By HOWARD ROSENZWEIG

Honduras is a country not known for its export oriented economy. Its principal exports are coffee, bananas and cultivated shrimp, in that order. Exports for the top three totaled $715 million in 1998. Other major exports include African palm oil, shrimp (harvested from the open sea), meat, soap and detergents, wood, melon, wood furniture, other furniture, pineapple, silver, lead, cigarettes and tobacco, which all together totaled a paltry $208 million in exports in 1998. Total value of exports in 1998 were $1.5 billion. Tourism on the other hand is slated to bring in some $200 million in 1999, according to the Ministry of Tourism. Imagine for a moment if you would, a time in the not too distant future, when tourism is bringing in, let's say an even $500 million per year. This would mean that tourism would be generating about one third of Honduras' total value of exports.

Exports are more often than not high maintenance products whose production comes at a high environmental and social cost. African palm processing plants pour toxic byproducts into coastal waterways, sugar cane fields are burned each year producing dense clouds of air pollution, banana plantations rely heavily on aerial spraying of potent pesticides, coffee plantations are now often planted in direct sun without dense shaded forest and using potent agrochemicals, the cultivated shrimp industry has destroyed large tracts of important coastal mangrove forest, dozens of Miskito divers have become permanently paralyzed while diving for shrimp and lobster -- in addition over fishing has caused a decrease in harvests. Clear cut lumber operations and the trafficking of hardwoods is a major environmental concern and mining operations cause environmental damage and has uprooted communities that have gotten in the way. As we say in Central America, this is just the tip of the volcano.

So, where am I going with all this you may be asking yourself right now? Well I'll tell ya': tourism is one of the few big money earners for the country that causes no pollution, no deforestation and no use of toxic agrochemicals. In fact, the traditional term for the tourism industry in Honduras is la industria sin chimineas, the industry without smokestacks. Tourism can even lead to the improvement of the environment. In order to attract tourists, more national parks and protected areas must be set aside and maintained, beaches must kept clean, reefs protected, litter picked up, all requisites for attracting international tourists to

Honduran shores. Wouldn't it be great if government planners, ministers, legislators as well as the president himself made tourism a national priority? Tourism is clean, eco-friendly, renewable and, best all, can become in short order the top source of foreign exchange for the country.

El Salvador is currently in the midst of a promotional campaign aimed at attracting Honduran visitors. The half-page ads running in La Prensa displays a photo of a bikini (top and bottom and sans model) with the tag line, The Official Dress of El Salvador, next to it are a trio of photos: two nightlife scenes, and a coastal scene. The ad seeks to attract the Honduran middle and upper-middle class who are looking for a destination that is relatively close yet offering something a bit different in terms of shopping, dining and a bit of beach. The ad sponsored by The Salvadoran Tourism Corporation offers contact information including a web site <http://www.elsalvadorturismo.gob.sv> and e-mail <corsatur@salnet.net>. This ad campaign is not the first of its kind for Salvadoran tourism authorities; there have been a number of similar campaigns in Honduran newspapers in the past year or two.

Geography question of the week: how many nations share a border with Honduras? If you mentioned the big three -- Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua -- you are only one third of the way to the answer. Would you believe nine nations share a land or maritime border with Honduras? Honduras shares the following borders: El Salvador, a land and sea border; Nicaragua, a land and sea border; Guatemala, a land and sea border; Belize, a sea border; Mexico, a sea border; Cuba, a sea border; Jamaica, a sea border; Colombia, a sea border; and last but not least England (the Island of Grand Cayman is part of the British Empire), a sea border.

Howard Rosenzweig, a U.S. expatriate living in the Village of Copan Ruinas, is the owner of the Casa de Cafe Bed and Breakfast. He can be contacted at e-mail: casadecafe@mayanet.hn.

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Most visitors to Honduras spend time in La Ceiba because the Bay Islands, the Mosquitia, Tegucigalpa, and Miami are all accessible by air from here. La Ceiba offers numerous attractions to keep visitors occupied during their stay.

La Ceiba has two parks downtown. Central Park, located between San Isidro Church and Pizza Hut, is famous for its animals. Turtles and alligators doze in the shade of their own pond. The turtle, hicotea in Spanish, is a popular food on the North Coast. The only thing standing between their turtles and a soup pot are the alligators.

