Isla del Tigre has just one town, Amapala, though there are smaller clusters of houses circling the island. At the main dock, you will find a small tourism office that can help you find a hotel, give you a map, or organize a tour. Upon leaving the dock, the town extends both ways along the coast and back toward the interior a few blocks to a small square with a church, market, and Hondutel call center.
If you want to explore elsewhere on the island, you can follow the one 17km (11-mile) road that follows the coast. You can walk, hire a moto-taxi, or wait along the road for the minibuses to pass. Both rides will charge you by the distance you travel. Prices are slightly higher than on the mainland. There are a few miradors set up with good views of the gulf, the islands, and El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Most tourists, both Honduran and international, who venture to Isla del Tigre are there for one thing: beaches and sun. There are approximately 20 white and black sand beaches here, some of them harder to reach than others and most of them deserted. From Amapala, the nearest stretch of sand is at Playa El Burro to the east of town, which faces Coyolito. The water is calm and clear, though some debris is strewn about and it can get rather muddy at low tide. You can hire a boatman right on the beach for fishing, tours, and transport to Coyolito. There are a few small hospedajes and restaurants here. You can walk here in about 25 minutes from town.
On the opposite side of the island is the largest beach, appropriately named Playa Grande. On the weekend, the beach fills up, and rickety little thatched-roof eateries set up shop and take up much of the sand. It's a hilly, 1-hour walk here or a 20-minute moto-taxi ride.
A bit farther on are the black sands of Playa Negra, though if you are not staying at the hotel, there is little reason to come here.
To explore the gulf and visit any of the islands, hire a boatman (L200-L400, depending on number of people and distance traveled) in either Coyolito or Amapala. One of the most common trips is to stop at Meanguera and check out its small town, have a nice lunch, and hang out on its pleasant black-sand beach. You can ask the boatman to circle Isla Meanguerita or Isla de los Pájaros (Bird Island). Apart from a few fisherman shacks, most of the other islands are uninhabited but can be worth your time if you are looking for an empty stretch of sand. Technically, you are required to head over to immigration in La Unión before crossing to the islands belonging to the El Salvador side, but for a short trip, there is very little chance you will have any problems.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
