GOOD NEWS – NEW SHUTTLES! Hi everyone! Post-pandemic, many transportation options direct to the Lake Yojoa region have closed. The remaining ones are too expensive or can be a bit too difficult. Our goal has always been to keep things as stress-free as possible, so we’ve decided to launch our own shuttle service in Feb. 2023. Our first routes are La Ceiba Ferry Dock to D&D on Mondays ($25) and D&D to the borders with El Salvador and Nicaragua on Fridays (one shuttle, same day, $40).
We know this isn’t a shuttle directly to Leon, but getting public transport in El Salvador and Nicaragua isn’t too difficult once you cross the border–after all, our guests have been doing this anyway for years. Over time, we’ll work on linking up with other companies to improve this process, and we’ll open up more routes and timetables in Honduras. For now, though, this is a start!
We can’t wait to host you here,
–Robert and the D&D team
Arriving to D&D on public transport in Honduras:
1. NEW SHUTTLE (Feb 2023): Directly from the Utila/Roatan Ferry Dock
There is a new, easy, and inexpensive connection to Lake Yojoa via Shuttle! You can book your shuttle ticket directly via our website. Catch a morning ferry from Utila or Roatan. Once you arrive, you’ll see someone waiting for you for the shuttle to D&D Brewery. This service departs around 9:30am-9:45am from the ferry dock in La Ceiba and arrives directly to D&D around 2:30pm. The cost is $15 per ticket. Click here to book online!
2. From La Ceiba Downtown
There are two options:
1. Shuttle: the same as above from the ferry dock, but please let us know where you’re traveling from and the shuttle driver can pick you up in La Ceiba (simply reply back to our confirmation e-mail indicating where you need to be picked up–but please note this must be in the downtown of La Ceiba, not in Rio Cangrejal. We can pick you up at the bus stop at the entrance to the El Cangrejal road (on the main highway).
2. Take an inexpensive local bus to the San Pedro Sula bus terminal, and from there take an El Mochito bus to D&D Brewery (beware not to take the bus to “Lake Yojoa” because that will drop you off on the wrong side of the lake! We know this sounds counterintuitive, but trust us.)
1. Via Chicken Bus
Take the El Mochito bus from the bus terminal in San Pedro Sula. There is a ticketing window for “Emp. Tima” (For a photo taken by Louisa H. in Feb. 2020 just click here!)
Be sure to tell the driver or helper you want to get off at “D&D.” You’ll be dropped off at a green sign on the right-hand side that says “D&D Brewery.” We’re about 300 meters down that road, a pleasant walk through a section of the village of Los Naranjos.
These buses leave every 30 minutes or so. First bus leaves at 5:50am and the last bus departs at 5:30pm. The current cost is 70 Lps. per person. This bus should take around 2-2.5 hours or so.
Note: Don’t make the mistake of telling the people at the bus terminal “Lago de Yojoa.” They’ll end up putting you on a different bus that will likely drop you off far away from D&D on the south end of the lake.
2. Via Private Transport
You can book a private transfer on the D&D website! We can pick you up from the bus terminal (if you’ve taken another bus from somewhere in Honduras), from the airport, or from anywhere else in the city where you might have been staying. For the latest prices, please see that link above and choose “Private Transfers.”
3. Take an Uber, not a bus: as of April 2021, you actually can now take an Uber to D&D from San Pedro Sula. I find it hard to believe I’m actually typing this, but we’ve tested this ourselves and it costs between 1,100 and 1,300 Lps. from the San Pedro Sula airport, San Pedro Sula downtown, etc. This beats our own private transport price and that’s fine by us–so call that Uber!
Option 1 (airport) on a public bus
The new Palmerola Airport (XPL), located in Comayagua and opened in 2021, is 1.5 hours closer to D&D on public transit than the previous downtown-Tegucigalpa airport. Conveniently, it’s also located on the CA-5 highway which is exactly where you’d want to be to catch a bus heading north (to head to D&D).
You’ll want to walk right out of the airport and do a somewhat unsafe thing–simply walk across the divided highway to the other side of the road and wait for a bus traveling from Tegucigalpa, north. Around 2-2:30pm each day, the Las Vegas/SB bus (mentioned below in the Tegucigalpa section) will pass right by you and it will stop. You can take this directly to D&D for 130 Lps. (fare from Comayagua). And you should arrive to D&D around 5pm or so; you’ll need to walk the final 300 meters to our place. Note: if you don’t feel comfortable walking across 4 lanes of busy traffic + some bushes, then you can always take a taxi which would go 1km in the wrong direction to a turn-around and then could drop you off wherever you felt most comfortable waiting to catch a bus.
