Greetings from Honduras! - Therapy Adventures

Honduras

There have been artifacts found throughout Honduras that show humans were there between 12,000 BC to 8,000 BC. Various tribes of different ethnicities traveled around for the next thousand years. The Mayan civilization spread into western Honduras and founded the city of Copan around. This ancient city was a major center of the Maya world. Christopher Columbus claimed the land for Spain in 1502, naming the country Honduras which means “depths” in Spanish. Honduras became independent from Spain in 1821. In the years after, the independence of civilian rule was challenged but was officially restored in 1981. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch wiped out 70% of Honduras’ agriculture and 80% of its infrastructure. It was said that 50 years of progress had been reversed. Honduras has been rebuilding itself since then.

Language

The official spoken language of Honduras is Spanish. There are 10 languages total, with five of them being indigenous. The indigenous languages are Garifuna, Miskito, Sumo, Pech, and Jicaque. These are typically spoken along with Spanish. Honduras Sign Language (LESHO) started developing in the 1980’s after the National Deaf Association and deaf ministries were established.

Common Phrases in Honduras:

  • Vaya Pues Uh-uh or alright, used to tell someone you are listening to them
  • Catracho A person from Honduras, their nickname for themselves, used with pride
  • Chele White person
  • Cheque Okay or alright
  • ¡Qué Pepsi! That’s cool! or awesome!
  • Mi amor My love
  • Los chepos The police
  • Pulpería/la trucha Corner shop/small stores
  • Alero Best friend, literally translates to “the one on your wing”
  • Maje Bro, dude, mate
  • Macizo "Solid" in Spanish, used to say something is great, a product of great quality
  • Pisto Money
  • Mara Your usual circle of friends, crew, or a gang of criminals from Central America

Attractions

Visit Lancetilla Botanical Gardens - Therapy Adventures

Lancetilla Botanical Gardens

In 1925, The United Fruit Company founded the “Lancetilla Agricultural Experimental Station” which was created to research and study the adaptability and market potential of bananas and plantains. Lancetilla Botanical Gardens is the second largest tropical botanical gardens in the world. There are two main areas: a tropical forest reserve native trees and plants and an arboretum with different tropical species from around the world. There is a natural tunnel made from bamboo that guides you through the area. It is also a cool place to birdwatch, with 331 species of birds there.

Visit Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences - Therapy Adventures

Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences

The Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) was founded in 1989 by the owners of Anthony’s Key Resort. It is located on the northwest coast of Roatán and stretches over 30 miles. RIMS is a teaching institution whose main purpose is to preserve Roatán’s natural resources through research and education. They study tropical marine ecosystems and bottlenose dolphins. People from around the world come to see the coral reefs and other natural phenomena and learn about the ecosystems. Visitors can swim and snorkel with dolphins, enjoy a dolphin dive experience, participate in a dolphin specialty course, and play games with them. New marine biologists can even be a “Dolphin Trainer for a Day” and put on their own dolphin show for their friends, parents, and anyone else in the crowd. The best part of it all is it takes place in a natural lagoon where the dolphins are free to swim around like they do in the wild!

Visit Copán Ruins - Therapy Adventures

Copán Ruins

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, this site is one of the most important sites of the Mayan civilization. It was discovered in 1570 by Diego García de Palacio but was not excavated until the 19th century. The vestiges of the city and the imposing public squares reveal the three main stages of development before the city was abandoned in the early 10th century. The Plaza of the Hieroglyphic Staircase contains more than 1,250 individual glyphs, which makes it the longest known Mayan inscription. The jungle swallowed up the city after it was abandoned, which helped with its conservation.

Visit Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve - Therapy Adventures

Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

This reserve was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 and is the largest protected area in the country with 350,000 hectares. Here you will find dense rainforests in the mountains and a diverse array of ecosystems in the coastal lowlands, including wetlands, savannah and coastal lagoons. There is a rich diversity of wildlife in the tropical humidity, including giant leatherback turtles, toucans, howler monkeys, scarlet macaws, and tapirs. There are various local and indigenous communities and peoples of African descent in and around Río Plátano, including the Pech, Tawahka, Miskito and Garífuna, living alongside the Mestizo (Ladino) population. Travelers can explore the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve in an organized tour to ensure their safety. Ecotourism companies also offer wilderness adventures and rafting trips down the Río Plátano.

Fun Facts

  1. Honduras was called the first true “banana republic” due to the fruit companies being so influential in every facet of Honduran life.
  2. The deaf population estimate is 70,000 in Honduras. Deaf people congregate in three major cities: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, and La Ceiba. For those who live in rural areas that are more isolated, many deaf people only use gestures and home signs the family has created for necessary communication.
  3. Hondurans are extremely passionate about football (soccer). There was even a famous 100-hour war between Honduras and El Salvador that started after El Salvador won the last game that qualified them for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
  4. The Cathedral in Comayagua, Honduras, is home to the oldest clock in the world. It was built by the Moors in 1100 AD and originally placed in the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.
  5. The Scarlet Macaw is the national bird of Honduras.
  6. Honduras was the first country to ban smoking in your own home! Smokers must stand 6 feet away from non-smokers.
  7. Honduras has a dual capital. The two cities are Comayagua and Tegucigalpa.
  8. Every year on the morning of Good Friday the people of Comayagua, Honduras create temporary “Alfombras” (“carpets”) using only colored sawdust that depict religious scenes. This tradition is called the Sawdust Alfombras of Comayagua and is one of the most enjoyed events of Honduras. These carpets only last nine hours before they are stomped on by a holy march marking the stations of the cross.
  9. The Honduran Lempira is the official currency of Honduras. It is named after an Indian chief that died trying to save his lands from the Spaniards.
  10. Half of the mammal species in Honduras are bats. There are 98% known species occupying every forest ecosystem.

Travel Guidelines

Vaccines:

  • COVID-19
  • Chickenpox (Varicella)
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (TDAP)
  • Flu (influenza)
  • Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
  • Polio
  • Hepatitis A & B
  • Rabies
  • Typhoid
  • Yellow Fever

Prevention Medication for Malaria: Present throughout the country and in Roatán and other Bay Islands. None in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa.

Recommended chemoprophylaxis: Atovaquone-proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine, primaquine, or tafenoquine.