Lago de Yojoa

Honduras’ largest lake is picturesquely situated between the ridges of Santa Barbara National Park and Cerro Azul-Meámbar.

Here, at 700m above sea level, the climate is pleasantly warm, without the humid heat of the lowlands. Nevertheless, enough rain falls to bathe the landscape around Lago de Yojoa in lush green.
The landscape and climate are the ideal habitat for an extremely diverse birdlife. During a boat trip on Lago de Yojoa or during hikes in the national parks, you can always observe some of the 375 bird species counted here.
The lake itself is not suitable for swimming because of the heavy reed growth along its shores.
After years of overfishing and the resulting dramatic decline in fish stocks, the turnaround, it seems, has been achieved. Fishing is allowed again with restrictions. Some of the catch ends up in the kitchens of the lake’s restaurants. Especially the “black bass” can be recommended.
A beautiful natural spectacle is offered by the nearby Pulhapanzak Waterfall, whose foaming cascades are aptly named “Fall of White Water,” as it is translated. On site, youngsters earn a tip by showing tourists the way to a bathing spot behind the 42-meter-high curtain of water.
Named PANACAM for short, the Parque Nacional Cerro Azul Meámbar, founded in 1987, is located at an altitude of about 1800 meters and covers an area of 304 km². This is crossed by many streams and waterfalls and is predominantly covered by rainforest, whose trees are occupied by bromeliads and covered with lichens and mosses.