San Pedro Sula Travel Guide

Introduction

San Pedro Sula, the loud, brash, economic transportation hub of Honduras (241km/150 miles north of Tegucigalpa) often serves to introduce visitors to the western part of the country, if not the country as a whole, although many high-tail it out of here almost immediately after arriving. There is little of interest to passing tourists other than a few good hotels, westernized malls, North American chain restaurants, a handful of good markets, a couple of museums, and some upscale clubs. The chaotic, sometimes dangerous center lacks much charm and the city's wealthy cling to the suburbs on the surrounding hillsides.

The city was founded on the June 27, 1536, by Don Pedro de Alvarado and was originally named Villa de San Pedro de Puerto Caballos, although it was quickly renamed San Pedro "Sula," from the Usula word that means "Valley of Birds." The town was intended to be a point of transfer of goods from Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala onto the coast at Puerto Cortés....