The tropical rainforest of Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Reserva Biosfera Río Plátano) stretches from mountain summits to the edge of the Caribbean Sea—the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest protected region in Honduras. Within the forest are petroglyphs, pre-Columbian sites, trails to hike, rivers to raft, and remote campsites with sweeping views of a landscape few travelers will ever experience.
Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve is vast, sprawling across 865,000 acres (350,000 hectares), and home to hundreds of bird species, endangered jaguars, white-lipped peccaries, and Central American macaws. It’s also culturally diverse: Indigenous communities within the reserve include Pech, Tawahka, Miskito, and Garífuna peoples. Due to the reserve’s remote and rugged nature, most visitors come as part of a tour. Experiences include rafting trips on the Rio Platano, boat trips by pipette (canoe), and community-based ecotourism.
Malaria is common in this region of Honduras, so plan to take precautions before visiting (and protect yourself from mosquito bites).
Scheduled transport is frequently behind schedule. If you encounter delays, add an extra day or two to your trip.
Medications may be hard to find in this remote region. Bring any prescriptions and first-aid supplies you’ll need on your journey.
Some travelers enter Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve by boat or plane from La Ceiba, but departures are infrequent and hard to predict. Collective buses and pickup trucks also link La Ceiba to Batalla; from there, collective boats continue to Belen and Raista. The reserve transport is mainly by boat, either dugout-like pipantes or motorized “tuk-tuk” speed boats.
The dry season from January through June is the most comfortable time to visit Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve. Less-frequent rains mean fewer mosquitoes and a lower risk of malaria exposure. June marks the start of hurricane season, which can bring wet and very windy storms through November.
Not all Honduran nature is quite so remote, and there’s a lot to explore, from reef-wrapped cayes to rainforests. Its forested summits are day-tripping distance from La Ceiba. Parque Nacional Pico Bonito offers biodiversity, hiking trails, and a lodge that serves as a basecamp for outdoor adventures. The nonprofit Bay of Islands National Marine Park preserves undersea habitat along the Caribbean coast, from bigger islands like Roatan and Utila to dozens of small cayes.