San Pedro Sula Located in the northern part of the country, about an hour's drive from the coast. The city was founded the June 27, 1536 by Don Pedro de Alvarado as "Villa de San Pedro de Puerto Caballos", but within a few years, it was known as San Pedro Sula, with "Sula" deriving from the local dialect Usula, meaning "valley of birds".
The San Pedro Sula International Airport is serviced regularly by TACA, American, Continental and other Regional airlines and is easily reached from Miami, Houston, New Orleans, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. In addition, there are connections via the Central The three bus lines that offer first class service are: Saenz Primera Clase, Empresa Hedman Alas and Viana Clase Oro.
The Guamilito market, within walking distance from the central plaza offers the most complete selection of Honduran handicrafts in San Pedro Sula. The market is also a good place for vegetables and flowers. When shopping at the market, always remember to barter, as prices here are not fixed and everyone barters the price down,
The Museum of Anthropology and History of San Pedro Sula is located at 3a Avenida corner with 4a Calle N.O. Entrance fee is Lps. 10.00 per person, open Monday through Satruday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. Children and students with credentials pay Lps5.00 and elderlies pay only Lps. 2.00. The first Sunday of every month, entrance is free for all!
The Nature Museum is located on 1st Street and 13th Avenue. It is open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Museum is managed by the Hector Rodrigo Pastor Foundation and entrance fee is 20 lempiras per person.
The new children’s museum ( Mi Pequeño Sula ) is not yet in full operation, but the Planetarium exhibit is up and running. This is located next to the Municipal Gymnasium building on the exit towards Tegucigalpa. They currently have a show operating on Fridays at 4:00 p.m.
There are many banks in San Pedro Sula and currency exchanges. Most banks are open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and in the morning on Saturday. International credit cards are widely accepted in San Pedro Sula. Your purchases with credit card will be charged in lempiras.
Telephones, fax, and internet services are widely available in the many internet cafes throughout the city.
Tap water is generally unsafe to drink in all of Honduras and San Pedro Sula is no exception. Most of the better restaurants and hotels treat their water, making it safe for you to drink. Purified water can be purchased easily throughout the city.
The dry season in San Pedro Sula is from December through April, with March and April being the hottest and driest months. The rainy season or is from May through November, and the wettest months are August and September.
San Pedro is an easy city to navigate. It is divided into four quadrants following the old Spanish system of building cities: northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest. All the streets are numbered, with avenues leading from north to south and streets east to west. The most important commercial street is Third Avenue. Although there are plenty of public buses, you will find that taxis are plentiful and very reasonable. Make sure that you negotiate the taxi rate before getting into it. It is a good idea to ask the bell boy at your hotel what the going rate is for a taxi. Another alternative is to rent a car. Most of the US car rental franchises have offices in San Pedro Sula and there are local companies, too. Most have offices at the airport. and there is usually one in the lobby of the better hotels.
The Centro Cultural Sampedrano, where the public library is located, also hosts and organizes most of the city's cultural events. It often has exhibitions and events scheduled, and you may visit the center to obtain more information.
The Francisco Saybe Theater, located on Avenida Circunvalacion, adjacent to the San Pedro Sula University, is the pride of town, and is regularly showing plays that are well worth while. Long time in building, this is a world class theater and by far the best in the country. Find out what shows are playing in the local newpapers.
Pulhapanzak Falls is a magnificent 141-foot-high waterfall on the Río Lindo. It makes a fine stop along the route from Tegucigalpa to San Pedro Sula, or a day trip from Lago de Yojoa. The waterfall is surrounded by a lush park with places to swim in the river. It's a popular spot and can be crowded on weekends and holidays.
Here is a listing of English language websites for hotels in San Pedro Sula.
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