Meet the cosiest town of Honduras: Copán! We stayed there for a couple of days when we were on our way from La Ceiba in Honduras to Antigua in Guatemala and I have to say; it’s difficult not to fall in love with the cobblestoned streets over here. The nearby crumbling Mayan ruins dot the outskirts of the city and clearly point to the cultural past as well.
I realize that Honduras doesn’t exactly have a spotless reputation. Figures will show you it is one of Central America’s most dangerous countries, after all. But the vibe in Copán is entirely different from that of the rest of Honduras (or at least, from the parts that I’ve seen). Copán feels much more Guatemalan and considering that is almost next to the Guatemalan-Honduran border that shouldn’t be a surprise. How shall I describe Copán… it’s like they have cut of a little part of Antigua and put it on a hill in a lush mountainous environment, dropped some macaws in it and many very friendly locals. Sounds pretty good right?
I already considered going to Copán during my Guatemalan trip in 2017. In the end I dropped the plan because it would take another 3 days at least going back and forth to the city and explore it. Time I didn’t have. Honestly, it’s a long detour to Copán, but if you’re on your way to for example El Salvador, any other spot in Honduras or even Río Dulce in Guatemala, it’s worth squeezing it into the itinerary. The one-way drive from Copán to Antigua took us something like 7 hours, even though we were promised 5.
Most folks come here just to see the famous Maya ruins, but there’s a lot of other fun stuff to do in Copán. If you want to see and do all of the things below, try to linger a little longer; at least three days I’d say. Otherwise two would be the bare minimum. Or one if you just want to see the ruins and get out after that.
Here’s where to go!
Go explore @ those quaint streets!
You can wander around for hours in Copán without ever getting bored. The center of Copan is safe, even at night. The most dangerous thing might be its cobblestones, so watch where you put your feet!
We were there in the beginning of December. I noticed throughout my travels in Central America that there’s no limit when it comes to Christmas decorations. People like to throw as much lights as possible into the trees. Anyway we enjoyed that christmassy vibes in town for sure.
The main square is definitely where the fun’s at ↑. So buy a fruit juice or an ice cream and join the locals in what seems to be their favourite pastime; spying on people.
Don’t forget to walk these lolly-hued steep streets in the north of town ↑ ↓
Wander around @ The ruins of Copán
When I was studying Russian one of my fellow students asked our teacher in agony why the language is so damn difficult. She promptly replied that the people in the tundra back in the days had nothing to do but to perfect (read complicate) their language?.
I had to think of it at the ruins of Copán, as this creativity rule of remoteness definitely can be applied in here. These Mayan ruins are so farfetched from everything (even nowadays), that you wonder how they did it, building such a detailed city centuries ago.
This civilization clearly did not like things plain and simple.
There may come a time when you might get a bit tired of Mayan ruins if you’re travelling around Central America. I had it myself at some point in Mexico… the ‘been there done that’ feeling. But Copán felt very different from all of the other and to be honest I was quite stunned by this ancient city. Perhaps it was my favourite Mayan ruin of all!
Copán may not have the sheer size of Tikal, but there are just so many subtle and funny carving decorations in the area that we kept on being pleasantly surprised.
I’m observing the back of this giant, carved column in here ↑
Moreover the ruins aren’t swamped with tourists, which adds to the special atmosphere in here.
You’d need at least something like three hours to do the area justice. Moreover, if you come very early in the morning you’ll encounter very few souls. Apart from wildlife that is. In fact, the earlier you pop up around the ruins, the more birds you’ll see!
I especially thought the many, colourful ‘motmots’ were cool! But focus on the grounds too, as agoutis (very small and weary rodents) are roaming over here.
More carvings @ Museo de Escultura
End your trip to the Copán Ruins with a visit to this Museum of Sculptures. Many of the original and best preserved carvings are located in this museum, sometimes with explanations as well.
Note that you need to pay a separate ticket to enter the building.
Get some energy @ El lugar del te & chocolate
Oh I loved this little cafe annex shop, which literally means ‘The place of tea and chocolate’ and indeed that’s what it’s all about in here. It thought El Lugar was a superb spot to fix those energy levels at the end of the day. That said, the ‘place’ is open every day, but (unfortunately) only after 4 pm.
Upon arrival in the store you’ll get an explanation (and samples) of everything that’s on sale; think of tea (leafs), hot sauces, organic skincare products and of course a LOT of chocolatehhh. The smell of chocolate will lure you in from afar.
Order a hot chocolate or a cheesecake ↓ and enjoy it all from the veranda, which offers a superb vista on the mountains of Honduras. Birds are flying around while you’re sipping that chocolate from a polished coconut shell.
