Late November 2008, I started the day in La Union, El Salvador, within striking distance of the Honduras border. El Salvador uses USD as their currency, so I was filling up the tank some miles north of the frontier with green backs when helpers approached me to offer services. I named the price, up front. Five buck, USD to get me out of El Salvador (which they screwed up by skipping the office to surrender the importation papers...) and they agreed to hand me off to a friend on the Honduras side, for another 5 USD. As mentioned, I screwed up and failed to properly check the motorcycle out of ES, but it did not come to haunt me on the return leg. Now the check out is done in a little boothby the side of the road, just north of the border instead of a hard to find building off of the highway.

The crossing worked well. Minimum amount of time and hassle, but that border is busy and confusing. The process improved by fall of 2012. If you try to cross late in the afternoon, know that the bank where you have to pay a fee closes at 4 or 5:00 PM.

My universal border advice, remember this, never hand over your original documents to a helpers (i.e passport, motorcycle title, license, etc.) Give the border rats copies, sure, not originals, NEVER! Why? Because once one of these guys has your documents, to be blunt, they have you by the short hairs. Suddenly the "tip" will be what ever they say it will be, then you get your papers back.

Second piece of advice, always pay the fees to officials and banks yourself. Don't be hoodwinked into handing over money while the helper disappears to pay a fee. Your bike will be fine, so and pay the fees yourself. You will have no idea how much was actually paid and chance of getting any money back is zero.

I ripped across Honduras in an afternoon. Recommended, no, but I did it. I stuck a similar deal to check out of Honduras and got squared away into Nicaragua. It took a bit longer to get in NI because I had to find the insurance lady after competing the importation process. By the time I was clear of the border it was after sunset. There isn't a town near the border, so I had to press on into the night. Which is a whole other story...

If you are determined to cross Honduras in one day, then start EARLY. Crossing two frontiers is possible, but it makes for a long day. Better to stop and enjoy Honduras. I will do that the next time I ride CA...

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Peter B
2008/09 - NJ to Costa Rica and back to NJ
2012/13 - NJ to Northern Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba and back to NJ
2023 - Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia...back to Peru.

Blogs: Peter's Ride

Lostnotfound, how did it go? Rgds,

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JSerpa
Cotonou, Benin
www.Tamlyn-Serpa.com
www.Facebook.com/Jorge.Serpa.1654