Copan ruinsPyramid of inscriptions (if I remember well)
NOTE: this is the first entry of a new set of entries related to a multi-country trip from March to May of 2008.
Honduras
My main goal was to visit Roatán, the Hondurean Caribbean island. I knew, though, that just taking a plane from San Salvador to Roatán would be too easy, too little adventurous. So I decided to drive. Actually, my first thought was “not-to-fly”. The plan was to drive from San Salvador to Copán, then San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, and take the ferry to Roatán. Since I did not have time to spend a night on the road on the way back, this meant I would have to drive maybe 9 hours on my return, and I decided against it.
At the end, I drove from San Salvador to Copán, spent a night there and the next day drove to San Pedro Sula (SPS), where I took a small plane that took me to Roatán. I spent 3 nights in Roatán and then flew back to SPS, took my car and drove all the way to San Salvador.
Copán
There are 2 ways to drive from San Salvador to Copán. You can
drive up north, get into Honduras in El Poy’s border station, drive north to La Entrada, and then drive west to Copán Ruinas (yes… that’s the funny name for the town nearby the ruins in Copán). The other way seems more complicated but, actually, is the one I took based on people’s advise (I was told this road was much safer): you go west in El Salvador, pass through Santa Ana and then drive north-west to Metapán, crossing the border to Guatemala in Anguiatú. In Guatemala, you take the road to Chiquimula but before getting to that city, you turn right (north-east, I guess) towards the border with Honduras. You get into Honduras through El Florido. And 10 minutes later you’re in Copán Ruinas. My sense is that the drive takes between 3.5 and 4 hours. If you’re used to it, you might do less than 3.5 hours.
Copán Ruinas is a very small town. I’d guess it is around 10 x 10 blocks. It has a sort-of-colonial feel, with its rocks-paved streets. My brief visit left me with the impression that it is visited by two types of tourists. On one hand, you find “archaelogical tourists”, usually 50-60
year old European or American couples. These people come to visit the ruins. Even though I got into the ruins by 3 PM, I found 2 or 3 groups of these tourists. On the other hand, you find what Central American refer as “hippies”. The 21st century “hippy” is on his/her twenties, is traveling by backpack, and yes, will visit the ruins, but will probably stay in town for a night or two just to hang around. The abundance of internet cafes, reggae bars and street vendors (selling bracelets and other minutiae) in town were signs of the presence of this tribe.
In recent years, Copán has tried to develop further attractions -besides the ruins- to convince tourists to stay longer. I remember seeing ads for a canopy camp and for a coffee tour. Notwithstanding all of these, I believe the tourist can do Copán in less than 24 hours. The ruins themselves can be visited in 3 hours, and it might be a stretch. Thinking about it, depending on where you’re coming from, you could be able to just pass through Copán, visit the ruins and keep going in your route.
Being said that, I found a
good reason to stay overnight in Copán: Hacienda San Lucas Los Sapos. A friend of mine told me it was the most charming place to stay in town and, yes, she was right. The hotel sits on a hill that overlooks Copán Ruinas. If you’re driving from Guatemala (as I did), you pass through the entrance to town, keep driving for less than 1 km and, in a place where the road turns left, you turn right and cross a small river. You will follow the signs, driving in a road that follows the river shore, drive up in a hill and find this beautiful hotel. San Lucas is an eco-friendly hotel, with solar electricity, great food, and well-decorated rooms (with candlelights and all). The hotel’s owner is Flavia and she has a Spaniard woman as hotel manager (unfortunately I do not remember her name). Both Flavia and the manager do a great job in terms of hospitality. They greet you by your name, and they check on you at meal time, just to make sure you have the right plans for the day. If my memory is correct, the cabin goes by around $100-120 per night.
The mayan
ruins are fine but you should keep in mind these are not the largest nor the prettiest mayan ruins. If I’m correct, Copán is the mayan site located farthest to the East in Central America. The pyramids and temples are fine but can’t be compared to Tikal or other locations. Unfortunately, what I will really remember from the Copán ruins will be the annoying attitude of European tourists (the 50-60 years old I mention above) who were constantly asking people to move around so they could take “the right shot” of the ruins. Who do these people think they are?
Any Copán story will not be complete without mentioning Marina Copán Hotel. I had lunch on this place both on my way up to San Pedro Sula as on my way back. Food was abundant and relatively cheap on its restaurant. Marina Copán is the only hotel in town with a pool, which looked tempting from the restaurant balcony. If you prefer a hotel in town, I think Marina will be a good choice. Price is similar to Hacienda San Lucas. I understand the other hotels and hostals in town are cheaper.
Honduras' Flag
Map of Honduras