New Travel Warning

[laurenceh]

Sound terrible, doesn't it? But my guess is that the Bay Islands are probably safer, as long as one takes common sense precautions.

Crime is one of the reasons why I altered my own flight plan to completely bypass Hondurian mainland during my future trip to Utila. Even in Roatan I am only staying long enough to connect flights.

thats a shame, i understand nervous travelers from the u.s., that's normal for them but british, europeans etc. etc. are usually so much more adventurous.
i see dozens of european and australian backpackers i every time i catch a bus or the ferry on mainland honduras.
it is beautiful and should be explored, its biodiversity is amazing and second to none in central america.

regardless of the crime statistics for the country as a whole, the crime in the bay islands is no worse (and better than many) than many other caribbean islands.

travel warnings have been issued for several years in a row, nothing has changed, its the same place it was before the warnings.

 

[Mike]

I'm all for setting realistic travel expectations and putting travel warnings in perspective, but as for the mainland, there is little getting around that Honduras is ranked as the number 1 for murders per capital statistic. Even if you look for every loop hole in regard to that statistic, you might manage to drop it down the list a few places, it still ranks it as one of the top places for violence. Whether it's number 1 or number 5 that's way high enough on the list to take it seriously and plan accordingly and not take it lightly.

 

[diver 85]

IMO, go.........probably safer in/@ CCV than in/@ your own house......

 

[chillyinCanada]

Ah geez . . .isn't this about where Popeye steps in to the thread? Or whatever sockpuppet he goes by these days.

 

[KeithG]

Ah geez . . .isn't this about where Popeye steps in to the thread? Or whatever sockpuppet he goes by these days.

sockpuppet? Your Majesty, you're like a big jam doughnut with cream on the top.

---------- Post added July 30th, 2014 at 12:23 AM ----------

thats a shame, i understand nervous travelers from the u.s., that's normal for them but british, europeans etc. etc. are usually so much more adventurous.

More adventurous == less well informed?
My divebuddy vigorously pokes me in the ribs every time we end up on the "bad side of the tracks" as we continue our exploration of the great U S OF A. Next weekend is Boston. We are both eagerly looking forward to it.

Never been shot or arrested so I think we are ahead of the game.

oops sorry, this is really a pub post. As a Canadian I apologize. Profusely.

 

[chillyinCanada]

sockpuppet? Your Majesty, you're like a big jam doughnut with cream on the top.

What ever that means?


More adventurous == less well informed?

Not by half. I'm alert to the goings on in Roatan.

 

[Wingy]

More adventurous = less well informed??? I think not. I think most Aussie tourists (with the exception of the kuta crowd in bali) are very well aware of what dangers to look out for. Also different countries travel advice differs from the US advice. Exercise a high degree of caution is listed for Honduras, Roatan, Belieze, Nicaragua, Mexico with a couple of areas in mexico listed as reconsider need to travel.

This is exactly the same 'warning level' as Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia. From what I have observed travelers from outside of the US tend to be less risk adverse and have a higher level of perception of risk and probability.

 

[drbill]

I worked on an eco-cruise ship there in 2005. Even back then the staff was told to travel in groups if they went into Puerto Cortes. Not so bad when we hit Utila (but I spent my time there underwater).

 

[RTBDiver]

Its a scary scary dangerous place, I could not sleep at night if it were not for my ever on the watch pit bull mix

 

[laurenceh]

as someone who has spent about 60% of the last 7 years in honduras and has been regularly visiting for 11 years, i have a different (fact/experience based) opinion than some others who post on this forum.
i have actually travelled around mainland honduras multiple times and i would encourage people to experience it. the people are warm and welcoming and if you're a nature buff bring some hiking boots and some binoculars, the biodiversity is literally second to none.
we have been allover the country many times each year. i have traveling by taxi but 90% of the time by bus: alone, with my wife, with my mother, my mother on her own, my wife on her own etc. etc.
all in all our family has visited la ceiba 30+ times, pico bonito 6+ times, san pedro sula 20+ times (once for 3 weeks), copan 10+ times, i've canoed/camped in mozkitia twice. we've crossed the border into guatemala and visa versa, multiple times.
with common sense and perhaps a little luck, we have never been victims or witness' of any crime.
all this (drum roll) without carrying a gun and with no gun in our honduran home.
i'd rather just get advise from people who have actually travelled and spent time at the places they're commenting on. and by "travelled and spent time at" i don't mean people who have flown into a resort/dive op, dived, watched the sunset from a tourist filled bar each evening and then flown out.

over the july 4th weekend this year i was in chicago, there was 90+ shootings and 16+ gun deaths but i was completely unaware of it, except via the media, because i don't hang out in poor/gang neighborhoods.
i use the same prudence in honduras and except for media reports i am blissfully unaware of the gang warfare here as well.

come to the islands for great diving but try to find time to explore the mainland for it's beautiful nature.

re. puerto cortes and traveling in groups? of course, its the busiest cargo port in central america, i don't know a single cargo port that anyone in their right mind would wander around alone in, be it hamburg or long beach. merchant sailors attract an unsavory crowd.