A Macho Man’s Guide to San Pedro Sula, Honduras – July 2002


Yes, We Have No Bananas

The city of San Pedro Sula was built on the banana export trade 100 years ago. Even today, as your flight descends downward over the new airport you will notice large, deep green fields of banana crops from the plane’s window. This is where the term “banana republic” originated. Today, San Pedro is the industrial engine that drives the economy of Honduras and is one of the fastest growing cities in Latin America.

Several airlines fly direct into San Pedro Sula, the most popular being American, Continental, Iberia and Taca. Miami, New Orleans, New York and Houston are the normal departure cities. Flight times average two and half hours out of Miami with most flights direct non-stop. You will need a valid passport to enter and a 30 day tourist visa which will be issued to you free of charge upon arrival. Do not lose the visa - you will need it to depart from the country.

Arrival into San Pedro Sula (the second largest city in Honduras) is via a new and modern international airport. After immigration and customs clearance you should grab an airport taxi outside the baggage claim area. Taxis cost 10 - 12 US dollars for the 15 minute ride into the city. You can exchange a few dollars with the local money touts outside the arrival terminal, but you will get a better exchange rate inside the city. It is not necessary to exchange dollars at the airport for the taxi as most drivers will accept dollars for cab fare payment.

TIP: When you leave San Pedro Sula at the end of your journey the airport departure tax is 25 US dollars.

It is assumed that you are here in the city on business as probably 90% of the foreign men arriving here are. Nobody comes to San Pedro Sula for tourist sights - there is really nothing worth seeing in the city during the daytime. Most visitors are foreign men here on business trips and who partake of the “hobby” after a busy day of work. If you are seeking sun and relaxation hop on one of Islena Airline’s prop-planes and head to the island of Roatan - where the green Caribbean waters are tranquil, the beer is cold, and the scuba diving is world class.

By contrast, the business of San Pedro Sula is business. It is a very loud, sometimes dirty, and always hectic city. Be forewarned, San Pedro Sula is a very hot and humid place with temperatures reaching into the mid 90s almost everyday - so take plenty of light clothing, a hat, sunscreen and drink only bottled water. Sadly, as a foreigner you will be accosted by beggars both young and old asking for money - so be prepared to deal with this situation. Just as important in your preparation is having a basic understanding of the Spanish language. This will go a long ways in dealing with your daily transactions and also with the ladies you will meet.

Getting around in San Pedro is easy. The city is laid out in a straightforward grid pattern, divided into northern and southern sections by 1st “calle” and eastern and western sections by 1st “avenida”. The city is ringed by a perimeter road known as the “circunvalacion”. Local taxis in the city are not on the meter system so you must negotiate the fare before getting in. Most trips within the city limits should run you no more than 2 to 4 dollars per person - slightly higher in the evening. City taxies are normally small Japanese autos with no a/c and are all painted white for easy identification. The 5 star hotels have their own taxies with a/c but come with added cost. If you hear someone honking at you as you walk along the street, more than likely it’s a taxi driver letting you know he’s free if your looking for a taxi.

Accommodations and Food

The 5 star hotels in the city are the Camino Real Intercontinental, Hotel Princess, Hotel Copantl, Holiday Inn, and the historic Gran Hotel Sula. The Camino Real, Princess and Copantl are located about 5 minutes via taxi from the main downtown area. The Holiday Inn is on a main boulevard about 6 blocks up from central park, and the Gran Hotel Sula is directly across from the downtown central park. Expect to pay between 100 to 150 dollars per night at these luxury hotels. Be very discreet with your well dressed “girlfriend” and you should have no problems when entering with your “date” at these upper tier hotels.

TIP: The Gran Hotel Sula has the best cafeteria in the city. Good selection of food, clean, inexpensive with excellent service - and they are open 24/7.

If you are in the city for mongering only and will be strolling into your hotel with a different lady(s) every night - it is recommended that you stay at one of the lower rung hotels. There are many 2 and 3 star hotels throughout the city. One of the most convenient, economical, and girl friendly is the Hotel San Pedro - about four blocks from central park. The area around the hotel is not attractive and can be dangerous at night so take a taxi after dark. Another recommended hotel that is girl friendly, centrally located and in a safe area is the Hotel Bolivar. Expect to pay 20 dollar (for a basic room) up to 35 dollars a night at most 2 and 3 star hotels.

San Pedro Sula has a large selection of American and Latin style restaurants – Fridays, Applebees, and Ruby Tuesdays offer good American style fare at reasonable rates and the local women love going to these franchises to eat out. The best steak in town is a Pat’s Steak House – a local institution. Expensive, but good service and a romantic atmosphere. If you want to impress a business associate in the city this place cannot be beat.

The Hotel Copantl has a very nice restaurant “La Churrasqueria” located on the top floor of the hotel with the best views of the city at night. The restaurant serves very good “tipico” food in a nice open air environment. On the weekends, stop by the bar (next to the restaurant) after diner for live salsa music and dancing. “La Estancia” restaurant is an Uruguayan parrillada famous for its South American beef cuts and wine list. And the “Fogoncito” restaurant offers a little piece of Mexican style food and drink in the city.