Should you arrive earlier or later than 2:30pm, there are many buses that travel northbound and while some won’t stop, many will. You’ll want to catch any of them going to San Pedro Sula and ask to be let off in La Guama. You’d then follow the instructions above for how to travel to D&D from La Guama.
FYI, nearly all northbound buses make a stop in Siguatepeque for food about 1 hour past the airport on their way northbound.
Option 2 (airport) on private transport
We’ve launched a private transfer service in 2022 to pick people up from the new Comayagua airport. The cost is $85 and it takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes to arrive to D&D. This is bookable online when reserving a room. Simply click on “Transfers” when on our reservations page.
Option 1: Chicken Bus (Casa Sola)
Casa Sola will take you directly to the San Pedro Sula bus terminal. After arriving in San Pedro Sula, follow the arrival instructions for San Pedro Sula (above)
Frequently asked questions about this route:
1. “Isn’t there a faster way to get to D&D Brewery from Copan than going through San Pedro Sula?” There are numerous mountain ranges in between Copan and Lake Yojoa and you’ll save yourself a lot of time and hassle by traveling via San Pedro Sula. Look at a topographical map of Honduras to see what we mean.
2. “Do I have to go through San Pedro Sula? Isn’t it dangerous?” Certain sections of San Pedro Sula aren’t ideal–but why on earth would you go there? Despite its “bad rap,” San Pedro Sula has the most modern and efficient bus terminal in Central America. It’s inside of a mall! No need for a taxi. So don’t worry and get on that bus to SPS! You’ll be just fine.
Option 1: Hedman Alas Coach Bus.
Book a Hedman Alas bus ticket from Tegucigalpa to Lake Yojoa. There are departures at 7:00am, 12:30pm, and 2:30pm and the trip takes approximately 3 hours. The cost is $12.50 and you’ll travel on a comfortable air-conditioned bus. The bus will drop you off at La Guama and from there catch a microbus (20 Lps.), which runs frequently, to Peña Blanca. From Peña Blanca, catch a moto-taxi (20 Lps. per person) or taxi (20 Lps. per person) directly to D&D. You can also take the El Mochito bus (10 Lps.) to the green D&D turnoff sign and then walk 300 meters down the road to our gate. Alternatively you can take a mototaxi directly from La Guama to D&D for 150 Lps.
Option 2: El Mochito Bus
Take the Tegucigalpa –> Las Vegas, Santa Barbara bus (note–this is NOT a bus to Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara). It’s a slow bus that stops frequently and it doesn’t have AC, but it works and it’s cheap. For a photo of this bus, click here! This bus leaves from Mercado Mama Chepa at 1:00pm (See Map) and is “direct” meaning it will stop frequently but will take you directly to the turnoff for D&D Brewery, where you’ll then walk 300 meters to our gate. Current cost is 150 Lps. (~$6.12)
When arriving to D&D via Gracias (Lempira Department) you have two options. Either one of these routes takes about the same amount of time, so roll the dice and pick one:
1. Via La Esperanza/Siguatepeque/La Guama
Very scenic & authentic, more bus changes.
First take a bus from Gracias to La Esperanza, Intibuca Department. At last report there are buses departing Gracias at 4:00 am, 5:00 am, 6:30 am, 7:00 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 1:00 pm. Then, take a bus from La Esperanza heading towards San Pedro Sula and get off in La Guama. If you’re unable to find a bus to San Pedro Sula then you’ll need to take a bus to Siguatepeque and then to La Guama.
From La Guama catch a bus (20 Lps.), which runs frequently, to Peña Blanca. From Peña Blanca, catch a moto-taxi (20 Lps. per person) or taxi (20 Lps. per person) directly to D&D. You can also take the El Mochito bus (8 Lps.) to the green D&D turnoff sign and then walk 300 meters down the road to our gate.
2. Via San Pedro Sula
More reliable, only two buses.
A bus to San Pedro Sula and then an El Mochito bus to D&D.
Arriving to D&D by Bus from Other Countries:
1. Via Leon: book a ticket on the Ticabus (at least one day in advance) from Leon to San Pedro Sula. This bus departs around 5am and will have you to La Guama (16km from us) in about 12 hours or less. Although their website doesn’t mention it and the folks at the ticket window may say otherwise, the driver is able to let you off in La Guama. If you arrive early enough, follow the above instructions for how to arrive via La Guama. Should you arrive after the last bus has left for Peña Blanca, you will need to take a “mototaxi” all the way to D&D for around 300 Lps.
