I have traveled to quite a few destinations famous for their "ruins." Tulum is spectacular for its beachfront setting and backdrop of crystal blue water. Chechen Iza for its scope and altitude.
 Xunantunich, in Belize, with
a concentration of buildings and pyramids in such a relatively small area, is a wonder. But Copan has them all beat.
Copan offers a vast amount of unearthed, cleared ruins...
some of them are right in the middle of town!
Literally, at the small museum right off the town square there is an
incredible stelae still standing where it was found.
Just a mile or so outside of town is the "main" area of
discovery, but on your ride (or walk) to the park area, pay attention to all of
the mounds, hills and small hillocks that can be seen almost everywhere - - from the side of the road to the middle of the field up ahead, to that one next to
that small private home. Yes, while
the areas that have been discovered and exhumed are vast, it is almost
mind-boggling how much more there is waiting to be "discovered".
Our guide even took us off the "tourist" path to an area
where we found partially unearthed ruins, and hill after hill still hiding its
treasures. We walked for a number
of hours, over acre after acre, and there was still more to be seen in the
distance. Even more exciting (and
yes, a little distressing) is that during our walk, my traveling companion
reached down and picked up a piece of obsidian that had flashed in the sunlight
and caught his eye. He showed it to our guide who casually replied, "Oh, very nice... of course you'll have to put it back.... it's a Mayan knife." As I
walked, I saw what were obvious pieces of pottery scattered here and there.
It kind of reminded me of my gardening area at home, until our guide
informed me that each of those shards dated back to the Mayan Kingdom that once
stood here. I walked more
carefully, but was still awed, more so than at Ephesus, more so than Athens.
Copan is considered the most elegant of Mayan Ruins, often referred to as the "Paris" of
the Mayan world. It offers a complex of stepped pyramids, buried temples, a ball
court and a 72-step Hieroglyphic Stairway completed by Smoke Shell, the 15th
ruler of Copan. The city was at is apex from about 426 to 820 AD.
Amazingly, almost all of the artifacts are original, and in their
original location. Some even still
hold the original paint that once blazingly colored their exteriors.
A trip through some of the tunnels reveals carvings, glyphs, and even
signs of Mayan genius in the manner of water and sanitation control and the invention of the Mayan Arch (which allowed for windows and doorways without mantles or the later-developed keystones).
The park also offers a museum, restaurant and gift shop.
Just outside the main entrance to the restored ruins of residences of the
noble classes, this remarkable museum of some of the more vulnerable treasures
is entered through the "tunnel to the hereafter".
The museum is set in a modern rendition of a Mayan temple and has a
re-created temple within - complete with the colors and paint that scientists
consider was most likely part of the original design. Signage is in
multiple-languages, and you'll soon recognize the symbols that indicated the homes
of royalty, medicine men, or scribes.
But I'm getting a little ahead of myself here. Let's get you to Copan Ruinas first.
Getting there is half the fun. As the song says, "it's a
long and winding road". The three and a half hours from the airport at San Pedro
Sula to the Honduran mountain village of Copán does provide some spectacular views of
fog-kissed mountains and sunny, cattle-filled plateaus. If the weather has
recently been rainy, the drive may require some pothole
maneuvering. If you are using transportation provided by your hotel, the bus
driver knows each one personally!
Car rentals are available from the major international
companies located at the San Pedro Sula airport. Highways are safe for driving,
and unlike in Mexico, I did not observe roaming cattle that sleep on that tarmac
at night. However, I would add a word of advice - manners. You are visiting a
poor country. If you rent a vehicle, tailor your choice to practical needs. Don't
invite trouble or insult your hosts by driving an unnecessary (spelled ostentatious)
vehicle.
Arriving at the edge of town on a modern, tarmac highway,
our minivan slowed to a crawl as we passed over an arched stone bridge and
climbed the narrow, bumpy, yellow cobblestone streets of central Copán
Ruinas. At this point, the community clings to a steep hillside and the entrance
reminded me of small European medieval villages.
