Tela

The bay, the garden and the mangroves

Before you go, understand the place.

On Tela Bay lie UNACIFOR's Lancetilla Botanical Garden and Punta Izopo National Park, with mangroves, to the east.

By Asesordeviaje.com Editorial Team · updated October 5, 2026

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Tela Bay
UNACIFOR offers Lancetilla Botanical Garden for hiking and birdwatching; Punta Izopo National Park has unconfirmed status. To the west, Jeannette Kawas National Park, run by the PROLANSATE Foundation according to RedHonduras, has six white-sand beaches on its Punta Sal peninsula, according to Visit Honduras; the peninsula is only reachable by sea, with Tela operators, and the published entry figures (L25 for Hondurans and US$5 for foreign visitors, or L30) are unofficial and do not agree. Triunfo de la Cruz, a little over 9 km north-east of Tela, is home to one of the largest Garífuna communities on the coast, according to Visit Honduras, and is in a land dispute: according to Contracorriente (August 2026), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled against Honduras in 2015 for violating its right to collective property. On the town’s beaches, El Heraldo described crowds of holidaymakers at Easter 2026 and La Prensa a steady flow of visitors during the Morazán holiday in October; only remains are left of the old pier.
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Plan your visit

The practical information you need to plan your visit

The essentials

Best time to go: According to Canada, the rainy season runs from May to November and can cause flooding and landslides, and the hurricane season from early June to the end of November in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. It is an approximate national pattern, not a climate record for each region or a guarantee for the islands. Follow COPECO's alerts.
Getting there: According to La Prensa (article updated 9 September 2026), buses to Tela and La Ceiba leave from the Gran Central Metropolitana bus terminal in San Pedro Sula; Transportes Cristina has a terminal in Tela, in Barrio San José, by the CA-13.

The arboretum and birds of Lancetilla Botanical Garden

Tips and precautions

The Lancetilla fees and hours in circulation are not UNACIFOR's and do not agree.
Punta Izopo is explored by kayak with an operator, for about two and a half hours, according to Visite Atlántida.
To eat at Cocalito, in Punta Sal, bring cash: the two eateries are community-run.

Safety and precautions

The United Kingdom warns of the risk of criminal attacks and carjackings in and around Tela, La Ceiba, Trujillo and El Progreso, and advises care on beaches in the north coast towns after dark.
The US Department of State advises reconsidering travel to Honduras because of crime and terrorism (level 3, advisory of 25 August 2026) and advises against travel to the department of Gracias a Dios (level 4).
According to state television TNH (20 September 2026), the National Defence and Security Council decided on 18 September not to apply a new state of exception; Honduran media date the end of the regime begun in December 2022 to 26 January 2026. The United States advisory of 25 August 2026 still described it as in force in 226 of the 298 municipalities. The current situation is unconfirmed. Canada notes that the authorities periodically declare states of exception: always carry ID and follow the authorities' instructions at checkpoints.

Frequently asked questions

How much is Lancetilla?

Unofficial, conflicting figures: XplorHonduras (updated 2024) gives Hondurans L50 adults, L30 senior citizens, L25 students and L20 children, and foreign visitors US$6 (US$3 with residence); the Viaja con Gus blog (July 2026) gives L50 for Hondurans and US$5 for foreign visitors.

What are Lancetilla's hours?

XplorHonduras: every day, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Viaja con Gus: opening at 7:00 a.m. Hours unconfirmed.

How do you visit Punta Sal?

According to RedHonduras, the Punta Sal peninsula, in Jeannette Kawas National Park, is only reachable by sea; several Tela operators make the trip by boat in about an hour. According to the same source, the park is run by the PROLANSATE foundation.

