San Pedro Sula was founded on 27 June 1536, by Pedro de Alvarado under the name Villa de San Pedro de Puerto Caballos, close to the town of Choloma. There were around 18 towns populated by indigenous people in the Sula valley at the time. Early descriptions of the landscape indicate abundant swampland and dense tropical forests, with little land good for agriculture or cattle raising. The city's name became San Pedro Sula in the 18th century, after several changes. The "Sula" part of its name comes from the Minas de Sula, gold mines located to the west of the village of Naco.
For the first few years of its history, San Pedro was the colonial mint, where gold was brought to smelt, and where the Spanish Crown collected a fifth of the value of the gold. The mint was moved to Gracias, and ultimately to Comayagua in the 1550s.
Municipal Palace
The city grew slowly from about 800 residents in 1590, to almost 10,000 by the 1890s, but most of this population growth took place in the 19th century. It benefited initially from the growth of bananas for export in the 1870s and 1880s and formed a close relationship with U.S. based shipper and railroad entrepreneur Samuel Zemurray's Cuyamel Fruit Company, and the construction of the Interoceanic Railroad between 1869 and 1874 which connected the city to the coast at Puerto Cortés. Zemurray worked closely with local elites who invested in subsidiary enterprises and thus shaped the way politically for Cuyamel to establish itself and, along the way to pay very few taxes.
San Pedro Sula was officially recognized as a city by the Congress of Honduras on 8 October 1902.
Business
In 2013, fifteen years after the effects of Hurricane Mitch, Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America; around San Pedro Sula, banana production has not fully recovered, and "manufacturing has all but dried up." The problems are exacerbated by organized crime, whose rules prevent residents from safely leaving gang-controlled neighborhoods such as Chamelecón for jobs in other parts of town.
In 2000, then-Mayor Roberto Larios Silva said "San Pedro Sula is where the economic development of the country is concentrated via the city’s industrial, commercial and financial development." The then-manager of Hotel Copantl attributed its growth in business-related tourism , the maquila (apparel manufacturing) industry.
As of 2011, San Pedro Sula generates two-thirds of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
Crime
San Pedro Sula is one of the most violent places in the world. In 2013, the city had 187 homicides per 100,000 residents. This surpassed Ciudad Juarez, Mexico's rate of 148 killings per 100,000; Ciudad Juarez had previously topped the list for three consecutive years. Both cities are major operational and strategic distribution points in the illegal drug trade, particularly to the United States, and have significant gang activity.Meanwhile arms trafficking has flooded the country with just under 70% illegal firearms; 83% of homicides in the city are by firearm compared.
The city's growing role as a hub for cocaine trafficking has led to a surge in homicides in recent years. For the second year in a row, San Pedro Sula had the highest murder rate in the world, surpassing Mexico's Ciudad Juárez.
San Pedro Sula topped the list of violent cities a second time with a rate of 169 intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, setting an average of more than three homicides a day. Authorities have launched Operation Lightning, saturating violence hotspots with police and soldiers.
In 2013, various sources labelled San Pedro Sula the "murder capital of the world."
According to the Los Angeles Times, "the homicide rate is stoked by the rivalry of the brutal street gangs, mostly descendants of gangs formed in Los Angeles and deported to Central America in the 1990s, including Mara Salvatrucha (MS) and the 18th Street gang. Their ranks are fed by the economic disaster that is Honduras and emboldened more recently by alliances with Mexican drug traffickers moving cocaine through the country."
Crime and economic stress have led to the migration of large numbers of unaccompanied minors to the U.S. border. The latest data from the CBP shows San Pedro Sula as the major source for Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) migrating from Honduras.
San Pedro Sula, Honduras currently owns the unfortunate title of the most dangerous city in the world. Narcotraffickers are frequently blamed for causing the violence given the city’s strategic location on Central American drug transit routes. But a closer look reveals that this situation may not be as it appears.
San Pedro Sula Honduras
Why is that the case? San Pedro Sula is a complex environment. It appears that some analysis of the city’s problems has fallen victim to the Achilles’ heel of good analysis of complex environments – assumptions. Because complex environments are in flux with hard to distinguish interconnected actors, influences, and trends, it is always challenging to understand exactly what is going on and what to do about it. Instead, analysis must begin with a blank slate where all assumptions and information is tested. When testing assumptions in the case of San Pedro Sula, a different picture begins to emerge.
