Trying to plan ahead so any know if card payments are common at hostels in Honduras or cash is king?
I found Honduras quite cash-heavy. My hostel in La Ceiba said their card machine was “broken” for weeks, so I had to withdraw lempira from a nearby ATM. Even in the Bay Islands, cash was the rule. You can sometimes get away with card in upmarket spots, but for backpacker hostels, cash is king. If you don’t want last-minute ATM runs, stock up early - ATMs occasionally run dry on weekends.
My experience in Honduras: hostels nearly always asked for cash. In Copán, they literally laughed when I offered a card. Banco Atlántida and Ficohsa ATMs are around, but lines can be long and some charge fees. One hostel in Tegucigalpa did have a working terminal, but that’s more the exception than the rule. If you’re planning ahead, treat cash as standard and don’t expect card to work outside bigger hotels.
I stayed in hostels around Roatán and Utila - both wanted cash upfront, no exceptions. ATMs on Roatán worked with my Visa but sometimes ran out of money, especially Banco Ficohsa machines near West End. In mainland cities like San Pedro Sula, I heard of a few places taking cards, but honestly cash is the norm. You’ll want to withdraw extra before you head to the islands to avoid stress later.
Honduras is mostly cash when it comes to hostels. In La Ceiba, the hostel near the ferry terminal refused my Mastercard and told me to pay in lempira. Same in Copán Ruinas, though there was a Banco Atlántida ATM close by. The only place I managed to pay by card was a boutique hostel in Tegucigalpa. If you’re heading to the islands or smaller towns, absolutely plan to have cash ready because card acceptance is unreliable.