La Moskitia
By admin | March 19, 2008
The region east of Trujillo, and towards the Nicaraguan border is generally referred to as La Moskitia, or the Mosquito Coast. It is very sparsely.
Populated, inaccessible by land and home to the largest tract of virgin tropical rain forest in the North American hemisphere. A good part of this area is protected by law under one of five distinct zones: The Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, the Tawahka Anthropological Reserve, the Patuca National Park, the Cruta Caratasca Wildlife Refuge and the Rus Rus Biological Reserve. The area is populated by several indigenous groups, of which the Pech, Tawahka, Garifuna and Miskitos are the most predominant.
Its uninviting name comes from the Miskito natives and not from the abundance of mosquitoes, although these are unquestionably inhabitants of the area! The Mosquitia actually is an international region, as part of it is Honduras and another part in Nicaragua. Getting to the area is not as difficult as it seems: There is regular boat service departing from Trujillo. Although the schedules change, you can get up to date information once in Trujillo, and there is never more than three or four days between departures. Additionally, you can also obtain passage to La Mosquitia from La Ceiba. For information on schedules, inquire at the Muelle de Cabotaje in La Ceiba.
The other, easier alternative is flying into the region. There are several communities that have regular scheduled service. Sosa Airlines, Isleña and Rollins Air all serve the Mosquitia region from La Ceiba, making it possible to fly to Brus Laguna, Palacios, Puerto Lempira, Cauquira and Ahuas.
For a more complete tour, you could check out some of the tour operators that specialize in the region. The most outstanding ones are Adventure Expeditions in Tegucigalpa, Mesoamerica Tours in San Pedro Sula, La Mosquitia Ecoaventuras, in La Ceiba, Turtle Tours in Trujillo and Go Native tours out of Copan Ruinas.
One of the best places in the world for tarpon and snook fishing is Brus Laguna. Cannon Island Fishing Resort offers packages that include full meals, tackle, guides, and lodging. It has become famous for the large fish and frequented by an international crowd. This unique resort is actually the first and only true jungle lodge in the country. The lodge, located on a small island within the large lagoon in a lovely tropical setting offers outstanding fishing with experienced English speaking fishing guides, first class accommodations and some of the best food to be found in Honduras. Owned and operated by a US family, you will feel very comfortable here. The small island got its name from some old English cannons that are on the island, mute testimony of the wars held in the area between the Spanish and English armies to control the area during colonial times. The name, Brus Laguna is without doubt of English decent, as the lagoon used to be called Brewers Lagoon! Access to Cannon Island is basically by air via Brus Laguna from La Ceiba. Lodging and fishing reservations for Cannon Island are all done from the USA via their state side offices. Because of their remote location, they do not have a regular phone at the resort, however communication is possible via a satellite phone as well as through e-mail, which is the easiest way to contact them if you are in Honduras. Their e mail is : SDThomas@teleport.com and cabrera_yolanda@hotmail.com
For those flying into Brus Lagoon and looking to explore the area on your own, check out the Hospedaje “El Tipico” located at the waterfront in Brus Lagoon. Joaquin Cruz, the owner is a very friendly person and can provide a world of information regarding the region. His rooms are very basic, and go for about Lps. 40.00 per night. He has a total of 6 rooms for rent. He is also the local rep for Rollins air in Brus Lagoon. His son, Jose Osvaldo Cruz has some rooms with private bath and fan for rent if you prefer more comfortable installations. He also has a boat that is available for tours and trips in the area. At the time of printing, Both Aerolinias Sosa as well as Rollins air all operate regular flights into Brus Laguna three times a week. Sami, the regional Moskitia airline flies small 4 passenger planes on a quasi-regular basis from Brus Laguna to other locations within the Moskitia.
The area of Palacios is probably the most diverse area as far as exploring the region is concerned. Generally considered as the gateway to the Rio Platano Biosphere reserve, Palacios is probably the most popular tourist destination in the region. With regular air service provided by Islena and Rollins, it is without doubt the best-communicated town in la Moskitia. It is probably the ideal point from where to launch your visit into the region. The Rio Tinto Hotel, located on the waterfront offers basic rooms with a private bath and outstanding food. Ana Marmol, daughter of Don Felix Marmol, the owner of the hotel, provides personal attention. From Palacios you can arrange a series of day trips to different areas. Perhaps most famous of all is Las Marias, a Pech community located on the banks of the Platano River. You can reach Las Marias from Palacios taking a motorized dugout canoe or “Pipante” If you take an express trip it should cost around $120.00 for the round trip as long as you don’t spend more than one night in Las Marias. From Las Marias it is a good 5 hours upriver on a pole propelled Pipante (dugout canoe) up the river to the famous petroglyphs. These smaller pipantes can only take up to two customers per vessel and cost approximately $25.00 US per unit. The easiest and best way to contract them is through the Ecotourism committee in Las Marias. This is an organization that has developed several tour options from Las Marias and can provide you with the logistics as well as professional guides. By contracting through them you not only insure the best experience possible, you are also helping protect the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, since it is imperative that the local communities can develop a way of generating revenue from the reserve to insure their commitment in its protection. From Las Marias tours to Pico Dama (a good 3 day hike with spectacular views) are available. Other alternatives are hiking tours to Cerro Mico and Sula Wala. The Ecotourism Committee also has some good basic lodging facilities that are fully recommended.
