El Progreso

Introduction

El Progreso is in northern Honduras located in the department of Yoro. It is the fourth largest city in Honduras after the capital Tegucigalpa. It rests at the base of a mountain range in the Valle de Sula in an important agricultural area of Honduras. It is a good base for entering the country and visiting other parts of the country. It is on an important crossroads of Honduran Highways that go towards Tela/La Ceiba, Comayagua/Tegucigalpa, and San Pedro Sula/Copán Ruinas. Because of the importance of El Progreso it is known as the Pearl of the Ulua. The river Ulua passes through El Progreso and is known as one of the country's largest and most important rivers.

Sights and Activities

While El Progreso is mainly a commercial city, the central plazas, main cathedral and downtown area provide tourists with a window into the soul of Honduran life. Local produce, hand made goods and everyday essentials can be purchased from the dozens of small stands and shops in the center of town.

The town used to be a key logistical center for the United Fruit Company's Honduran banana trade. In the 1920s the area was a booming rail center, and the legacy of this time period can still be seen today. The train cars can be found at the train station (now the site of Sunday markets), just off of the boulevard towards Tegucigalpa.

To the west of the city lies the scenic drive to Tela and La Ceiba. Along the way travelers can see the protected mountain range called Pico Quemado

El Progreso is home to one of the largest tourist shops in the area called Turiplaza. It is located a mile from the city center on the way to Tela. There, and at stores throughout the central city markets, one can purchase hand made crafts typical of the area. Honduras is known for its wooden carved boxes and the ones found in El Progreso do not disappoint.

Mega Plaza The new mall in El Progreso is large, clean and comforting. Shopping in Honduras is a cultural experience, and a trip to El Progreso is not complete with out a trip through the new mall. It also houses a 3-screen movie theater where new movies can be seen for US$3 (or $1.50 on Tuesdays).

Day trips can easily be made from El Progreso to Tela (a beach town) or to the beautiful mountainous region of Lake Yojoa.

Getting There

El Progreso is located 20 minutes south from the International Airport Ramón Villeda Morales, located outside of San Pedro Sula. International flights come in from Houston, Atlanta, Miami and San Salvador. Taxis can be taken from the airport to El Progreso. Bus services, of varying quality, are easily accessible throughout the region. The regions main bus station is on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula, which is only a 45 minute ride from El Progreso.

Getting Around

A very efficient local bus system operates in most major areas of El Progreso. Buses will commonly feature the destinations "Quebrada del Yoro" and "Pallermo," two far-ends of El Progreso whereby most buses will do a circuit, traveling back and forth from these two locations.

Taking a bus mid-day can be tricky, as many local buses travel primarily during the morning and evening hours, when everyone goes to and from work and school.

Taxis and city buses are plentiful, making it easy to use to travel around the city.

Eat

El Progreso offers a number of dining choices.

Throughout the center of town, visitors can find fast food chains such as Dunkin Doughnuts, Popeye's Chicken, Kentucky Friend Chicken, Wendy's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Pollo Campero and Pollo Hondureno. The mall also has an Applebee's and a food court with a wide variety of fast food and regional eating options.

La Parrilla, Las Tejas, and the Uruguayan Grill are some of the areas better steak and grill options. Las Tejas and the Uruguayan Grill are located off of the main boulevard. While La Parrilla is located about a mile outside of town, towards Tegucigalpa.

For those on a tight budget or looking for the true Honduran cuisine experience, Pollo y Mas provides a large variety of tasty and affordable dishes typical to Honduras. Another option is the tasty chicken of Auto-pollo. The restaurant is an adventure in its dining experience, but the food (only rotisserie chicken) is outstanding.

A new dining option is Catrachitos in the center of town, 4 doors down towards the main boulevard from the Centro Pizza Hut (not to be confused with the Pizza Hut on the boulevard). This new restaurant offers gourmet Honduran typical food, freshly-prepared. Always packed during lunch-time with locals. They also do catering.