2. Via Estelí/Las Manos Border Crossing: take transport north to the Las Manos crossing, then work your way to Tegucigalpa passing through Danlí. Once in Tegucigalpa, you’ll need to catch a bus heading north to San Pedro Sula, getting off in La Guama. If you arrive early enough, follow the above instructions for how to arrive via La Guama. Should you arrive after the last bus has left for Peña Blanca, you will need to take a “mototaxi” all the way to D&D for around 300 Lps.
3. Flight from Managua to Tegucigalpa: this is generally a very expensive option, however, some folks in a hurry have done this. La Costeña, the Nicaraguan Airline, has flights twice a week at 7am from Managua and will get you to Tegucigalpa in less than one hour. You then follow the above instructions for arriving via Tegucigalpa. Note that this cuts down a 12-14 hour travel day into a 5 hour travel day when your final destination is D&D.
Hedman Alas (tickets bookable online) leaves Antigua on a shuttle around 3:00am, connecting to a bus in Guatemala City which departs at 4:30am. There is a brief bathroom and lunch stop in Copan followed by a brief transfer in San Pedro Sula to a final bus departing to Lake Yojoa. You should arrive around 4:30pm to Lake Yojoa.
Fuente del Norte departs from Flores at 5:30am, arriving in San Pedro Sula around 1:30pm. The cost is $47. Then take a chicken bus per the instructions above for arriving via San Pedro Sula.
1. Get on the first boat to Puerto Barrios (5.30am mon-sat, 6.30am sundays). I got on the 7.30am one and still made it but it was super tight. 30 min, 35Q
2. Once you get to PB, walk 4 blocks up the road as you come out of the dock. You will hit the main road of PB. Ask for 6a avenida if you have doubts. Colectivo vans with a man shouting “Honduras, Frontera” run ALL the time and will stop for you as you waive, just wait on that corner. 1.5h, 25Q
3. Stamp your passport at the Guatemalan side. The colectivo will stop and wait for you. Then get back in it and get off again at the Honduran border. This is the end of the trip so you’ll know.
4. Get your passport stamped at the Honduran side and walk 100m into Honduras. After the police checkpoint buses stop there headed to Puerto Cortés every 30 mins. 1h 50min, 35 Lps.
5. Get off at “Parada el cruce” in Puerto Cortés. It’s one stop before the centro. The driver can let you know if you tell them you want to go to San Pedro Sula.
6. Cross the street and get into one of the multiple minibuses that go to San Pedro Sula. They say “Directo,” although they do stop a few times in SPS before the last stop. They, too, have loud men screaming “San Pedro”, so they’re easy to find. 1h, 55 Lps.
7. Follow the information above for how to get to D&D via the SPS bus terminal
credit to “joselebassols” for this information
Via San Salvador: book a ticket on the King Quality bus, part of the Platinum Centroamerica company. Click here to visit their website. At last check this bus departs from San Salvador at 7am and arrives to San Pedro Sula at 2:30pm, more or less. From there, follow the instructions above for how to arrive from San Pedro Sula.
1. Via Ferry from Belize City:
Every Friday the Starla Ferry leaves at 9am from the San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi Terminal to Puerto Cortes, arriving at 2:30pm. The cost is $80.
FYI–it also passes through Dandriga further south at 11am–it’s possible to board there for $55 (still arriving in Puerto Cortes for $80).
2. Via Bus from Belize City:
Every Saturday there’s a bus departing from Belize City at 6:00am (Transportes Manabre). This bus takes about 12 hours and costs $75. While it’s a long journey that’s the only overland bus link from Belize to Honduras, passing through Guatemala. Link: http://www.travelmundomaya.com/bus_schedules.html
3. Via Ferry from Placencia or Big Creek:
The “D-Express” departs on Fridays at 9:00am from the Municipal Pier by the Shell gas station in Placencia. The same boat stops at Big Creek, departing at 11:00am. Arrives at Puerto Cortes, Honduras around 2:00pm. The cost is $60 (US).
Arriving to D&D by Car or for those Overlanding:
We’re approximately 4km on the road from Peña Blanca, Cortés, to Las Vegas/El Mochito in the village of Los Naranjos.
