Honduras

Know before you go

• safety

  Stick to the well-trodden circuit — Roatán, Utila, Copán Ruinas, and the Lake Yojoa area — and avoid moving between cities after dark; use trusted shuttles or domestic flights.

• money

  Carry lempiras in small notes on the mainland; the Bay Islands run partly on US dollars and dive-shop card payments, but everywhere else prefers cash.

• transport

  Tourist shuttles and short domestic flights (like La Ceiba to Roatán) beat chicken buses for anything long-distance; ferries to Utila and Roatán run twice daily from La Ceiba.

• scams

  At Copán, hire guides with official credentials at the park entrance rather than freelancers outside, and agree on the price before the tour starts.