Money

You will need to exchange your dollars for local funds – here are three options. Central park has dozens of local guys shouting “cambio” to all locals and foreigners that stroll through the park. None speak English, so be prepared to do the deal in Spanish. Approach any tout and ask what the exchange rate is – the tout will ask how much you want to exchange. The amount you exchange will influence the rate you get. A standard rule is anything over 100 dollars will get you the best rate. If you only speak English, you will not get as good a rate as the locals. Hang tough and walk away after the first offer – the tout will normally shout out a better rate, maybe 5 or 10 cents higher than his first offer. Tell the guy OK and he will pull out a pocket calculator and show you the total amount in Lempiras (the local currency) that you will receive. If you have a calculator take it with you and whip it out at the same time and do your own math. Punch in the exchange rate yourself (around 16.40 Lempiras per 1.00 US dollar as of June 2002) and show it to the tout. If you both agree he will count out the amount in large denominations. Count the money yourself before you hand over your dollars. This will keep the tout from walking off before you confirm that he has given you the correct amount. Some touts are known to try to rip off foreigners with bad exchange rates - so be careful and take you time with the transaction and you should be fine.

Now if all of that seems like to much work – take a taxi to the Hotel Copantl. Inside the main hotel lobby there is a bank that will exchange your US dollars in a fast, safe, and efficient manner - and with about the same rate as you will get on the street. If you are exchanging a large amount of dollars, this is the recommended method due to the safety and professional manner of the bank. Just be aware of their banking hours – closed after 3:00 p.m. and on weekends. Finally, if it is late at night all of the 5 star hotels will exchange money at their front desk – but at a much lower rate than on the street or banks.

After Dark

Prostitution is legal in Honduras. The most important thing to remember when mongering in this city is that it has one of the highest AIDS rate in Central America. Always use a condom for sexual acts or you will be in danger of contacting the AIDS virus. Most ladies will carry a health card – but this means nothing because medical testing in Honduras is not very reliable.

Now it is important to remember also that San Pedro Sula is not like San Jose, Costa Rica. Although the cities have many similarities in infrastructure and industry, here there is no “gringo gulch”, no massage parlors for men, no newspaper adds with telephone numbers, and no escort services. If you are looking for action during the daytime you had better set-up a date with a woman the night before - and count yourself lucky if she actually shows up on time.

All prices given here are in US dollars so that you can get a feel for what you should be paying the ladies - but it is suggested that you always negotiate in the local currency in order to get more value for your money.


Hot Time in the City

You will only find action with the ladies in this city after 8:00 p.m. Basically four options exist - strip-clubs, discos, whorehouses, and streetwalkers:

Cherries and Scandals are the two most well known strip clubs in town and they have been around for years – both located about 2 miles from central park. The clubs are located next to each other and every taxi driver operating around the tourist hotels will know where they are. The clubs do not get going until late so if you show up before 10:00 p.m. you will most likely be the only person inside. Typical strip shows every half hour or so – girls are 5-8 in looks. Ladies in the club will leave with you, but expect to pay more than you would for girls at the cat-houses or on the street. Normal cost for about one hour with a girl ranges from 75 to 100 dollars plus exit fee. Final cost often depends on your negotiating skills with the lady. However, these places are not the best use of your money in San Pedro. Order a domestic beer, (Salva Vida, Nacional, and Port Royal are the main local brews) and enjoy the show - but save your money for the cat-houses or streetwalkers.

TIP: Be careful with your drink tab in these clubs as they have been known to rip-off foreigners. Order one beer or drink at a time and pay for it in cash after it is bought to your table. Never open a running bar tab in these clubs and NEVER use your credit card to pay for drinks.

In addition to these clubs, there are other seedier strip-clubs in town but most come and go rather fast. If you visit one of these strip clubs via a local recommendation you better speak pretty damn good Spanish and not be intimidated with a lot a shady characters inside and outside the club. As a foreigner you will stick out like a sore thumb in these lower class establishments.

There are many discos in San Pedro Sula. The most notable upscale discos for single foreign men are Confetties, Henry’s, and Kawamas - these being the most popular with the local population. All of the above are located within two blocks of each other so if you enjoy bar hopping - this is the area. Expect to pay a small cover charge. Inside the clubs you will encounter loud music and a packed dance floor on weekends. The majority of people are young, well off, college age students out for a good time so expect a young crowd. There are usually free-lancers inside looking to hook up with local business men and foreigners. You will notice them by their skimpy dress and long sustained eye contact at men. Approach a lady and ask politely if she is there alone. If she replies “si” while making deep eye contact then most likely she is available for the night. As a freelancer, she will expect a nice “gift” at the end of the evening.

Next on the list of options you will find the oldest sexual institutions serving the needs of local men for decades - the “casa de mujeres” or “casa de citas” as they are known here locally. These are non-descript houses are usually located in low-to-middle class neighborhoods. You would never notice them during the daytime but at night most will have the traditional red light outside the door. Other than word of mouth this is usually their only form of advertisement. Most houses are open only after dark and almost all of the clients are local men. The most well known house in San Pedro is the “White house”, although there is some indication that this local institution has closed it doors within the last year.

