Hello
though I've been to both Guatemala and Honduras, It was six years ago and I have recently heard about increases in crime.
I am planning on going in within a month or so and would like to visit Tikal, and Copan as well as the bay islands. I wouls also like to climb at least 1 volcano in Guatemala.
has anyone out there recently traversed any of these routes? Any words of wisdom and/ or caution ?
[There are 9 posts - the latest was added on Fri 16 April, 23:58]
Use the form at the end of this page to add your own post.
Topics
| Thorn Tree
| Home
U. S. Department of State Crime Information:
Excerpt from Advisory dtd. 2-20-98
Personal security in Honduras requires a high degree of
caution. Throughout Honduras, street crime is the principal
concern, with thefts in urban and coastal recreational
areas, which include purse snatching, pick-pocketing and
armed robberies. Displaying jewelry or large amounts of
money increases the risk of robbery. Armed highway robberies
and car-jackings have been a particular problem, and there
have also been incidents of home and yacht burglaries, and
even murders. Tourists have been targeted by criminals in
areas of San Pedro Sula, Tela, Trujillo and Tegucigalpa.
U.S. citizens should exercise particular caution in and
around sparsely-inhabited coastal areas, and they should
avoid walking on isolated beaches, especially at night.
In 1997, a number of U.S. citizens and others were
assaulted, raped and/or robbed by armed criminals on beaches
in and around the popular north coast resort towns of Tela
and Trujillo. A pattern has also emerged of armeded hold-ups
of U.S. citizens and other travelers, occurring after the
victims arrive at San Pedro Sula Airport and continue
overland by road to other destinations in northern Honduras.
These highway robberies, which take place mostly on the main
coast road passing through El Progreso-Tela-La Ceiba, are
believed to be the work of several organized bands of armed
robbers preying on luggage-laden travelers arriving on
international flights at San Pedro Sula Airport. The bandits
are believed to use airport spotters and cellular phones or
radios to coordinate the assaults.
Although not a primary tourist destination, the Department
of Olancho has a reputation for being one of the most
violent areas in Honduras. Armed assaults of buses and
private cars, sometimes involving rapes and killings, have
been on the upswing on the stretch of unpaved road between
Limones and La Union, Olancho.
I was in Copan in Dec 98 with my entire family 10 of us in
all and we had a great time. No many tourists due to
Hurricane Mitch but everything was wonderful and the lack of
tourists was not a bad thing.
I have helped may people set up Tikal trips and all of them
have had good experiences.
I live in Xela and travel quite extensively throughout Guate
and to date have had only good experiences.
Crime is present, but where in this world is it not??
Use your common sense be friendly and polite.
Hope this helps
Tom
Xela Pages Travel Guide
http://www.xelapages.com
U. S. Department of State Crime Information:
Excerpt from Advisory dtd. 2-20-98
Personal security in Honduras requires a high degree of
caution. Throughout Honduras, street crime is the principal
concern, with thefts in urban and coastal recreational
areas, which include purse snatching, pick-pocketing and
armed robberies. Displaying jewelry or large amounts of
money increases the risk of robbery. Armed highway robberies
and car-jackings have been a particular problem, and there
have also been incidents of home and yacht burglaries, and
even murders. Tourists have been targeted by criminals in
areas of San Pedro Sula, Tela, Trujillo and Tegucigalpa.
U.S. citizens should exercise particular caution in and
around sparsely-inhabited coastal areas, and they should
avoid walking on isolated beaches, especially at night.
In 1997, a number of U.S. citizens and others were
assaulted, raped and/or robbed by armed criminals on beaches
in and around the popular north coast resort towns of Tela
and Trujillo. A pattern has also emerged of armeded hold-ups
of U.S. citizens and other travelers, occurring after the
victims arrive at San Pedro Sula Airport and continue
overland by road to other destinations in northern Honduras.
These highway robberies, which take place mostly on the main
coast road passing through El Progreso-Tela-La Ceiba, are
believed to be the work of several organized bands of armed
robbers preying on luggage-laden travelers arriving on
international flights at San Pedro Sula Airport. The bandits
are believed to use airport spotters and cellular phones or
radios to coordinate the assaults.