The road is fully-paved up to 3km away and semi-paved up to 300 meters from our door. The last 3km can sometimes be a bit bumpy, but in Honduras all good things lie at the end of a rough road. Small cars can make it without any problem; you do not need high-clearance or 4×4.
Specific instructions depending on which direction you’re arriving from:
Head south on CA-5 towards Tegucigalpa. About 1 hour from San Pedro Sula, turn off at the exit on the right called La Guama (you’ll see a large green sign that says Peña Blanca). There is also a police post at this turnoff, for reference. Drive for approximately 13km until you reach the intersection in Peña Blanca, and turn left onto the road to Las Vegas, Santa Barbara (El Mochito mine). Please note that there is no signage and so you will want to ask for this turnoff; another helpful indicator is that it will be the first major paved road after crossing a bridge over a canal. Drive 4 km until you see the D&D Brewery sign on the right. We’re down that road!
Don’t be confused by the turnoff before reaching Peña Blanca for “Los Naranjos Eco-Archaeological Park” as this is not the correct entrance.
The main highway passes by the east side of the lake. At the north end of the lake, there is a turnoff named “La Guama.” You’ll see a large green sign that says Peña Blanca.
There is also a police post at this turnoff, for reference. Drive for approximately 13km until you reach the intersection in Peña Blanca, and turn left onto the road to Las Vegas, Santa Barbara (El Mochito mine). Please note that there is no signage and so you will want to ask for this turnoff; another helpful indicator is that it will be the first major paved road after crossing a bridge over a canal. Drive 4 km until you see the D&D Brewery sign on the right. We’re down that road!
Don’t be confused by the turnoff before reaching Peña Blanca for “Los Naranjos Eco-Archaeological Park” as this is not the correct entrance.
The road to El Dorado? hahaha. Just kidding.
GPS Coordinates for Overland Travelers:
14.94653, -88.03795
Note that you can now also search for us on Google Maps: D&D Brewery, Lodge, and Restaurant. Many folks choose to plug us into Google Maps and go. This is a very easy way to get to us.
Remember, though, that you can’t always trust Google Maps. There is no need to go down any dirt roads except for the last 300 meters, so make sure Google doesn’t take you on some wild off-road adventure (unless you’re into that kind of thing in which case, awesome).
From D&D to Onward Destinations:
The answer is yes! There is now shuttle every Friday to the Nicaraguan border, leaving directly from D&D at 8am. The cost is $25. You’ll arrive to the Nicaraguan border around 2:30pm. After you cross the border, it’s around 2-2.5 hours to Leon. You can catch a bus direct to Leon if you find one, or, alternatively, a bus to Chinandega and then a bus to Leon. Click here to book your tickets online now. Please note that shuttle tickets can sell out fast and advanced booking is recommended.
Don’t want to take the shuttle? See the next item in the list on how to do this route on your own for a cheaper price, although in all honesty, it’s a bit tricky to pull off in one day. But it has been done–you just need to be fast which each bus change and don’t stop for food, etc.
1. In order to prevent waiting in line for two hours once you reach the border, be sure to visit this link and fill out the paperwork they ask from you: https://www.migob.gob.ni/
2. There is a bus that passes 300 meters from our door anywhere from 5:30am-6:30am and will take you directly to the Mercado Mama Chepa in Tegucigalpa. This bus picks you up from the opposite side of the street to where you got dropped off for D&D. (Hint: the bus will be traveling downhill. It is recommended to be waiting there at 6:00 am. The current cost is 150 HNL and should get you there between 10:30-11am.
3. Tegucigalpa does not have a central bus terminal like Tegucigalpa. Fortunately, though, where you will get dropped off is only a 5-to-10 min. walk to your next bus. You’ll want to look up Transport Blanquita Express (click here for a screenshot of the location). As you get close to the bus you’ll have a swarm of people come at you saying Choluteca (your next stop). It’s 115L to get a new A/C bus. That ride takes a good 2 to 3 hours depending on traffic.
4. Once you get to Choluteca you’ll need to get a colectivo to the border town of Guasaule which costs 40L. Once again, this is an easy transfer—as you get off the bus you basically just have to walk across the road to the bus terminal (click here for a screenshot of the location) and someone will ask where you’re going. Just say Guasaule (gwa-saw-lay) and they will direct you. This is about a 45 min. ride.
5. The colectivo drops you off just in front of immigration. There will be touts trying to say you need to get a ride to immigration and how it is 1km away though it is only about a 200-meter walk. Go through immigration for Honduras (no exit fee) then, to repeat, you just walk over the bridge to Nicaragua. You don’t need to pay someone to take you over. Once you cross you need to head to a green building on the left. Please be aware that you will need to have a photocopy of your passport as well as $12 to enter Nicaragua.
