Staying Safe in Puerto Cortes

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Categorized | Things to Do

Staying Safe in Puerto Cortes

Posted on 24 August 2009

Wherever you are in the world, safety and security are always of paramount concern alongside vacation enjoyment. After all, you want to be able to let your hair down while still having your guard up in a foreign land. Your vacation in Puerto Cortes is no exception to this traveller rule. Regardless of the travel advisories of your country about travel to Honduras, taking these precautionary measures will protect your life and limb as well as property.

Be Friendly with the Right Locals

One of the best resource persons about the safe and unsafe areas in Puerto Cortes is the hotel concierge or receptionist. You must ask him/her about local conditions – specific areas safe for shopping and sightseeing as well as references to trustworthy individuals who can act as local guides.

Your local guide functions in many ways. First, you will be lead to safe places within the city that will satisfy your needs as a tourist, hence, sparing you the hassles of getting lost in unsavory places. Second, you will have a buffer against unsavory locals who will want to get a fast buck out of you. Third, your local guide can teach you how to act, speak and look in many social situations, which is a must if you intend to be on the good side of people.

Be Vigilant about Your Personal Safety

You must always look out for your personal safety while in Puerto Cortes, as you would in your own big city. Often, all it takes is the adoption of commonsense tips like:

Always lock your hotel room doors at night especially those leading to your balcony.
Avoid walking in the dark and on the beaches alone at night. You are setting up yourself for trouble when you do since robberies happen in these circumstances.
Bring your valuables with you whenever you get out of your rental car, if you have one. Valuables are like beacons in the dark no matter the place and time. This also goes for going to the beach. It is better to leave them in the hotel safe.
Beware of situations where locals and tourists mix with alcoholic drinks. Always drink moderately, avoid situations where trouble can be started and just go back to your hotel when it does happen.

Most of all, you must never buy drugs and other illicit substances from others while in Puerto Cortes and in any other Honduran city. You want to avoid being involved in illegal trade, least of them in narcotics.

Be Healthy

Before entering any foreign country, it is important that your vaccines are up to date. Also, it pays to always carry around a first-aid kit, your complete medications plus their prescriptions and insect repellant lotion. Mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever can be contracted in Puerto Cortes, unfortunately. Also, you must drink from bottled water and eat in reputable dining places. You want to avoid stomach complaints like diarrhea and food-borne diseases. If you must drink from unsafe sources to respect the sensibilities of your host, just take a sip.

Ultimately, your safety and security in Puerto Cortes depend as much on your common sense and personal vigilance as these do on local authorities.

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