The village of Copán

Copán was one of the great centers of Maya civilization over a thousand years ago. The beautiful ruins have some of the most impressive pre-Columbian art anywhere. Near the ruins is the modern town of nearly the same name - Copán Ruinas, with clean hotels and other facilities for visitors. Due to their proximity, both locations are covered by this article.

The ruins are quite substantial and a major tourist attraction in western Honduras. While less visited than the better known tourist attraction ruins like Chichen Itza, many people find them even more interesting.

Copán is in a fertile river valley and nestled among rolling hills, at an elevation so it is not so very hot as some of the Central American rainforest sites.

Get in

There are direct buses from San Pedro Sula and Guatemala.

Elsewhere in Honduras: There are regular shuttle buses to Copán Ruinas (L40) from La Entrada, a regional transport hub about 1–2 hours from Copán. Find a bus that passes through La Entrada (San Jose, San Pedro Sula, Nueva Ocotepeque, etc.). As from 2012 air viva offers regular flights from Copán to Roatan and Tegucigalpa.

Hedman Alas services Copán Ruinas from San Pedro Sula, with connections to/from Tegucigalpa, La Ceiba, and elsewhere. If you just go to the San Pedro Sula bus station, it's likely a bus will be leaving in the near future. Casasola Expresses is a budget (L110) alternative to Hedman Alas.

Guatemala: There are daily shuttles that depart Antigua, Guatemala at 4AM and 9AM and arrive in Copán Ruinas around six hours after departure time. Most travel agents in Antigua sell tickets for this shuttle. Prices vary from $7 to $12.

El Salvador

• Cross the border at El Poy. From there you can get a share taxi to Ocotepeque (L20). Board a San Jose bound bus and get off at La Entrada (L90). There you can find a minibus to Copán Ruinas (L40).
• There is a direct shuttle service that depart several days every week at 12:30PM, tickets can be purchased in Cafe Via Via or online at www.gekkotrailsexplorer.com, there are several arrival places in El Salvador (Santa Ana city, Suchitoto, San Salvador city, Beaches El Tunco, San Diego, El Sunzal, el Zonte).

Get around

Copán is a small community, so don't worry about mapping sights before you get there. If you are a walker and sure-footed, it is safe to walk the cobblestone streets anywhere in town or walk to the ruins on foot. Streets are reportedly safe after dark, but standard precautions apply.

Mototaxis (Honduran rickshaws) will take you anywhere in town for a small fee (L10 around town, L20 to the Ruins/Macaw Mountain).

The Mayan Ruins are a short walk out of town and a further 20 minutes walk will take you to Las Sepulturas, a wonderfully open section of the ruins that many people fail to visit - don't! There is also a short nature walk at the main ruins that meanders around other smaller ruins.

See

Las Copán Ruinas (entry $15/person) are the highlight of Copán. Although quite extensive, they are not as huge as Tikal in Guatemala or Teotihuacan in Mexico, but there is more sculpture here than any other Pre-Columbian city. The ruins are prized for the carved stellae of ancient rulers, and the well preserved hieryoglyphics including the hieryoglyphic stairway. Also in the archeological park is a marvelous Mayan museum (entry $7/person) with a reconstructed temple and fabulous artifacts. Fans of Maya art or ancient ruins can easily spend two full days between the two main ruins sites and museum. The tunnels are reportedly not worth the extra fee, and are not authentic, having been dug by archaeologists in the 1980s (these tunnels were originally dug for investigation and they show to the visitors the buried parts of older temples since the Mayans built on top of the older structures to make the new ones taller ). In July 2011 it was possible to visit the Sepulturas on the next day without purchasing a second ticket although the main ticket office may not tell you this.

It's recommended to be there when it opens at 8AM, as the site gets very hot by mid-day. Hire a guide at the entrance to the ruins for $25 divided between however many people you can collect. Cesar (30s, good accented English) and Antonio (60s, few teeth, excellent English) are recommended if they're around.

Besides the ruins, the countryside is attractive. Slow paced local life is quite calm, and farming of corn, beans, coffee, and tobacco is the main vocation.

