Mexico to Panama City
 

Hi All

We are considering changing our course and heading into Central America.

Belize
Honduras
Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Panama

Our only "concern" is Honduras, otherwise we're pretty solid with all the other countries. Anyone had some recent info about Honduras? We plan to cross the country in about 2 days.

Also, we are looking for suggestions/help with finding a shipping company to send our bikes from Panama City to Vancouver, BC (or Seattle, WA).

Many thanks
Sarah & Rick

Instagram

Sara & Rick,

We crossed into Honduras last year and ran into some minor problems. We, a group of 4, decided to use a "helper" at the border and basically had problems the entire time. We crossed from El Salvador in the morning. The helpers were basically crooks and stalled us at the Honduras border until we got fed up, didn't pay their 60$ per person bribe and we crossed into Honduras. We had originally agreed to $10 per person for help, it was a scam. The crooks called the cops ahead and we were stopped by each cop on the road searching our papers and they wanted bribes also. Some of the titles were printed from the internet and that was their main sticking point. They said the papers were false. If you have original printed, from the DMV papers, life will go smoother. We felted unwanted in Honduras and changed our plans from heading north to hauling butt to Nicaragua. Even leaving Honduras, the cops were trying to make our lives miserable. We left Honduras the same day we showed up.

I suggest you read the most up to date blogs on people crossing the border. Maybe, if you want to see Honduras, you come in at a different point.

If you check out our blog we may have the exact road logged.
New Version Available Just look for the Honduras section.

Hope this helps.

Ed


Panama has a 30 day bike permit which you can renew 3x total. Girag Panama can bond the bike out if you need to leave the country for any reason

The scenario Fasteddie describes is all too common at that one particular border crossing between El Salvador and Honduras.
But according to your list , Sarah and Rick you do not intend to visit ES , so you can avoid that trap.
From Guatemala I suggest you cross into Honduras at Florido Copan which is a very more tourist friendly crossing ,
Or cross into Honduras at the north coast via Entre Rios GT to Corinto
You have my book and all is explained there if you hit the various towns like Puerto Barrios and Pto Cortes , or Chiquimula and Copan
You can drive across Honduras in two days but no need to rush or panic .Time it so you hit Tegucigalpa In the middle of the day.
The route through Tegucigalpa is well
marked and if you keep your wits about you and avoid wandering around the city center you can have an in eventful transit .
Even at gasoline stops in the Tegus suburbs keep your eyes peeled and watch your steps beyond the pump islands, there can be some shady muggers lurking. The highland route east from Tegus is very nice and it is also another easy DAYLIGHT crossing into Nicaragua.Again , consult the book a bit

How did it go?
 

Lostnotfound,

How did it go?

I am crossing from El Salvador Honduras into Nicaragua next week via the southern route and was planning on doing both borders in one day.

How did it go for you, how is your spanish, and where are you now? I would love to meet up, share some stories, and ride!

I´m 29 years old riding a 1970 Honda CB350 Twin!

Cheers!
Scott

Nooooh Redrider! dont do it!

Trying to cross from El Salvador to Honduras and the dashing to cross the border into Nicaragua in ONE and the same day is a foolhardy enterprise , it will probably drive you totally NUTS !

That exit from ES into HN is called el Amatillo and it has a history of being the absolute worst border crossing in Central America!
Crossing here may take as little as two hours but it can easily turn into a nightmarish trial lasting 5 or more hours.
It is a busy crossing and there are legions of pestering helpers and the border workers are for the most part a bunch of slackers who care little about keeping a schedule speeding you through.There are a few who are actually helpful , but they are rare. The layout and organization is totally confusing and the so called helpers are mostly out to rip you off.
If you begin this border at noon and get out of here before sunset count yourself lucky . there are hotels in this border town in ES and one or two on the HN side.
If you have started it early in the
Morning and have some daylight left it will still take several hours to ride to the next crossing into Nicaragua and that crossing too will take considerable time.
You would surely wind up getting out of that border after dark .

Sure , some folks have done this on rare occasion with luck but it is a big pain in the butt .
Why the rush, ? There is some scenic country of Honduras you will ignore by racing through, there are also several towns along the way where you can spend a nice relaxing night in a hotel before subjecting yourself to the torture of the next border.Be kind to your Honda:scooter:
One border crossing per day is more than enough.

it can be done
 

Late November 2008, I started the day in La Union, El Salvador, within striking distance of the Honduras border. El Salvador uses USD as their currency, so I was filling up the tank some miles north of the frontier with green backs when helpers approached me to offer services. I named the price, up front. Five buck, USD to get me out of El Salvador (which they screwed up by skipping the office to surrender the importation papers...) and they agreed to hand me off to a friend on the Honduras side, for another 5 USD. As mentioned, I screwed up and failed to properly check the motorcycle out of ES, but it did not come to haunt me on the return leg. Now the check out is done in a little boothby the side of the road, just north of the border instead of a hard to find building off of the highway.

The crossing worked well. Minimum amount of time and hassle, but that border is busy and confusing. The process improved by fall of 2012. If you try to cross late in the afternoon, know that the bank where you have to pay a fee closes at 4 or 5:00 PM.

My universal border advice, remember this, never hand over your original documents to a helpers (i.e passport, motorcycle title, license, etc.) Give the border rats copies, sure, not originals, NEVER! Why? Because once one of these guys has your documents, to be blunt, they have you by the short hairs. Suddenly the "tip" will be what ever they say it will be, then you get your papers back.

Second piece of advice, always pay the fees to officials and banks yourself. Don't be hoodwinked into handing over money while the helper disappears to pay a fee. Your bike will be fine, so and pay the fees yourself. You will have no idea how much was actually paid and chance of getting any money back is zero.

I ripped across Honduras in an afternoon. Recommended, no, but I did it. I stuck a similar deal to check out of Honduras and got squared away into Nicaragua. It took a bit longer to get in NI because I had to find the insurance lady after competing the importation process. By the time I was clear of the border it was after sunset. There isn't a town near the border, so I had to press on into the night. Which is a whole other story...

If you are determined to cross Honduras in one day, then start EARLY. Crossing two frontiers is possible, but it makes for a long day. Better to stop and enjoy Honduras. I will do that the next time I ride CA...

Lostnotfound, how did it go? Rgds,