Sources

Information checked in October 2026. Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

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Showing 5 of 5 · 1 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 3

Photo: KkleinRN · CC BY 2.0
Lancetilla Botanical Garden
NatureOpen
A botanical garden and protected area of 1,681 ha run by the National University of Forest Sciences (UNACIFOR); its Wilson Popenoe arboretum holds 824 species from four continents, according to UNACIFOR, which lists hiking, birdwatching, lodging and natural bathing spots among its services. Visit Honduras lists it among the country's main birdwatching sites, with more than 300 species.
Practical details and sources
Entry
Unofficial, conflicting figures: XplorHonduras (updated 2024) gives Hondurans L50 adults, L30 senior citizens, L25 students and L20 children, and foreign visitors US$6 (US$3 with residence); the Viaja con Gus blog (July 2026) gives L50 for Hondurans and US$5 for foreign visitors.
Hours
XplorHonduras: every day, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Viaja con Gus: opening at 7:00 a.m. Hours unconfirmed.
Source
UNACIFOR – Jardín Botánico Lancetilla · 2026 · +3
Nearby: Tela beach (6.4 km) · Triunfo de la Cruz (10 km) · Punta Izopo National Park (11.9 km)
Sources: UNACIFOR – Jardín Botánico Lancetilla · Visit Honduras – Naturaleza · XplorHonduras – Jardín Botánico Lancetilla (act. jun. 2024) · Viaja con Gus – Lancetilla (verificado jul. 2026; según el blog)
Tela. The pin is the protected area in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.6 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Punta Izopo National Park
NatureStatus unconfirmed
A small coastal and marine park at the eastern end of Tela Bay, with a mangrove-fringed lagoon explored by kayak with a tour operator's guides (about two and a half hours); white-faced and howler monkeys, crocodiles and birds can be seen, according to Visite Atlántida.
Status unconfirmed; Visite Atlántida (2020) describes an operator's tour.
Practical details and sources
Source
Visite Atlántida – Parque Nacional Punta Izopo (act. 2020) · 2020
Nearby: Triunfo de la Cruz (7.6 km) · Tela beach (11.1 km) · Lancetilla Botanical Garden (11.9 km)
Sources: Visite Atlántida – Parque Nacional Punta Izopo (act. 2020)
Between Tela and Arizona (Atlántida), according to Visite Atlántida. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.6 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Photo: Ricky Ng-Adam · CC BY-SA 3.0
Jeannette Kawas National Park (Punta Sal)
NatureOpen
A park with more than five ecosystems, including white-sand beaches, mangroves and coral reefs, and a birdwatching hotspot from October to January, according to Visit Honduras; its Punta Sal peninsula has six white-sand beaches and wildlife such as jaguars, howler monkeys and boas, according to the same source. It is run by the PROLANSATE Foundation and also includes Los Micos Lagoon, according to RedHonduras.
Practical details and sources
Entry
Unofficial, conflicting and unconfirmed figures: Hondudiario (October 2024) gave L25 for Honduran visitors and US$5 for foreign visitors, funds handled by PROLANSATE; RedHonduras (updated January 2026) mentions a symbolic fee of L30 on arrival at the park.
Booking
The peninsula is only reachable by sea, with Tela operators, according to RedHonduras. Coco Cabañas Tela (June 2026) describes the full-day trip run by its agency Cocotours: departure at 8:00 a.m. and return between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m., with a minimum of 8 people per group and lunch not included.
Source
Visit Honduras – Naturaleza (Parque Nacional Jeannette Kawas) · 2026 · +7
Tip: Hondudiario (2024) recommends carrying cash to eat at the two community eateries in Cocalito.
Sources: Visit Honduras – Naturaleza (Parque Nacional Jeannette Kawas) · Visit Honduras – Playas (Península de Punta Sal) · La Prensa – Tela está lista para recibir turistas: esperan 200 mil personas en Semana Morazánica (13 sep. 2026) · Coco Cabañas Tela – Excursión a Punta Sal desde Tela (6 jun. 2026) · RedHonduras – Jeannette Kawas Park, Punta Sal (act. ene. 2026) · Hondudiario – Punta Sal, un paraíso con alucinantes playas para visitar durante este «feriadón» en Tela (4 oct. 2024) · Criterio.hn – Parque Nacional Jeannette Kawas, un refugio natural en el Caribe hondureño (13 abr. 2025) · FCDO – Honduras: regional risks
West of Tela (Atlántida), according to Criterio.hn. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.31.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Sea, beach and reef · 1