Back to Palacios, another nice alternative in the area is available in nearby Raista, located on the banks of Ivans Lagoon. Here you can visit a butterfly farm that was set up by peace corp volunteers and now run by local natives and is very successful. Eddy Bodden, the manager at the butterfly farm is most helpful and we wholeheartedly recommend that you talk to him to help assist in visiting the nearby attractions, that include the baru and hilbila creeks. Passage to Raista can easily be arranged in Palacios.
Although way out of the regular tourist track, I had the opportunity to visit Ahuas last year. This community has the feeling of an outpost in the middle of the pine savannah. As a matter of fact, Ahuas means pine in miskito. From Ahuas we traveled to Poptalaya, located about 3 miles from the airstrip, on the banks of the mighty Patuca River, where we were lucky enough to get passage downriver to Barra Patuca, a local miskito community located where the river reaches the Caribbean Sea. The trip was spectacular. Good birdwatching, plenty of river turtles and quite a few alligators were seen along the three and a half hour trip to Barra Patuca. Although there are virtually no tourist facilities here, we were blessed by having a native guide who helped us secure lodging for a couple on nights with her folks. I found the Miskito’s from Barra Patuca to be most hospitable and friendly. The town is a very pretty picturesque community with most homes built out of wood or palms. It was without doubt one of the highlights of our trip to La Moskitia.
La Mosquitia is certainly the ideal spot for an adventure vacation. The natives are friendly and there is a lot of wildlife. However, you will find accommodations very limited and getting food hard, and if you are not carrying your food, you will end up with a limited variety of food available, basically the local staples. Unless you are truly adventurous, I recommend that you visit the area with one of the local tour operators. They will certainly make your life a lot easier in the region, and contrary to what you might expect, it will not be much more expensive. Although accommodations are very limited and generally primitive in the area, transportation is very expensive. The local tour operators have a network of local help that will make your life a lot easier!
Topics: Honduras | No Comments »
Basilica de Esquipulas
By admin | March 19, 2008
La construcción de este Santuario comenzó en 1742. En 1759, se trasladó el Cristo Negro. Este templo es uno de los mejores ejemplos de arquitectura barroca en el País. Hasta hoy recibe miles de devotos provenientes de varios países del mundo.
Topics: Chiquimula | No Comments »
Antigua Guatemala
By admin | March 19, 2008
Este Municipio está ubicado en un valle rodeado por los Volcanes de Agua, de Fuego y Acatenango. Fue la 3a Capital de la Capitanía General de Guatemala, por lo que cuenta con una historia que ha sido reseñada en múltiples crónicas y relatos. La ciudad conservó el Escudo de Armas que le fuera otorgado desde su primer asentamiento y Felipe II la honró con el Título de Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de los Caballeros de Guatemala (por tradición, se le agrega “de Santiago” de Guatemala, aunque no era parte del nombre oficial). Fue el escenario de múltiples acontecimientos, como la introducción de la imprenta, en 1660, la fundación de la 1a universidad, la Universidad de San Carlos, en 1676, la inauguración de la tercera Catedral de Santiago de Guatemala, en 1689, y la publicación de periódicos, como La Gaceta de Goathemala, en 1729. Durante su historia fue afectada por numerosos sismos, tanto en el siglo XVI como en el siglo XVII, pero los de mayor magnitud fueron los del siglo XVIII (1717, 1751 y 1773, Terremoto de Santa Marta). Esta urbe posee numerosas distinciones que destacan la importancia que tenía frente a otras de Hispanoamérica. Una de estas distinciones se le dio con el Decreto 2272 del 30 de marzo de 1944 de la Asamblea Legislativa, cuando la Ciudad fue declarada Monumento Nacional, con lo que se inició un proceso que la llevó a consolidar su imagen, primero en el plano nacional y luego internacional, para situarse como un ejemplo de conservación. El 12 de octubre de 1948, el Congreso de la República la proclamó Ciudad Emérita, y el 25 de septiembre de 1958, fue Capital de la República Guatemalteca por 24 horas. Las acciones para lograr un lugar para esta ciudad continuaron y, como resultado de esto, el 28 de octubre de 1969, el Congreso de la República emitió el Decreto 60-69 con la Ley Protectora de la Ciudad de La Antigua Guatemala. Esta acción obedece en parte a la atención que la Ciudad mereció en 1965, por parte de la VIII Asamblea General del Instituto Panamericano de Geografía e Historia, que declaró el conjunto como Ciudad Monumento de las Américas. En 1979, la UNESCO la declaró Patrimonio de la Humanidad. El valle tiene fincas de café de primera calidad. A esto se agregan los talladores de madera, fabricantes de dulces, artesanos de piedra y calicanto, cerería, cohetería, la cerámica vidriada, reconocida como mayólica por algunos historiadores, y sus tecolotes. Cuenta también con famosos talleres de orfebrería de jade. La celebración más espléndida, que constituye también la mayor conmemoración espiritual y de creación artística de todo el ciclo folklórico del año, es la Celebración de la Cuaresma y principalmente, la Semana Santa. Entre las danzas folklóricas que se presentan se pueden mencionar Los Enmascarados y Los Gigantes.
