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Puerto Cortes is however, a lot more than the leading port of Honduras. Following east along the shores of the Caribbean, you will arrive at the Garifuna communities of Travesia and Bajamar. These two are some of the most important Garifuna communities in the country, and reflect the interesting live culture of these people. Every year, a Garifuna dance festival is held in Bajamar. A little before the community of Travesia you
will find the hotel and Restaurant Fronteras del Caribe, possibly the best food establishment in this part of beach. It is located on the beach, under some exuberant Coconut trees that will entice you to set up a hammock and relax under the cool tropical trade winds! In this area of Puerto Cortes, in the Beaches of El Faro, you will find the Hotel Costa Azul, by far the best hotel in this area of the port, from where you can enjoy the tranquil beaches in a pleasant setting.
Heading west from Puerto Cortes, and following the coast towards the community of Cieneguita, you will pass the Coca Cola municipal beach. The name, which is obviously quite commercial, came to be as the local Coca Cola Depot is located very near to the beach.
These are by far the most famous and popular beaches in the area, and are frequented by the locals as well as by people from afar during the weekends and holidays. During the week the beaches are quite quiet. You will find many different restaurants and bars along the beach where you can enjoy lunch or dinner.
Just beyond the Coca Cola beach is Cieneguita. In my opinion, these are the best beaches in Puerto Cortes. Here you will find the Hotel Playa, Palmeras Beach Hotel and the brand new Hotel Casa de Playa, which is an all inclusive property. The Hotel Playa is probably the most popular weekend spot for middle and high class vacationers from San Pedro Sula. Its clean beach and pool attract weekenders looking to work on their tan.
This is also the most popular restaurant in town, with outstanding food and very good service. The Hotel Playa offers an air-conditioned restaurant as well as many beachside “champas” located under the fresh tropical palm trees. The Hotel Casa de Playa has spacious rooms, direct access to the beach and a very nice swimming pool with a slide for children. Its all inclusive program is ideal for families, as parents do not have to worry about getting their children food or drink every so often; they can care for themselves without need of mom or dads signature or cash money! There are now a variety of adventure mountain bicycle tours available in Puerto Cortes.
Based at the Hotel Playa in Cieneguita, Roberto Alvarez Jr. has designed various tours with an average of 4 hours of first class, scenic and without doubt invigorating routes that will take you to secluded waterfalls, offer scenic views of the Caribbean and allow you to discover a different facet of this region of Honduras. Professional mountain bicycles with front and rear suspension, helmets, first aid kits and the outstanding guide services provided by Roberto will provide you with and unforgettable experience. In addition, the first PADI diving center to be formally established in mainland Honduras operates at the Hotel Playa. Services offered include diving courses and of course, fun dives! They are also providing a variety of tours, especially on weekends when you can purchase a diving package or just a day excursion to Zapodillo Keys, lovely tropical Caribbean islets where you will have a chance to roam the small islands or discover the magnificent coral reefs teeming with live using your snorkel equipment. Another good option for food in the area is Anclas restaurant, located on the water, offering access to the refreshing trade winds as well as a great view of the port and beaches.
There are a couple of regular ferry boats leaving from the Puerto Cortes’ Muelle de Cabotaje, located just under the bridge that is next to the Delfin Restaurant. These boats are 20 to 30 passenger boats that make the run between Puerto Cortes and Big Creek, Placencia and Dangriga, Belize. The travel time is between 1 hour and forty five minutes and two hours, depending on the weather and number of passengers. There are actually two different companies doing the run, the newer boat is “The Express” which departs Puerto Cortes on Mondays at noon bound for Big Creek and Placencia. Return Trip from Belize to Puerto Cortes is on Fridays, departing Placencia at noon. The cost of the trip one way is $60.00 USA per person. The other company, Water Taxi Nesymein Neydy, offers trips from Puerto Cortes to Belize on Tuesdays, departing at 11:15 a.m. This boat stops at Big Creek, Placencia and Dangriga. On Mondays they also operate the Puerto Cortes direct to Dangriga Route with departures also at 11:15 a.m.
All incoming passengers can check immigration at the small immigration office adjacent to the market, however outgoing passengers must check into the main immigration offices located in downtown Puerto Cortes prior to departing. New immigration laws in Central America limit the time a foreigner can stay within the region of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua to three months total time, and getting an extension is very difficult, unless you leave the region beyond these four countries, meaning that you must travel at least as far as Costa Rica or Belize to stay legal. This ferry service offers the fastest, cheapest option, and by leaving on Tuesday and returning of Friday you comply with the minimum 72 hours out of the region to qualify for an additional 90 days.
