Things to do in Copán
Visiting Copan Ruins is not the only diversion in Copan
By CARIN STEEN
Many tourists come to Copán, visit the ruins, and take off again, but Copán has so much more to offer that is absolutely free, relaxing, and entertaining: just hanging around. The Copanecos have mastered the art of hanging around.
You’ll see people hanging around on a porch, in the doorway or on a corner of the park. Small groups of men or women chit-chat on their favorite bench. Even dogs seem to have their favorite Ahang-a-round spot.@ Do as the Copanecos do: find a comfortable spot in the shade in the park and watch as life passes by. You might get restless after a ten minutes, but don’t get up yet. After half an hour you’ll feel completely relaxed and absorbed in watching children play, dogs stray, people chat, and street vendors selling their products. The best time for just hanging around is Sunday, when people come down from the mountains to do shopping, while others use their day off to parade in the park in their very best clothes. One warning: just hanging around might become addictive!
For people who prefer a little bit more action: rent a horse and ride up in the mountains. The scenery is breathtaking with all the lush greenery, small waterfalls, and the occasional huge blue butterflies. If you don’t like horses, then just walk to the river for a picnic or hike up to one of the Mayan stela that you’ll find at the exact cardinal points around the valley. After a long hot hike you might want to dive into the river. During the rainy season the river might get a bit too muddy to make swimming appealing, but there are plenty of small Crystal clear creeks around for a refreshing swim.
For those who like to be sporty but in a less adventurous way: gym `El Cavernicola’ offers aerobic classes and a wide variety of equipment to sweat it all out. A few miles out of Copán you can swim and relax at Hacienda El Jaral. The place is ideal for families with small children with its playground and swimming pool. You might as well spend the whole day at the hacienda: walk on the trails, see the eagrets at the Laguna, visit the mall, and, when night falls, watch a movie at the one and only cinema (weekends only). Balneario Mitch, just outside Santa Rita, also offers a good alternative for a relaxing day: two swimming pools and great food. If you’re interested in watching sports rather than practicing, go to the soccer field on Sunday to watch local teams getting hot and sweaty on the field while enjoying a cold beer or soda.
More swimming, or better: relaxing, can be done at Agua Caliente, the hot water springs. The ride to Agua Caliente takes about 45 minutes in a pick up truck, but the scenery makes it well worth. At Agua Caliente you can relax in one of the two pools or walk down to the river where the steaming hot water from a spring mixes with the cold water of the river. After a 15 minute hike from the village Santa Rita you’ll encounter El Ruby waterfalls for a gorgeous swim and picnic.
Those who can’t have enough of Mayan culture after visiting the ruins and the two museums, definitely should visit Los Sapos, the remains of an old temple that women used to visit to give birth or to pray for fertility. You can still easily recognize the sculptures of frogs, symbols of fertility.
`Los Sapos’ is part of the Hacienda San Lucas where you can spend long afternoons in a hammock sipping a cold drink. Typical food is served the way it was done a hundred years ago. The hacienda also offers trails for hiking, waterfalls, bed & breakfasts, horseback riding, and a splendid view over the valley of Copán. Before, or after, visiting the ruins you might want to see a video on the Maya culture that the Asociación Copán shows daily. Besides showing videos, you can buy books or postcards on every aspect of Mayan Culture. In the same building at the Central Park you’ll find Cultural Center Copán Pinta where you can see the art work of local artists or enroll for an art class yourself.
New in Copán is `Enchanted Wings’, a butterfly farm that is well worth visiting. Don’t forget to visit the market in the center of town, especially on the weekends. It’s a colorful experience, and a good place to get some typical souvenirs such as homemade cigars, hammocks, and ceramics.
Copán is the perfect place to learn Spanish. Three Spanish schools offer daily classes, boarding with a family, and a variety of activities. Furthermore, the town of Copán offers two laundry services, three internet cafés, phone and fax services, and, of course, plenty of good places to eat and drink B for everybody’s budget.
There’s no need to feel bored in Copán!
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