La Ceiba is – although founded only in 1877 – the most important city on the Honduran Atlantic coast. Bananas were first shipped from here to New Orleans as early as 1860. A population of Garífuna, Caribs, Europeans and US-Americans make La Ceiba a multicultural city whose inhabitants are predominantly bilingual. It owes its name to a mighty specimen of the Ceiba tree, which once provided shade for the dock workers of the Standard Fruit Company during their breaks.

The port city draws its tourism potential from its convenient location to the national parks of Pico Bonito and the mangroves of the Cuero y Salado protected area. In the city itself, visitors especially appreciate the distinctive restaurant and bar scene, where the nationally known nightlife takes place. The streets of the “Zona Viva” near the waterfront are considered the party mile, where discotheque follows discotheque.
La Ceiba is easy to explore, since the two most important streets, the parallel Avenidas San Isidro and the 14 de Julio, run perpendicular to the coast, while the streets running parallel to the coast are numbered in ascending order. This area is also where the majority of the stores, markets and banks are located.