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Wondering what to wear in Honduras? From ruins to beaches, here’s everything you need to know to prepare for a trip to this Central American country!
What to Wear in Honduras
A country that is often overlooked by tourists, Honduras has much to offer travelers–from the ruins of Copan to its beautiful islands and culture.
Central America is a small region so it’s easy to see many countries in a short amount of time. The main draw to Honduras are the Bay Islands and Copan.
Copan ruins
How to Dress in Honduras
When you’re planning what to wear in Honduras keep in mind that it’s similar to other parts of Central America. Locals generally dress casually, think jeans and tee or blouse, which is any easy outfit to bring for this trip.
Utila island
The Weather
The main consideration is dry and rainy season. Rainy season can very in this tropical country but generally it’s from May to Nov peaking in August and September. I visited in February and the weather was so-so. Inland (Copan and San Pedro) was hot and sunny and Utila was cool and rainy (some sunny days).
For less crowds, avoid travel during Easter time when locals go on vacation for “Semana Santa”, Holy Week.
Below is a list of what to wear in Honduras:
Ruins of Copan
Dress | Anatomie Pants | Breathable Tee | Trekkie Shortie | Ecco Huarache Sandal
The cobblestone-paved town near the ruins of Copan is a beautiful place for travelers to visit. Most people spend one or two nights in the small town to see the nearby Mayan ruins and explore this fantastic historical area before moving on to other destinations in Honduras or neighboring countries.
Here are some shoe ideas for cobblestone streets!
One of the best things about the Copan Ruins is that they’re not as crowded as other sites like Tikal (Guatemala) or Chichen Itza (Mexico). I felt like I had the whole place to myself and didn’t see many other people there during my visit.
The area has a really relaxed style and most travelers wear a summer dress or a pair of shorts or jeans and a comfortable t-shirt.
The town itself is about 30 minutes from the ruins, so you can either walk or jump on a bus. If you are planning to walk, I recommend wearing comfortable sandals or cute walking shoes.
If you’re hopping on a bus to the ruins, then a pair of flip flops or sneakers will do the trick. They’re not in a large area but depending on your comfort level, choose the shoes that are right for you. I wore cross trainers since I walked to and from the town.
Islands of Utila and Roatan
Bikini | Roxy Short | Beach Sandals | DryLite Towel | Insect Repellent | Snorkel Set
Utila is a major backpacker hotspot and draws crowds of young travelers looking to do their Open Water Scuba Diving Course. It is the second cheapest place after Koh Tao in Thailand to get your certification and has fantastic reefs and the chance to swim with giant whale sharks.
That’s where I did my Open Water and Advance Scuba Certification and had the best time ever. The dive shop I used was Utila Dive Centre. It had a super friendly vibe to complement the island’s lively social scene. There was alot of diving during the day and then non-stop fun at night!
I now travel with this lightweight scuba gear (including all my belongings) in just a 45L bag on my full time travels!
Another of the Bay Islands in Honduras is Roatan, a vacation destination for families and couples offering fantastic resorts and beautiful scuba diving spots.
If you’re planning on coming to either of these islands, then don’t forget your bathing suit, summer shorts, and a pretty sun dress for the evenings. I also took a pair of flip flops that were perfect for both the day and going out at night. Unless you’re going to an upscale resort, the dress code is laidback.
A quick-dry travel towel would be perfect for this destination to dry off after snorkeling or diving.
Find out why these towels are one of our travel essentials!
If you’re a keen diver or snorkeler, then consider buying your own mask and snorkel before the trip. Decent gear can really make a difference to your experience as you’ll spend less time adjusting it and more time exploring the reef.
This is the best diving and snorkel gear for beginners!
Strong insect repellent is a must, even though it won’t help you against the island’s biggest problem: sand flies. They’ll attack day and night–and they are far worse than mosquitoes.
Take a long sleeve top and trousers to help fight off the sand flies. They’re brutal and mosquito repellant won’t repel them.
