La Ceiba

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La Ceiba is a city on the north Caribbean coast of Honduras, 202 km from San Pedro Sula.

[edit] Understand

It is the third largest city in Honduras, containing roughly 80,000 people. The town is just beginning to have a tourist infrastructure for westerners. There are good hotels, ATM machines and internet cafes. Many people who visit La Ceiba do so to use the city as a base to visit Pico Bonito National Park, the Cuero and Salado Wildlife Refuge or beaches and ethnic Garífuna villages nearby. Or people just stop off for a night on their way to the Bay Islands or the Hog Islands.

[edit] Get in

[edit] Get around

Getting around La Ceiba is easy and cheap. Within the city and to the airport there are standard taxi rates. It is 15 Lempira per person within the city limits. This jumps to 20 Lempiras after dark and goes up the later you are out. A ride to the ferry dock is 50 Lempira per person. As fuel prices have increased what constitutes a "downtown" trip has shrunk. Do make sure you know the fare before you get in the cab, particularly if you are leaving downtown for the port or the airport. Prices are generally quoted per passenger except from the airport. Don't be surprised if your driver stops to pick up additional passengers.

Most all of the streets in La Ceiba have names but the problem is that no one, including the taxi drivers, know what they are. This can complicate things greatly and a basic understanding of Spanish is helpful. Know the name of your destination or have it written down (for the more obscure destinations, include the barrio or colonia in which it is located).

There are plenty of buses in La Ceiba. The cost is usually around 10-15 Lempiras. A bus will continue to pick up people until it is full. Be advised that if a bus doesn't stop to pick you up it's because it has reached capacity. Just stand at the side of the road and flag one down when you see it coming. The people who ride the buses are poor locals and are very, very friendly and very curious. Still, it's a good idea to watch your belongings!

[edit] See

Excellent options with children are: • Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge. You take an old train through the pineapple fields to a beautiful lagoon. There is a modern park building with small displays and public restrooms. You can then take either a motor boat or canoe tour of the lagoon. Bring suncreen, hats and water bottles. • The Lodge at Pico Bonito. The lodge allows day visitors. You can use their pool, hike their trails, climb their lookout towers and have lunch at their restaurant. It's a lovely place to explore and easy with children. • El Porvenir. The beach at El Porvenir is lots of fun. There is a river flowing into the sea and it makes for a freshwater "tubing" area that runs parallel to the sea. There's also a small restaurant for drinks and chips.

[edit] Do

• La Ceiba Carnival, the biggest in Central America. It takes place on the third Saturday in May, though there are mini-carnivals in the various barrios in the days leading up to it. This is a unique event that completely packs the town out, and is generally very peaceful and good natured.

[edit] Buy

Sadly, the majority of items you can buy in La Ceiba come from Guatamela. Still, they're cheap and pretty. The souvenir shop with the largest selection in La Ceiba, including a good variety of local art and artisan work, is the Rain Forest located just to the northwest of the stadium in Colonia El Naranjal. Local hammocks can be purchased around central park at a reasonable price, but start your negotiations at half the asking price.

[edit] Eat

A great place for tourists and ex-pats alike is Bar Expatriados. It's been a while since I've lived in La Ceiba but any cab driver or local will know it's roof top downtown location (in Barrio El Iman at the end of Calle 12). The former owners, Mark and Maureen have returned to Canada but the new American owners, Joe and his wife Michelle, are helpful and friendly. The menu is typical American/Honduran. Great burgers and imported/domestic beer. The cost for a meal is expensive compared to the non ex-pat places but much cheaper then a fancy restaruant. A night of dinner and drinks for 2 will run you about 30$ Canadian.

The Mango Tango is another popular moderately priced restaurant along the beach strip in the Zona Viva (Calle 1 along the beach).

Ricardos on Avenida 14 de Julio is also delicious and well priced and serves some of the best food in Central America and has the awards to prove it. They are at the top end of the price scale in La Ceiba but still half what you would expect to pay for the same plate above the Rio Grande.

A bit outside of town toward the airport the ex-pat owned and operated Iguana Bar & Restaurant serves local seafood and open grille beef speciality dishes on the beach at more moderate prices.

[edit] Drink

[edit] Sleep

There are good quality hotels in La Ceiba, including the Quinta Real, La Quinta, Hotel Paris, Hotel Gran Ceiba, the Aurora and, between the airport and downtown, the Coco Pando. A good mid-range hotel is the Iberia. There are also safe budget hotels in town such as the Catracho and the Lastenia.

Hostel called Banana Republic also offers a lot to a backpacker with all kind of facilities, friendly staff and a cute dog.

Lastenia Hotel is nice and cheap place to stay, they have a really tiny swimming pool upstairs, a cafeteria next door, you can get a room with a/c or fan, depending on your budget. 3 people can stay for about $15.00 a night and they now provide transportation to Bus station, airport or Ferry terminal for about $3.00 per room, not per pax, per room.

If you want to get more options on hotels and comparison and rates, you should go to the Tourism chamber of La Ceiba http://www.la-ceiba.info/

[edit] Contact

Loads of cheap internet cafes are all over the place.

[edit] Stay safe

Those not seeking crack or crack addicted prostitutes should avoid the Avenida de la Republica, on the western side of town, directly down from the Central Park. Also everyone should avoid the beach area to the west of the old pier that juts out to sea from the end of Avenida de la Republica, as it is the territory of a heavily armed gangs. The east side, including Barrio la Isla, is safer, and is also where much of the nightlife is to be found. Taxis are abundant and cheap and the safe way to travel at night no matter what part of La Ceiba you are in.