Welcome to my next trip report, a journey I took to a city that for many years held the notorious honor of being the murder the capital of the world. This is a trip report about San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
San Pedro Sula, Honduras Trip Report
By many measures, San Pedro Sula is still a very dangerous city, though it has been edged out by a number of Mexican, US, Venezuelan, and South Africa cities over the last six years and no longer holds the distinction of being world’s most dangerous place. These days, at least statistically, you are more in danger in Milwaukee, Cleveland, Memphis, Detroit, Baltimore, and New Orleans.
This is a “lost” trip report in the sense that I took this trip during the pandemic and never wrote about it. It was a one-day trip and I am not sure why I skipped it at the time, but I want to write about it because I actually had a very nice stay.
United Airlines runs seasonal nonstop service from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Pedro Sula (SAP) and I took advantage by taking a redeye down, spending a day and night there, and then flying back. I generally prefer to visit capital cities and I had also wanted to experience the unique (and dangerous) approach at Toncontín International Airport in Tegucigalpa before all international air traffic moved to Comayagua International Airport, however the schedule and pricing worked out much better to go to San Pedro Sula.
This will be a brief trip report. I landed, went into town, checked into the Hyatt, walked around the city, had dinner, and then flew back early the next morning. Did I need more time? Honestly, not really. And yet I am very glad I went and enjoyed some great food and coffee during my visit.
We will move through this report fairly quickly with the following segments:
- United Airlines 737-800 Business Class To San Pedro Sula And Back
- Photo Essay: San Pedro Sula, Honduras
- Great Coffee In San Pedro Sula
- Great Tacos In San Pedro Sula
- Hyatt Place San Pedro Sula
- Great Coffee In San Pedro Sula Airport (SAP)
Did I feel safe? Well, my Spanish is not great (though I had to use it…not many spoke English), which always complicates matters. Were the streets a bit rough and did I get some strange stares? Yes. But I never heard gunshots nor felt particularly in danger, even when I was walking back from dinner at night through deserted streets after dark.
CONCLUSION
I love visiting new countries, even if just for a day. Thanks for reading my trip report to San Pedro Sula and my goal here is to show that “dangerous murder capitals” are not always how they appear in the news. There is much charm to this second-largest city in Honduras.