At first glance, San Pedro Sula’s frequently cited statistic of 173.6 homicides per 100,000 people is staggering. To give perspective, the United Nations identifies any homicide rate higher than 10 per 100,000 as an epidemic. Although the absolute number of homicides has been verified to its best extent, the ratio may not be as high as one would think. This ratio is based off of San Pedro Sula’s population, but this rapidly growing city has not had a census in more than a decade. This results in current population estimates ranging between 650,000 and 1.2 million. The current homicide ratio uses the population estimate from the last census, which is at the lower end of that spectrum.
This is a statistically valid approach, but does not accommodate the fact that the city has most likely grown to closer to one million inhabitants. If the homicide ratio were calculated off of the larger population estimates, it would be much lower. In addition, these homicide statistics include victims who passed away after coming to San Pedro Sula’s large hospitals for treatment. If this statistic were adjusted for the actual population and the actual amount of homicides occurring physically in the city, the picture would still be one of a serious situation, but it would be more accurate and not a statistic that would make it the most dangerous city in the world.
Other assumptions can also influence analysis of San Pedro Sula. After hearing that it has been named the most dangerous city in the world, one could easily assume that San Pedro Sula would look and feel like some of Mexico’s border towns, the U.S.’ most dangerous innercity neighborhoods, or a war zone. But upon arrival, the bustling markets, restaurants, friendly individuals, and open transportation quickly shattered our assumptions. Do people still have to be careful when walking down the street and contend with dangerous characters and extortion? Absolutely. But the actual environment does not match up to the exaggerated assumptions that one could have when imagining “the most dangerous city in the world”. And understanding the environment is critical for accurate analysis and appropriate interventions.
Additionally, it would be easy to assume that anywhere you go in the most dangerous city in the world would be dangerous. But San Pedro Sula is more a city that contains some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the world. The assumption that the entire city is equally dangerous was quickly shattered by discussions with residents and travels where we saw that the types and level of violence differed throughout the city.
It also illuminated that different types and levels of violence occurred in parts of the city with different characteristics. For example, the relatively safe areas of the city, which mostly experienced violent crime as linked to armed robberies, did not have gangs and the government was relatively present. On the other hand, the most dangerous parts of the city have limited to no government presence and are controlled by gangs who are still fighting to define their territorial lines. Other parts of the city where gangs had already determined their territories were slightly less dangerous. Not assuming anything about the level, type, and location of crime allowed for the development of initial hypotheses linking violent crime to limited government presence, gangs fighting for territory, and/or intra or inter-gang disputes.
Another assumption about San Pedro Sula that can skew analysis is that its violence is caused by narcotraffickers. It is easy to make that assumption since their money laundering and drug trafficking activities influence much of the city, but they do not appear to be the immediate cause of the violence. Instead, members of organized crime and gangs (who also dabble in organized crime) appear to be responsible for the majority of the violence. Narcotraffickers play a secondary role by influencing the environment that other violent actors can operate within. They corrupt the government to protect their activities, which weakens the government’s capacity to contain violent and illicit actors. Narcotraffickers have also influenced the environment by paying gang members in drugs for supporting some of their operations. The gangs have translated these drug payments into a growing local drug market over which different gangs and organized crime groups fight to control.
Instead, what does appears to be at the center of the violence is the gangs’ rapidly growing sophistication as a result of lessons transferred from gang members deported from the U.S. and the Honduran Government’s “Mano Dura” crackdown campaign in the early 2000s which forced gangs to hide and get smarter and stronger in their activities to avoid arrest. Gangs learned how to extort the population and businesses for money. Their extortion enforcement improved thanks to weapons smuggled and purchased with profits from their drug markets and initial smaller extortion activities. The more income the gangs bring in, the stronger they become at enforcing extortion. Because controlling territory means markets for drugs and extortion, much of the violence appears to be coming from fights over territory in order to have the markets rather than anything affiliated with the narcotraffickers. The absence of and/or corrupted government presence in the areas where gangs are allows this to continue with impunity.
