Country Article / Postcards

Honduran Hidden Valley

Date: 03/03/2006

Dear International Living Reader,

It looks like I've found another one. That is, another hidden valley that has near-perfect weather and peaceful living, with a quaint, picturesque village as its centerpiece (regular readers will know how much I enjoy spending time in an undisclosed location in Ecuador's "Valley of Longevity," near Vilcabamba).

But the village I'm in now--Santa Lucia--is in Honduras, at about 5,000 feet of altitude in the mountains surrounding Tegucigalpa, near an area known as Valle de Angeles (Valley of Angels). The town looks almost medieval, with its narrow, winding cobblestoned streets, stone walls, and old Spanish architecture. While navigating the streets, I was reminded of Spain's Toledo, just south of Madrid. The sparkling white church lies at one end, and at the other end there's a wooded town park with a small lake at its center. I've written a lot about Vilcabamba in southern Ecuador, and Santa Lucia reminds me of a European version of Vilcabamba. Lush, green mountains rise majestically around the town, with a number of large homes hidden among the trees. Amazingly, we're only about 20 minutes from Tegucigalpa.

Just a bit farther along the road in the Valle de Angeles is a small town that bears the valley's name. This artisan village--with its souvenir shops, coffee houses, and stately colonial church overlooking the town square--is surrounded by 100-mile views of the most dramatic mountain scenery you'll find anywhere. Like much of the mountainous areas around Tegucigalpa, the tall pines and hills are reminiscent of the U.S. Rockies or the Sierra Nevada around Lake Tahoe. As in Santa Lucia, the altitude of about 5,000 feet provides for year-round moderate weather.

The village of Valle de Angeles is much more of a tourist draw than Santa Lucia, which had more of a residential feel. The year-round flow of sightseers provides for a number of business opportunities for those with an entrepreneurial spirit.

I promised you yesterday I'd look out for some "for sale by owner" properties.

At first, I assumed that property prices would be high, given the beauty of the valley and its proximity to the nation's capital. But I was wrong--prices here are reasonable.

A large, 2,400-square-foot, attractive home in El Chimbo, has three bedrooms, two baths, a high front porch, as well as mango, banana, coffee, and lemon trees. The asking price is $70,000. Write to Larry at DL@netutah.com for more details.

One of the few lots available in Santa Lucia is for sale, too. It has a small adobe house and good views of Old Town Santa Lucia, the sunsets, and, in the distance, Tegucigalpa. Write to enok2rios@hotmail.com for more details.

But here's the real prize (which I found by calling the number on a wooden sign nailed to the trunk of a tree). The laguna (lake) of the city park in Santa Lucia--which is approximately 60 meters wide--has a walkway on one side, and forest on the other. On the forest side (within the town limits of Santa Lucia) is a piece of land right on the lake. It's listed at 7,000 square varas (which works out to 1.2 acres) and was originally four adjacent lots. The asking price is $140,000, but the owner told me she'd consider any serious offer (tel. + 504 233-4206).

If you'd like to check out the real estate in the area, you can contact Daisy de Urbina at daisyperdomo@hotmail.com. Daisy--who I happened to meet on the square in Valle de Angeles--can show you properties in the area, or just show you around. You can write to her in English or Spanish.

If you're not in the market for a rural property, Valle de Angeles and Santa Lucia are still worth a visit if you're in Tegucigalpa. Plan an entire day, and take along some extra cash to do a little craft shopping.

Tomorrow, I'll finally get to unpack my flippers and mask. We'll be taking the afternoon shuttle over to Roatan to have a look around.

Lee Harrison
Roving Latin America Editor, International Living

P.S. If you're spending the night in Tegucigalpa, here's a great alternative to the hotel scene. It's a B&B called Casa Montes, in an elegant (and giant) Honduran home. Service is top-rate, and the ambiance is like nothing you'll find in a hotel, at any price. Write to Mercedes ("Mercy") for reservations at casamontes@amnettgu.com, or call her at tel. + (504) 235-7759. Mercy speaks perfect English.