Trujillo Tips

On his fourth as well as last trip to Americas in 1502, Christopher Columbus reached Trujillo. During the Colonial period this was a port of relevance due to the large and deep bays in the area. The Spanish Juan de Medina found this port on eighteenth of May in 1525. When Herman Cortez conquered Mexico he visited Trujillo for some days. Trujillo became a city and one of the earliest churches in Honduras was built here. Many reasons like the hot and humid weather which made the place unhealthy did not allow the city to flourish. The pirates from Britain also affected Trujillo’s development. This forced the people to abandon the city many times. The only reason that encouraged the authorities of the Colonial times to inhabit the city again and again was the location of Trujillo.

There was once a monastery built in Trujillo but it does not exist anymore. Pirates attacked the city from 1590 which continued through the seventeenth century to the eighteenth century. The Fortress of Santa Barbara was created to protect the city from these attacks. Several times the entire city was abandoned because it had been totally burned. Similar to other cities with Spanish colonial pasts like Comayagua, Cracias, Tegucigalpa and Choluteca, you can find remnants of that period in Trujillo. The famous adventurer from America, William Walker was executed here in 1860 and the fort remained active after that also. Lot of blacks from the Caribbean was marooned in 1796 in the city of Roatan and their descendants continue to live in Trujillo. This has given the city a multi-cultural identity with every section of population having their own distinct culture.

There are many interesting and exciting places in the middle of these tropical communities. You can explore the elusive Cuyamel Caves in the southern part of Trujillo which are dated by archeologists as belonging to the pre-Colombian period. If you are looking for beautiful beaches, follow the dirt road running parallel to the picturesque coastline and go for fourteen kilometers to the Santa Fe, a Garifuna village where the black Caribs live. Enjoy the food here at some of the fantastic beach side restaurants. El Cabellero, better known to English tourists as Peter’s place is one of the best restaurants for sea food along the northern coast. The Campamneto Hotel & Restaurant and Tranquility Bay Hotel are located about 4 kilometers from Trujillo to Santa Fe. Campamento is run and owned by a couple who live in the locality and serve amazing dishes. It has some good rooms. The swimming pool is the only one in the locality. The second hotel is a new one with separate beachside units. Tropical gardens surround them. The rooms are cozy and offer total privacy. They are undoubtedly the best place to live on the beach here. A retired couple from USA owns this property. The coastal road from Santa Fe to Guadalupe will take you to some good artisans of Garifuna.

One new hotel that has opened doors in 2007 is the Banna Beach Resort. It is just before Santa Fe and the location is on one of the most fantastic beaches of this region. It offers many amenities like a well stocked beach bar and a beautiful tennis court. Tourists looking for some tranquility and bird watching head to Guaimoreto Lagoon known for its unspoilt, natural beauty.

For tourists who like hiking and relaxing in the arm of Mother Nature, Trujillo offers two places, Calentura and Capiro. The former is a national park maintained and cared for by a non-profit organization called Fucagua. They are the best source for information when it comes to this park. They have a visitor center which offers every kind of help to the visiting tourists. The office of the NGO is near Villas Brinkley Hotel.

Hot baths offer natural remedies for many problems and in Trujillo; evenings are best spent in such hot baths. The nearby communities of Silin provide some very natural and effective hot springs. One of the hotels called Agua Caliente makes use of this hot spring very effectively; they fill their pools with this spring water for the enjoyment of the patrons of the hotel.

Trujillo bay is considered as the unspoiled, beautiful bay when compared with the world’s other bays. Visit Puerto Castillo a newly built up port with modern techniques and experience the gigantic freight ship traveling out of the harbor. Trujillo is a place where you can plan to spend your life time and just feel great about this area. Explore its profound historical scope, where you can discover its night life starting from great Griffon barrio of Cristal’s to beach “Champaks.”

Experience a pampering vacation with Christopher Columbus Beach Resort. It might get you the trick at airport in Trujillo. There are plenty of good hotels just near the airport and La Quinta Bay Hotel is one of them. This hotel offers you a great service and facility with an affordable price. A minute or two walk from this hotel, introduces you to the great beaches of Central America.

A bit out of the way, another hotel called Casa Kiwi, between Puerto Castillo and Trujillo, can be defined as a great beach of white sand. The best part of this hotel is that it offers a great vantage point to explore the beauty of Trujillo from its fantastic bays to the mountains behind it as well as a glorious sunset. For the backpackers, Casa kiwi is the only hotel in Trujillo that offers personal room. Large group visitors and travelers who are willing to share dormitories can check this hotel in Trujillo. This hotel offers a good restaurant with bar and a wonderful beach. Furthermore it has an Information center where you can get knowledge on local attraction and plan visit to La Moskitia. Bus facility throughout the day makes easy traveling between Puerto Castillo to Trujillo. Bus info can be obtained from the information center which at 6.00 am and stops after 6.00 pm. Phone and internet facilities are also easily available on hotel premises.

Foreigners can exchange their dollars easily at Banco Atlántida. Advances in cash can be obtained on Visa credit card International. Western Union Honduras representatives like Banco de Occident is available, so it becomes very easy to receive money in Trujillo. Other than that Blanco de Occident offers travelers advance cash depending on visa card. Eager to explore more information on Trujillo history? Meet Prof. Cevus in Imperator Hotel. He is the best source of historical information and always willing to share it happily though he speaks only Spanish.

Since it is not at all recommended to take a walk on the long beaches at night time, travelers can always plan out something with a group of friends. To check out the original flavor of Garofina tradition, explore Coco Pando, the disco bar located on beach of Cristales. Collect souvenirs of Garifuna from Gariarte, a shop located in Cristales that offers amazing products.

In last few years, Honduras government with the help of Spanish International Cooperation Agency started rescuing Trujillo’s historical traditions. With their combined effort, Santa Barbara fortress has been renovated and museum of Trujillo is operating within its old wall. The rescue includes preservation of old homes standing as the sign of Trujillo’s historical heritage. Capitania is one such building, now used as a booth for entrance fee for Santa Barbara fortress. These two buildings has been totally renovated to cultivate and develop the Trujillo downtown. Along with that, the bus terminus has been moved near Texaco gasoline station close to the town entrance.

The newest addition to the city’s attraction is the boat service available for the Guanaja Island. The boats leave Trujillo for Guanaja on Mondays and Thursdays and returns from Guanaja on Tuesdays and Fridays. The departing timings are 3:00 p.m. and returns around 12:00 p.m. Departures and arrival start from the municipal jetty down to the park. One sided boat ticket charge is $26.00 US.