Although not a primary tourist destination, the Department
of Olancho has a reputation for being one of the most
violent areas in Honduras. Armed assaults of buses and
private cars, sometimes involving rapes and killings, have
been on the upswing on the stretch of unpaved road between
Limones and La Union, Olancho.
so there u go
Thanks for responding. I have actually already read the state dept warnings but wanted to get some responses from people who have travelled along these routes. Although the state dept warnings give a certain degree of understanding of an area, It is hard to put it into context of actual per capia crime. Personally, I am interested in what people's emotional feelings and general comfort levels were while they were travelling. Thanks anyhow.
I just returned from Guatamala. We went to Tikal, Atitlan,
Chchicastengo, Nebaj, and Antigua. We experienced no
problems. although we did not climb a volcano, we did bike
one with a guide (Old Town Outfitters). We camped at Tikal
and had no problems--but we did find out that it is cheaper
and easier to book your flight with a travel operator in
Antigua. In Nebaj, we met a local guide who took us on an
all day hike through the mountains around Nebaj and Acul,
again without problems. We did find out that the LP
guide is out of date here though. You definately do not
want to stay at Tres Hermanos. Antigua (at least during
Semana Santa) was full of police and we had no problems).
There were lots of police on the road to Pana. on the Lake.
The only problem I experiance in guatemala was the one Hoar
who took 50 qunsales from my wallet while I was drunk I mean
I would of at least gave her that much and the one in La
cieba Honduras who would not stay the hole night and just
wanted a quick one and then she still wanted a whole 10$
Canadian I told her I would give her 20$ but she would not
go for it and I only got a dime instead of a quarter ounce
of good coke for 3$ othere than that I did not feel any
danger dont worrie about those wimps and there warning if
you listen to them you might as well stay home but then they
will probally come up with the
"Danger of staying home pamflet"
Been reading state dept. warnings for years. Behind everyone
of them is a grain of truth. But...if you have ever had to
deal with the US embassy in any 3rd world country you soon
get the impression that they really don't want you running
around there. Why cant you stay home, get a hair cut and go
to Disney Land?..is the attitude. Western Europe is OK to
them..if you act respectable. Maybe Japan if you are rich.
I've traveled through much of Latin America..including
Cuba..been in several countries in the stages of Civil War,
guerrilla insurrection, student protests and strikes, and a
couple cases of the US trying to screw the people of the
country. Other than the all too frequent drunk bus driver and
a few meals that I should have known better to eat never
really felt in danger (OK the one time in Guat. when I had to
convince the army patrol that the grenade wasn't mine was
dicey). It's easy to die in bed but just ain't no fun. Any
State Dept. report triple check through independent sources.
I was in Guatemala about 4 weeks ago and loved it - never
felt in any danger. We did meet a guy who had been robbed on
the volcano near San Pedro on Lago Atitlan, and he told us
another person and their local guide had also been robbed,
so maybe best to ask around before you head off alone into
areas only tourists would go. Then again, maybe they caught
the perpetrators by now. The guy said it was particularly
frightening because the robbers were a group of extremely
nervous fifteen year olds and he was afraid one of them
would misinterpret a move of his and blow his head off. In
San Pedro, there are safety deposit boxes to store your
passport and you can just bring along enough money to keep
possible robbers happy if you decide to go anyway - and lots
of people do.
BTW I heard from several people that they got sick after
eating at the downstairs restaurant at the dock in San
Pedro. I had breakfast there, but vegetarian, and had no
problem - maybe it's just meat based food that's tricky.
The volcano Pacaya outside of Antigua can be climbed in
groups which are accompanied by armed guards.
The only people I met who had problems were on volcanoes or
in Guatemala city.
I met one guy who claimed to have been robbed at the
lakeshore in Pana, but I had a feeling he was a scammer. He
was asking for money to get to Guate and his embassy, or new
traveller's cheques, but saw him in a cafe two days later.
I loved Guatemala- envy you like crazy
I was in Honduras and Guatemala for a few months last
summer just before Mitch and had no problems. Guatemala has
a few pickpockets in the city, but I heard of no other
problems. Everyone was taking the bus to Tikal, but during
the daytime.
I injured my knee in Honduros, but never had anything but
kindness in LaCeiba and on the islands for the three weeks I
was in that area. I was travelling on my own and made an
easy target on a pair of crutches. However, I did meet some
people that said there were some problems of theft around
the peak seasons in Tela and La Ceiba. This was before
Mitch. Now I have heard it is worse and there are many more
robberies along the roads.
I never have listened to over protective travel reports.
A bit of caution goes a long way in third world countries
and those reports are for the naive.