A Quick Trip to Honduras (January 2011) In September 2010 my daughter, Melanie, her husband, Ka-Hung, and son, Dante, began a seven-month hiatus from work. They have an old 1986 Toyoto Landcruiser and planned to drive as far west then as far south as they could go. Ka-Hung s blog traces their trip and demonstrates his incredible eye for photography: http://www.kahunglaw.blogspot.com/. The Mule The Mule outfitted In mid-january 2011 my wife, Nancy and I caught up to them by flying into San Pedro Sula (Honduras) by way of Miami for a week s visit in lieu of a family Xmas. Most of our time was spent at the Villas Pico Bonito just south of the original banana port of La Ceiba, now the country s third largest city. Villas Pico Bonito is a small-scale resort on the Río Cangrejal which forms the eastern boundary of Parque Nacional Pico Bonito. Named after Honduras third highest peak, this is the largest national park in the country. Dante, me, Melanie and Ka-Hung at Villas Pico Bonito A delightful setting: toucans and toucanettes in the gardens and the 60 m Cascada El Bejuco visible on the other side of the Río Cangrejal. While we were there a (modest) column of army ants moved through, streaming over everything. They are true nomads, simply setting up a temporary bivouac at night before moving on. They are viewed positively as pest exterminators. I saw a 10 cm scorpion trying to escape the ants will kill it and, with their powerful jaws, dismember it.
Cascada El Bejuco View from Villas Pico Bonito The Río Cangrejal contains a series of massive boulders in the river, forming a set of impressive rapids up to Class V which attracts kayakers and rafters.
Access to the park is largely restricted, even for trekkers. Only a few trails are open. Access is by a steel suspension bridge over the Río Cangrejal. The longest trail is a rough slog to the Cascada El Bejuco. Cascada El Bejuco (60 m)
One day we hired a panga to take us out to Cayos Cochinos ( Hog Islands ) from Sambo Creek. About 20 km off the coast east of La Ceiba, the archipelago consists of two high islands, Isla de Cayos Cochinos Major and Isla de Cayos Cochinos Minor, fourteen tiny coral cays and a series of reefs. The entire area around the islands was declared a Marine National Monument in 2003. By panga to Cayos Cochinos
The islands are surrounded by diverse reefs. The snorkelling was wonderful. A scientific research station is located on Isla de Cayos Cochinos Minor [http://www.cayoscochinos.org]. Part of their research focuses on the population of Boa constrictors found on the island. They are among the smallest of the species (1.6 to 2.5 m). The population has been heavily affected by collecting for the exotic pet trade. We did manage to see some young ones and one adult as well as a Mexican vine snake which ended up on a branch just over our heads.
Cayo Cochinos boa (Boa constrictor imperator) Mexican vine snake (Oxybelis aeneus) Offshore some of the cays are occupied by private dwellings. Frigate birds
One cay is is almost entirely occupied by the Garifuna village of Chachauate. Tradition holds that the Garifuna culture stems from the descendants of two Spanish slave ships which ran aground in the 17 th century. The slaves on board eventually found sanctuary on the island of St. Vincent, intermarrying with the local Carib tribe. In the late 1700s the Garifuna rebelled against British colonial rule and many were exiled to the Caribbean island of Roatán (off Honduras). Over time the Garifuna established settlements along the Caribbean coast on the mainland of Central America from Belize to Honduras. The Garifuna language is derived from that of the Carib and Arawak Indians but their culture reflects their African roots as well. In 2001 UNESCO proclaimed the language, dance and music of the Garifuna as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Cayo Chachauate Fishing boat, Chachauate
The Garifuna village of Chachauate Garifuna kids with Isla de Cayos Cochinos Major in background