Erin Miller

Tips for volunteers and travelers in La Esperanza, Honduras
Where to stay
If you have more money than you know what to do with, there is a very nice mountain resort just out of the center of town called Cabanas de los Pinos. The bus can drop you off at the entrance to the resort on your way in to town. The resort has a pool and everything. It will cost you upwards of 800 lempira per night per room. Instead, I recommend staying at Hotel Ipsan-nah in the center of La Esperanza. It is the nicest hotel in town. It is very clean and run by a very friendly and service-oriented staff. It’s a big place with volunteer organizations so reservations might help. Their number is 783-2086. The hotel should cost about 400 lempira per night for a 2-3 person room. A cheaper option in town is Hotel Mejia Batres, which costs 200 lempira per night for a 2 person room, but it does have an early curfew. Mejia Batres is located one block off of parque central. Whichever hotel you choose in town, just take the bus from La Guama to the end of the line, to the station on the edge of town. Get a taxi at the station and tell the driver to take you to your hotel. Taxis in town should cost 11 lempira per person. If you want to go to Ipsan-nah, the taxi drivers will probably know the hotel by the name of the restaurant attached to it, El Pollito Indio.
There are a number of must-sees in La Esperanza.
1. The market. It is full of delicious and cheap fruits and vegetables. The strawberries and mangoes are particular highlights. If oranges are in season, buy one off a street vendor. The vendor will cut it in half and offer you salt. Take the salt, it’s an interesting cultural experience. Then dig right in sucking the juice out of the half orange. To get to the market, walk 2 or so blocks north from hotel Ipsan-nah and take a left. You should be able to see the market and follow it west for a block, then walk another block north and continue to follow the market west through the streets. Once the market ends, walk three or so more blocks west. You should see a big red sign for Banco Atlantida.
2. Banco Atlantida. Its the only bank in town with an ATM. True to form, it only takes Visa.
3. The “Licuado” (smoothie) stand across from Banco Atlantida in the commercial center. The friendly woman that runs it will make any fruit combination you dream up. You can get the smoothies either milk-based, orange juice-based, or water-based. They cost 20 lempira for a large.
4. Cafe Internet. After your licuado, continue walking west along that block until you see Mike’s fast food (It’s a bright yellow building with red letters) on your left. There is an internet cafe on the left just before Mikes that has a generator in case you have some immediate internet-related business and the power is out. If the power is not out, take a right at Mike’s and walk down hill 4 blocks or so until you come to a large open plaza with soccer fields in the middle. (This is plaza Lempira). When you see the plaza there will be an Internet Cafe on your left, Cafe Internet. It is the best internet cafe in town, and hugely popular with the volunteer types. They sell terrific coffee and deserts and it is run by one of the most friendly and helpful families in town. If you do go, please tell them that “Erline, la gringa que trabajaba con las mujeres en el Albergue, dice hola.”
5. Helping build homes. If you have a weekday morning free, go build homes with other volunteers in the hills around town. The driver (Pablo) leaves from Plaza Lempira (which you have just seen) at 7 (ok, 7:15) every weekday morning that volunteers are in town. It’s a 10 lempira ride in the back of a truck each way, but one of the greatest Honduran experiences you can get. You will be back in town around 1pm. The truck is bright blue and leaves from the upper left corner of plaza lempira when you look at it from the internet cafe (the northwest corner).
6. El Fogón. Walk right back up the road you walked down to get to the Internet cafe by plaza Lempira. Walk past Milke’s and on your right you will see El Fogón. This is where you should go to drink a couple of beers and meet up with other volunteers in town in the evenings, it has a great atmosphere.
7. Opalaca’s Restaurant. After you pass El Fogon, continue walking up hill to the end of the block and take a left. Restaurante Opalaca’s will be on your left. It is the best food in town. Get something alla plancha (on the grill) I recommend the beef steak, but the pork chops are also good. The meal will come with a salad (that is completely safe to eat) and french fries.
8. The kiosk in Central Park. Once you pass Opalacas, you will see central park on your right. The park is a great place to hang out, and the restaurant in the middle serves terrific food. Try a bunch of the sides, they are all delicious. Also be sure to try ‘una baleada con todo.” It will knock your socks off.
9. La Gruta. You may have noticed a white shrine up-hill from central park. Its worth taking a walk up there to look around. It provides a fantastic view.

La vista de la gruta, La Esperanza, Honduras
If you have any other questions about La Esperanza, or if you will be visiting or volunteering there soon, feel free to drop me an email at: erinashleymiller(at)gmail(dot)c0m