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Every October, Honduras takes a long weekend known as Semana Morazánica, or the Feriado Morazánico. For many visitors it is simply a busy travel weekend, but the holiday is named after one of the most important figures in Central American history. Here is a short look at who Francisco Morazán was and why the holiday exists.

Who Was Francisco Morazán?

José Francisco Morazán Quesada was born in Tegucigalpa on October 3, 1792. He became the leading figure of the Federal Republic of Central America, the short-lived union of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica that formed after independence from Spain, and served as its president through the 1830s. Morazán pushed liberal reforms such as public education and the separation of church and state, and fought to keep the federation together as it broke apart.

After the federation dissolved, he made a final attempt to reunify the region from Costa Rica. He was executed in San José on September 15, 1842. Today he is remembered across Central America as a symbol of regional unity, and the Honduran department that includes Tegucigalpa bears his name.

How the Holiday Came to Be

Honduras used to observe three separate civic holidays in October: October 3 (Morazán’s birthday, also known as Soldier’s Day), October 12 (the Day of the Race, now often called the Day of the Meeting of Cultures), and October 21 (Armed Forces Day). In 2014, Congress began grouping all three into a single block of days off, and a 2015 decree confirmed the format. The goal was to give families one proper long weekend and to boost domestic tourism.

The exact dates change every year. In 2026 the holiday falls on Wednesday through Friday, October 7 to 9, for the public sector, and from noon Wednesday to noon Saturday, October 10, for most private companies.

How Hondurans Spend Semana Morazánica

For most families it is a travel holiday: beaches, rivers, mountain towns, and the Bay Islands all fill up. The Caribbean coast around La Ceiba is one of the most popular destinations, thanks to its mix of beaches, rainforest, and river adventure all within a short drive of each other.

If you are planning your own trip, start with our Semana Morazánica planning guide. You can get here with Shuttle Guacamayos or by car with La Ceiba Rent a Car, then spend a day on the Cangrejal River with Rafting La Ceiba.

La Ceiba is the gateway to some of Honduras’s best Caribbean islands, and Semana Morazánica is a popular time to visit them. If you are spending the October holiday on the north coast, here is how to add an island day, or a few island days, to your trip.

Cayos Cochinos: The Classic Day Trip

The Cayos Cochinos are a group of small, protected islands and cays off the coast, with clear water and a quiet Garífuna fishing village on Cayo Chachahuate. It is the easiest island day trip from La Ceiba. Our sister company, Shuttle Guacamayos, runs both a standard Cayos Cochinos tour and a VIP private-yacht option for groups that want the boat to themselves. See our Cayos Cochinos day tour post for what the day looks like.

Utila: Diving and Snorkeling

Utila is known for affordable diving and some of the best reef in the Caribbean. The ferry leaves from La Ceiba’s ferry dock, so many travelers stay in town the night before to catch the morning boat without rushing. Our Utila tours and diving post covers what to expect on the island.

Roatán: The Biggest Bay Island

Roatán is the largest of the Bay Islands, with beaches, dive shops, and plenty to keep you busy for several days. The ferry runs from the same dock in La Ceiba; see our La Ceiba to Roatán and Utila ferry guide for details. If you want a car on the island, La Ceiba Rent a Car has a pickup desk at Roatán’s Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport.

Tips for Island Trips over the Holiday

• Buy ferry tickets early and get to the dock early. Holiday weekends bring many more passengers than usual.
• Flying in from San Pedro Sula? Shuttle Guacamayos times its airport transfers to the ferry departures, so you can go straight from the plane to the boat.
• Keep a backup plan for the weather. October is rainy season, and boat trips can be rescheduled if the sea is rough.
• Not an island person? The Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge is a mainland boat trip through mangrove canals, and Shuttle Guacamayos offers it as well.

Staying downtown in La Ceiba makes a convenient base: you can do a day trip to the cays, spend a day on the river, and still be close to the ferry dock for the trip home.

Rafting the Cangrejal River is one of the most popular things to do in La Ceiba over Semana Morazánica. October falls in the rainy season, which on the Cangrejal usually means higher water and livelier rapids than in the dry months. The river is only about 20 to 30 minutes from downtown, so it fits easily into a long weekend. Here is how to choose the trip that suits your group.

Why Raft the Cangrejal in October

The Cangrejal runs along the edge of Pico Bonito National Park, through rainforest and past boulders and waterfalls. Its rapids range from Class II to Class IV depending on the section and the water level. During the rainy season, roughly May through November, the water is higher and the rapids are more intense. In the dry season the river is calmer, which suits beginners.

Choosing a Trip with Rafting La Ceiba

Our sister company, Rafting La Ceiba, runs several kinds of trips on the Cangrejal:

• Classic Rafting Tour: the river’s most scenic sections. A good fit for first-timers and experienced rafters alike.
• Family-Friendly Rafting: gentler rapids and a slower pace, designed for families. Many people travel with kids over the holiday, so this is a natural choice.
• Advanced Rafting Experience: for those who want the river’s more challenging rapid sections.
• Private Rafting Tours and Group Rafting Packages: a good option if you are traveling with family or friends and want the raft to yourselves.

Every trip includes a full safety briefing and safety gear, and hotel pickup is available in La Ceiba.

