The luxury Lodge at Pico Bonito is set between the country's largest national park and a cacao plantation. Although only 20 minutes from the town of La Ceiba, the lodge has an isolated feel. It is set in lush rainforest with the Nombre de Dios Mountain Range as a backdrop. A series of secluded wooden cabins is tucked within the dense foliage of coffee and cacao trees. There are spacious rooms with en suite bathroom and veranda. Facilities include a pool, terrace, restaurant and bar. There are walkways that lead from the main reception area to the cabins which are spread around extremely well-tended gardens. Within the gardens is a swimming pool surrounded by tropical vegetation. Trails lead into the Pico Bonito National Park and to numerous nearby waterfalls. Wildlife is one of the area's big attractions and the lodge's observation tower offers superb views of the rainforest.
Pico Bonito is both the name of the national park and the 2,700m mountain that provides the lodge with an ever- changing backdrop. The Bay Islands are only a short flight away, making Pico Bonito an ideal destination to combine with diving and relaxation on the island of Roatan.
The Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge is accessed by railcar through a coconut plantation to a lagoon. Here you can take a motor boat or kayak around mangrove swamps in search of white-faced monkeys, parrots, herons and the elusive jaguar. Horseriding and mountain biking are also available. The Lodge also has its own butterfly farm where you can see the striking blue morpho at close quarters.
Taking a candlelit dinner on the top of a lookout tower, in the shadow of Pico Bonito mountain, was an unforgettable experience. Rafe Stone, Product Manager