Do

• Luna Jaguar Aguas Termales. is a natural hot springs spa under an hour's drive (25km) from Copán Ruinas. Several man-made pools of differing temperatures mimic Mayan structures and are fed by the hot springs. A variety of adventure tour companies will take you there for $10/person plus $60/group, which is outrageous considering the alternatives. For cheaper transportation, pickups and minibuses congregate at the soccer field (right before the bridge on the way to the ruins). Gather a group together, and you might negotiate a pickup for $50. They may be willing to wait up to 3 hours for you. Even better, be patient, and a (tiny) seat in a minibus is only L35 each way. To get back to town, start walking, and a minibus will pass before long. The drive is very scenic, so enjoy it! One can easily spend the whole day at Luna Jaguar, but bring your own food. Massages available. entry $12/person. 

• Macaw Mountain. is an excellent bird sanctuary a short (L20/person) mototaxi ride from el Centro. The price may seem steep, but the sanctuary is commendable for its beautiful location, free tours in English, swimming hole, and obviously healthy, well cared-for birds. As of January 2011, the birds that are being rehabilitated are brought out for holding at 3PM. The ticket is valid for 3 days, so come back and swim for free. entry $10/person. 

• Centro de Mariposas. is a butterfly sanctuary located just outside town. entry L120/person. 

• Canopy/zip line. Copán has one of the world's longest zip lines, including one about 1,000 meters (3,200 feet) long. ~$35/person. 

• Horseback Rides. can take you to La Pintada, a Maya Chorti village, and to Los Sapos, which is a small ruin not included in the archaeological park. La Pintada is interesting but overrated, while Los Sapos, though very small, is fascinating with a good guide. It's a 10 minute walk down to the river where you can swim for free. $12-15/person for 3hrs. 

• Casa K'inich Children's Museum, Fuerte Cabañas (Straight up the hill past the Marina Hotel turn right into Fuerte Cabañas.), ☏ +504 2651 4105. 8-12 1-5 Tuesday through Sunday. The Casa K'inich Children's Museum (Museo Escolar) is a unique museum that was opened in 2002. To celebrate its tenth anniversary for 2012 the museum has been updated and new exhibits and interactive displays have been added. This museum is in three languages (English, Spanish, and Maya Chorti) and is the only children's museum of its kind situated at close proximity to a Maya Ruin. The museum's totally interactive exhibits will help the visitor (adults and children alike) understand the glyphs at the ruins, what happened to the Maya, and shows how the Maya built their buildings along with a description of the famous Maya ballgame among many other subjects. Not to be missed the museum only takes an hour or two to visit and the location has a beautiful view of the Copan Valley. Groups are welcome and student groups can call for and appointment or even have food set up during their visit. Ask for Londin Velasquez the museum's dynamic director. $1 for adults children always free. 

Volunteer

There are numerous community-building projects in and around Copán Ruinas. One site to check out is Mayatan Bilingual School, a locally-founded independent, non-profit school that educates local children in Spanish and English. The school relies on foreign volunteers to teach its English language courses (Pre-K through high school), and it always welcomes visitors. Mayatan is located on the path to the Macaw Mountain bird park, about 1.5 km from the center of town, or a L15 (75¢) taxi ride. Contact Tommy for more information.

Buy

There is an unimpressive market near el Centro. On Sundays, fruit vendors line el Centro with their pickup trucks.

Eat

Most places offer a plato tipico de Honduras. This includes beef strips (or sometimes chicken or eggs), beans, fried plantains, tortillas, cabbage and sour cream. Licuados are either water- or milk-based fruit smoothies that for L30 should be enjoyed every day. Local meals run L80-L120.

• Restaurant Glifos (...inside Hotel Marina Copan), In Hotel Marina Copan, Avenida Centroamérica, across Central Park, ☏ +504 2651-4071. 6:30AM - 9:30PM. Local and international cuisine, the highest quality steaks, pastas, soups, salads, affordable buffet breakfast and delicious desserts. 
• Cafe Via Via - The restaurant/bar in the ViaVia hostel offers great food and standard drinks.
• Picame - This restaurant is small but excellent, offering a great value for your lempira. The proprietor is Jessica who speaks excellent English. Try the double cheeseburger or ENORMOUS breakfast burrito. Caddy-corner from the soccer field, it's an excellent place to get take-out sandwiches for a day at Agua Caliente.
• Comedor Mary - The best local restaurant in town for delicious, cheap, clean Honduran food. Great tipicos and pupusas. Unpretentious and authentic.
• Carnitas Nia Lola - A restaurant a little ways off the parque central that offers a wide variety of delicious food and has a good happy hour. Service can be either excellent or quite slow.
• La Casa de Todo Restaurant - Great food! Homemade bread, yogurt, organic coffee and much more one block down from Banco de Occidente.
• Llama del Bosque - Second only to Comedor Mary for dependable local food. Larger and busier, but an excellent value and good service. The chorizo burrito and fajitas de res are huge and delicious.

