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Cayos
Cochinos
The Cayos Cochinos, also known as the Hog Cays, is a small
archipelago and is located just 19 kilometers off the
northern coast of Honduras.
The two larger islands are covered with thick tropical
forest and are ringed by white-sand beaches. The Cayos
and surrounding waters were declared a marine reserve
in 1994, with the help of the Smithsonian Institute, protecting
all marine and terrestrial flora and fauna within a 460-square-km
area from fishing, development or any other harmful activity.
The reserve extends eight kilometers in all directions.
Because of the reserve, and more importantly because only
a few people live on the islands, the surrounding reef
is in fantastic shape and is teeming with colorful marine
life. All in all, the Cayos are one of the most spectacular
collections of islands, beach, and reef in the western
Caribbean.
The archipelago has only two small, upscale resorts, and
so its reefs are little used; though many resorts on Utila,
Roatan and Guanaja like to make occasional day trips to
these tropical island jewels. The Cayos Cochinos reef
system is particularly prized for its lush macro life,
the Caribbean's most diverse.
Budget travelers often make trips out to these islands
by way of an early morning boat from the mainland Garifuna
village of Nueva Armenia, an hour's drive east of La Ceiba.
They stay in small huts or in hammocks on tiny Chachauate
Key where there is a semi-permanent Garifuna fishing settlement.
The only means of getting to the keys is be boat. Plantation
Beach Resort and Cayos Cochinos Islands Resort, are the
only resorts on the keys. Transportation can be arranged
through either resort.
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Honduras
& the Bay Islands At A Glance
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Language:
Spanish, Amerindian dialects. English is spoken in the
Bay Islands and in most tourist areas.
Government: Democratic constitutional republic
Capital: Tegucigalpa
Size: 112,090 sq km - Coastline: 820 km
Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean
Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the
Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador
and Nicaragua
Climate: Subtropical in lowlands, temperate in
mountains
Electricity: 110/220V, 60Hz
Currency: Lempira (HNL)
Driving: Roads in the city and on the highways
are in fairly good condition but not so in the rural areas.
Driving is to the right.
Car Rentals: There are car rental agencies at the
airports and in the larger towns. An international or
foreign driving license is all you need.
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