Tips for Rafting on a Holiday Weekend

• Book ahead. Groups and families fill the most popular departures during Semana Morazánica.
• Bring quick-drying clothes, water shoes or sandals with straps, sunscreen, insect repellent, and a change of clothes for afterward.
• Follow your guide’s instructions, especially when the water is high.
• Pair it with a hike. The lower trails of Pico Bonito National Park are close by and make a good half day after rafting.

Getting to the River

If you are staying downtown, hotel pickup is the easiest option. If you would rather explore the Cangrejal valley at your own pace afterward, La Ceiba Rent a Car can have a car ready at Golosón Airport or in La Ceiba Centro. Shuttle Guacamayos also offers day adventures from La Ceiba that include the Cangrejal. For more background on the river, see our Cangrejal River rafting guide.

Semana Morazánica is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year in Honduras. In 2026 the holiday runs Wednesday, October 7 through Friday, October 9 for the public sector, and from noon Wednesday to noon Saturday, October 10 for most private-sector workers. Thousands of families head for the coast at the same time, so how you get to La Ceiba matters almost as much as what you do once you arrive. Here are the main ways in, and how to make each one easier over a holiday weekend.

Flying into San Pedro Sula

Most international travelers land at Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport in San Pedro Sula. From there you have two good options.

Airport transfer: our sister company, Shuttle Guacamayos, runs a daily direct transfer from the San Pedro Sula airport to La Ceiba, timed to your flight. It uses Toyota Hiace vans, includes breakfast and a rest stop, and is priced per vehicle (up to 5 passengers), so it works out well for families and small groups. If you are continuing on to Roatán or Utila, the transfer is timed to the ferry.

Rental car: La Ceiba Rent a Car, another sister company, has a pickup desk at the San Pedro Sula airport, so you can drive the coast at your own pace and keep the car for day trips once you are in La Ceiba. You reserve online and pay when you pick up the vehicle, and basic insurance is included.

Coming from Tegucigalpa, Copán Ruinas, or Lago de Yojoa

If you are already in Honduras, Shuttle Guacamayos shared shuttles connect La Ceiba with Tegucigalpa, Copán Ruinas, and Lago de Yojoa, with seats sold per person. A shared shuttle is usually the most relaxed way to make the trip on a holiday weekend: no driving in heavy traffic and no searching for parking when you arrive.

Flying into La Ceiba

If you fly into Golosón International Airport, La Ceiba Rent a Car has a desk right at the airport and a second office in La Ceiba Centro. If you do not need a car, a short taxi ride gets you downtown. See our guide to getting around La Ceiba for more on taxis and local transport.

Holiday Travel Tips

• Leave early. Roads and bus terminals are busiest on the first holiday morning and on the last afternoon, when everyone heads home at once.
• Reserve transport in advance. Shuttle seats, rental cars, and ferry tickets all sell out faster during Semana Morazánica than on a normal weekend.
• Plan for banks being closed. Bank branches close for the holiday, but ATMs and online banking keep working, so withdraw any cash you need ahead of time.
• Book your room early. La Ceiba hotels fill up well before the holiday itself. Dates change every year, so if you are reading this for a future year, check the official calendar and book as soon as it is announced.

Once you arrive, our Semana Morazánica long weekend itinerary has ideas for filling three or four days.

About 90 minutes west of La Ceiba, just outside the town of Tela, sits one of the largest tropical botanical gardens in the world. Lancetilla was founded in 1926 by American botanist Wilson Popenoe, originally as a research station for United Fruit Company to study banana varieties and diseases — it has since grown into a 1,681-hectare collection of tropical plant life from four continents, and one of the more surprising day trips on this stretch of coast.

What Is Actually Here

The garden holds roughly 1,200–1,500 plant species, with a particular focus on tropical fruit trees imported from Asia, Africa, and across the Americas — mangosteen, rambutan, lychee, cacao, nutmeg, and dozens more growing side by side. There is also a genuinely impressive bamboo forest, an orchid collection, an arboretum with mahogany and teak planted back in the 1930s, and a protected nature reserve that still supplies much of Tela’s fresh water today.

Bird watchers take this seriously: Lancetilla is considered one of the best birding spots in Central America, with well over 200 species recorded, and migratory birds passing through between November and February.

Visiting

• Open year-round, typically 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Entrance fees run a few dollars for foreign visitors, with guided tours available for a modest additional charge, well worth it if you want the plants and history explained rather than just wandering the trails yourself.
• Plan for about an hour to walk the main garden and arboretum loop, longer if you linger for birdwatching or take the full guided tour.
• There is a swimming hole on the Lancetilla River if you want to cool off partway through your visit.
• Bring insect repellent — this is a genuine tropical forest, not a manicured park.

Getting There

Lancetilla is a full day trip from La Ceiba, since Tela is close to 90 minutes away by road. Most visitors combine it with a broader day in Tela — the garden itself is just a few kilometers outside town, reachable by taxi. Given the distance, it is worth planning this as a full day out rather than a quick stop, and our front desk or sister company, La Ceiba Rent a Car, can help arrange transportation for the day.

Planning a Day Trip to Tela?

Book your room at Hotel Guacamayos La Ceiba, then let us or our sister company, La Ceiba Rent a Car, help you plan your trip to Lancetilla and Tela.