• Twisted Tanya's - Run by an expat (Tanya) with a great balcony. 2PM-10PM. Closed on Sunday, Offering a Backpacker special every night, and dishes you would not find anywhere else, Tequila Shrimp, Filet Mignon, curries, and home made pasta's and breads and desserts all made in house.

• Asados Copan - A local "steakhouse" that offers the traditional carne asada in a variety of ways (with onions, jalapeño sauce, on a kabob, etc.) The restaurant is located up the hill from Picame, just one block behind the Banco Occidente on a large open-air wood deck. An entree runs between 100 and 200 lempiras.
• Don Udo´s, Avenida Mirador (BarrioEl Centro), ☏ +504 6514533. 6AM-10PM. An open restaurant with garden patio and full service menu. The steaks are best known, but there is a large a-la-carte menu with special dishes and snacks. 
• Kymberly, Annapolis. Barcito- beautiful food, fun atmosphere. I got the jalapeño hummus with homemade bread, and the kebbhes (middle eastern meatballs), two margaritas and a pack of cigarettes for L225. A little more than $10. 
• Sol de Copan German Brewery & Restaurant, Barrio Buena Vista Ave El Mirador (Copan Ruinas), ☏ +504 26514758. 14 to 10. Brewery, German Beer on tap, German & Honduran Kitchen 
• Cafe San Rafael. Excellent coffee and panini sandwiches, but best known for their farmstead hand-made gourmet cheese, available nowhere else in Honduras. Not to be missed. 
• Copan Association Gift Shop, Ruinas de Copan (Located on the left inside the Visitors Center at the Archaeological Park), ☏ +504 2651 4628. 8AM til 4PM every day. This shop has a really good variety of gifts, tshirts and souvenirs from the Copan area. Located inside the Visitor's Center of the Ruins of Copan they also sell water and soft drinks. 

Drink

• Cafe Welchez - truly the best coffee to be had in Copan Ruinas, possibly in all of Honduras. On the corner of the town square, downhill from the Marina Copan. You can go on a coffee tour, just outside of town, to see where and how their coffee is grown and processed.
• Espresso Americano - The Honduran chain, serving coffee roasted with brown sugar. Best coffee "chain" in Honduras
• Cafe San Rafael - serving excellent gourmet coffee, grown from their own farms
• La Casa de todo Cafe - in beautiful tropical garden... serve fresh roasted Organic Coffee
• Twisted Tanya's - Surprisingly well-made cocktails for $4 or $5. 2-for-1 from 3PM-6PM and drink specials all night, great balcony overlooking the mountains. Beer on tap and good wines.

• sol de copan (German brewery & restaurant), Barrio Buena Vista (Copan Ruinas), ☏ +504 26514758. 14 to 10. Very good German food, but the real attraction is the beer - excellently crafted, filtered, and some of the best you'll have, anywhere. 

Sleep

The town of Copán Ruinas has all types of accommodations for all prices ranges. Most places are located within two blocks of Parque Central.

Budget

• En la manzana verde - Funky hotel run by the Belgian couple that also run the ViaVia cafe. Dormbeds, television, kitchen, 100 Lempiras.
• Las Gemelas - A beautiful, clean hotel run by the charming Dona Mafalda. Simple, tidy rooms with shared bath start at L100. Closed as of Jan 2012?
• Hotel San Jose - A clean hotel. Simple, private, tidy rooms with shared bathrooms, L100 if you haggle.
• Iguana Azul, Calle Rosalila. An excellent hostel a short walk from el Centro. Dorm beds in small rooms $8, private single $16 private double $18. Run by an American couple, free purified water and good information on the area. Very quiet at night. Highly recommended! (updated Feb 2016)
• Hotel Ch'orti, ☏ +504 2651-4694. Funded through CONIMCHH, the indigenous Ch’ortí Maya organization, your stay here will help support Honduras’ indigenous population. The facilities feature clean, private rooms with en suite bathrooms, free high speed wi-fi, hot showers, picturesque mountain views, free cable, and access to purified water. Just a five minute walk from the center of Copán Ruinas, down the block from La Iguana Azul. The rooms could use a fresh coat of paint and are sometimes stuffy, but get the job done. L200 single, L250 double. 
• Full Monte - In the court yard of Twisted Tanya's and Copan Connections, only one room with DVD, Cable, coffee and huge bathroom! Great location right in town and very safe. (504) 2651-4182 $35/$25 weekly and monthly rates.

