Honduras Beach Front Real Estate for Sale near La Ceiba
The market for oceanfront, Caribbean real estate has become very attractive. Honduras real estate has become very active for its natural beauty and exceptional value.
La Ceiba is a port city on the northern coast of Honduras in Central America. It is located on the southern edge of the Caribbean Sea forming part of the south eastern boundary of the Gulf of Honduras. With a population of over 170,000 living in approximately 170 residential areas (called colonias or barrios), it is the third largest city in the country and the capital of the Honduran department of Atlántida. La Ceiba was officially founded on August 23, 1877. The city is named for giant ceiba trees which grew near the old dock, which finally fell into the sea in late 2007. Its climate is tropical, with a latitude of 15° 46.0 and a longitude of 086° 50.0. The city has been officially proclaimed the "Eco-Tourism Capital of Honduras" as well as the "Entertainment Capital of Honduras". Every year, on the third or fourth Saturday of May, the city holds its famous carnival. During this time, the city is host to over 200,000 tourists.
History
In 1872, a man named Manuel Hernandez built a small shack under the Ceiba tree that was at one point by the old docks. Over time, more and more people from all over present-day Honduras (especially the departments of Olancho and Santa Barbara), and from around the world settled in La Ceiba. These people were attracted by the cultivation of bananas that became popular in the region. In the late 19th century, the banana business caught the attention of big North American banana companies such as the Vaccaro Brothers' Standard Fruit Company from New Orleans. This new economic activity created a draw which caused La Ceiba to become more populated by national and international immigrants. The current neighborhood known as Barrio Ingles was the first recongnized neighborhood in the city and was named so by the number of people from England living in that area. At that point the main thorougfare of La Ceiba was present-day Avenida La Republica, which is where the train tracks were set. These train tracks were built by the Standard Fruit Company(now Standard Fruit de Honduras), a Dole subsidiary. This company is laregly responsible for the early growth of the city.
La Ceiba was declared a municipality on August 23, 1877. At that time Marco Aurelio Soto was the mayor. La Ceiba was the center of banana and pineapple business and the regional economy depended laregly on it. This led to the birth of newer and larger national companies such as:
- Cerveceria Hondureña, the national brewing company and holder of the Coca-Cola licence in Honduras. Founded in 1918
- Fabrica de Manteca y Jabon Atlantida, known as La Blanquita, at one point, the largest producer of consumer goods in Honduras, now defunct.
- Banco Atlantida, oldest Bank in the country, founded in 1913
The first municipal building or city hall was located in the corner of 2da Calle and Avenida Atlantida, where the present day Ferreteria Kawas warehouse is. The building was made of wood and in 1903 it was burnt down due to vandalism from people wanting to get rid of private property ownership records in La Ceiba. The municipal building was again set on fire on March 7th, 1914. The Municipal Corporation moved the offices more south of the city where it was again set on fire in 1924. It was shortly built in its current location, a piece of land donated by Manuel Mejia.
Currently La Ceiba is the third largest city in Honduras, the second most important port town after Puerto Cortes in the department of Cortes. It has the lowest percentage of illiteracy among inhabitants in the country and one of the largest concentration of bilingual education schools.
Economy
La Ceiba's economy is made up of mostly commerce and agriculture. Pineapple is the city's major export. Its largest producer is the Standard Fruit Company, a subsidiary of the Dole Food Company, which operates all over northern Honduras and is based in La Ceiba. Tourism also plays a large role in the city's economy (see below). Since its development in the late 20th century, the La Ceiba Sea Port has played an ever encreasing role in the economy of the city. Currently, this port represents a vital economic artery to La Ceiba's growing tourist industry. Additionally, the La Ceiba sea port is home to one of the finest boatyards in the north west Caribbean (According to “Western Caribbean Cruising Guidebook”). Known as the La Ceiba Shipyard, this company offers a complete group of marine services for all types of sea going vessels.
Education in La Ceiba
La Ceiba is home to many public schools, among the largest is Escuela Francisco Morazan along Avenida San Isidro, which is considered the main street of the city. Instituto Manuel Bonilla is the largest public High School in the City with over 5,000 registered students.
There are also many private schools, including the Instituto Maria Regina, a catholic private high school. It is also home to numerous private bilingual education schools, which offer education in both Spanish and English. Most of these offer both a Honduran Bachillerato Diploma (equivalent of High School diploma) and a U.S. accredited High School diploma. These schools usually offer grades 1 - 11/12 with some offering pre-school education.
