COPAN (HONDURAS)
Exchange (updated to July 2017)
The currency of Honduras is Lempira (HNL)
1 HNL = 0.0358 Euro | 1 Euro = 27.14 HNL
1 GTQ (Guatemala Quetzal) = 3.09 HNL | 1 HNL = 0.299 GTQ
Transportation
From Antigua: the series of tourist shuttles (20 USD) continues… This was the best trip ever, not so much for the conditions of the vehicle, but for the low number of passengers, only me and two travelers from Singapore, sprawled like pashas each one of us in his personal row of seats. Purchased at the New Destiny agency in Antigua. The ride in the opposite direction (purchased in Copan), however, costs 25 USD.
To Livingston: by public transport. Leaving at 6.00 I arrived at 18.00 !! An accident on the road shortly after Los Amates (near Quirigua) blocked us for at least two hours. Suffocating heat, very little water to drink, nothing to eat, and especially nowhere around to pee. It took then long time to reach Puerto Barrios, given the traffic outflow long queues. My morning had started in the best way, at 8.45 am I was already in Chiquimula … So, please consider the possibility to run into some hitches or unexpected events. In details: 20 HNL microbus from Copan to El Florito border. I got informations the day before on the exact place where the microbuses leave, and on the timetables. I left at 6.00. The transition to immigration was fast, and I did not pay anything. On the other side of the border there was a Litegua minibus to Chiquimula (16 GTQ). In Chiquimula, as I understood because it was not easy to find info, from the Litegua terminal buses head only to Guatemala City, for Rio Dulce/Puerto Barrios you have to take a walk and reach another area (the various employees of the bus companies will accompany you). Transportes Vargas, 45 GTQ, to Puerto Barrios. Another company with same service should be Carmencita. 35 GTQ for a public boat from Puerto Barrios to Livingstone, at 17.00, when I was already afraid not to be able to get to my final destination, and instead, always if I understood correctly, it was not even the last one. The crossing at sunset is very suggestive, breathing deeply the humid air
Sleep
Hotel Carrillo. Found on the spot because the hostal affiliated to the agency which supplied transport did not convince me, even if they did everything to hold me back and they looked offended when I eventually walked away. 250 HNL for a nice room with bathroom, perhaps the best bathroom of the holiday (together with the one in Tulum, Mexico), very spacious, tiled with sobriety and good taste (I noticed infact the combination of the tiles colours in all the other hotels I attended seemed a bit “confused” to use a gentle word) and especially the shower tile edge was assembled in such a way as to prevent the flooding on the surrounding parts.
The peculiarity of this family hotel is the elevated terrace, (if compared to the courtyard), where are placed, under a canopy, wicker chairs, colorful curtains swaying in the wind, and many hammocks. There is also a nice view. A wonderful relaxing corner 🙂
The hotel is located opposite the only supermarket in the village, a Despensa Familiar, very convenient for small purchases (the assortment is not even remotely comparable to the one we are used in Italy). A refill bowl of water is available for the guests. Little mention on the managers: the father, a meloman, is transmitting his passion for “bel canto” to one of the kids. The soundtrack of the stay in Copan are traditional songs where love triumphs in all its various possible variations. Of course, the genre is a bit “neoromantic”, but at least they are not out of tune, and stop practicing at around 21.00.
As in Livingston, during downpours there are blackouts. All Copan remained in the dark for many hours. Only a few hotels have generators, the downside is that these are very noisy. Staying in the dark is the least, the worst is that the fans are out of order. In my hotel the distribution of water, drawn from the cistern with an electric pump (so it was explained by the owners) was interrupted. If I can choose, however, I prefer to avoid the noise of the generators.
Eat
There are several tourist restaurants, the least expensive is the “Vamos a Ver”, 80 HNL for a hearty typical breakfast served as a dinner.
The best I tried, very nice, and a little more expensive, is the Comedor Mary, excellent tortillas with cheese and tomato (80 HNL). Vegetable soup just so and so at Via Via Cafè (105 HNL)
Excursions
Copan Archaeological Site, entrance 345 HNL, can be reached with a 20 minutes walk following a paved road. Going early in the morning, especially in August, 1) you avoid the hottest hours, 2) you are more likely to find sun and clear sky, since the weather usually gets worse after 15.00. The heat, however, is not as annoying as in Tikal, because here there are a few steps, and a lot to walk around. The site is famous for its sculptures, and the accessible pyramids are not so high. Very beautiful the surrounding park, the red macaw parrots, national symbol and considered sacred by the Maya, who passed the rehabilitation program at the Parque de Aveos are freed here, and they are photographed almost more than the ruins. There are many shady areas, and the visit is tiring at all.
Parque des Aveos 10 USD admission fee. It is not my kind, but it was just to fill the afternoon, and then it is a project with noble intentions, as managed by an association which rescues animals in distress. It is never pleasant to see birds in a cage, but these are saved from an even worse situation, and then, if they can independently get food, they are set free. The various cages are very large, and located along a path that winds along a beautiful forest. The space dedicated to the toucans is enormous, and access to humans is allowed. In the beginning I was afraid, don’t know why, but they actually totally ignored me while I was taking pictures of them. The park is quite far from the village, the walk would be a few kilometers, in a fantastic lush and tropical setting. As I was afraid of getting lost, I used a mototaxi (50 HNL round-trip)
Impressions
Copan is a very pretty village, with a beautiful central square and many colorful houses overlooking cobblestone streets.
Many people stop here just enough to visit the ruins. Some even make a vert long day trip from Antigua and return. Given the pleasant surroundings, it is more relaxing to stop at least a night or two to break the journey.