La Ceiba Overview

V!VA User‘s Description

Honduras’ third-largest city and the major jumping-off point to the Bay Islands, La Ceiba is also a growing center for eco-tourism and nightlife. Surrounded by a national park, a wildlife refuge and a marine reserve, tours are being offered more and more that emphasize the many hiking, rafting, bird watching and natural opportunities in the area.

Activities

White-water trips run on the Río Congrejal with rapids from class II to IV and can be booked in La Ceiba. Boat tours run through the wildlife refuge of Cuero y Salado, just west of La Ceiba where wildlife like manatees, howler monkeys and Blue Morpho butterflies can be spotted.

Climate

La Ceiba is set between the Caribbean Coast and the Nombre de Dios mountain range. The climate is hot, but tempered by cool sea breezes.

Around Town

La Ceiba is full of restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels and although there aren’t many city attractions in the way of museums, churches and plazas, there are enough daytrips to keep you busy for a couple of days. In town, the butterfly and insect museum has an interesting collection of 5,000 butterflies and is a good way to kill a couple of hours. The beaches in town aren’t excellent, better ones are found just outside.

The Pico Bonito National Park

The Pico Bonito National Park is the largest national park in Honduras and is home to a great cloud forest for hiking. Over 285 species of birds have been identified in the area. There is also a butterfly farm at the Pico Bonito Lodge, a luxury eco-lodge outside the park.

Outside of La Ceiba

Sambo Creek is an interesting indigenous town of the Garífuna people with some nice beaches and hotels just outside of La Ceiba.

Just 25 km (15 mi) east of La Ceiba is the Cacao Lagoon, surrounded by mangroves and full of howler and white-faced monkeys. Tours can be arranged from La Ceiba.