The first university in the city was the Centro Universitario Regional del Litoral Atlantico (often called CURLA), which is a public University run by the larger Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras (UNAH). The first private university to open in the city was Univerisidad Tecnologica de Honduras(UTH), which opened in 1995. At the time the college only offered night classes, using the classrooms in a local private high school. In 2002 the college built their own campus. 2002 also marked the opening of the Universidad Catolica de Honduras, run by the catholic church. Additionally, development of a new campus in La Ceiba for the Universidad Tecnologica Centroamericana - UNITEC is currently under way as of 2008.
Tourism
La Ceiba has long been known as the tourism capital of Honduras, due to its proximity to the beach, active night life, and a variety of parks and recreational areas in and around the city. Another factor contributing to the city's tourism is that besides by airplane from other cities, the only other way to get to the Islas de la Bahia in the Caribbean is by boat or ferry from La Ceiba.
The area around La Ceiba has many parks and natural reserves. Its most recognized is the Pico Bonito (Beautiful Peak) National Park. This park's most recognized feature is its 2435 meter mountain peak of the same name, and the Nombre de Dios mountain range, of which Pico Bonito is a part, provides a back drop to the city. The Cangrejal River, popular for its Class III-IV river rafting, borders the eastern edge of the city and the Cuero and Salado Wildlife Refuge is located a few miles to the west.
Semana Santa (Holy Week) is one of the cities busiest tourist seasons. During this week tourists from all over the country flock to the city to enjoy its sun, beach, and very active night life during that week.
The busiest tourist season by far is the week leading up to the internationally renowned "Carnaval de la Amistad" which is a city-wide celebration in honor of the city's patron saint St. Isodore (San Isidro). During this week (the week leading up to the third Saturday in May), many neighborhoods will have their smaller celebrations in one or a couple of their streets. On Saturday afternoon is when the big parade with elaborate floats takes place along Avenida San Isidro, the city's main thoroughfare. After the parade the locals and tourists all have a celebration along that same road, where there are stands that sell food, beer, drinks, and even souvenirs.
Transportation in La Ceiba
Buses and taxis make up most of the public transportation in the city, with numerous buses serving almost every available route in the city. Taxi-cabs are numerous in the city, costing as little as L.20.00 (around $1.00 as of 2008) if the destination is within the city limits.
The pier to the east of the city offers transportation via ferry to 2 of the 3 major islands that make up Islas de la Bahia; Roatan and Utila. The Golosón International Airport to the west of town offers flights to the other major cities in the country as well as other towns in the Mosquitia Region of Honduras in the east. This airport is hub to Islena Airlines (a local air carrier which is part of the Grupo Taca).
Getting around La Ceiba is easy and cheap. Within the city and to the airport there are standard taxi rates. It is 20 Lempiras (june 2008) per person within the city limits. This jumps to 25 Lempiras after dark and goes up the later you are out. A ride to the ferry dock is 50 Lempira per person. As fuel prices have increased what constitutes a "downtown" trip has shrunk. Do make sure you know the fare before you get in the cab, particularly if you are leaving downtown for the port or the airport. Prices are generally quoted per passenger except from the airport. Don't be surprised if your driver stops to pick up additional passengers.
Most of the streets in La Ceiba have names but the problem is that no one, including the taxi drivers, know what they are. This can complicate things greatly and a basic understanding of Spanish is helpful. Know the name of your destination or have it written down (for the more obscure destinations, include the barrio or colonia in which it is located).
There are plenty of buses in La Ceiba. The cost is usually around 10-15 Lempiras. A bus will continue to pick up people until it is full. Be advised that if a bus doesn't stop to pick you up it's because it has reached capacity. Just stand at the side of the road and flag one down when you see it coming. The people who ride the buses are poor locals and are very, very friendly and very curious. Still, it's a good idea to watch your belongings!