We arrived in mid-September, just in time for the daily
parades celebrating Independence Day. Unlike Americans who celebrate the Fourth
of July and move on, Hondurans celebrate for a whole week. There was the
youngsters' day parade, the middle-school day and the high-school day, each with
different costumes and musical accompaniments. I use this word frequently in my
travel writing, but serendipity often creates the best memories. This classic,
homespun celebration was filled with creative pomp, civic pride and folksy
pizzazz, truly a Hispanic Norman Rockwell event. Everyone was smiling, children
and adults alike. Here, even the
teenagers, often sullen-faced when walking around our shopping malls, had faces
lit with bright smiles.
Another form of celebration we encountered was a funeral.
Yes, it was a celebration, with nearly the entire town turning out for
the procession to the cemetery. We
expected that this must have been for a politician, or some famous resident of
Copan. No, it was just a beautiful,
flower filled send-off for one of the townspeople.
Copán offers a refreshing mountain vacation in one of the cleanest Latin American cities I've visited. The altitude ranges from 2,000 and 4,000 feet above sea level, so the weather is warm but not sweltering. Simple villages bustling with friendly people welcome tourists; interesting cultural activities and museums, including a museum especially for children, provide indoor options; inexpensive
restaurants and "watering" holes meet your needs for nourishment.
No Starbucks around, but this is coffee country, and there are many
choices where you can get your a delicious caffeine fix.
There are lots of shops, some obviously catering to
tourists, but most for the local residents.
It's an easy town to get around in, so be sure to walk up and down all of
the side streets where you'll find some real treasures.
ATM machines are available and there are a number of banks where you can
exchange currency. Don't be put off by the show of security - young men holding
large automatic weapons - it's mostly for show and Copan Ruinas is a very safe
town. Speaking of getting around, try using the most popular form of transportation, other than walking, the tuk-tuk.
These three-wheeled pseudo-motorcycles have enclosed seating for two plus
your driver (although I counted up to five locals in one) and cost about 50
cents for most trips.
Less than a dollar will take you out to the ruins from the
town square.
While exploring the area, we took a half-day tour of the
Finca Santa Isabel/Welchez mountain-grown, shade coffee plantation. Welchez
coffee plantation has designed a remarkable, informative visit for tourists.
Your English-speaking guide will drive you up the side of the plantation's
mountain. An easily negotiated terraced trail descends through the jungle. (A
can of "Off" may come in handy.) During the tour you gain an understanding of
growing shade-coffee, the challenges of dealing with insect pests.
Interestingly, within the plantation, along the main path, you get to visit a
medicinal herb garden. Mountain villagers often live far from modern medical
facilities. Traditional herbal medicines remain popular. Your guide and the
gardener will identify the various herbs grown there and what they are used for.
(If natural medicines are of interest to you, you'll find a Maya medicine
pharmacy located in the business area of Copán).
The coffee, now considered some of the best in the world, makes wonderful
souvenir gifts. And after watching
the painstakingly tedious process of hand sorting and roasting, you'll feel
better about paying $6 for that latte when you return home. By the way, you can
buy Honduran coffee at very reasonable prices.
Nearing the end of your walking tour, a rustic thatched-roof restaurant,
perched on a cliff with beautiful views awaits you with a menu of typical Honduran selections.
(Several items are similar to Mexican dishes that you are familiar with.
However, the Honduran cuisine does not typically include the hot spices you've
eaten in Mexico.) Visit http://www.cafehonduras.com/
for more information.
Another experience for the whole family is a visit to the
Macaw Mountain Bird sanctuary (www.macawmountain.com).
