Major city · Honduras
OcotepequeNueva Ocotepeque
Skip as a destination: use Ocotepeque only to cross into Guatemala or El Salvador. One hour is enough to change buses.
Ocotepeque is a border town near the Guatemalan and Salvadoran frontiers, rebuilt after a 1934 flood. It has no tourist sights, no backpacker hostels and very little to do. Most travellers pass through in under an hour to catch a bus to Copán Ruinas, Santa Rosa de Copán or Esquipulas (Guatemala).
More
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- HNL
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- avoid May–Oct (rainy season, roads may be slow)
- Airports
- Ramón Villeda Morales International, San Pedro Sula (SAP) · Palmerola International, Comayagua (XPL) · La Aurora International, Guatemala City (GUA)
- Nights
- 0
Not a trip line yet
Rules in force · 6Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) giv…
- Central America ↗Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) give one shared entry allowance, usually 90 days in total; leaving for Belize, Costa Rica or Mexico and coming back does not always reset it — check with immigration before a long stay.
- Central America ↗Cross land borders in daylight and early in the day; many posts close or empty of transport by late afternoon, and the approaches are where robberies happen.
- Central America ↗Several borders charge entry, exit or municipal fees in US dollars (Belize exit, Nicaragua entry and exit, Honduras entry); carry small, clean US notes and ask for a receipt.
- Honduras ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Honduras's migration authority or a Honduran consulate; the CA-4 agreement with Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua can make your permitted stay count across all four.
- Honduras ↗Transit San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa by day and with pre-arranged transport; do not use public buses between cities.
- Honduras ↗Do not travel to Gracias a Dios (La Mosquitia) except with a specialist operator; several governments advise against all travel there.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Ocotepeque911 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Ocotepeque, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Honduran lempira (HNL, L).Honduras-wide
- SIM or eSIMTigo and Claro sell SIMs at airports and shops; passport required.Honduras-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap; bottled and refill jugs.Honduras-wide
- TippingRestaurants: 10%; sometimes on the bill.Honduras-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Honduras-wide
- SafetyA quiet border town; standard precautions apply.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsPaper in the bin.Honduras-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police · 911 fire and ambulance
- Sundays & holidaysSemana Santa and Semana Morazánica close offices; banks shut Saturday afternoon and Sunday.Honduras-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportSAP Ramón Villeda Morales International, San Pedro Sula (Main gateway for western Honduras…
- Getting aroundThe town is fully walkable.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Metro or bus rideBus to Guatemala border (Agua Caliente)L25
- Budget bedDouble room with fan, a night, per roomHNL 280
- Mid-range bedSingle room with fan, a night, per roomHNL 360
- High-end bedSingle room with fan, a night, per roomHNL 500
A day, not counting the bed: Budget HNL 400 · Mid HNL 700 · High HNL 1,200
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- SAP Ramón Villeda Morales International, San Pedro Sula (Main gateway for western Honduras; buses from San Pedro Sula reach Ocotepeque in about 4–5 h (check)) · XPL Palmerola International, Comayagua (Alternative arrival; onward bus via San Pedro Sula, long day (check)) · GUA La Aurora International, Guatemala City (Useful if arriving from Guatemala; bus to Esquipulas about 5 h, then 45 min to the border (check))
Map of Ocotepeque
Where it is, and the guides within about 120 km.
- Ocotepeque
- Basic guide
Directions in Google Maps · Apple Maps
Guides nearby
- Esquipulas · 20 km straight line
- Corquin · 36 km straight line
- Copán Ruinas · 45 km straight line
- Chalatenango · 51 km straight line
- Chiquimula · 54 km straight line
- Santa Rosa de Copán · 57 km straight line
- Suchitoto · 58 km straight line
- Santa Ana · 63 km straight line
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Feb
Best
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Mar
Best
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Apr
Best
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
May
Avoid
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Jun
Avoid
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Jul
Avoid
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Aug
Avoid
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Sep
Avoid
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Oct
Avoid
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Nov
Best
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Dec
Best
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Best: Nov–Apr. Avoid: May–Oct. Month by month →
Warmest Apr (31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)), coolest Jan (15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C) low), wettest Jun (16 rain days), driest Jan (3). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Ocotepeque: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
3 rd
Feb
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
3 rd
Mar
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
4 rd
Apr
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
6 rd
May
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
12 rd
Jun
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
16 rd
Jul
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
15 rd
Aug
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
15 rd
Sep
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
16 rd
Oct
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
13 rd
Nov
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
6 rd
Dec
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
3 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The town is fully walkable. Yellow buses to the Guatemalan border leave from the market area on Cl 1.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Esquipulas, Guatemala
goDoor to door: About 1.5 h
Yellow bus from market area to Agua Caliente border (L25, 40 min), then onward bus to Esquipulas (about 45 min total)
Esquipulas has the famous Black Christ basilica; a half-day trip.
Copán Ruinas
cautionDoor to door: About 4–5 h
Bus via La Entrada (L120, 3.5–4 h to La Entrada, then change)
Long for a day trip; better to overnight in Copán.
Santa Rosa de Copán
goDoor to door: About 2 h
Direct bus, about 1.5 h
A pleasant colonial town with tobacco history.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Main street (Cl 1) area
All hotels are on or near the main street; walkable to bus stops and market.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- L400–600 (transit only)
- Mid
- L600–1,000
Trip budget
| Single room with fan1 × 1 night × HNL 275 | HNL 275 |
| Food, local transport, entries1 × 1 day × HNL 400 | HNL 400 |
| Bus to Guatemala border (one way)1 × HNL 25 | HNL 25 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | HNL 70 |
| Trip total≈ HNL 770 per person per day, bed included | HNL 770 |
2026 estimate in lempiras; transit only, no overnight stay assumed.
Prices of common things
| Bus Tegucigalpa → Ocotepeque8–10 h, change at San Pedro Sula (check) | L300 |
| Bus to Guatemala border (Agua Caliente) | L25 |
| Simple meal (baleada or pupusa) | L50–100 |
| Hotel single with fan | L275–360 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No budget/backpacker accommodation: hotels are basic, with fan rooms from L275.
- Last bus to the Guatemala border around 6pm; check return times.
- No hiking trails marked: if you walk in the hills, navigate yourself.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 911
- Fire and ambulance
- 911
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
OcotepequeNueva Ocotepeque
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police911
- Fire and ambulance911
Embassy
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Bus to Guatemala border: L25, 40 min, yellow bus from market
- Hotel single with fan: L275–360
Say or show
- Hola — Hello (OH-lah)
- Gracias — Thank you (GRAH-see-ahs)
- ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much? (KWAN-toh KWES-tah)
- ¿Dónde está el bus a la frontera? — Where is the bus to the border? (DON-deh es-TAH el BOOS ah lah fron-TEH-rah)
- Necesito una habitación — I need a room (neh-seh-SEE-toh OO-nah ah-bee-tah-SYON)
Spanish only; English is not widely spoken.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Ocotepeque. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Apr · avoid May–Oct (rainy season, roads may be slow) · month by month →
- 3 airports and 1 area to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 2 bands
- 3 day-trips, door to door
- 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Add border-crossing details for Agua Caliente (Guatemala) and El Poy (El Salvador).
- Place pages for Antigua Ocotepeque and nearby hot springs if verified.
Sources
Ask about Ocotepeque
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