There are many things to do in Honduras, from visiting well-preserved Mayan ruins to hiking in a lush rainforest to diving over the world's second largest coral reef. With so many tourist attractions in Honduras - a country smaller than most U.S. states - a vacation here is sure to be packed with fun activities. Consider the following recommendations for things to do in Honduras.

Visit the Mayan ruins at Copan

The Copan ruins in western Honduras, near the Guatemala border, are remnants of one of the greatest pre-Columbian cities in Central America. The buildings, sculptures, and immense hieroglyphics at the Mayan site of Copan provide a unique glimpse at a long-past civilization. Tours to this remarkable Honduras tourist attraction can be arranged from most major cities in the country. The largest major city is Santa Rosa de Copan; the nearest international airport with flights to Honduras is San Pedro Sula.

Visit the Bay Islands

Honduras' Bay Islands - Roatan, Utila, Guanaja, and the Cayos Cochinos - are the most popular tourist attractions in Honduras. They offer many of the best things to do in Honduras: diving, snorkeling, sea kayaking, or relaxing on a beach. Many of the best hotels and resorts in Honduras are located in the Bay Islands.

Go Diving on a Coral Reef

The Bay Islands are surrounded by the Meso American Barrier Reef, the second biggest coral reef in the world after Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Many diving schools on each island offer scuba lessons and organize trips to see the schools of colorful fish, intricate coral structures, underwater cliffs and caves, and wrecks of ships some dating back hundreds of years that have sunk in the waters surrounding the Bay Islands.

See Exotic Honduras Animals

Honduras offers opportunities to see exotic animals on land, in the water, and in the air. In early and late summer, hundreds of enormous but harmless whale sharks gather in the waters north of Utila Island. Diving with these majestic animals of Honduras is an unforgettable experience. Honduras' rainforests teem with such animals as monkeys, crocodiles, and wild cats. The forests are also a birdwatchers paradise, sometimes you can see more avian species in one Honduran tree than you would see in most countries.

Visit the rainforests of the Mosquito Coast

The rainforests of eastern Honduras are part of the largest rain forest north of the Amazon and have become known as a special Honduras tourist attraction. Protected in the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve and other national parks, the lush forests of the Mosquito Coast are home to many Honduran animals and birds. A hike or boat ride into the forest, which can be organized through ecotour groups in La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, and elsewhere in the country, is one of the most thrilling things to do in Honduras.

Go to a Honduran festival

Most towns in Honduras have a festival marking a patron saint. Several of these, notably the La Ceiba carnaval in mid-May and the Feria Juniana at San Pedro Sula in late June, have become huge national events, attracting visitors from across Central America and around the world. The parties themselves make a great Honduras tourist attraction, as the streets come alive with parades, street performances, religious ceremonies, and all-night reveling.

Go to the La Ceiba Carnaval

The best of all Honduran festivals is the La Ceiba carnaval, or la Feria de San Isidro, is one of the largest celebrations in all of Central America. At any time of year, La Ceiba has a reputation as a lively, fun-living town. In mid-May the city transforms into a Honduran version of New Orleans at Mardi Gras or Pamplona Spain during the San Fermin festival. The carnaval culminates on the Saturday with a not-to-be-missed parade down San Isidro Avenue.

Go on an Adventure Tour

Honduras is a Mecca for adventure travel and ecotours. With world-class diving, snorkeling, whitewater rafting, hiking, mountain biking, and fishing, Honduras is a great place for an outdoors vacation. Several companies in the United States and Honduran cities like La Ceiba offer Honduras tours that take in the best tourist attractions in Honduras or get travelers into the wild Honduran backcountry.

Relax on a Beach

There are many great tourist attractions in Honduras, but sometimes what you need from a vacation is just the opportunity to unwind. The white sand Caribbean beaches of Honduras are perfect for relaxing. Temperatures are mild whenever you go to Honduras, rarely edging over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The water is generally calm, although surfers may find waves to ride on some of the islands. Beachfront resorts on Roatan and Guanaja islands provide all-inclusive stays within a few steps of the ocean. On the mainland, urban beaches in Tela and Puerto Cortes mix sun, sand, and Honduran culture. Honduras has hundreds of miles of coastline on two oceans, so spending a day on the beaches is one of the great things to do in Honduras.