Isla del Tigre

Isla del Tigre is an island in the Gulf of Fonseca in Pacific Honduras.

The tranquil island is essentially just a volcanic peak that sharply rises from the ocean. It is a short boat ride from Coyolito on the mainland of Honduras. On the weekends and holidays it attracts a fair bit of upper class tourists from Tegucigalpa. International visitors are not very common on the island and there is virtually no tourist on the island during the week.

It makes for a nice stopover if you are traveling between El Salvador and Nicaragua and do not want to do the whole trip in a single day.

History
In the late 19th century, German immigrants established Ampala as the major port of Honduras in the Pacific. The town raised to some wealth, the remnants of which can still be seen today. Eventually San Lorenzo became the favorite port for the Pacific, and by the 1930s the port fell mostly out of use and most of the Germans left. Since the waterways to San Lorenzo pass through some wetlands and are therefore hard to maintain, a group of South Korean investors showed interest to reestablish a port on the island.

During a civil war in Nicaragua, Honduras allowed Nicaraguan rebels to install a base on the peak of Cerro El Tigre. Some ruins of their base are still there.

Current situation
Several villages are scattered around the island. They are usually named as the beaches they are closest to. The main town on the island is Amapala. To its south there is a base of the Honduran Navy.

With high levels of unemployment, most of the population is poor, especially those living in villages on the Eastern side.

Get in
Buses go from el desvío, a crossing North of San Lorenzo, to Coyolito (L25). From there boats go frequently to Amapala (L20) and Playa Burro (L15).

To get to el desvío from El Amatillo or Tegucigalpa, take any bus to San Lorenzo and tell the driver you want to get off for Coyolito.

From San Lorenzo or Choluteca any bus to Tegucigalpa passes by el desvío.

You could also come here directly on a chartered boat from El Salvador (very close) or Nicaragua. However, since there is apparently no immigration office on the island, getting the formalities sorted out might be tricky.

Checking into the country via sailboat was a breeze with both port captain and immigration offices on the end of the pier - and it is free.

Get around
Tuk-tuks are virtually the only means of transportation on the island. They always charge per person and will pick up more people as they go. They usually charge L5 within a village and up to L30 for larger distances.

The road around the island measures 18 km, so you could walk all distances if you are fit.

In Amapala
Nice street food can be found two blocks up from the docks. They don't have a large selection of drinks but they don't mind if you bring your own from La Comercial one block north.

Sleep
Lodging on the island seems to cater to wealthy visitors of the capital. Most rooms are expensive and at the same time not very attractive.

In Amapala
There are plenty of unattractive options for L500 or more in town. Just ask around and people will be happy to point out places to you.

Playa Grande
Rooms start at L1000.

Connect
Claro provides cell phone coverage on most of the island. However, since the communications tower on Cerro el Tigre is not working anymore, only Amapala and its vicinity get proper 3G+ coverage.

Hotels and restaurants on the island typically do not provide WiFi for their guests.

There are no internet cafes on the island.

Cope
During the rainy season the entire island experiences lengthy blackouts almost daily. The power is usually cut well before the daily downpour and reestablished some time after.

Stay safe
The island has the feel of a small village and feels very safe. Locals will also confirm this. Apparently very few incidents happen on the island.

Septic sewage is used almost everywhere on the island. You need therefore not be afraid of greywater being fed into the water near the beaches.