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Honduras is more than just another warm weather,
tropical, banana republic destination, it is the richness of a
good cup of freshly roasted coffee and the bright green wings of
a toucan. It is friendly locals who have the time to chat and
small villages like Copan where life leads a more leisurely,
laid back pace.
Finca El Cisne
Finca El Cisne is an enormous 75-year-old hacienda in
the heart of the coffee-growing highlands of Western Honduras.
The community recently opened its gates to visitors interested
in experiencing the traditional life of a working Honduran farm.
Located just 14 miles from Copan, this coffee/cardamom
plantation and cattle ranch is home to Casa Castejan, a
serene retreat with five rooms for up to 15 people bordered on
two sides by streams, just minutes away from soothing hot
springs. A one-day tour offers tips on how a real cattle
ranch is run, followed by a morning horseback ride and a
farmhouse lunch. An overnight tour is a 24-hour experience of
riding, a working hand-milking dairy, coffee, cardamom finca
tour and dinner. A swim in the local hot springs prepares
visitors for a long night of rest in the fincas hotel. Wake up
to a hearty breakfast before returning to Copan. All tours are
given in fluent Spanish, English or French.
Macaw Mountain Bird
Park and Nature Reserve
The Macaw Mountain Bird Park and Nature Reserve is an
innovative tropical bird reserve in Western Honduras that cares
for rescued and endangered birds. North American conservationist
Mandy Wagner began rescuing parrots and toucans out of
devotion to these intelligent, social creatures and by the
1990s, her private collection had grown to more than 40 birds
representing 15 species.
Macaw Mountain's nine-acre nature reserve, one of the
last old growth forests close to Copan, includes an
extraordinary forest including mahogany, Indio desnudo (gumbo
limbo), Chico zapote, Spanish cedar and fig trees. Elevated
wooden trails and decks offer spectacular viewing of the park's
pristine river, year-round freshwater springs, huge boulders and
sloping canyon walls. Native species and tropical ornamentals
augment the natural botanical garden. The whisper of Blue Morpho
butterflies is a soft counterpoint to noisy flights of wild
parakeets. Because many tropical birds are endangered, close to
extinction, or have limited habitats due to the encroachment of
farming and/or logging of the tropical forests, Macaw Mountain
is committed to making a lasting impression with educational
materials that explain how it is possible to maintain healthy
populations of tropical birds in their natural environment.
Coffee and bright green wings; it's the Copan way.
Copan Ruins
Located in the western part of Honduras, Copan was home to a
great Mayan Civilization which developed and flourished across
325,000 square kilometers covering parts of Mexico, Belize,
Guatemala and El Salvador. The Copan Ruins offer a step
up and away from tourist traps and busy cities. Its cool
mountain climate (average year round temperature is a downright
springlike 78F), colonial architecture and friendly citizens
make this one of the Maya region's most pleasant places to
visit. Its strategic location makes the Ruins an excellent base
for day trips to the surrounding area whic abounds in ecotourism,
nature tourism and adventure possibilities.
Archaeologists have collected a treasure trove of information
about the ancient Mayans in the Copan Valley during a
century of research which continues today. Known as one of the
most artistically advanced and elaborate of all Mayan cities,
Copan was declared a World Heritage Site in 1980 by
UNESCO. The magnificent site called "Las Sepulturas"
can also be visited along with the main site. Visitors are
welcome at two excellent collections of antiquities in the
town-based Museum of Archaeology and the Museum of Maya
Sculpture adjacent to the main site. There is also a wonderful Maya Childrens
Museum in the village center (casa K inich), admission is
free.
Visitors always enjoy their stay in the nearby colonial town of
Copan Ruinas with its narrow, cobblestoned streets. With plenty
of craft and souvenir shops on hand, travelers can relax and
experience the rich, deep Mayan world. Visitors to the ruins can
walk right up to the inscribed stone pillars called "stela"
carved more than 1,000 years ago. The Eastern and Western
Courts, the hieroglyphic staircase and the ball court are all
must-see destinations within the main archeological site
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