Honduras has its merits as a tourist destination but lacks the appeal of Guatemala with its indigenous peoples, historic sites and scenic variety. However, if you are basing a self drive holiday on Guatemala you can still easily visit one of Honduras’s 2 WHS at Copan since it lies very close to the Guatemalan border. We started from the motel (recommended) at Rio Hondo, crossed at El Florido and left our car at the border post as it is not worth the costs of taking it across the border (even if your rental company/insurance will allow it). Next pay the personal exit/entry charges for each country (you will need to pay some of them again on the return but not too excessive! Tell the both sets of authorities that you are only going to the ruins and thus avoid the need for a Honduran visa and make it easier to get back to Guatemala), change $ for a few lempira at the border and take a truck/minibus the 14kms to the Honduran village of Copan Ruinas (they go when full but pretty frequent). From there it is only a couple of kms to the ruins (many buses). Check the border closing times for your return before you set off as the countries don’t operate to the same timetable! It all sounds quite complicated but we really found it very easy.

Copan as a destination does not, in my opinion, rival Tikal – one could easily spend 2 days wandering around that site - but is well worth the day of your time it will take to make the detour required to cross the border and spend the half day it warrants even for a non-specialist in Mayan ruins! Like Quirugua, the nearby WHS in Guatemala, the star attractions of Copan are the stelae but far more of the city is visible/preserved as well. My photo shows a ball court and Copan’s most famous monument, the Hieroglyphic Stairway (protected under an awning).. This review related to a visit in summer 1985