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Community Baboon Sanctuary
By admin | March 19, 2008
The Community Baboon Sanctuary on the banks of the Belize River is located some thirty miles west of Belize City off the Northern Highway in the Belize District. Consisting of some eighteen square miles of basically subsistence farms, the sanctuary exhibits the spirit of coexistence that Belizeans have with nature. Through a grassroots effort, the villagers and landowners have committed to preserving the habitat necessary to insure a healthy population of Black Howler Monkeys.
With assistance from the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of Milwaukee County, a small natural history museum and visitor’s center has been erected in Bermudian Landing, which is the most central location in the sanctuary. Since all lands in the sanctuary are privately owned, it is necessary to check with the Sanctuary Manager at the visitor’s center and to use a guide before following any of the trails.
Topics: Belize | No Comments »
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
By admin | March 19, 2008
The visitors’ entrance to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Maya Centre, which is at Mile 15 on the Southern Highway in the Stann Creek District. The Cockscomb Basin headquarters is located some 6 1/2 miles west of the visitors’ entrance to the sanctuary. Situated within the shadows of the Maya Mountains, the sanctuary encompasses some 100,000 acres of tropical moist forest that rises from 300 feet above sea level to approximately 3,675 feet at the summit of Victoria Peak. Originally established in 1984 as a reserve to protect a large jaguar population, as well as other resident wildlife, the sanctuary is also known as ” The Jaguar Preserve”. Since the sanctuary is home to numerous members of the cat family, there is also a large population of mammals and birds to support the food chain. Therefore, even though you may not see a jaguar or another carnivore during your visit, the opportunity to see herbivorous animals, a multitude of birds, and beautiful flora is always present.
Topics: Belize | No Comments »
Blue Hole National Park
By admin | March 19, 2008
The St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park (inland Blue Hole) is located twelve miles southeast of Belmopan on the Hummingbird Highway. The Blue Hole is a popular recreational spot, where water on its way from a tributary to the Sibun River, emerges from a collapsed karst sinkhole. The pool, from which the park receives its name, is a beautiful sapphire blue that is about twenty-five feet deep. After a short run through a natural jungle setting, the stream disappears into a large underwater cavern.
In addition to the pool, St. Herman’s Cave is within boundaries of the reserve. This cave has archaeological importance because the Maya used it during the Classic Period. Pottery vessels, spears, and torches are among some of the artifacts that have been recovered by the Department of Archaeology. Visitors to St. Herman’s Cave do not have to get the usual permission that is required from the government to explore caves.
Since St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park contains some 575 acres of primary and secondary forest, there is a significant opportunity to observe birds and other animals, as well as a plethora of flora.
Topics: Belize | No Comments »
Espadilla
By admin | March 19, 2008
Espadilla Norte is very popular for swimming and various water sports, such as surfing, kayaking, boat trips and jet skiing. A variety of tourism services is also available.
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Boca Vieja
By admin | March 7, 2008
Located in Quepos, this beach is frequented by the city’s residents. It sits between the mouth of the Río Paquita and the Boca Vieja, from which it gets its name. Walking along the beach and swimming are popular activities, as well as boat tours on the Río Paquita.
Topics: Beaches, Mid Pacific | No Comments »
Quepos
By admin | March 7, 2008
The seat of the Aguirre canton, Quepos maintains an important relationship with banana production activities in this part of the country; old Banana Company structures are still preserved to this day. The city offers a variety of accommodation, dining and recreation options, as well as spectacular scenery of the coast. Its wharf serves as a departure point for sport-fishing and recreational boat trips.
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Damas
By admin | March 7, 2008
Mangrove swamps
These mangrove swamps may be toured by boat or kayak. During the trip, visitors will be delighted to observe the unique flora and fauna, particularly white-faced monkeys and an infinite number of birds.
Caverns
These caverns are part of a 500-hectare tract set aside to protect the premontane forest. The caves contain rooms of different sizes, with stalactite and stalagmite formations.
Topics: Mid Pacific | No Comments »