Check with your hotel taxi driver beforehand – if he says he does not know of any “houses” move on to the next taxi-driver in line at your hotel. Before departing in the taxi, make sure the driver clearly understands that you want to visit several “casa de citas”. It is best to negotiate a price with the driver for three or four hours of his time. This will allow you the opportunity to visit several houses while also having the security of a personal cab awaiting when you depart each house. Expect to pay the taxi driver 15-20 dollars for the night.

Upon approaching the cat-house you will be searched by the security guard for weapons. This is standard practice in Central America whenever you enter an establishment that serves alcohol. Most houses will have a bar section and a sitting area. The girls usually sit around in groups fully clothed awaiting you to approach them. Scope out the selection and have the bartender call over the one you like. Most of the houses will have 5 to 8 ladies working with looks in the range of 4 to 7. It is normal to buy your selection a drink and do a little small talk before discussing price. Expect to pay between 25 up to 40 dollars for a short 30 – 45 minute session on site.

There will be rooms available inside the house but most are very primitive with nothing more than a double bed, a fan, and a lamp. Do not expect much cleaning-up after you finish with your lady - cold (not hot) water showers are the norm. If you do not see anything you like, pay your tab and ask the driver to take you to another location. As indicated, most houses are scattered across the city and only a good taxi driver with updated local information will know where the newest and best ones are - so rely on his judgement.

TIP: Cat-houses are great locations to set-up a daytimes date with a lady as most do not work during the daytime.

Streetwalkers are the final option and some locals say they are the best deal for the money. But a word of warning first. Be careful of where you seek out and pickup streetwalkers in San Pedro, as some locations around the city are known for drug-users and transvestites. The area around the old railroad tracks, two blocks below central park, is a known hangout for low life whores, TVs, and drug users. Do not walk anywhere in this area at night, and it is strongly recommended that you avoid the ladies altogether from this area. They are cheap, will most likely try to rob you, and they look disgusting.

The best location for picking-up ladies in the city is on Boulavard Francisco Morazan. If you are standing in the downtown central park area, face toward the Gran Hotel Sula (which is across the street), turn to your left at the edge of the park and walk up the boulavard. Five blocks up from central park you will start to see ladies standing on street corners after 9:00 p.m. From here all the way up to the Pizza Hut (about 6 more blocks) ladies will be offering their services to men approaching in cars or on foot. Most of the ladies in this area are clean, well dressed, and generally attractive - though do not expect to find a 9 or 10. Expect to pay 20-25 dollars for short time (one to two hours) and 30-50 dollars for the night. The quality of ladies varies drastically from 3s to 8s, but take your time and a nice one should show up.

Boulavard F. Morazan is safe to walk up and down at night until about 11:00 p.m. and really makes for a nice stroll after dinner. When you tire of walking, there is a small outdoor bar on the opposite side of the street one block up from the Plaza Prisa, (or about two blocks before the hotel Holiday Inn). Here you can sit outside after dark and have a refreshing cold drink while watching the ladies shake their “money makers” up and down the busy street. It is nice to hang here for awhile because the largest selection of ladies will be coming out around 10:00 p.m. Select your date for the evening, call her over, negotiate a price, and then hail a cab back to your hotel with your “lady” for a night of fun and enjoyment.

Enjoy your stay in San Pedro Sula.

Thanks for an outstanding report about a little known destination!

TG

Very nicely done report. Very accurate and detailed. Only a couple of minor things I can add:

1) Don't underestimate the heat, especially if you are an american not already living in Florida or Louisiana. The combination of intense heat and humidity was downright suffocating to me the first couple of times I visited. The last thing on my mind during daytime was sex. I felt like staying in the shower the whole day until sundown.

2) Beside american, chinese food is also becoming the vogue there for relatively inexpensive eat. However it is highly customized to local's tastebud and is not very close to what americans are used to here in the USA.

3) Streetwalkers are indeed the best experience and value. I went to all the mentioned strip clubs but found the prices outrageous in relative to the level of talents. Did the "casa de cita" once but was very disappointed at the performance of the girl. And that was the girl I thought was most likely to perform among the bunch of bored stiffs.

It is true that there's really not much to do during the day in SPS. Better off going to the beach at Puerto Cortez which is about an hour or so away! It's no Roatan but at least it's close by.

MS,

Very well written report. I was in SPS a few years ago and noticed when we landed at the airport, there were gun emplacements at each end of the runway. Still there?

Also, for diving enthusiasts, your reference of Roatan is excellent. The best dive operation there is Anthonys Key Resort. There is another dive operation close by, run by an American group but can't recall their name. Some of the best overall diving in the Carib. You will also see hundreds of varieties of orchids on Roatan and if you can persuade one of the local native kids to take you (for a few$$$'s of course) you can go digging in old indian burial grounds. We did and found a bunch of pottery and jade beads.

SPS was just as you described. Hot, humid and busy. My best action was also street girls although I did have one memorable experience at a casa de citas.

Nicely done! That's the type of 'off beat' destination that I like to hear about.

Thanks.