Honduras & Guatemala

[kennas]

The Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras in the Caribbean are a MECCA for divers and cheap arse backpackers.

If you're thinking about Central America, you MUST put this place on your MUST DO list, except if you're travelling during hurricane season...

I visited Utila in 2004 (or was it 05?) and went for a few days and ended up staying for almost 2 months and completing a Dive Master course there.

(Also happened to meet my wife there, so maybe I'm biased :))

Anyway, if anyone is intersted in developing their diving skills or going on to Pro, this is the place to do it!

Why? Awesome, easy diving, in 28 deg plus water, 30m vis, lots of critters, 10 dives will cost you $150, a DM course $500, rooms from $3 per night, lobster burgers from $3, Rum, sun sets drinks, party every night.

Fvck! What the hell am I doing in Lima? :confused:

[Prawn_86]

Damn that sounds fine!

You can get by with only speaking English i take it?

[kennas]

Yes, they're English speaking plus Spanish and a gutterall Creolle type thing that makes people sound like they've got Downs Syndrome. Actually, I think a lot of the locals do have it as they've been in-breeding for the past 500 years.

Rach and I are planning on heading back in May for a month holiday to just dive and study Spanish.

Here's the Utila home page for more info:

http://www.aboututila.com/

[rogerpk]

During my stay at bay island i enjoyed a lot specially the diving experience it was awesome.

[kennas]

I'm off to Guatemala in a couple of weeks for Christmas / New Years holiday.

Depending on the weather may fly to Roatan in Honduras also for a spot of diving.

Really looking forward to Guatemala. Have travelled through Central America a few times but not stopped in Guatemala.

Arriving in Guate City then immediately bussing to Antigua for a couple of days. Then to Lago Atitlan and probably San Pedro Sula to study Spanish for a few days.

Lago Atitlan is rated as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, behind Lake Como. Could be even better once they get some infrastructure sorted and they get over the years of civil war.

Will post a report.

[Prawn_86]

Enjoy K!

Its one of those Central American countries that you dont really hear much of, so is probably still abit off the tourist track which is a good thing.

[kennas]

I think it's been off the radar because they've had so much internal conflict for so long no-one wants to go there. Like El Salvador. Tourist infrastructure is pretty poor also. But, it's a very beautiful country. Looks like were going to add in a visit to Copan on the border with Hondurus, one of the best Mayan sites in the region. Hope the weather's good.

[kennas]

I've just returned from a nice holiday in Guatemala and Honduras over the Christmas period. Interesting choice of holiday locations I feel. Guatemala is currently going through some very difficult internal security problems, particularly around Guatemala City where one person is killed every 90 minutes, and Honduras is just coming off the back of a coup. These were not the reasons for the visit, of course.

I haven't been to Guatemala before and I was really interested to visit Antigua, which is regularly cited as the most beautiful colonial city in Central America, and Lago Atitlan which is only surpassed by Lake Como and the most beautiful lake in the world.

We arrived in Guata City on 24 December and caught a shuttle from the airport direct to Antigua just over an hour away. Antigua did not disappoint, and I can put it up there with Cartagena Old City in Columbia as my favourite colonial city in Latin America: Old cobble stone streets, original colonial buildings from the 1600s, temperate climate, and in a spectacular valley under the shadows of a mighty volcano.

Antigua was the capital of the Spanish colony covering most of Central America up till 1717 when a massive earthquake destroyed most of the city. The capital was then moved to present day Guatemala City. In retrospect this was a stroke of luck for Guatemala because present day Antigua is a tourism gem.

After Christmas we headed to San Pedro La Laguna, on Lake Atitlan for a few days.

My wife studied Spanish here for a few months years ago so it was a chance for her to catch up with any friends who still might be there and reminisce. The gringo part of town is really nice and laid back, and a bit of a hippy drug haven. Would be awesome for those wanting to kick back for a few months and learn some Spanish.

We felt pretty safe in Guatemala but didn’t stray too far off the beaten track.

It's a shame that such a beautiful country has hardly lived through a peaceful era. From pre-Colombian times to present day the people have pretty well lived in continuous conflict. It's amazing that the country has only relatively recently finished a deadly civil war.

Today, Guatemala is in the Latin American news because of the continuous attacks against the local bus system in Guatemala City. Every day a bus driver is killed because of not providing protection money to local gangs. The government has resorted to manning busses with military and heavily armed police. The route cause of this can only be poverty caused by a lack of quality education and other advanced social systems. Can it just be a stage of development, or is it a cultural thing? After 500 years of post Colombian rule and a couple of hundred of independance, have to wonder...