6. Again, be sure to have filled out the online form for Nicaragua at https://www.migob.gob.ni/ because, for this journey, it is imperative that you don’t waste time. The last direct bus from the border to Leon leaves at 5pm and cost $2 US. This bus will take you straight to Leon and your journey to Leon is complete. Unless you miss this bus…in which case, proceed to step 7.
7. If for some reason you miss the direct bus to Leon, don’t worry: there are colectivos going to the city of Chinandega and you can still hop on one of those. This should only be $1.50 US.
8. Once in Chinandega hop on another colectivo for Leon.
Cost Breakdown
Bus to Tegucigalpa: 150 Lps.
Bus to Choluteca 100 Lps.
Bus to Guasaule 40 Lps.
Bus from border to Leon $2 (assuming you make the last ride)
Total Cost = About $14 or 340 Lps
Published in November 2018 and possibly now out of date since the COVID-19 pandemic. This guide was adapted from an amazing writeup by Liam B. 100% of the information in this post came from him. Thanks so much, Liam, for sending over such detailed info.
Buses begin departing Los Naranjos for San Pedro Sula as early as 4:45am. They’ll take you directly to the San Pedro Sula bus terminal in approximately 2 hours or so. At 10:30am (as of August 2018) the bus company Fuente del Norte has a bus that, for 300 Lps., will drop you off at the “Entre Rios” road junction in Guatemala about 20 minutes outside of Puerto Barrios. (Click here for a map of where this junction is located). Then you can get a minibus from this intersection to Puerto Barrios which takes less than 30 minutes. Once in Puerto Barrios, proceed to the dock for boats to Livingston (click here to see the exact point on Google Maps–save this in your phone!). Boats run several times a day. Some of our favorites in that area are The Roundhouse and Finca Tatin, but there are many great lodges from Livingston all the way up to Rio Dulce town.
1. To the southern beaches/El Cuco Region: we have our shuttle departing every Friday at 8am. The cost is $25 and will drop you off right at El Amatillo border crossing with El Salvador. From there, you are only 87km from El Cuco. You’ll first need to catch a bus to La Union port and then change buses to El Cuco from there. Click here to book your shuttle ticket online.
2. Overland using local buses to the northern region of El Salvador: Travel notes shared with us by Sam B. Updated July 2017 but likely now out of date since the COVID-19 pandemic:
Leave D&D at 5:30am to catch the El Mochito bus to San Pedro Sula, which was 70 Lempira. Arrived at 800am. Look for the company “Sultana” heading to Nueva Ocotepeque. The next bus was at 10:30am which they automatically booked me on although there was a colectivo that departed before this. The cost was 172 Lempira. It was late so didn’t leave until 11:00am and stopped frequently but briefly. Arrived in Ocotepeque at 4:15pm. Caught a colectivo to El Poy which took 10 mins and was 10 Lempira. It turns out buses in El Salvador stop very early in Honduras. I arrived on the El Salvadorean side at 5:00pm and there were no more buses or colectivos to the cities or nearby towns. Locals said the last were at 4:15pm; this was verified by two different people. In the end, spent $10 and stayed in a town nearby in La Palma, which was a great choice as it has amazing murals.
My tips to those attempting this journey:
1. Leave early to complete this in a day
2. If wanting to get to San Salvador, get the first available colectivo as these go more frequently than buses
3. I didn’t realise until leaving SPS terminal but there is another bus company called Congolon; they may have an earlier bus than 10:30pm
4. Be prepared to fork out for a taxi to next destination if arriving on El Salvador side after last bus at 4:15pm.
5. The bus to Ocotepeque made a short stop in Santa Rosa but I could not see any toilets about. Thankfully I didn’t need to go but if wanting to do this comfortably in a day, be sure to use bathrooms in SPS as likely last chance until reaching border
All in all, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. I would strongly recommend to travelers to stop over in La Palma. It’s a beautiful town and breaks up the journey to San Salvador, which is 3 hours by bus from the border.
Arriving by Helicopter:
No one has ever done this before, but it’d be really cool if someone would try. The soccer field (or, as I’ve been asked to include, “football pitch”) in town would be a great place to land.
**update: guests bring drones all the time. That’s super cool but doesn’t count–unless you’re flying in the drone. We’re still looking for our helicopter hero. Over and out.
