Orientation

It may be confusing, but the actual Maya ruins here are called Copán, while the little town is officially known as Copán Ruínas. Most folks refer to it generically as Copán or make the appropriate distinction when necessary. The town is very compact, and everything of importance is located within a 4-block radius of the central plaza. No official street names are actually used, and directions are given in relation to the central plaza or some other known landmark.

Visitor Information

Banco Atlántida and BAC both front the central plaza and are fast and safe places to exchange money or use an ATM. To contact the local police, dial tel. 504/2651-4060. The post office (tel. 504/2651-4447; Mon-Sat 8am-noon, Mon-Fri 2-5pm) is located just west of the Copán Museum.

There are a few Internet cafes around town; most charge around L20 to L40 per hour. For medical emergencies, ask your hotel or call Dr. Boqui at the Clínica Handal (tel. 504/2651-4408). Hondutel, a half-block south of the central plaza, and La Casa de Todo (1 block from the park; tel. 504/2651-4689) are the best places for international phone calls. La Casa de Todo also has the best laundry service in town.

Border Crossing: El Florido

Crossing the border at El Florido on your way to Guatemala City or Antigua is relatively easy, and the crossing is now open 24 hours a day, so the long waits and crowds that the point was once known for have diminished significantly. Be prepared to pay the L20 departure tax (although some travelers have been asked for more) leaving Honduras and a L25 fee to enter Guatemala. Both sides accept lempira and quetzals, Guatemala's national currency, although moneychangers are everywhere. If you're driving a rental car, be sure to have all your papers in order and clear the trip with the rental-car agency in advance.

Getting There

By Car -- If you're driving to Copán from San Pedro Sula, you have a pretty much straight shot on CA 4 to La Entrada, where you can continue on CA 11 to Copán; a 2 1/2-hour drive in total.

To get to and from Tegucigalpa is much trickier. From Copán, there is a beautiful route through the mountains to Gracias from La Esperanza on CA 11-A, but the road is windy, mostly unpaved, and sometimes impassable due to rain. Many drivers prefer to head back toward San Pedro Sula and catch Hwy. 20 toward Santa Bárbara or head all of the way back and catch CA 4.

From the Guatemalan border at El Florido, it's just a 12km (7 1/2-mile) drive to Copán Ruínas.

By Bus -- Hedman Alas (tel. 504/2651-4037 in Copán Ruínas or 504/2651-4037 in San Pedro Sula; www.hedmanalas.com) offers five daily trips to San Pedro Sula, with connections to La Ceiba, Tela, and Tegucigalpa. They also run buses to Guatemala City daily at 1:30 and 6pm. The fare is L420 one-way, L800 round-trip. The one-way trip takes about 3 hours.

Copán Connections (tel. 504/651-4182), below Twisted Tanya's, can arrange private buses and transportation to Antigua, Tikal, La Ceiba, Tegucigalpa, and the Bay Islands. Prices vary depending on the number of people.

Local buses also run from the dirt lot near the bridge at the entrance to town and head to La Entrada, 1 hour away, where riders can then transfer to a bus for Gracias, Santa Rosa de Copán, San Pedro Sula, or several other villages in the region.

Getting Around

You can easily walk anywhere in Copán Ruínas, including from town to the archaeological site. However, if you need a taxi, they are plentiful and inexpensive. Most of the taxis are small motor taxis or tuk tuks, which circulate around town and gather on the north and south sides of the central plaza. A taxi ride between town and the archaeological site should cost L20 per person.

Keep Exploring