Mid-range

• Hotel Graditas Mayas. Located two blocks west from the central park. It offers 15 comfortable rooms. 

• Hotel Plaza Copán Located on the square next to the church, this hotel surrounds a pool/ bar/ atrium area. 20 rooms with private bath, TV and A/C. Single/ Double $50US/ $60US.

• La Casa de Café, ☏ +504 2651-4620. 10 room B&B in two wings each with private hot water bath, wood paneled ceiling, ceiling fan, writing desk, night table w/ reading lamp and an oversized picture window which looks out onto a great view of the Copán River Valley, the distant mountains and La Casa de Café's own lovely tropical garden. US$45.00 single / night (Plus Tax)US$55.00 double / night (Plus Tax). 

• ViaVia Hostel - run by Belgians that offers great sleeping accommodations. They have very good food but can be quite noisy due to the karaoke bar next door.

• Hotel los Jaguares. Small family run hotel on the main plaza with about 10 rooms. Large rooms with TV, AC and private bath with hot water. Fast wifi. Parking. Free purified water. Very pleasant, helpful and friendly staff. Single / Double US$35/40. (504) 2651 - 4451 or 2651 4075. jaguares@copanhonduras.org or hotellosjaguares@yahoo.com 

Splurge

• 1 Hotel Marina Copán (Hotel Marina Copán), Across Central Park, Copán Ruinas, ☏ +504 2651-4070, fax: +504 2651-4297, reservations@hotelmarinacopan.com. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: 12:00m. Located in the center of town, a family owned and operated property established in 1945, this hotel is known for its history, nice architecture and good services. It has 49 rooms. from US$95. 
• La Casa Rosada -Bed & Breakfast, ☏ +504 2651-4324. Conveniently located two blocks from central park and one kilometer (0.6 miles) from the Mayan archeological site. The hotel has 5 rooms. All rooms have private baths with steam showers, dual head showers, bidets, and a selection of natural hand-made soaps and shampoos. Each room has a DVD/CD player, flat screen LCD TVs with cable, a small refrigerator, A/C and ceiling fan, and 100% cotton linens. The place is beautifully decorated and creates a very relaxing atmosphere. Guests are offered a selection of cigars and fine wine. 
• Posada Real de Copán, ☏ +504 2651-4480. Located 2 kilometer (0.6 miles) from Copán Ruinas and Sepulturas. A little far away from town (3 kilometer - 2 miles). Big rooms, private bath with hot water. Restaurant and Pool & Jacuzzi. Free scheduled shuttle service to town and Ruinas/Sepulturas. 
• Terramaya (2 1/2 blks north of Central Park), ☏ +504 2651-4623. Six rooms each with either private full size terrace, private garden or private balcony. Hammock, a/c, ceiling fan, Egyptian cotton linens, lovely handcrafted hardwood furniture, wood beamed ceilings, library, full breakfasts included in rate, massage pavilion, outdoor shower, free wireless internet, internet jack in each guest room, garden, complimentary coffee, tea and iced tea. Spectacular views from guest rooms. 

Go next

• Antigua Guatemala - Many shops in town sell tickets for the Antigua shuttle, which departs at 6AM and at 12PM, pickup from your hostel is all part of the service ($25US - February 2016). Journey takes about 6-7 hours.
• El Florido (Guatemala Border) - A minibus leaves regularly from the bridge near the central square beginning at 6AM (L30). From El Florido you can catch a minibus to Chiquimula (Q20), a transport hub. Of particular interest in Chiqui is the direct bus to Flores via Rio Hondo, Rio Dulce and Poptun. Leaves from the main bus station in the market at 9:30AM daily (Q85, 8 hours). Leave Copán bright and early and you will have plenty of time to get the bus to Flores.