Adventure Travel in Honduras is Overlooked By Many Travelers

"Get down!" our guide yelled in broken English as our boat snaked through a labyrinth of towering boulders the size of two-story houses. I was a river guide years back and the razor-thin passageways on the Rio Canrejal in Honduras were bringing back memories of nasty flips and scary swims. "Get up!" The guide yelled within seconds of entering the passageway. I jolted upright ready to paddle. "Forward! Forward! Go!" I quickly slapped the water competing for space with the towering rock wall. Suddenly the walls fell away and we emerged into a technical rock garden with no end in sight. I couldn't have been happier with the new less-claustrophobic challenge ahead. And then we hit a rock and everything stopped. Sweet. Just sweet.

Not Just A Country to Fly Over

Honduras is no secret to backpackers, but for the more upscale crowd - say those who don't wince at rooms costing more than a $5 a night - the small country is constantly overlooked for the more developed beaches and rainforest of Costa Rica and Panama to the south. Here in lies the opportunity: Instead of competing for white sand real estate or crowded canopy zip line tours, head to Honduras and experience vast cloud forests, virgin rivers, and warm locals who aren't just seeing dollar signs when you show up. At least it sure felt that way…

Raft the Rio Cangrejal

Like all good river trips, the Rio Cangrejal starts with a long bumpy dirt road passed washed-out houses, eroding hillsides, and peak-a-boo views of the river below. Locals walk along the roadside and children stand outside their doorsteps as if waiting for Santa Clause to appear. And then, drawn in crude freehand is a sign for La Moskitia Ecoaventuras. You have arrived.

Pouring out of Bonito National Park near the western coastal town of La Ceiba, the Rio Cangrejal is a wild, fast-flowing river choked with enormous boulders and narrow passageways filled with steep drops and technical rock gardens.

Don't expect any large outfitters here - rafting is still relatively new and it's not uncommon to see only a few boats on the river during even the busiest times of year. But that's what makes the Rio Cangrejal so special-on the river it's hard to believe anyone else is even around.

During a recent trip to La Ceiba I got the chance to raft the lower class II-IV section with La Moskitia Ecoaventuras. Our guide was stellar - he spoke enough English to communicate, knew the river extremely well, and when things went wrong he fixed them instantly - but the highlight of the trip had to be the scenery. Pico Bonito National Park towers to the east, while 1,000-foot waterfalls pour from a dense cloud forest so think the rock cliffs are covered with lush vegetation. The riverbanks are filled with wildlife and on a rare occasion a jaguar will emerge out of the trees to take a drink. Though I wasn't lucky enough to see one, I could picture the magical experience as we floated downstream.

Unlike many of the river trips in the U.S., the Rio Canrejal is a wild river and not controlled by dams upstream. Daily weather can influence the flow making rapids tamer or increasing their difficulty level exponentially. There are currently three outfitters available to take visitors down, and plan on spending about three hours on the river depending on the flow.

Zip Through Roatan Island

I'm not sure what was more exciting: standing on the platform just before taking my first leap of faith, or watching one of my fellow writers decide braking was overrated and fly into the safety block at full speed. Needless to say, the time I spent on the island of Roatan was spectacular and a canopy zip line tour is a must for visitors looking to experience a shot or two of adrenaline.

Zip line tours are a staple adventure activity across Central America. Flying through a rainforest canopy at blinding speeds, it's hard not to feel like superman on steroids. Located a short 20 minutes flight from La Ceiba, the island of Roatan pulls out all the stops when it comes to zip line tours. Three different tours can be found on the island and the two tours located in the West Bay area both start high and plunge towards the sea along a series of lines stretching up to several hundred feet long.

Though I didn't get a chance to try out all three tours, I did spend an afternoon on the canopy zip line at Gumbalimba Park. The tour began with a quick safety talk and then we were off zipping along at various speeds while drinking in views of the ocean below and birds soaring overhead. The hour-long tour was a spectacular way to see the forests canopy while safely bringing me out of my comfort zone. (I tend to like water. The whole air thing is still a little new.)

Where to Find More About Honduras

To learn more about this country in Central America, visit LetsGoHonduras.com

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodations and meals while in Honduras for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.