I got bitten so bad I looked like I had chicken pox. The only way I could sleep was fully covered inside of my sleeping liner. Our accommodation in Utila was right next to the water so I’m not sure if you’d have relief staying further away.
Keep in mind that prime insect hours start the moment the sun sets.
San Pedro City
RFID Money Belt | Honduras Guidebook | Boyfriend Jean | Breathable Tee
The Grand Central Metropolitan Bus Station is based in San Pedro Sula and is a hub for travelers accessing other areas of Central America and Honduras. It is a lively stop along your journey; the bus station is also a shopping mall with a food court, which is helpful if you need to stock up on snacks or food.
This is a very casual city, so wear a pair of jeans and a t-shirt or whatever you feel most comfortable in. If you need to replenish any clothing or other essentials you can visit a mall that’s not too far from the bus station.
You’ll also find international fast food chains in the city if you’ve been traveling for a while and want some “comfort food”. For something local, try the Baleadas!
It’s important to note that San Pedro Sula has a bad reputation for safety but this doesn’t mean you’re a target.
I would, however, recommend taking precautions to keep your valuables safe. Carry your passport and valuables in a money belt under your clothes. When traveling in a vehicle, make sure the doors and windows are locked and do not flash your cell phone in public.
These tips are best applied for all parts of Central and South America.
Consider one of these anti-theft accessories!
HERE ARE SOME PICS FROM MY TRIP:
The small town of Copan, your base to visit the ruins.
Copan Ruins, add this stop to your Central American journey if you want to avoid the crowds.
Enjoying the dive shop’s free kayaks to snorkel around the island!
Snorkeling is very close to the island in Utila – it was beautiful!
Don’t have any scuba diving pictures because I was doing my Open Water Course but here’s one of me snorkeling. The below image has not been edited. This is what my underwater camera captured in the shallow reef – what an introduction to scuba diving! Can you blame me for falling in love with it?
What are your tips on what to wear in Honduras? Share them in the comments!
For more Latin America packing tips, please read:
- Central America Packing list
- What to Pack for El Salvador
- Packing for Costa Rica
- The Complete Woman’s Packing Guide for South America
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I hope you liked these tips on what to wear in Honduras. Please share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for these tips. I go to Honduras once a year, and this is pretty spot-on. I haven’t been to the coast or islands but spend my time in the western, very mountainous areas. Flying in and out of San Pedro or Tegucigalpa can bring hot weather, and I’ve found that the mountainous areas too can be good places for breathable/wicking fabrics. I’ve also learned that keeping modesty in mind is a good idea in the smaller, mountain towns and villages like La Campa or Gracias. Such an amazing, beautiful country, and I’ll second the suggestion to try baleadas. Yum!
That is really amazing to hear Alison, thank you for sharing your feedback with us!!!
Thanks for this, Alex! I’m leaving for Roatan next week, and I really needed this first-person perspective on how not to overpack yet again! We’ll spend less than a week on Roatan (big birthday trip – 4 couples in a rented house with our own dive/snorkel boat) and are super excited.
The bugs sound horrible, so thanks for the reminder to stay covered up to avoid biting sand fleas. Were you worried about wearing DEET with its potential impact on the coral reef? Did you need to wear bug spray even when you were in/on the water? In the evenings, will I be better off with a maxi dress or a pair of pants, like from the VACAY 2-piece jumpsuit? Or should I bring both?
p.s. Honduras is not showing up in the “Destinations” list. I found this awesome post by Googling, even though I’m a loyal reader of TFG…I just thought you hadn’t posted a destination guide!
Hi Susan, I’m glad you found the guide! Your trip sounds awesome!
I didn’t wear Deet in the water. The sand flies actually don’t respond to Deet – they still bite 🙁 However, they seem to be more prevalent in certain areas.
A light pair of pants like Vacay’s would be perfect to cover your legs although it might be nice to have a maxi dress as well. Have fun!