Photo: Olmantorres20 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tela beach
BeachOpen
The beaches of the town of Tela, with light sand and warm water, which El Heraldo described in March 2026 as packed with holidaymakers at Easter. In October 2026, La Prensa reported a steady flow of visitors on Tela's beaches during the Morazán holiday, with boat rides, banana boats and jet skis, and food such as fried fish, seafood soups and coconut bread.
Practical details and sources
Source
El Heraldo – No se podrá acampar: estrictas restricciones en Tela para los veraneantes en Semana Santa (29 mar. 2026) · 2026 · +4
Tip: For Easter 2026, the authorities banned charcoal stoves, glass bottles, motor vehicles and camping on the beach, and restricted hammocks in unauthorised areas, according to El Heraldo. Only remains are left of the old pier, damaged by time and a fire; the Government plans a yacht pier there, with construction to start in 2027, according to La Prensa (August 2026).
Nearby: Triunfo de la Cruz (5.3 km) · Lancetilla Botanical Garden (6.4 km) · Punta Izopo National Park (11.1 km)
Sources: El Heraldo – No se podrá acampar: estrictas restricciones en Tela para los veraneantes en Semana Santa (29 mar. 2026) · La Prensa – Semana Morazánica: playas, Lago de Yojoa y occidente atraen a miles de hondureños (12 oct. 2026) · La Prensa – Construirán muelle para yates en Tela con inversión de L100 millones (7 ago. 2026) · El Heraldo – Tela espera recibir 200 mil turistas durante la Semana Morazánica de 2026 (12 sep. 2026) · FCDO – Honduras: regional risks
Tela (Atlántida). The pin is the beach in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.6.8 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Living culture · 1

Photo: schromero · CC BY 3.0
Triunfo de la Cruz
CultureOpen
A village a little over 9 km north-east of Tela that keeps the name under which Tela was founded in 1524 and is home to one of the largest Garífuna communities on the coast, with about 2 km of beach on a relatively calm sea and places to stay and eat, according to Visit Honduras. Visite Atlántida (2020) mentions its patron saint's fair of Saint Joseph, around 19 March, and the palm-thatched shelters rented on the beach in high season.
Practical details and sources
Source
Visit Honduras – Playas (Triunfo de la Cruz) · 2026 · +4
Tip: The community is in a land dispute: according to Contracorriente (August 2026), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled against Honduras in 2015 for violating its right to collective property, and OFRANEH's lawyer recalled the disappearance of leaders from Triunfo de la Cruz. In September 2026, an international delegation asked the State to comply with the Garífuna rulings, according to Infobae.
Nearby: Tela beach (5.3 km) · Punta Izopo National Park (7.6 km) · Lancetilla Botanical Garden (10 km)
Sources: Visit Honduras – Playas (Triunfo de la Cruz) · Visite Atlántida – Una visita a Triunfo de la Cruz (9 feb. 2020) · Infobae – Misión internacional exige a Honduras cumplir fallos de la Corte IDH a favor del pueblo garífuna (20 sep. 2026) · Contracorriente, en Biodiversidad en América Latina – Cinco garífunas de una comunidad con sentencia de la Corte IDH enfrentarán audiencia (7 ago. 2026) · FCDO – Honduras: regional risks
Triunfo de la Cruz, Tela (Atlántida). The pin is the village in OpenStreetMap; it is not an access point.6.5 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

Before you go, understand the place.

Themed guides

Tela Bay

Plan your visit

The essentials

Tips and precautions

Safety and precautions

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Everything you can do

Nature and jungle · 3

Lancetilla Botanical Garden

Punta Izopo National Park

Jeannette Kawas National Park (Punta Sal)

Sea, beach and reef · 1

Tela beach

Living culture · 1

Triunfo de la Cruz

Keep exploring Honduras