Siguatepeque, Comayagua

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Siguatepeque is a town and municipality in the Honduran department of Comayagua. "Very attractive and largely undiscovered by most visitors to Honduras, Siguatepeque is unbeatable for a visit allowing you to experience life in a small Central American city. With few motor vehicles and no air-polluting industries, Siguatepeque is steeped in the clean air of its wooded mountain valley setting. Because of its location, climate, security, and local hospitality, many visitors regard the town as an ideal place to reside permanently.

Siguatepeque, located in the Central Mountains of Honduras (population 75,000) is always very green and colourful, and can accurately be described as a garden city. The region, with its distinctly rural flavour, is primarily dedicated to farm and forest enterprises. The National School of Forestry Science (ESNCIFOR) provides training for hundreds of students from all of Latin America. Building on its natural attractions and picturesque beauty, the region recently has opened itself up to eco-tourism, with Siguatepeque functioning as a central hub and base for visitors making trips to destinations within Central Honduras.

A special point to note about Siguatepeque is its climate. At 1100 metres above sea level, it would be no exaggeration to sum it up as a kind of permanent springtime. There are three seasons. During the wet and fairly cool season between May and November, enough rain falls in the area to ensure luxurious vegetation, while it escapes the excessive humidity of the far hotter and wetter lowland areas. A cooler interlude (November to February) provides seasonal contrast, with temperatures occasionally down to 8ºC (40oF) as cold fronts enter from the north. This is followed by a dry season (February to May), with temperatures achieving a pleasantly warm peak of 32ºC (95oF). Cool winds flow down from the local Calenterique forest and from the immense Cordillera Montecillos, a Biological Reserve on the southern edge of the valley. Even in the hot season air conditioning is unnecessary, with a fan almost always being enough. In the winter heating is rarely needed, just a good jacket! So whenever you decide to visit, you will quickly notice the huge advantage of the temperate climate, compared with the coastal areas and lower elevations. If you’re exhausted by the heat, dust and bustle of the rest of Honduras or Central America, Siguatepeque is the ideal place to relax and re-energize for a few days!

Located almost exactly halfway between Honduras' two largest cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, Siguatepeque is very convenient and easy to reach from all points of the compass; you can be in Siguatepeque within 2 hours travel from Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula. It is a major stopping point for rest and refreshment for Honduran and international inter-city traffic, which has spurred a proliferation of highway restaurants and gas stations.

The more dedicated visitor will discover that the town is at the centre of a regional vegetable and fruit production area, ensuring a year-round supply of fresh cheap produce. The town has good shopping facilities, and the stores are filled with local and Central American products, as well as a wide variety of imported items. Due to the small size of the town centre, you will find the stores easy to visit on foot. You may be surprised to find that the variety, price and quality of articles on display easily rivals Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula.

Founded by the Spanish in 1689 as a religious centre for retreats and monastic training, the population of the town grew through the intermarriage of colonists, the indigenous Lencas and the Mexican Nahuatl immigrants. Most visitors are told that the name means ‘town of beautiful women’ in the Nahuatl Mexican dialect, and many of them find it hard to disagree with this description. In 1861 the town became a municipality in its own right, and a city in 1926.

Amenities in Siguatepeque include a large swimming pool, a regionally renowned acupuncture centre, a major private hospital, two cinemas and numerous restaurants. The town offers several bilingual schools up to college level, as well as the new Catholic University.

GETTING THERE: The easiest and cheapest way to travel to and from Siguatepeque is by bus. There are many options.

From Tegucigalpa you can catch any of the regional bus services serving San Pedro Sula, Santa Barbara, El Progreso, Tela, Sta Rosa de Copan, La Esperanza, La Ceiba, or any other town beyond Siguatepeque to the west.

Apart from the big companies running to and from San Pedro, you should be aware that some of the companies serving smaller towns tend to make frequent stops to pick up and drop off passengers, making the journey longer, though often more interesting. Many travellers prefer to use the direct bus services between San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa; the three services are Hedman Alas, Empresa Saenz and Empresa El Rey.

At the end of your visit, to catch any of the regional services for your onward journey out of Siguatepeque towards Tegucigalpa or Comayagua, you need to take a taxi to the bus shelter on the main highway, next to the pedestrian bridge. On the opposite side of the road is another bus shelter (next to the Texaco gas station) that serves passengers travelling to San Pedro and destinations north and west. You can ride on any of the inter-city buses, if they are not full. It can be tricky to get a seat early in the morning (especially on Mondays) or on a Friday afternoon, so try to be patient at these times.

Other options for your journey to or from Siguatepeque are the locally-based direct bus services. The direct bus service to/from Tegucigalpa is called Empresas Unidas (located on the eastern side of San Pablo square – call 773-0149). The current single fare from Tegucigalpa to Siguatepeque is 30 lempiras, equating to less than $2 for a 75-mile bus ride. Their Tegucigalpa terminal is in the Comayaguela sector of the city. The direct service to and from San Pedro Sula is Empresas Etul (773-2033), and its buses leave from the bus station one block west of San Pablo square. This bus station is also used for other local services in the area.

If you are planning to travel to La Esperanza you should make your way to the turnoff about 4 km from town centre, next to the new Texaco Service Centre. Buses from here will take you onwards to the Lenca highlands. In the vicinity of the bus stop you will find some comedores serving inexpensive meals, as well as the Betunia Restaurant and French Bread Shop. Five kilometres further along this route, you can visit El Porvenir village, which specialises in clay handicrafts.

Taxi fares (‘la carrera’) around town are currently set at Lps. 15 for anywhere in the main town area, though they will be higher for more out of centre destinations.

BASIC SERVICES Quite frankly, you won’t find better medical facilities in a town of this size in Latin America than those in Siguatepeque. The town is famous for its medical services, and is an excellent place for the casual visitor to get treated for serious illnesses, as well as for minor medical complaints. The modern Evangelical Hospital attracts clients from throughout Honduras. Dozens of private general and specialist clinics operate here, in particular Hospital Las Mercedes, as well as dental clinics. About 15 pharmacies serve the locality.

If you are interested in alternative therapies, the Hospital de Acupuntura (located in Barrio Macaruya) is a modern facility offering services such as acupuncture, dentistry, herbal medicines, sauna and massage. Nelly Velasquez (773-3341) offers professional therapeutic massages. The widely-renowned Dr Waldemar is a gifted herbalist who can be contacted on 773-2828.

All the major banks are represented in the town centre. Banco Atlantida has a branch along the main intercity highway in Granja D’Elia. The main Banco Atlantida office in the town centre handles Visa transactions, though remember to bring your passport. Banco Occidente handles Western Union money transfers." Honduras.com/