One block over in front of Super Ceibeno No. 1 Supermarket is Swinford Park. The Standard Fruit Co., a subsidiary of Dole, ran a railroad that took the bananas and workers from Colon, Yoro, and Atlantida directly to the dock in downtown La Ceiba. The town began around the dock area, called Barrio Ingles for the Jamaican stevedores who used to load the banana boats. The Ceiba or silkwood tree (after which the port is named) under which these workers used to rest is no longer there.

Since Dole now uses tractor-trailer trucks to haul their bananas to Puerto Castilla, opposite Trujillo, the Standard Fruit Company has donated some of their old trains to this park and the adjoining Mazapan area for children to play on. Charming statues also decorate the park.

If you are looking for a place to catch a cold drink and some cool breezes while admiring Standard's famous dock, you might try Brisas del Mar restaurant on the beach. Since Katfish Kitchen has closed, this has become a popular place for foreigners to gather. Cries of the sea birds, hot coffee and an owner who speaks English, German and Spanish makes it very comfortable.

La Ceiba's better beaches are not near the downtown area, so ask how to get to them. The beach at Peru had been left with tons of driftwood after Hurricane Mitch. People have been working to cut it up for firewood and charcoal, so the beach should be clear, but ask about crime. In September, crime was up 90 percent because a gang from either San Pedro or Olancho had decided to make Ceiba its new home.

Moskitia Eco-Adventures offers three different day tours. White water rafting on the Cangrejal River is open with 2-15 people. The lower Cangrejal River flooded badly during Hurricane Mitch, taking out the bridge. But a replacement bridge is in place and rafting is reported to be excellent.

Another possible tour is to Rio Zacate in Pico Bonito Park, located behind La Ceiba. People look for monkeys and birds in the park. The paths had deteriorated somewhat after the hurricane, but one path has already been completely rehabilitated so it is open for tours.

Further away is Cuero and Salado Park, which was heavily flooded during Hurricane Mitch, since it is mostly wetlands. It is open for tours because there was almost no infrastructure in the park. At least four days advance notice is required for the trip.

In town, why not visit the gallery owned by artist Virginia Castillo on the road by the beach, across from the Flamingo Plaza. Her notecards of both paintings and cloth applique she has done, as well as her T-shirts, are popular gifts.

Other local artists sell their works in souvenir shops such as Buen Amigo with two locations on the streets east of Central Park. Another popular item to pick up are Honduran cigars, available at Rainforest, a gift shop about four blocks east of San Isidro Church and at Expatriate's, a popular dinner place.

A unique craft you can pick up in La Ceiba is tunu bark cloth made by Miskito Indians. The MOPAWI office one-half block from the dock near the Conquistador Hotel offers tunu, batana (a local palm oil said to prevent baldness), plus information on travelling in the Mosquitia.

La Ceiba is famous in Honduras for its nightlife. One possibility is next to Brisas del Mar, Africa Dance, which plays live Garifuna music at night. There are two Garifuna villages, Sambo Creek and Corrozal, nearby with hourly bus service from La Ceiba.

If you don't feel like going out, you can find Honduran spirits in local supermarkets such as Orange Wine and Vaca Negra Coffee Liqueur, Honduras's answer to Kahlua.

Tourist hotels and restaurants were not damaged by the hurricane. Electricity, water, phones, ferry service to the Islands and air service were all restored within a week after Mitch. There are still several Spanish-language schools, too.

The road between La Ceiba and Tela is actually better than it was 18 months ago as the government had just resurfaced it before Mitch. So far, the road has remained open despite this year's heavy rains.

By WENDY GRIFFIN

In La Ceiba, more than in most other Honduran cities, restaurants are located in hotels. This can cause people to miss interesting eating opportunities.

Hotel Colonial is located in La Ceiba's market on 14 de Julio Street, 1 1/2 blocks closer to the beach than Central Park. The whole hotel is done in a colonial decorated tile floor, heavy dark wood furniture and doors, and white walls. Wrought iron work adds decorative touches, so the restaurant looks like a romantic place to have dinner.

The hotel offers safe parking, which has become a necessity for many travellers. Also, you can arrive in La Ceiba, check in the hotel, get cleaned up and have dinner without having to leave the building. In the rainy season, you can just stay in the cool clean environment, leaving the mud, water, discomfort and danger outside.

El Portal, the hotel's restaurant, has one of Honduras' most unusual menus. In Honduras, there are places that serve decent Chinese food, but as far as I know, only El Portal offers Thai food. Thai shrimp, Thai barbecued chicken, stir fried Thai beef and pork. Thai shrimp and chicken ball soup and Thai rice noodles with shrimp or chicken have been on the menu for years.

Prices at El Portal cover the whole spectrum. Cheese sandwiches are Lps. 17, French toast is Lps. 18, fruit salad Lps. 27 and conch soup Lps. 21. Most meat and seafood dinners start at Lps. 70 - Lps. 80 and go up, but they also include salad, coconut bread and baked or mashed potatoes.

Dessert. How does one describe a dessert made of bittersweet chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce besides tempting? For those people who believe it is possible to have too much chocolate, cheese cake is available. A large number of tropical mixed drinks such as daiquiris, rum punch and pina colada are also available.

Most Hondurans who go to La Ceiba prefer to go out to enjoy La Ceiba's nightlife, but if you are looking for a nice, clean, quiet place to rest body and spirit away from the bustle of the market streets below, El Portal offers all of these in a charming colonial decor.

By FITO VELASQUEZ

The hype surrounding the millennium has finally hit Honduras in the form of an elaborate end of the year bash at the Hotel Honduras Maya. Organizers are hoping to cash in on the public fever over the end of the 20th century and convince people to stay in Tegucigalpa for the ringing in of the New Year.

The Honduras Maya is attempting to join the millions of other huge events around the world beginning in Auckland and likely finishing up somewhere near Honolulu. The Honduran Institute of Tourism has designated the Hotel Honduras Maya as the official host for "The Official End of the Year Party and the Arrival of the New Millennium for Honduras."

The plan is to turn the hotel and its convention center into Millennium City. The guests will be given a map identifying the different areas and pavilions of what organizers promise will be an unforgettable feast.

The biggest convention hall in Honduras will be converted into a huge dance hall/disco that will include all the trappings, including a laser show, hanging dance cages, tequila bars and barber chairs in which to comfortably sip your martinis.

The lobby will be a retro-lounge where people will be able to get a water break or rest on sofas watch TV or smoke. The Marauder Bar will be made into a "Champagne and Technology Bar" from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. and you'll be able to send messages via the Internet and wish anyone around the world a "Happy New Year." A time capsule filled with pictures, newspaper ads, letters from President Flores, ambassadors and predictions for the future will be buried until the year 2010.

From 10 p.m. until 2 a.m., more than 20 local restaurants will be on hand for the "Honduras Taste." Breakfast will also be served from 3 a.m. until 8 a.m.

Music will come from a live Caribbean Cabaret featuring punta, meringue, salsa and limbo music. The hotel is bringing in a 7-piece all female band from Habana, Cuba for the tunes. A New Orleans jazz and swing band will also be on the premises to perform.

And of course no New Year's party would be complete without the lighting of fireworks when the clock ticks down the last few seconds. That said, the Red Cross will also be there to look after any first aid problems.

Tickets are expected to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $200.

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By ROBERTO C. ORDONEZ

Special to Honduras This Week

My destination was the Island of Roatan, sitting at 16 15' north latitude; 86 36' west longitude in the Caribbean Sea. Between heaven and earth nothing is hidden, so my fame as a fisherman, as well as that of two other mainland friends -- both freshwater fishermen -- was recognized in those regions. We were all invited to the 10th Annual International Fishing Tournament of the Bay Islands.

The three of us "ladinos," all old sea wolves, formed a compact sports team. The poet, Marco Tulio Castro, rugged devourer of "jamos," was trained in the labor of fishing, not in the vast waters of the Rio Aguan but in one of its tributaries, the small creek of La Chorrera. Jacobo Hernandez Cruz, a former vice president, skilled in the aquatic sports in the turbulent waters of the Gualchuluca brook. Finally, myself, skills honed in the currents of the Segovia River that churns between the stony mountains once covered with pines and oaks in my unforgettable and always yearned for birth-place of San Marcos de Colon.

After the bumpy air ride in the wind-up little planes that service the Islands and which frequently strand passengers, we arrived at the indicated coordinates with the sun in the zenith of its apparent daily run. Our hosts immediately greeted us with their broad smiles and extended arms, as all the cheerful locals comforted themselves in this rose of the Caribbean where the negative effects of the infamous Article 107 have not been felt. The Islanders, almost without government help, have turned the archipelago into a world-class tourist destination.

The first night was vibrant amidst food, drink and music that called for dance and merriment. We greeted the new day at its birth hour aboard the Caribbean Sport, a sleek and sophisticated fishing yacht with the latest nautical technology from radar to satellite phones.

Before the abundant seafaring breakfast we were given the first icy beer that brought to memory the inspired verses of the Catracho poet who declared, "Catch me a mermaid, hapless fisherman; who layeth pondering by the seashore." Between breakfast and three Bloody Marys and the swift glide of the flying fish, my "Spanglish" was reawakened and my memory became alive with other verses. This time from a foreign bard who said, "I love the love of the sailors, who kiss and leave. One night they sleep with death on the bottom of the sea. Sailors kiss and leave." '

Almost without perceiving it, with our lines and lures scattered, the Caribbean guided us to the high seas accompanied only by the silent flight of the clouds and roar of the waves. I took this moment to visit the command center where I realized that my nautical knowledge had reached its peak on the streams of my hometown. When I overcame my nervousness about sailing without looking at land and only at the sky and sea, I asked the captain where the sextant was located. He had to restrain himself from throwing me overboard, explaining with patience that such a device had not been used for more than 30 years and that in its place the ship's location is determined by a satellite signal that pinpoints its location day and night every instant.

At approximately 50 nautical miles northwest of the island of Utila and having as sole witness the deep blue ocean, we caught our first blue marlin that in a gesture proper of true sportsmen we honorably released because it weighed slightly less than 100 pounds. Since we fishermen are famous for our tales, I better not say how many we did keep. Besides if I do say, ecologists might get upset.

Between one of the many trophies I captured, I recalled some of my juvenile reading like Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe and The Old Man and the Sea, and realized with sadness that in this case the Old Man was me. I immediately found solace in the thought that the ocean is older and it keeps providing us with fresh fish.

Braving currents and winds with the sun shining on our bow, forming fleeting rainbows as the light spectrum is shredded to its component fragments against the splashing foam, the Caribbean steered us to the dream-like port and to the island of fantasy. To cap our short sojourn on a high note we were received with one last and delightful surprise prepared by our host: a musical ensemble with all their instruments installed themselves on the deck for the enjoyment of those of us on board and of the numerous Islanders and visitors to the seashore.

In the euphoria of the homecoming and the nostalgia of the farewell, I recalled other verses, "I want to die when the day declines; on the high seas with my face to the sky; where my agony is a distant dream, and my soul a bird that soars."

Colorful arrangements of tropical flowers decorate the Llama del Bosque restaurant. (Photo by Wendy Griffin.)

By WENDY GRIFFIN

Walking down the street from Copan Ruinas' Central Park, past Hotel Camino Maya and the municipal market, you see the movement associated with delivery handicrafts, food and clothes to the market. An early morning mist rises off the green mountains as people, up since 5 a.m., get ready for another day's shopping and cooking.

If the morning chill, the sound of roosters crowing, or an early bus to San Pedro have you up early, the restaurant open for breakfast at 6:30 a.m. is Llama del Bosque, one block past the municipal market.

The decor of Llama del Bosque (literally flame of the forest, it is the Spanish name for the African tuliptree) is a good introduction to the crafts sold in the market you passed. Carrizo baskets from the Lenca area hold dried corn husk flowers. The double gourds (tecomates) that campesinos use to carry drinking water next to hats and baskets of woven junco or palm straw.

Petate mats of tule and woven bags of mescal are made of materials that were known to Copan's Mayas. The most famous building in Copan has petates carved on it, as the governors who met there each sat on their own mat. Bean cooking pots from the Lencas of La Campa are eye-catchers due to their cream-colored decorations on red ceramics.

The table and chair sets are of handsome light wood covered with nice table cloths. Seeing such elegance, Hondurans expect the place to be expensive. However, their French toast (Lps. 15, including coffee) and pancakes (Lps. 20) are among the cheapest in Honduras. The breakfast menu includes a wide variety of choices --oatmeal (avena), corn flakes, fruit salad, omelettes and other egg dishes. The tipico breakfast of eggs, beans, cheese, plantains, tortillas and coffee costs Lps. 30, and they serve it looking elegant, which is unusual in Honduran restaurants.

One of the problems of visiting Copan Ruins or traveling by bus out of town is how to get lunch. One solution is to buy Honduran lunch food to go. Tortillas con quesillo (soft cheese on fried tortillas), baleadas (beans and sour cream on a flour tortilla), and particularly burritos (tortillas, meat and rice) are foods Hondurans eat on the road.

After a hot day of looking at ruins or travelling by bus, Copan Ruinas' nightlife consists of mostly going out to eat dinner and maybe having a few drinks with friends. Llama del Bosque offers a wide variety of pasta, beef, and chicken dishes, as well as an unusually wide selection of liquor. My hotel staff told me that crime was low in the center of Copan Ruinas and that I would not have problems walking back from Llama del Bosque at night, although the outskirts are not recommended after dark.

Llama del Bosque offers the most typical Honduran meat recipes -- steak (churrasco), shish kabob or a piece of beef or pork cooked on a skewer (pinchos) and Honduran sausage cooked on a grill (chorizo asada). When you consider that these dishes are accompanied by french fries, rice, salad, refried beans, salty cheese, and Honduran sour cream, US $5 or Lps. 75 is a good price.

Sometimes it seems too hot to eat much. One solution is anafre de frijoles or anafres de quesillo. An anafre is Honduras' answer to the fondu pot. Similar to the Classic period brazier used in Mayan homes for cooking, the smaller anafres have a clay base, with holes for air on the sides. Red hot charcoal is put in the bottom part of the anafre.

The top part is a comal or clay cooking dish. Here hot refried beans or melted soft cheese (quesillo) is placed. They are served with tortillas, which you dip into the beans or cheese. I recommend you get a side order of mantequilla to go with the beans. This is a traditional Honduran snack with beer. Anafres made by the Lenca pottery cooperative of Guajiquiro, La Paz are at the Ethnic Souvenir Shop at the ruins or at Yaxkin II souvenir shop behind the market.

The waitresses tried to provide quick service. The bathrooms, although located outside behind a wooden door, are actually regular tiled bathrooms that the staff keep clean.

Cool, clean, decorated with Honduran tropical flowers and background noise provided by parrots, Restaurant Llama del Bosque is a pleasant place to start the day. And if you forgot and spent all of your lempiras the night before, don't worry. They take Mastercard, Visa and American Express.

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By HOWARD ROSENZWEIG

Commodore Cruise Line has added ports in Honduras and Belize for two special seven-night tropical sailings aboard the Enchanted Isle for the year 2000. Departing New Orleans on May 6, 2000 and Oct. 21, 2000, these Enchanted Isle sailings will for the first time combine Belize with Honduras and Mexico in one seven-night cruise. The Isle will sail to Playa del Carmen and Cozumel in Mexico, Roatan, and Belize. Prices for these sailings begin at $564 per person.

Train service has been reinstated on an experimental basis after reconstruction work was completed on the Tela-Puerto Cortes route. On Friday and Saturday, a train will depart from the La Laguna station in Puerto Cortes at 7 a.m., arriving in Tela at 10:30 a.m., returning the same day, departing Tela at 2 p.m. and arriving Puerto Cortes at 5:30 p.m.

Let's party! The Ministry of Tourism has announced that the official year 2000 celebration in Honduras will be held at the Hotel Honduras Maya. According to hotel executives, some 2,000 partygoers will shell out $200 per head to eat, drink and be merry as the new millennium is ushered in. Among the usual goodies to be offered to guests are an open bar, plenty of food, multiple live bands, a fireworks display, and disco and laser lights. In addition, a bit of the unique has been added to spice up the special evening such as hanging dance cages, tequila bars and electric shocks (this last one is sure to get even the most jaded high society gentleman and ladies rockin' and rollin'!)

For those interested in a more laid-back millennium experience, I heartily recommend a trek out to Copan Ruinas where a trio of major hotels will offer up a series of events. Hacienda El Jaral, Posada Real de Copan and Hotel Marina Copan will offer up a combination of dinner, brunch and a New Year's party. What better place to bring in the next thousand years than with a visit to Honduras' premier archeological site -- where the Maya, some 1,000 years ago, constructed one of the world's great cities. It's inspiring, peaceful, beautiful and sure as heck better than been being strapped into the electric chair after a couple of rounds of tequilas at the Tegucigalpa millennium bash!

Attention all tourism businesses and tourist destinations! Has your resort, hotel or destination been left out of the good news that Honduran tourism is back on its feet? If so, simply zip me an e-mail and I'd be happy to help get the word out in this column.

And speaking of getting the word out, has anyone glanced a peek at the Nov. issue of National Geographic? An article titled; After The Deluge, detailed in text and photos the disaster of Hurricane Mitch. Although the article did touch on damage wrought to Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, the lions share of the article was devoted to Honduras (which is as it should be since Honduras took the biggest blow from the storm). However, what doesn't seem quite right to me is that a full one year after the storm, the article gives the impression (especially through its intensely vivid photos) that Honduras is basically a nation destroyed in every sense of the word, leading to the natural assumption that Honduras is closed to tourism -- which is really not the case.

One of the best ways to get the word out these days that Honduras is "tourism ready" is by means of the information super highway, aka the Internet. The PC has quickly revolutionized the way people do everything from buying a car to booking a vacation. In 1999, some 100 million PCs will be sold globally. Each day, some 148 million people connect to the Internet, 1 billion e-mails are sent and 67,000 new Internet users come on line. The ramifications of all this is that an entire new avenue has opened up for marketing, promoting, and educating prospective visitors about your property or destination. Those countries, destinations and properties that are Internet savvy will be able to jump light years ahead of those who maintain the traditional marketing and promotion paradigm that is so often the norm in this part of the world, what I term: pase adelante marketing -- which basically consists of placing an "Open For Business" sign on the front door of the property and dutifully waiting for customers to wander in.

By WENDY GRIFFIN

TEGUCIGALPA -- The U.S. Consulate and the Canadian Embassy both issue advisories about traveling in Honduras where crime is on the rise. The key to a more enjoyable trip is to plan ahead, so that if you are robbed, you can easily replace whatever was stolen.

A receptionist at a Tegucigalpa hotel says foreign tourists are not common targets for criminals in the capital because most don't wear expensive jewelry and carry credit cards instead of cash. You can get a cash advance at any Banco Atlantida, so unless you traveling in the Mosquitia, there is no need to carry a lot of cash.

Before coming to Honduras, write down the numbers of your credit cards and the telephone number where you can call to get them replaced if stolen. Remember that you cannot call 1-800 numbers from a foreign country, so check what other phone numbers you can use. Leave one copy of this list in the United States and take another with you. Do not bring credit cards you won't need here.

In Honduras, if your credit cards are stolen, it is important to report it to Credomatic. All credit card transactions in Honduras are approved by Credomatic, so if they know your credit card is stolen, they can help prevent any sales or cash withdrawals with your card. Traveler's checks are often difficult to cash in Honduras, where American Express has no office, while credit cards have a wide acceptance.

Most foreign residents in Honduras keep their cash in a Honduran bank dollar account. You can pay for trips by making withdrawals from your account at different branches. Write down the number of your bank account, so that if your passbook is stolen, you can contact your bank. Banco Atlantida staff say that with your account number, they can put a freeze on your account, so that the thief cannot make a withdrawal.

In the guide, "A Safe Trip Abroad," available through the U.S. Consulate, it is recommended that if you are confronted by thieves, do not fight back. Hand over your valuables. Your money and your passport can be replaced while you cannot. If you register at the Consulate in Tegucigalpa, then it is easier to replace your passport. In Tegucigalpa and Tela, most crimes are committed by gangs or delinquents working in pairs, so even if you do not see another person, nevertheless an accomplice is probably nearby.

The most common form of attack on the North Coast is with a machete. In Honduras, machetes are used for everything. Get treatment if wounded, as there is a high probability of infection.

One Tela resident said she and her husband sometimes warn tourists not to walk past their house on the beach because it is dangerous. People in Trujillo say they tell tourists not to walk to Campamento even in the daytime due to the presence of machete-wielding drug users there. But some tourists choose not to heed warnings and engage in dangerous behavior, including buying drugs, dating married women, walking home drunk after midnight, and going to places not recommended by locals.

The U.S. government's booklets for planning a safe trip -- Safe Trip Abroad, Tips for Travellers to Central and South American, and Tips for Americans Abroad -- are available at the U.S. Consulate in Tegucigalpa or from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Printing Office, Washington, DC 20420.

By HOWARD ROSENZWEIG

South Coast news: The Organization of American States and the Honduran Ministry of Tourism are currently undertaking a study to promote the development of tourism in the Gulf of Fonseca on Honduras' Pacific Coast. The study, which will last some 6 - 8 months will cost $18,000. It is projected that the south coast could be become an important tourism destination for internal tourism, in other words, a popular place for Hondurans who reside in the capital and southern Honduras. For the relatively few Hondurans and almost negligible number of foreign tourists who have ventured to the Gulf of Fonseca, the area is a real gem, a well-guarded secret. There are plenty of wide, uncrowded, undeveloped beaches, mangroves with abundant bird life, lots of great, inexpensive seafood and a series of islands in the gulf, the largest of which is El Tigre. The entire island is shaped like the extinct volcano that it is. A hike up to the top, especially near sunset, rewards the adventurous with what has to be one of the most spectacular vistas in the Americas. From here, one can look back toward the mainland and see El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua all in one sweeping view. The sight of a long line of volcanoes from El Salvador to Nicaragua is just awesome.

Roatán will get a brand new road in the coming months. The 12 km stretch will link the important tourist area of West Bay and West End with the islands' largest town, Coxen Hole.

The San Pedro Sula airport is about to get a face lift. The Lps. 38 million investment by the airport administration will pay for the conclusion of the cargo terminal, a lengthening of the runway, additional vehicle parking, a remodeling of the passenger terminal and the opening of three kiosks in the terminal -- one for the Ministry of Tourism, one for the hotel association and a third for taxis. During the Christmas rush last year, some 332,000 international visitors and 73,000 Honduran visitors passed through the terminal. This year airport officials are predicting a 5 percent to 10 percent increase in incoming passenger traffic.

Ever wonder why U.S. citizens take such short vacations and travel less than the average Euro tourist? Traditional thinking has it that it is obviously because Americans have super short vacations, typically two weeks for the average worker. But there may be another factor at work here: lack of money. According to CNN, half of U.S. households have only $1,000 in savings. Obviously, this could put quite a damper on that luxury cruise, island getaway or European vacation.

Due to low coffee prices on the world market this year, Central America will lose some $572 million during the 1998-1999 coffee season. That's a lot of bucks for the cash starved nations of this region. I could not think of a better argument for promoting tourism in Central America. An increase in tourism could help take off some of the heat by pumping tourist dollars into local economies. Honduras, for example, should see some $200 million this year. Just imagine if we could bump that figure up to $300 or $400 or even half a billion dollars per year. Now that would be something!

Two little girls walk along one of Utila's beaches, which are much bigger and better than ever before. (Photo by Gunter Kordovsky.)

By GUNTER KORDOVSKY

Special to Honduras This Week

UTILA -- One year has passed since Hurricane Mitch ravaged the Bay Islands, Honduras and other parts of Central America. Even though we were very lucky here on the Rock, Utila did sustain some damage. I still recall the adrenaline pumping during the three days I spent with my camera in the jungle and on the wind-swept beaches taking shots of the action.

I will never forget the picture of 30'-40' waves crashing into the cliff. The day after I trekked cross country around the island -- some 20 miles of razor sharp cliffs, big lagoons, swamps, and sand-gravel beaches. I saw conch shells and sand drifts flung hundreds of feet back from the beach. Now, a year later, the sand that got washed back into the land has also been replenished from the normal wave action along the beaches. As a result we have more and much bigger beaches than we ever had before.

Several real estate companies have done a tremendous job in improving upon Mother Nature and we now have some of the most beautiful beaches you will ever walk on!

The vegetation has also recovered, as it always does, and the marvelous green tunnels of our very picturesque canals and roads look as great as ever.

Our mayor has some street sweepers who are actually doing a good job in keeping the town clean. Our major attraction, the reefs, suffered some damage, but in general diving is great. There are new restaurants and plenty of inexpensive hotels. 

Even though Utila's major attractions is our superb inexpensive diving, there are other things to do, especially for the adventuresome types. If you don't Scuba dive, you can explore our pristine reefs with fins and mask. You can explore the many lagoons and canals with a kayak. Or if you like horseback riding, there are several locals who offer adventure trips via horse-back.

There are incredibly beautiful stalagmite cave systems where the Paya Indians use to hide from the Spanish slave raids as scattered pottery shards and other artifacts prove. There are great nature walks with abundance of plant life and also birdwatching.

If you like to mingle with the generally friendly locals, you might hear some wild stories in the most unique English you ever heard. Or if you would rather chill out and relax, there are several bars, cafes and a couple movie theaters.

A word of advice: do not walk home alone after lights are out, which is at 12 p.m., especially if you are a female. Even thought Utila is relatively safe, it is better to exert caution. There is no perfect paradise, but be assured Utila is about as close as it gets.

Gunter Kordovsky is a dive veteran of over 28 years. He can be found at the Driftwood Gallerie on Utila. 

By DON PEARLY

I found out the world loves whalesharks. I received a tremendous response concerning the last bit of information I published. Yes, it is true they are filter feeders and are looking for krill, a tiny shrimp-like creature we did not even know we had in Honduras. As I suspected, they do not eat the fish that jump into their open mouths chasing the cleaner fish, but sometimes the sharks accidentally bite these fish as they have hundreds of teeth inside their huge mouths. When they do, the blood and wounded fish attract other kinds of sharks and thus the feeding frenzy. The circling birds add to the excitement and really make it an interesting scene. My final tidbit of whaleshark trivia is that they bear the largest population of live young in their stomachs, sometimes over 300 of the little guys, but the natural high-attrition rate is so horrific, we only see a cherished few.

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Next subject is to answer a fellow writer's comment that suggests tourism is the answer for Honduras. I strongly admit it is at least one of the answers for Honduras, and one of the better ones at that. The inference was that the profits go into the pockets of the foreign investors in a foreign land and why bother. Let me give this writer the benefit of my on-line experiences both in Belize and Honduras. Mainly because of the high cost of airline tickets, the rumors that we have suffered serious hurricane damage and recently perhaps a fear of a growing crime rate, if a hotelier breaks even he or she feels very fortunate. Nothing goes out of the country unless things are really booming and they are not booming as we all know.

At Bayman Bay Club over the past 26 years, millions of lempiras have gone into payrolls and the procurement of food and beverages, fuel and insurance premiums, freight and many other things. This company alone employed 52 local people, each bringing a good salary into many homes. The supplies are gathered either in La Ceiba or on Bonacca, giving many other tradespeople income they would never have seen. Tools, building materials such as paint and sheetrock, poles and blocks, cement, sand and gravel, roofing materials and thousands of board foot of wood products that all went into the building and maintenance of Bayman.

Prior to Mitch we normally would host about 46 tourists week in and week out, and they constantly went to town and helped the economy there. Posada del Sol is the same, except they even had a few more employees and a few more guests. These two establishments contributed many thousands of lempiras in hotel taxes, municipal taxes, import duty on items unavailable in the country and in just plain charity and community work. From the welders to the boat mechanics to the generator mechanics to the fishermen to the clinic, we have made a positive difference and I would say all to the good.

I won't go into boring numbers but the tourist industry brings millions in and takes very little to operate and it produces a self-sustaining market because the guests love what they see and hear and smell and tell their friends. Yes, I firmly believe that done properly, the tourist industry is a life saver for Honduras, especially at this time of reconstruction and reorganization. As I always add, it must be done with careful consideration for the environment and the lifestyles of the local inhabitants.