It must be said that it takes a steep walk – as seen from the main square – to get to El Lugar, but the views on the town of Copán and it surroundings are worth the sweat. Plus now that you’ve burnt some extra energy, you can for sure take an extra piece of chocolate, yippee ka-yay!
Soak it up @ Luna Jaguar Hot Spring
We weren’t in the mood for leaving Copán, but I heard the Luna Jaguar Hot Spring is located in a very green and gorgeous setting. 40 minutes away by taxi, these hot springs consist of various pools, a natural jacuzzi, sauna, a massaging little waterfall and a mud bath. Massages are available too.
So if you’re looking for a relaxed experience, it sounds like this is it!
Go for a little break @ Museo de Arqueologica
This museum on the southwestern edge of the main square is super small and if you’ve already seen Copán or/and the sculpture museum it isn’t like a must or something. But still I thought it was fun to walk around in here. The entrance fee is only $2,- per person and it’ll take you 30 minutes to see it all. Worth a little break.
And there are some funky statues out there 🙂 ↓. He wouldn’t misfit Burning Man right?
Pretty vistas @ Museo Escolar Casa K’Inich
What.. another museum you may think? Well indeed, but it isn’t so much the museum that is of interest (although if you got kids, maybe it is )… but it’s all about the lovely view on the city from up here! If you’re on your way to ‘El Lugar del Te & Chocolate’, I’d suggest to stop in here for a second.
The building is slightly weird and looks like a mixture between a fort and the Dalí museum in Spain. The exhibition on the inside can be seen within 15 minutes and features an interactive display with an introduction about Mayan culture from both the past and nowadays.
Go for a horse riding experience
Ohhh this was my favourite activity in Copán! Arranged via Hotel Via Via, on a very early Sunday morning we joined a three-hour long horseback riding trip with González the Gaucho.
González leads his fellowship along the hills around town and if you want you can stop at three places along the way: firstly at the very fancy hotel of Hacienda San Lucas, secondly at a weaver place and thirdly at hidden ruins, that are sculptured like toads.
That last stop sounds weird right? But keep in mind that this is territory of highly skilled Mayan carvers. You can see one of the ‘toads’ below ↓
I tried hard to release my inner Xena during the trip, but I had kinda forgot what a terrible ‘jinete’ (horseback rider) I am. Fortunately González helped keeping both my horse (note the rope he’s holding) and me (with an update on the political affairs in Honduras) going strong for a couple of hours ?. What a great guy and what a fun way to enjoy your morning in Copán!
This tour is $15,- USD per person
Go for a drink @ Hacienda San Lucas
As said in the previous recommendation, the Hacienda San Lucas is quite luxurious. In fact, it’s probably the most elegant place in and around Copán.
Unfortunately you can only take a sneak-peek in here if you’re up for a drink or meal. If you’re planning a romantic night out, this for sure is the place! Otherwise a drink during sunset will be quite the experience as well.
Macaw Mountain Bird Park & Nature Reserve
I personally didn’t went there, so I can’t really recommend it, but our shuttle bus driver seemed to be super enthusiastic about the Macaw Mountain Bird Park & Nature Reserve, so I’m gonna include it in the list nonetheless.
Entry is supposed to be $10,- USD and includes a guided tour. I’m not a real fan of zoos (so I’d never recommend that), but this place has a big rescue and rehabilitation aim. The park has several release and breeding program which is absolutely great. In fact, the macaws that fly around the ruins of Copán (as pictured below) are the result of all of this. So your dinero is spend well in here!
Where to eat in Copán?
We tried out several spots in town and our favourite for sure was Comedor y pupuseria Mary. Come in here for lunch, in particular if you like pupusas; filled tortillas!
The comedor has a lovely and lush patio, where you can sit in the shade during the hotter hours of the day. Prices are very neat; for two persons we had to pay something like $8,- USD for lunch.
Where to stay in Copán?
There are quite some downtown budget options. We checked out Hotel Via Via (for just $10,- USD per private room with private bathroom!!), which looked great. However, since it’s located next to the only club in town I wouldn’t advise you to go there in the weekend. Even earplugs won’t help you out during those days.
We stayed at the nearby Iguana Azul (private room for $19,- USD, shared bathroom. Dorms are available as well), which was basic but very decent and had a laid-back backpackers vibe. The great thing about this hotel is the next doors breakfast area, which is set in a very laid-back and lush garden. ↓
Here’s where to find all the mentioned spots in Copán! ↓
Hazelle Galeas
March 16, 2023 at 6:59 pm
seems exciting im going soon