking about, rice and beans. Rice and beans in Honduras? Go figure. Aside from this Central America staple items, there are a number of other popular dishes in the country.

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Honduras Uncategorized

What to Buy in Honduras

A major part of any vacation is picking up some gifts and souvenirs to bring back home. Honduras is no exception to this. While there are plenty of unique and amazing things to purchase here, there are a few in particular that Honduras is known for. These items include ceramics, leather goods, silver, and socks. yes, socks!