Located in a lovely bay, with Garifuna communities sprinkled along the beaches and crowned with two National Parks, one on each end of the bay, Tela is also a great destination for the nature and adventure traveler seeking to make the best of his beach vacation.
Attractions
Tela also boasts the finest golf course in mainland Honduras: Indura Golf Club is located within the Bay of Tela and is part of the new, upscale Indura Beach and Golf Resort. The golf course is now part of the Latin-American PGA tournament circuit! Today, Tela offers a variety of beach resorts, such as Telamar Resort and La Ensenada Resort, Golf Resorts such as Indura, and many smaller, homely, fine hotels that are adequate for any budget and taste. In addition, there are a variety of restaurants offering a diversity of gastronomical tastes. There is also a wide selection of nature and beach activities that will make your stay in Tela most memorable.
Culture
If you are into culture, there is no better place to get acquainted with the Garifuna Culture, which has been designated Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO. The most authentic, primitive Garifuna Village is located in the Bay of Tela: Miami. Historically Miami has been a fishing outpost and therefore there are few buildings in the village. The village is nestled between the Caribbean Sea and the Laguna de los Micos, in a narrow sand bar. Other Garifuna communities are San Juan, Tornabe, Triunfo de La Cruz and La Ensenada.
National Parks
As for the National Parks in Tela, on the Western tip you will find the Jeannette Kawas National Park, also known as Punta Sal, and on the Eastern tip of the bay you will find Punta Izopo National Park. These two parks are accessible from downtown and are ideal for the nature lovers.
About Tela
The City of Tela is one of the oldest established communities in Honduras; however its development did not really kick into high gear until the very early twentieth century, when the government of Honduras gave the Tela Railroad Company a huge land concession to produce bananas in exchange for a railroad that was to be built. The company, which today is part of the United Fruit Brands (Chiquita Banana) built a railroad system that connected Tela with the Sula Valley. Their network included the cities of La Lima, El Progreso, Puerto Cortes, Santa Rita de Yoro and Potrerillos. The company also built the dock, from where the Bananas where exported and set up an experimental plantation center, that today is known as the Lancetilla Botanical Garden, considered the largest tropical Botanical Garden in the Americas! The Tela Railroad Company eventually moved its headquarters from Tela to La Lima. But the truth is that it left an indelible mark on the development of Tela, and for that matter, all of Atlantida! One of the most convenient legacies of the American banana companies in Atlantida is the fact that English is widely spoken throughout our destination.
Tela is without doubt one of the brightest stars in Atlantida. You will be happy to have enjoyed some of its unique options during your visit to our destination.