Usually, when I think about the Cangrejal River in La Ceiba, I always think of all the fun adventures to be had there. Adventures like rafting down the Cangrejal River and Canyoneering and rappelling in Nombre de Dios National Park. But there is a lot more to do in the area. The Zip Line Canopy tour at Pico Bonito and the magnificent hanging bridge that takes you to the Pico Bonito Trails. There are so many trails into Nombre de Dios National Park, that you have trouble trying to decide which one you should do today. But few people know that there is a total of 10 Cangrejal River Hotels to choose from! Yes, you can choose between 10 eco lodges that are mostly in Nombre de Dios National Park. This is the highest concentration of eco lodges in all Honduras!
Best of all, we are not only talking about quantity, many of them are top notch facilities. According to travel sites, such as TripAdvisor, some of the best hotels in La Ceiba are precisely these Cangrejal River Hotels! For example, TripAdvisor features a list of top bed and breakfasts in Honduras for 2019 you will find the Omega Tours Lodge in number 3 and La Villa de Soledad in number 5! These then are the 3rd and 5th best bed and breakfasts in Honduras! This means that the quality of local hotels is acknowledged by world travelers! As an effort to help you decide which of the 10 Cangrejal River Hotels is best for you, we are sharing the complete list. You will find one that fits your needs and budget. We have listed them in alphabetical order for your convenience.
Cabañas del Bosque
Cabañas del Bosque is a small community owned hotel in Las Mangas. It has a total of 6 rooms. Rooms have bunkbeds and can accommodate 4 persons per room. Facilities are rustic, however each room has a private bath, as well as a nice porch with a hammock in front with nice views of the mountain. It is not right on the river, but access to the Cangrejal River is easy. This is an ideal hotel if you are on a budget and want to interact with local community. It is very close to the Guaruma Trail as well as the La Relumbrosa Trail. They have a basic restaurant that offers affordable food.
Cabañas del Bosque hotel. Photo: Courtesy Isis I Castro Alberto
El Encanto de Doña Lidia
This property is also in the community of Las Mangas. The property is right on the Cangrejal River. Spacious rooms, private bathrooms, and a small pool are all part of the facilities. They also have a restaurant and a limited bar. The owners are usually on premises.
El Encanto de Doña Lidia at Las Mangas Village
Hotel Rio Rafting
The Hotel Rio Rafting offers two different settings. A River House with direct access to the river and a larger building that has 4 rooms and a spacious terrace with a great view of El Bejuco waterfall. Rooms are generous in size, ideal for families or groups of friends. The hotel offers a full-service restaurant and bar. A nice, but demanding trail winds up into Nombre de Dios National Park. They also provide rafting tours
The view from Hotel Rio Rafting is spectacular!
Jungle River Lodge
The Jungle River Lodge is a great “Party Hostel”. It is ideal for backpackers and young travelers who are part of a group and do not mind sharing rooms. It is right on the Cangrejal River and has some beautiful natural pools high up in the building size boulders that are common in this river. You can jump into the river from these towering boulders. Food facilities are limited, but they do have a bar with beer and rum. They offer the only zipline Canopy tour in Pico Bonito National Park, as well as rafting tours down the Cangrejal River.
The Jungle River Lodge at the Cangrejal River
La Canasta Eco Lodge
This is a relatively isolated lodge on the opposite bank of the Cangrejal River. Access is via a funky cablecar. It is right on the entrance to El Olvido Trail into Nombre de Dios National Park. This is also the area where a group of women produce elaborate textile handicrafts. La Canasta Eco Lodge has a total of 6 rooms and is a great alternative to interact with the local community
La Canasta Ecolodge, Starting point for the El Olvido Trail. Photo courtesy of Adolfo Lopez
Las Cascadas Lodge
This is the luxury all inclusive lodge in the Cangrejal River Valley. It offers 4 rooms, many of them looking straight into a small natural pool with a lovely waterfall. The property offers all the meals as well as top shelf drinks. They operate the Canyoneering tour that rappels down the face of several waterfalls. Other tours, such as white-water rafting is also available. They have a nice, very private pool on premises.
Las Cascadas Lodge is the high end all inclusive lodge at the Cangrejal River
La Moskitia Eco-Aventuras
This is the perfect setting if you are looking for a spot to camp in. They have cement decks for the tents and offer beds to be put into the tents. If you have your own tent, you can also pitch it up for a small fee. If you are in the mood to camp under the forest with facilities including toilets and showers as well as wifi and a basic restaurant, this is a great place. Set up a bonfire next to the Cangrejal River and enjoy your guitar with friends under the starry skies in the Cangrejal River Valley. La Moskitia Eco Aventuras also offers rafting trips down the Cangrejal River.
La Villa de Soledad
La Villa de Soledad is a lovely boutique bed and breakfast that has many awards by TripAdvisor and Booking.com. This property is right on the Cangrejal River under the dense canopy of Nombre de Dios National Park. They do not operate river rafting tours, but their location is ideal and within walking distance to the different rafting outfitters. They are also very close to the swing bridge over the Cangrejal River that leads to some of the Pico Bonito Trails. A trail gives you access to great natural swimming holes in the Cangrejal River. They do not have a restaurant open to the public, but they do provide outstanding home cooked meals to guests when requested. A great alternative in the Cangrejal River! I enjoyed dawn here during my last stay.
This is how the sun shines at La Villa de Soledad, one of the hotels in the Cangrejal River Valley
Omega Tours Lodge
Omega Tours Lodge was the first lodge to open its doors in The Cangrejal River area. They have been in business for over 15 years! They have also developed a strong following among local and international tourists. In addition to some very nice and original upgraded rooms, they have a first-class restaurant and bar. They are one of the rafting outfitters and offer many different tours in the area. Omega Tours lodge is the only one of the 10 Cangrejal River hotels to offer a Yoga deck!
A luxury cabin at the Omega Tours Jungle Lodge
Villas Pico Bonito
This property offers villas for rent. They have one, two, three and even a four-bedroom villa. They are within a lovely landscaped garden with spectacular views of El Bejuco Waterfall. Villas are fully equipped and have a kitchen with all the required utensils too cook at home. However, most guests enjoy the pleasant setting at their Rio Vista restaurant and bar for dining. The infinity pool is one of the highlights at Villas Pico Bonito. For those who feel they can carry a tune, a karaoke at the bar provides a great setting to sing along your favorite songs.
Terrace with a view of the Cangrejal River at Villas Pico Bonito. Photo: Courtesy of Isis I Castro Alberto
