Whitewater Raft, Hike Tropical Jungles, And Eat Local Chocolate At Honduras' Prettiest National Park

Visiting a city can certainly offer you plenty of adventures, but some travelers like to get out into the wilderness and see what planet Earth has to offer. Around the world, tourists flock to some of the wildest and most beautiful national parks that any country has to offer. And if you love the Caribbean and Central America, one of the best places to visit has to be Honduras — specifically Pico Bonito National Park. Frankly, it's all in the name. "Pico bonito" means "beautiful peak" in Spanish, and it certainly has loads of beauty (as well as adventure) to offer travelers who love to get out into the great outdoors.

Pico Bonito National Park is located near the city of La Ceiba, Honduras, and its one of the largest and most popular parks in the country. The mountain peaks in this park can be seen for many miles, even as far as Roatán, Honduras, an island off the coast of the mainland. One of the best ways to reach La Ceiba and Pico Bonito National Park is to actually fly to Roatán from any city that offers a direct flight and then take another flight or ferry to the mainland. There are many hotels and accommodations in La Ceiba and further in the park, so you can choose which one suits your travel style and budget. There is a fee to enter the park itself and apparently, the price has gone up to around $15 USD per person (plus a $25 fee per group for a guide) but it's best to plan on spending more just in case prices go up again. But once you're there, you'll find tons of trails, opportunities to see wildlife and beautiful waterfalls, and even some relaxing spots to become one with nature.

Honduras is often compared to Costa Rica for people who love an adventurous, unforgettable vacation. While you can certainly get plenty of fantastic scenery and thrilling things to do outdoors in Costa Rica, Honduras can be a great alternative for a more budget-friendly vacation. Pico Bonito National Park is one of the most bio-diverse parks in Central America, which means many different species of wildlife and plants live and grow there, including jaguars, monkeys, deer, otters, and over 500 species of wild birds (especially toucans). Taking a hike through the park is one of the best ways to possibly spot the various fauna there. 

A 4.5-mile loop to El Bejuco Falls is one of the most popular routes, which also takes you along the Cangrejal River for some breathtaking views. However, this route can also be a bit of a tough climb, with over 2,280-feet of elevation gained along the trail. Trails to Unbelievable Falls and Cascada Zacate are a little shorter and less steep (but still contain a fair amount of climbing).

Aside from hiking, the park also has a bevy of outdoor adventures to enjoy. Even the bridge to enter can be quite thrilling since it is 40-feet across, high above the river. The rushing Cangrejal River is also a popular spot to go whitewater rafting and kayaking. Often, visitors arrange for these excursions with a guide through their hotel or accommodation, if it's available, like the Jungle Lodge and Hotel Rio. These excursions can also range in difficulty but most are for experienced rafters and kayakers. There are also many swimming areas along the river, as well as places to go rock climbing.

Close to El Bejuco Falls is where you'll find the Honduras Chocolate Company. Much like Costa Rica, which also has local farms harvesting coffee and cacao, Honduras is famous for its delicious chocolate. Local hotels in the area can offer tours where visitors can see how workers there harvest, dry, process, and mix cacao to make the sweet treat (and, of course, you can buy some bars to take home with you as well). The closest hotels to the cacao plantation are the Las Cascadas Lodge, Hotel Rio, and the Hotel La Villa de Soledad Bed and Breakfast.

Aside from Pico Bonito National Park, if you're willing to venture slightly outside, La Ceiba is also about 45 minutes away from Sambo Hot Springs, part of the neighboring Nombre de Dios National Park. The water technically comes out boiling hot but then mixes with the colder water from the creek, making it a safer temperature to take a dip. One of the best ways to visit the hot spring is by booking through the Sambo Creek Canopy Tour, which is one of the main tour companies in the area. The tour to the hot springs also includes a massage and a mud bath in addition to visiting the springs and costs around $25 to enter (though prices are always subject to change). And if you still want a thrill ride, you can also take an exhilarating zip line through the jungle through the same company.