This mountainside forest is home to many birds that may have been nursed to
recovery from injuries, but they are no longer able to fend for themselves in
the wild. You'll also experience a garden populated with huge, colorful macaws,
the national bird of Honduras. Don't be surprised that they will fly to you and
land on your head or shoulders. Many of these birds were abandoned by their
owners after it was discovered that they require too much care from most people
to be considered as house pets. Colorful parrots will pose for great photo
opportunities and speak to you in a variety of languages. An excellent
restaurant and swimming facilities (weather permitting) can make for an entire
days visit. Take the time to visit with any of the workers here; theirs it is a true labor of love, and you'll quickly realize that, as one employee told me "don't tell the boss, but I'd do this for free". The gift shop and welcome
center offer some nice gift choices you won't find elsewhere, and your purchases
help fund the project.
Thermal activity, in the form of scalding brooks rushing
down the mountainside, is worth the adventurous country roads drive for an
afternoon visit. Special thrills (definitely not OSHA approved) await you.
Navigating rustic, wooden suspension footbridges over mountain creeks, you soon
encounter the sulfur mists of a steaming mountain hot spring creek. Add the
surrounding manicured environment of mountain jungles with the rustic Luna
Jaguar hot springs spa where you can soak and then receive a professional
massage in an open-air thatched hut situated over steaming hot-waterfalls, and
you know you are in Paradise. This is a rustic-style adventure, not for those who are mobility-challenged.
This is a spa that is truly natural, nothing added, nothing removed... no
perfumes, no chocolate wraps, or other additives.
Other activities in the Copán Ruinas area can include, horseback riding, canopy tours, visits to indigenous villages, a butterfly park, eco-tourism and more.
We stayed four days, but next time we'll need at least a full week.
MC Tours can arrange all of these, and more.
Where To Stay -
There are lots of choices at all price points but the gem
of hotels in Copán Ruinas is Marina Copan. Colonial Spanish architecture welcomes such notable guests as Richard Gere. Elegance describes hidden gardens and coy ponds and a poolside patio. The gracious staff will ensure your stay is pleasantly memorable a request for a needle and thread was met with..."what color thread do you need, and would you prefer us to handle the repair?").
The hotel has grown like the city, with several distinct additions, yet it all flows very nicely. Be sure to explore and find the rooftop sitting area (perfect for a morning coffee or evening cocktail), the library
(with free internet access), the gardens with gazebo, and other nooks and
crannies seemingly made for hiding away with a book.
The matriarch of Marina Copan, Dona Marina Welchez, opened
the hotel in 1945 on the site of her family home. She lives in her private
quarters and may be seen on occasion enjoying a sunny afternoon, sitting in the
courtyard. She may become your family-away-from-home!
Gilfos Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Dinners feature Honduran specialties and on occasions there are
theme-nights and outdoor barbecues. Live
music on weekends and special occasions is a nice touch, as is the Jaguar Venado
Bar (ask the bartender for the special "house cocktail" ... delicious!)
The adjoining coffee house is on the site of the original reception area
for the hotel. Coffee specialty
drinks, fruit smoothies, and lighter fare meals are offered throughout the day
and night. The upper level is a
great spot for watching activities in the town square, just across the street.
There is a pool, gymnasium, sauna, and gift shop.
All 50 rooms and suites have air-conditioning, telephone and cable TV.
MC Tours has an office onsite and a larger facility right
across the street. They offer a number of specialized tours and packages and the
hotel has packages (Explore Copan, Discover Copan, Honeymoon, and a new Spring
Break package) that include sightseeing and meal plans making the rates even
more of a bargain. There are other hotel options but at these rates why not
treat yourself to the best. Standard rooms start at $85 double and $250 will get
you the Presidential Suite (as it did for the afore-mentioned Mr. Gere). Visit www.marinacopan.com
for additional information on the hotel, tours and packages.
There are several enjoyable restaurants within the city,
each with individual charm and specialties. Don't miss sampling the delicious
Honduran beers, either (If you stop in at the Red Frog for a beer or cocktail,
say hello to the native Californian owner).
From the United States, San Pedro Sula airport is serviced
by Taca, American and Continental airlines.
The travel experts at Bestfares.com can help you find great airfares and
also help with all of your travel arrangements to Honduras.
Call them at 800-576-2242 Monday -Friday 9 a.m. -6 p.m. CST.
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