Puerto Cortes (Cortez) on the North Coast of Honduras Puerto Cortes is the principal port of Central America, and its port facilities are the most advanced. Big ships loading and unloading every day of the week. Recent expansion and development at Puerto Barrios in Guatemala will create stiff competition for Puerto Cortes. The new port projects in Guatemala are privately owned and are expected to be more competitive and aggressive than the government run facilities at Puerto Cortes. The Saturday farmer's market draws big crowds of shoppers, tons of fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats from local producers. We buy most of our vittles there. From Puerto Cortes there is a partially paved road to the west taking you to Chivana, Omoa, Cuyamel, other small ocean side villages, and Guatemala. It's a great drive, mountains on your left and the ocean on your right. There are many beach homes belonging to upper crust folks from other parts of Honduras scattered among the local villages and homes. Omoa is a small beach town with a protected harbor that has attracted an international community of yachts, backpackers, restaurants, and hotels. Nothing 5-star but quite nice, similar to Tela but smaller and more laid back. Omoa is also the site of the fortress of San Fernando, a large and fairly well preserved fortress built by the Spanish for the defense of the Spanish Main. Omoa is the site of the annual fishing contest.
Cuyamel, located on the Cuyamel peninsula, is the site of the first banana plantation of Central America. Only a few vestiges remain but it's interesting to hike around. The Cuyamel river is a popular place for bathing by locals and there are vast expanses of great beaches. A dirt road to the East takes you to the Garifuna villages of Travesia and Baja Mar. Puerto Cortes is an OK place for me and my family, close enough to San Pedro Sula for business purposes without the high crime and all the hassles of the big city. We love having the mountains on one hand and the beaches and sea on the other.
Bajamar and Travesía are two of a loose string of Garífuna communities spread along the road that follows the coastline east from Puerto Cortés. There are various simple restaurants, pulperías, bars, and shady beaches,
not to mention the gregarious Garífuna people going about their business. Travesía and Bajamar are relatively safe and relaxed; especially the farther away from Puerto Cortés you go. Locals support themselves by fishing, selling coco-bread, and, increasingly, with money wired from relatives in the states (mostly in New York City, Boston and Miami), allowing many male townsfolk to sit back and drink copious quantities of gífiti, a lethal Garífuna concoction of herbs, roots, spices, and aguardiente (the favored Honduran poor-quality booze). Bajamar is the site of the annual National Garífuna Festival, normally held in late July, which draws Garífuna from Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras for a party of dancing and music. Beyond Bajamar, the road continues, ending five minutes past the village of Brisas de Chamelecón. Curious travelers can continue farther by renting a lancha (US$5 per boat) to carry them across the river’s mouth to La Barra Chamelecón, where they will reportedly find several eateries serving fresh fish and alcohol on the beach. Getting to Bajamar and Travesía Buses to Bajamar leave five times a day from next to the Citul station in Puerto Cortés, 7 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (US$1.00), with the last two buses of the day remaining in Bajamar. By taxi, expect to pay about US$8.00 to Travesía or US$11 to Bajamar, or hire a cab to take you out for a day trip for about US$10 an hour.
Código Postal - Zip Codes of Honduras
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Atlántida |
Colon |
Comayagua |
Copán |
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Cortés |
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Choluteca |
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El Paraíso |
Francisco Morazán |
Gracias A Dios |
Intibucá |
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Islas de La Bahía |
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Lempira |
Ocotepeque |
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Olancho |
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Santa Barbará |
Valle |
Yoro |
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Up ^ Arriba
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Escuela Republica de Chile |
2 & 3 Ave, La Curva |
665-0339 |
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Tribunal Supremor Electoral Esc. Rep. De Chile |
2 Ave., El Copen |
665-3203 |
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Escuela Republica; de Mexico |
La Curva |
665-0616 |
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Escuela Mixta Benigno Estrada |
4 Ave. El Centro |
665-5784 |
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Escuela Manuel Bonilla |
La Laguna |
665-0138 |
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Escuela Urbana Mixta 11 de Junio |
La Vegas |
665-2723 |
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Escuela Marco Aurelio Soto |
El Porvenir |
665-0446 |
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Escuela Reginal H. Hammer |
Campo Rojo |
665-6395 |
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Kinder Jardín de Ñinos |
Buenos Aires |
665-1382 |
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St. John’s Episcopal School 4 Ave, El Centro 665-5859/5860/5876 Atlantic Bilingual School 4 & 5 Ave, El Copen 665-4049
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