Sailseer

Honduras: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors

49 harbours

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Honduras: 49 harbours, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.

Formalities

outside the EU customs unionCurrency: Lempira

Clearing in: Independent state, outside the EU and Schengen. Send a Notice of Arrival at least 48 hours before arrival. Clear in on Roatán (Coxen Hole), Utila or Guanaja, on the mainland coast at Puerto Cortés, La Ceiba or Puerto Castilla (Trujillo): first immigration, then the port captain with the cruising permit for the length of the stay. In the Gulf of Fonseca clear in at San Lorenzo (port captain in Puerto Henecán); in Amapala on Isla del Tigre, according to sailors, the authorities clear you at the jetty, with the zarpe from the last country. A zarpe between ports.

Ausreise: Clear out before departure and get the zarpe: without it the next state will not clear you in.

Documents: Passport valid for six months; Germans visa-free for up to 90 days, in total for Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua (CA-4). Boat papers, crew list, zarpe from the last country.

Fees: According to sailors low: immigration about 3 USD per person on entry and exit, cruising permit and zarpe free of charge; considerably more with an agent. Fees for the Roatán Marine Park and the Cayos Cochinos.

Fairway: Buoyage follows IALA system B: red to starboard when entering from seaward, the reverse of Europe. Fringing reefs around the Bay Islands with narrow entrances to the bays; shallow banks and cays off the Mosquitia. In northerlies (norte) in winter the south coasts of the islands are sheltered. The Gulf of Fonseca is shallow, with banks and noticeable tidal streams; Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua share the islands and the water.

Nature: Roatán Marine Park and Cayos Cochinos (marine protected area): moor only to buoys, do not anchor on coral, fishing and spearfishing prohibited.

Tropical storm season: 1 June to 30 November, peak August to October; the Bay Islands lie in the storm track (Mitch 1998). Shelter according to sailors in the mangrove bays on the east side of Roatán or in the Rio Dulce. Insurers usually restrict cover: check your policy. In the Gulf of Fonseca on the Pacific 15 May to 30 November, hurricanes are rare there.

Emergency: 911; navy (Fuerza Naval) on VHF channel 16.

Sources: Noonsite: Honduras, Auswärtiges Amt: Honduras, travel and safety advice (as of 2026-10-20)

Harbours by cruising area

Honduras: Bay Islands (Roatán, Utila, Guanaja)

Honduras: Gulf of Fonseca (Amapala, San Lorenzo)

Honduras: Mosquitia

Honduras: north coast (Puerto Cortés, La Ceiba, Trujillo, Cayos Cochinos)

Frequently asked questions

Honduras: Do I need to clear in?

Independent state, outside the EU and Schengen. Send a Notice of Arrival at least 48 hours before arrival. Clear in on Roatán (Coxen Hole), Utila or Guanaja, on the mainland coast at Puerto Cortés, La Ceiba or Puerto Castilla (Trujillo): first immigration, then the port captain with the cruising permit for the length of the stay. In the Gulf of Fonseca clear in at San Lorenzo (port captain in Puerto Henecán); in Amapala on Isla del Tigre, according to sailors, the authorities clear you at the jetty, with the zarpe from the last country. A zarpe between ports.

Honduras: Which documents do I need on board?

Passport valid for six months; Germans visa-free for up to 90 days, in total for Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua (CA-4). Boat papers, crew list, zarpe from the last country.

Honduras: What fees apply?

According to sailors low: immigration about 3 USD per person on entry and exit, cruising permit and zarpe free of charge; considerably more with an agent. Fees for the Roatán Marine Park and the Cayos Cochinos.

Honduras: What is the emergency number at sea?

911; navy (Fuerza Naval) on VHF channel 16.

Honduras: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?

Sailseer covers 49 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning.