Honduras

Recommended Vaccinations For Honduras

For Most Travellers

Hepatitis A Vaccine

There is a significant risk of exposure to hepatitis A for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.

Hepatitis B Vaccine

There is a significant risk of infection with hepatitis B for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.

For Some Travellers

Typhoid Fever Vaccine

There is a risk of exposure to typhoid fever in this country through consumption of unsafe food and water. Since exposure to unsafe sources is variable within this country, the vaccination against typhoid fever is generally recommended, especially when visiting smaller cities, rural areas, or staying with friends and family.

Yellow Fever Vaccine

There is no risk of yellow fever transmission in Honduras. However, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Travellers transiting for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country/territory at risk for yellow fever transmission would also require a certificate.

Rabies Vaccine

Vaccination against rabies is recommended for travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) who may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk and should be vaccinated.

Recommended Medications For Honduras

For Some Travellers

Anti-malarial Drugs

Anti-malaria medication is recommended for travellers going to risk areas of Honduras. The U.S. CDC recommends atovaquone-proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine or primaquine. NaTHNac and WHO recommend chloroquine only.

Diseases To Be Aware of for Honduras

For Most Travellers

Hepatitis A

There is a significant risk for hepatitis A virus exposure in Honduras.

Chikungunya Fever

Chikungunya fever has occurred in this country.

Hepatitis B

There is a significant risk for acquiring hepatitis B in Honduras.

Dengue Fever

Dengue fever occurs year-round in Honduras.

For Some Travellers

Malaria

Malaria transmission risk is throughout the country including the Island of Roatán and other Bay Islands. There is no risk in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa.

Typhoid Fever

Unvaccinated people can become infected through contaminated food and water in Honduras, especially when visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where food and water sources may be contaminated.

Chagas Disease

American trypanosomiasis (“Chagas disease”) occurs in this country. However, the risk of travellers acquiring this disease is very low unless staying in very poor quality housing or camping.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis occurs in this country. Travellers to this country are at risk for tuberculosis if visiting sick friends or family, working in the health care field, or having close prolonged contact with the general population.

Zika Fever

There is transmission of the Zika virus in this country.

Yellow Fever

There is no risk of yellow fever transmission. However, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. Travellers transiting for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country/territory at risk for yellow fever transmission would also require a certificate.

Rabies

Rabies occurs in this country. Travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk.

Safety & Security in Honduras

Personal Safety

Honduras has one of the highest crime rates in the world, and personal safety is a major concern for visitors. The homicide rate stood at 25.3 per 100,000 in 2024, continuing a downward trend from historic highs of over 86 per 100,000 in 2011, but the country remains among the most violent in Latin America. Gang activity, extortion, armed robbery, kidnapping, and violent street crime are widespread, driven primarily by the MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs and drug trafficking organizations. These groups control many impoverished urban neighborhoods through extortion schemes, often demanding war taxes from residents and businesses. Estimated 99% of crimes go unreported due to fear of retaliation, and only 4% of homicides result in conviction. The government declared a state of emergency in December 2022, suspending constitutional rights in 226 of the country’s 298 municipalities and allowing police to conduct searches and arrests without warrants. Despite these measures, violence persists and security forces themselves have been implicated in over 798 human rights abuse complaints between December 2022 and December 2024. Petty theft is common in cities, bus stations, airports, and tourist areas. Criminals frequently target people after ATM withdrawals. Armed attacks on buses, including intercity coaches, occur regularly. Scam artists operate throughout the country, and express kidnapping is a risk. Local police lack resources and often cannot respond effectively to serious incidents. You should avoid being out after dark anywhere in the country. The Bay Islands, including Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja, have better police presence and lower crime rates than the mainland, though homicides increased there in 2024 making the Bay Islands department the country’s most homicidal region.

Extreme Violence

Honduras has historically been among the most violent countries globally, though extreme violence has decreased from peak levels. Gang violence remains the primary driver of extreme violence, particularly from MS-13 and Barrio 18, which together have an estimated 40,000 members operating throughout the country. These gangs engage in murder, extortion, drug trafficking, and territorial warfare. Boys born in Honduras face a 1 in 9 chance of being murdered, and Honduras has the highest youth homicide rate in the world. Gang-related extortion affects over 200,000 households, and those who refuse to pay war taxes face death threats and murder. Multiple-victim homicides and mass shootings occur in urban centers. In June 2023, gang members killed at least 46 women in a prison massacre at the Tamara women’s penitentiary. Another incident that month saw alleged Barrio 18 members kill at least 13 people in Choloma as reprisal. Extreme violence is concentrated in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, and La Ceiba, which accounted for more than 40% of all homicides in 2015. However, criminal groups have been expanding to other areas, particularly regions used for drug trafficking. Fighting between government forces and armed groups increased by 45% between 2022 and 2023 as security forces deployed under the state of emergency. Armed clashes and violence targeting civilians continue despite government crackdowns. Firearms are used in the vast majority of violent crimes. The Gracias a Dios Department on the eastern border is particularly dangerous, with widespread narcotics trafficking, weak infrastructure, limited government services, and scarce police presence. Human rights defenders, journalists, and environmental activists face targeted killings. Between January and September 2024, at least four human rights defenders were murdered.

Political Unrest

Protests and demonstrations occur regularly throughout Honduras and can happen anywhere with little notice. While normally peaceful, protests can rapidly turn violent with general breakdowns in law and order, including looting. Common issues include political disputes, economic concerns, education and health reforms, and corruption. Protests typically concentrate in major cities, especially Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, and La Ceiba, though authorities can set up roadblocks anywhere causing significant travel disruptions. In Tegucigalpa, demonstrations often occur near the presidential palace and downtown areas. In San Pedro Sula, protesters usually gather at the Monumento a la Madre. Police frequently respond with tear gas, and deaths and injuries have occurred during clashes. The 2017 to 2018 protests following disputed elections resulted in 23 deaths and over 1,300 arrests. The 2019 protests against healthcare and education privatization saw riot police clash with demonstrators, buildings set on fire, and violent confrontations that killed dozens. Political tensions escalated in 2024 when the government accused opponents of planning a coup after videos emerged showing links between officials and drug traffickers. Thousands have participated in torch-lit marches opposing government decisions, including protests in September 2024 against cancellation of the US extradition treaty. Political confrontation has been rising since 2021, and the country faces elections in 2025 which experts warn could bring heightened electoral violence. Honduras has deep political polarization stemming from the 2009 coup and subsequent disputed elections. It is illegal for foreigners to participate in political activities. If you participate in protests or try to pass through blockades, you may be detained and deported. The ongoing state of emergency allows authorities to restrict freedom of movement and assembly in affected municipalities.

Areas To Avoid

You should avoid or exercise extreme caution in several areas of Honduras. The Gracias a Dios Department, the most eastern department, should not be visited. It is an isolated region with high criminal activity, widespread narcotics trafficking, weak infrastructure, limited government services, and scarce police and military presence. San Pedro Sula is one of the most dangerous cities in the world and held the title of murder capital of the world in past years. Gang wars and fights with police are common. The city has a crime index of 80% and safety rating of only 19%. If transit through San Pedro Sula is unavoidable, do not linger and avoid the city at night entirely. Tegucigalpa, the capital, has extensive gang activity in barrios on the city outskirts. The city has a crime index of 75% and level of crime at 89%. Walking alone during the day has a safety rating of only 34%, and walking at night just 10%. You should avoid walking around the city and never walk alone at any time. La Ceiba experiences high crime levels despite being known as the eco-tourism capital. It serves as a transit point to the Bay Islands, so time there should be minimized. El Progreso has a crime rate index of 80 and violent crime levels of 89. Tela on the Caribbean coast has a crime index of 79 with violent crime at 88. Avoid border areas with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua due to criminal activity. The Honduras-Nicaragua border area contains unmarked minefields, particularly in certain sections. Specific dangerous routes include the road from Juticalpa to Telica and from Gualaco on Route 39 to San Esteban and Bonito Oriental. Between Tegucigalpa and Trujillo, use the RN39 via Gualaco, San Esteban and Bonito Oriental rather than the RN41 via Salama and Saba. Remote and isolated areas throughout the country lack police presence and are vulnerable to violent crime.