Places to See
Excellent options with children are: • Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge. You take an old train through the pineapple fields to a beautiful lagoon. There is a modern park building with small displays and public restrooms. You can then take either a motor boat or canoe tour of the lagoon. Bring suncreen, hats and water bottles. • The Lodge at Pico Bonito. The lodge allows day visitors. You can use their pool, hike their trails, climb their lookout towers and have lunch at their restaurant. It's a lovely place to explore and easy with children. • El Porvenir. The beach at El Porvenir is lots of fun. There is a river flowing into the sea and it makes for a freshwater "tubing" area that runs parallel to the sea. There's also a small restaurant for drinks and chips.
Things to Do
- La Ceiba Carnival, the biggest in Central America. It takes place on the third Saturday in May, though there are mini-carnivals in the various barrios in the days leading up to it. This is a unique event that completely packs the town out, and is generally very peaceful and good natured.
The Banana Republic hostel located between 12 Calle and 13 Calle on Ave La Republica (3 1/2 blocks south of Parque Central) offers daily commutes to and from their Jungle River Lodge, ~20miles north in the Pico Bonito national rain forest. Here they offer adventure in the form of canopy tours (i.e. ziplines from platform to platform built into the treetops) and whitewater rafting (very intense during the rainy season) among other activities.
Ask a local about nightly football games at the Municiple Stadium located about 4 blocks east of Parque Central. The East side of the stadium has a much more lively atmosphere than the family outing-like setting of the West side; the tickets are a slightly more expensive but certainly worth it for a more authentic experience.
Shopping
Sadly, the majority of items you can buy in La Ceiba come from Guatamela. Still, they're cheap and pretty. The souvenir shop with the largest selection in La Ceiba, including a good variety of local art and artisan work, is the Rain Forest located just to the northwest of the stadium in Colonia El Naranjal. Local hammocks can be purchased around central park at a reasonable price, but start your negotiations at half the asking price.
Places to Eat
A great place for tourists and ex-pats alike is Bar Expatriados. It's been a while since I've lived in La Ceiba but any cab driver or local will know it's roof top downtown location (in Barrio El Iman at the end of Calle 12). The former owners, Mark and Maureen have returned to Canada but the new American owners, Joe and his wife Michelle, are helpful and friendly. The menu is typical American/Honduran. Great burgers and imported/domestic beer. The cost for a meal is expensive compared to the non ex-pat places but much cheaper then a fancy restaruant. A night of dinner and drinks for 2 will run you about $30USD
The Mango Tango is another popular moderately priced restaurant along the beach strip in the Zona Viva (Calle 1 along the beach).
Ricardos on Avenida 14 de Julio is also delicious and well priced and serves some of the best food in Central America and has the awards to prove it. They are at the top end of the price scale in La Ceiba but still half what you would expect to pay for the same plate above the Rio Grande.
A bit outside of town toward the airport the ex-pat owned and operated Iguana Bar & Restaurant serves local seafood and open grille beef speciality dishes on the beach at more moderate prices.
Sleeping Arrangements
There are good quality hotels in La Ceiba, including the Quinta Real, La Quinta, Hotel Paris, Hotel Gran Ceiba, the Aurora and, between the airport and downtown, the Coco Pando. A good mid-range hotel is the Iberia. There are also safe budget hotels in town such as the Catracho and the Lastenia.
There is a hostel located in La Ceiba called Banana Republic but it has problems with security, most recently (date unknown) involving a series of break-ins. Via radio, they communicate with a personal cab driver that will offer you transportation around the city as well as (for $20US as of Oct 2007) the 20 mile ride north to their jungle lodge, located in the Pico Bonito national rain forest (see DO above).
Lastenia Hotel is nice and cheap place to stay, they have a really tiny swimming pool upstairs, a cafeteria next door, you can get a room with a/c or fan, depending on your budget. 3 people can stay for about $15.00 a night and they now provide transportation to Bus station, airport or Ferry terminal for about $3.00 per room, not per pax, per room.
If you want to get more options on hotels and comparison and rates, you should go to the Tourism chamber of La Ceiba http://www.la-ceiba.info/
Internet Access
For those travellers looking to keep in touch with the world through internet and e mail, there are two establishments that will surely be popular: the Internet Café, located at the Centro Comercial Panoyotti, in downtown La Ceiba. They offer email, net surfing and chat lines. Their phone is 443 4152. They are open from Monday through Saturday from 8:00 am till 9:00 pm without closing at noontime; the other establishment is café@cafe located next to the Plaza del Sol Shopping Center on Avenida San Isidro. They are open from 7 to 7 from Monday to Saturday.
