The Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest protected areas in Central America, with an area of 3,300 sq miles (8,500 sq km.), is a vast tropical rainforest located in the isolated northeastern part of the country commonly known as the Moskitia. The reserve is very hard to get to as no paved roads lead into the region. If you’re in search of the ultimate eco-adventure, you’ve come to the right place. Water vehicles are the preferred mode of transportation in this area of coastal lagoons, floodplains, and free-flowing rivers. Inland mountains shrouded by broadleaf forests house mysterious petro-glyphs and native villages. Three indigenous groups inhabit the reserve: the Miskito, the Pech, and the Garifuna. All speak their own languages (as well as Spanish) and live traditional lifestyles. Many also offer lodging and guide services. Accommodations are usually basic riverside lodges.

The Bay Islands of Honduras

Located from 20 to 40 miles of the north coast of Honduras, the Bay Islands are a well-known diving destination with their clear, warm waters and pristine, white sand beaches. Utila, Roatan, and Guanaja –the three large islands– offer a complete array of diving packages and dive certifications. Accommodations range from bunking at the dive shop to luxury hotels on the beach. You can go fishing, sailing, kayaking, swimming with the dolphins, and diving with the whale sharks. For more Bay Island travel information and online reservations visit http://www.roatanet.com.

North Coast

Honduras’s Atlantic shoreline stretches nearly 500 miles (800 k) offering a myriad of tropical eco-adventures through broadleaf forests and coastal lagoons, as well as cultural immersion in Garifuna (Afro-Caribbean) villages dotting the beaches throughout the region.

La Ceiba, a major port and the third largest city in Honduras, is graced with two outstanding protected areas, the Pico Bonito National Park, a mountain reserve with heights of up to 7900 ft (2435 m); and the Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, a manatee reserve. Activities include whitewater river rafting, mangrove canoe tours, rainforest treks, a butterfly farm, a butterfly museum, horseback riding, bicycle tours, and bird watching. Accommodations in the city include a full range of hotels. Along the Cangrejal River and on the Pico Bonito Mountain there are several eco-lodges, including two luxury ones. La Ceiba is also the gateway to travel to the Moskitia and the Bay Islands.

The smaller city of Tela, located an hour west of La Ceiba is home to the Jeannette Kawas National Park, which covers a large lagoon system and extends into the ocean at Punta Sal (Salt Point), where you can even go snorkeling. The Lancetilla Botanical Gardens, the second largest botanical garden in the world, is also located here. A bird watcher’s paradise, over 400 of the nearly 700 species of birds found in Honduras have been seen in Tela. For the avid bird watcher, the Audubon Society sponsors an annual Christmas bird count here.