A north coast village with a colonial pedigree and one
of the best beaches in the region.
by Gregory Kipling
Avillage of quiet streets and palm-shaded beaches, Omoa is one of the best-kept
secrets on Honduras’ north coast. With most foreign tourists in a rush
to join the crowds in Tela, La Ceiba or the Bay Islands, Omoa’s pace remains
mercifully languid and unhurried. Located a mere 20 kilometers west of Puerto
Cortés on the road to the Guatemalan border, this is a required stop
for anyone in need of a few days’ rest and relaxation in beautiful surroundings.
Omoa’s
colonial legacy
Be warned, however, that Omoa is not just another beach town. Like Trujillo
and Comayagua, it was founded in the days of colonial rule and has a history
marked by violence and intrigue. Originally established as one of several ports
dotting the country’s north coast, Omoa rose to prominence in the late
17th century as pirate attacks on Spanish shipping in the region intensified.
With coastal towns farther east deemed dangerously vulnerable to Roatán-based
buccaneers, Omoa became an increasingly important trans-shipment point for Europe-bound
gold and silver.
However, Omoa’s lack of defenses was a constant worry for colonial administrators,
who appealed repeatedly to the king for money to fortify the port against maritime
marauders. Reluctant to finance a project of this magnitude in such a far-flung
outpost, court ministers stalled for time, calling for plans to be drawn up
which were then filed away without ever being acted upon. This attitude finally
changed in 1744, a year of devastating pirate attacks along the entire length
of Honduras’ north coast. A military architect was dispatched from Spain,
and construction of a four-sided stone fortress, to be known as Fuerte San Fernando
de Omoa, began the following year.
Progress was painfully slow. Tropical diseases decimated the workforce, project
engineers were consumed by political in-fighting and funding either arrived
late or not at all. By the time the fortress was finally completed in 1777,
its four sides had been reduced to three in a bid to save money, resulting in
a triangular design that was pleasing to the eye but condemned by contemporary
observers as strategically flawed. Sadly, the critics were proven right just
two years later, when a British naval force overran the fortress after a three-day
siege, holding it for more than a month before it was retaken by Spanish troops
brought from Guatemala.
Although the fort was attacked once more in 1820, this time by mutinous general
Luis Aury, it would never again fall into enemy hands. Instead, the disappearance
of pirates from the north coast allowed it to sink into quiet obsolescence.
The fort was used for years as a prison before being handed over to the Honduran
Institute of Anthropology and History in 1959.
Today, it is Omoa’s principal tourist attraction. Open seven days a week,
the fortress boasts manicured grounds, dark but refreshingly cool dungeons and
fine views of the surrounding countryside from atop its well-preserved walls.
The 20 lempira admission fee (half-price for citizens of Central American countries)
includes access to a small museum and gift shop.
Village
by the sea
Apart from its colonial fortifications, Omoa is blessed with one of the best
beaches in the region. Set on a wide bay backed by densely forested hills, its
white sands slope gently into clear, turquoise-tinted waters. With a constant
breeze blowing off the sea, this is the sort of place that makes one want to
linger—swimming, kayaking or simply watching the evening sun sink slowly
behind the horizon.
While the area also offers visitors a number of other activities, including
horseback riding, mountain-biking and exploring nearby waterfalls, what really
makes Omoa stand out are its people. Friendly and welcoming, they show no signs
of the cynicism that often pervades more popular tourist destinations. Still,
despite the low-key atmosphere, the village has a remarkably wide range of visitor
facilities. Accommodation options run the gamut from the modest but well-maintained
Hotel Tatiana to the more upscale Flamingo’s Hotel and Restaurant. Overlooking
the bay a short walk west of the pier, Flamingo’s offers breezy rooms,
sea views and a superior standard of service. Finding tasty food is also no
problem in Omoa. Fresh fish, lobster and shrimp feature prominently on the menus
of local restaurants, with the beachside Botín del Suizo a particularly
good choice.
Although Omoa has managed thus far to develop its tourism industry without giving
in to commercialism or forsaking its rural roots, prospective visitors are well
advised to go sooner rather than later. Already popular among weekend day-trippers
from San Pedro Sula, the number of foreign tourists arriving in the village
is also beginning to rise, and is bound to increase further once the new highway
linking Puerto Cortés and Puerto Barrios, Guatemala is completed. What
is now one of the north coast’s best-kept secrets may not remain a secret
for much longer. m