From Lago Atitlan we planned the major journey to The Bay Islands by bus and broke it up with an overnight stop in Copan in order to see the Mayan ruins.

The small village of Copan itself is worth a visit, sort of a mini Antigua actually with plenty of cafes and restaurants to service travelers going through. The ruins are about 2km down the road and set in a valley hidden in the jungle. It’s a beautiful setting with lots of wild life hanging about including Macaws, one of Central and South America’s most amazing birds.

The city of Copan is the most southern of the ancient Maya world which thrived from the 5th to 9th Century. The site is best known for an amazing series of portrait stelae, which are not found at other ruins like Palenque or Chichen Itza. These were placed along processional walkways in the central plaza of the city and the adjoining complex of overlapping pyramids, plazas, and palaces. The surviving carvings are pretty well preserved and are a must see on the Maya route.

As far as ancient ruins of the world go, it is down the list behind Angkor Wat and Bayon in Cambodia, and probably comes in second behind Palenque in Mexico as my favourite Mayan site.

There were a couple of reasons for heading back to Honduras. My wife and I met on Utila about five years ago, and we thought it would be nice to return to the place where we met and do some diving. We were there for almost three months last time but failed to visit Roatan, the more beautiful of the Bay Islands, just a few hours sailing time away, so that was a must do.

So, after Copan we were on another bus to La Ceiba on the Honduran coast and caught the ferry over to Utila just in time for New Years Eve. It was a hoot being back on Utila and we made sure we stood on the same spot that we met those five years ago. Corny? Maybe, but it was pretty special for us, we’ve been together since the day we met.

Unfortunately, the weather was pretty crap over the next couple of days and the diving just OK. We ended up staying at a new and improved Underwater Vision, the same hotel as last time, and they were kind enough to give us a big discount on the accommodation and throw in the diving for free.

We then decided to catch a ride over to Roatan with Captain Verne on his 40ft catamaran and spend our last five days exploring the island and doing some more diving. We ended up diving with West End Divers after a very brief search for a good dive operation and this was a great decision. The team of instructors there were outstanding, especially their lead Dive Master, Mickey, who was leading us for most of our dives. While the weather continued to be average, the diving was still very good, with great corals and some great sea life. We were lucky enough to spot most of the great fish of the Caribbean including; Spotted Drums, Hawksbill Turtles, Spotted Eagle Rays, etc.

I have to say, even with my strong connection to Utila, Roatan is by far a superior holiday destination. It was very hard to leave.

[tiger_lily]

Sounds like a wonderful holiday, its a shame that Guatemala is like that but this

particularly around Guatemala City where one person is killed every 90 minutes.

would scare the pants off me. lol

[kennas]

There's potential for that anywhere I suppose. Especially Latin America.

But, Guata City is going through some troubling times.

Stick to tourist route I say.

kennas

[Prawn_86]

Ok guys,

We will be in Honduras around March next year. Does anyone know the best diver providers for someone to get qualified?

Probably looking at 10 days there to dive and learn a bit of Spanish. Think we can get enough in in 10 days?

[bikehike11]

The Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras in the Caribbean are a MECCA for divers and cheap arse backpackers.

If you're thinking about Central America, you MUST put this place on your MUST DO list, except if you're travelling during hurricane season...

I visited Utila in 2004 (or was it 05?) and went for a few days and ended up staying for almost 2 months and completing a Dive Master course there.

(Also happened to meet my wife there, so maybe I'm biased :))

Anyway, if anyone is intersted in developing their diving skills or going on to Pro, this is the place to do it!

Why? Awesome, easy diving, in 28 deg plus water, 30m vis, lots of critters, 10 dives will cost you $150, a DM course $500, rooms from $3 per night, lobster burgers from $3, Rum, sun sets drinks, party every night.

Fvck! What the hell am I doing in Lima? :confused:

That sounds really amazing and something adventurous too.
Anyways, I like rafting, and diving too.

I will try this.

Thanks to share this all.

[Nothing But Adventure]

I've definitely heard great things about Guatemala but no so much on Honduras.

... But after reading this awesome thread I think I'll have to put it on my list too. Especially curious about the diving.

[Prawn_86]

We will be in Utila for about 8 nights i think it works out at. What is the best place in Utila for accomodation? Where we can get a double room, but still hang out with other tourists?

[Prawn_86]

We will be in Utila for about 8 nights i think it works out at. What is the best place in Utila for accomodation? Where we can get a double room, but still hang out with other tourists?
Can anyone help with the above? Also, what dive co would members recommend using? As a lot seem to tie in the dive courses with certain backpackers

[RyanUs]

This is really very nice information. Caribbean is very nice place to visit for holidays.
Thanks.