Drink

Like any city, there are a number of bars or restaurant bars through out the village. Of specific note are the following:

• H2O - Located in the center across from Wendy's. A new lounge that has a refreshing, relaxing atmosphere (though there is no dance floor for those looking for a evening of dancing).
• Something Different - Located a block from the Pizza Hut, off of the main boulevard. A large lounge, great for watching a sports game, relaxing or waiting for the late crowd to mix it up on the lounge's dance floor.
• Coco's - A karaoke bar located a block from Wendy's in the center of town. The bar is often crowded and filled with smoke, but it has a decent dance floor and is free to enter.
• Zona 504 - A disco located a block from Wendy's in the center of town, below Coco's. It usually costs US$7.50 to $10 to enter (unless you go before 9:00pm). Weeknights are usually slow, but on Friday and Saturday nights the place is usually filled with Progresenos, as it is known as the main place to go and be seen on the weekends. It has a large dance floor and a VIP section up stairs for parties or special occasions.
• Jardin Progreseño (Club 360°, La Barracuda, La Jungla). Jardin Progreseño (Club 360°, La Baracuda, La Jungla). Jardin Progreseño, two blocks from the new city hall towards the boulevard,it has a main downstairs open air bar and dance area with live music every weekend,admission ranges from US$2 to $4. The upstairs is "La Jungla" which is a great kareoke bar and dance with a big screen to watch and enjoy the best and most current videos, free admission. There is the "Baracuda Bar" which is the nicest pool hall and sports bar in Progreso located on the corner. And soon to come a casino and new disco for VIP members. Every bar has the best high tech lighting, big screens TVs, projectors, fog machines, great drink and food specials. Well staffed with security guards all night. The owners are one of Honduras' most well known musical duo and they play weekly. The clubs are always packed from Friday to Sunday. Their slogan is "The place where the best people in El Pregreso meet".

Sleep

There are a number of small hotels through out El Progreso, however there are two main ones that are recommended for international tourists.

• Hotel Cascada is a new hotel located about 3 kilometres out of town, on the way to Tela. The hotel is made up cabins that can be rented for the night. It is peaceful and clean. There is a pool, internet access and the option to have meals cooked for you at the hotel. The hotel has high walls surrounding the property and a 24-hour guard on duty, for those concerned about security. The owner and his wife speak English, making it a great place for those traveling Honduras with limited Spanish. Honduras Phone number: (504)648-2515.
• Hotel Casa Blanca is a hotel located a 800 metres from the centre of town, across from Turiplaza. It is a clean and upscale hotel, with a pool, internet access and a restaurant. The hotel also rents cars for those wishing to drive while they are in the area. The hotel has high walls around the property and has several night guards on duty. Honduras Phone number: (504) 647-1520.

Keep Connected

Internet

No matter where you are in Honduras, you should find Internet access, either in a cafe, mall, or cybercafe. Most hotels, even hostels, have their own Internet service, and more and more are beginning to have Wi-Fi service. Roughly 90% of these hotels offer Wi-Fi for free, yet some international chain hotels in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, as well as a few resorts on Roatán, charge a fee that ranges between US$6 and US$15 per day. If the hotel does not have Internet service, the hotel staff can usually point out where to find it. Expect to pay approximately 20 lempira per hour.

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The emergency numbers are 199 (police), 195 (ambulance) and 198 (fire). The international area code in Honduras is 504. All local phone numbers are eight digits, including the area code. Numbers either start with a 2 (landline) or a 9 (cellular).

Kiosks and convenience stores throughout Honduras sell phone cards with individual instructions on long-distance dialing, and phone booths at telephone centers will provide instructions on dialing.

Honduras's largest phone companies, such as Telefonica, operate on a GSM 850 or 1900 MHZ frequency, which several large North American carriers also use, though these frequencies are rare in other parts of the world. Any dual or multiband GSM cellphone will work in Honduras, but you might pay expensive roaming rates; it's better to buy a local SIM card and install it in your own cell phone for cheaper rates.
You can also rent a phone at kiosks located on the arrival level at the San Pedro Sula or Tegucigalpa airport; they are open daily from 6:00am to 9:00pm. Depending on your service, you may be able to insert your own SIM card, though you'll likely still pay regular roaming rates. Some cellphone companies in Honduras will rent phones with prepaid calling cards.

Post

Honducor is the country's national postal service. Post offices are open from Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm (though generally with a long lunch break) and on Saturday from 8:00am to noon. Sendings standard letters or postcards internationally start at around US$1 and take 10-14 days at least. You can get stamps at a post office and at some gift shops in large hotels. The Honduran postal service is renowned for being considerably more reliable than in other Central American nations, though if you are sending anything of value, it is still recommended to use an international courier service like DHL, UPS, TNT or FedEx, which have offices in larger cities.

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