Lastly, it is easy to assume that all homicide victims are innocent citizens. But in talking to individuals throughout the city, the consensus was that the majority of homicide victims were affiliated with organized crime, narcotraffickers, or gangs – not the average citizen. Although more detailed data needs to be collected and verified, average citizens appear to be victims of violent crime mostly from not handing over their goods during a robbery or extortion attempt. The likelihood of this increased in the most dangerous parts of the city. The result? San Pedro Sula remains one of the most dangerous cities in the world, but the question remains, “For whom?” The violent crime rate as a whole must be compared with the rate of violent crime against individuals not affiliated with organized crime, gangs, or narcotraffickers. The latter will likely be significantly lower, particularly for areas of the city where there is no gang presence. The latter statistic will also give a better baseline for the government and donors to see how they are improving average citizen security versus security in general. Lastly, the resulting lower statistic will also help to better inform residents and investors’ perceptions about and behaviors within the city.
Hence, one can see how assumptions can skew analysis of complex environments such as San Pedro Sula. Even when you strip away the existing assumptions, there are still many hypotheses that remain to be tested because of the lack of good data. But good analysis of complex environments begins with testing all of the assumptions followed by the creation of good hypotheses to test the remaining assumptions. Without mitigating this Achilles’ heel, not only might the analysis be wrong, but also the resulting design of interventions will be incorrect. In this case, not testing the assumptions could have led to analysis that portrayed a completely broken city, wracked with narcotrafficker-induced violence a la Ciudad Juarez. Instead it is a city with areas of higher violence struggling with major institutional weaknesses that permit violence to be perpetrated by violent actors.
The resulting design of interventions for each of these cases would be different. In the first case, much effort would be focused on targeting narcotraffickers themselves. In the latter case, we can see that bringing down the crime rate will require improving institutions to control gangs and other violent actors, addressing the conditions to help prevent individuals from joining gangs, and finding ways to remove the markets that are fueling and motivating the gangs. Although analysis of the situation in San Pedro Sula is constantly evolving, this case illustrates how different assumptions can greatly influence the results of your analysis and program design. In analyzing complex environments, it can be challenging to figure out what the right answer is, and the right answer may not ever be known. But what is known is that starting by testing the assumptions will get you closer to the truth.
Sports
San Pedro Sula is home to many sporting teams and events. In 1997 it became the first, and only to date, non-capital city to host the Central American Games. The games, though full of scandal,left the city with a modern sporting infrastructure. The Villa Olímpica is a multi-sporting complex that has facilities for most Olympic style games including soccer, boxing, swimming, baseball, cycling and multipurpose gymnasiums.
San Pedro Sula is the only city in the country to be home to two soccer stadiums. The Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano is located in the Villa Olímpica and is the largest in the country with a capacity of 42,000. The Estadio Francisco Morazán is located in the center of the city and holds 23,000 people. The stadiums are home to San Pedro Sula's most popular professional soccer teams Marathón and Real CD España. Because of the stadiums, training facilities, and an almost religious supporting fan base, San Pedro Sula has become the home for the Honduras national football team.[19]
The city has hosted many international tennis tournaments and serves as the home of the Honduran tennis team. The Club Arabe Hondureño provides great facilities for the sport.
San Pedro Sula is also home to the Liga Georgina de Villegas basketball league. The League is divided in two divisions with a promotion and relegation system. The league has a female counterpart as well that carries the same name. Many teams from neighboring cities also take part in the league as it is the highest form of competitive basketball in the area.
Tourism
San Pedro Sula Attractions
• Museum of Anthropology and History
• San Pedro Cultural Center
• Nature Museum
• Central Park
• San Pedro Sula Planetarium
• Cusuco National Park
• Churches / Cathedrals
• City Mall
San Pedro Sula's geographic location affords day trips to other major tourist attractions as well, including the Mayan Ruins at Copan, Lake Yojoa, the historical fort in Omoa, and the beaches of Tela.
San Pedro Sula is the second largest city in Honduras, and the main gateway into the country. The city is the financial and industrial center of Honduras, and offers outstanding opportunities for travel throughout the country. First class franchise hotels and restaurants can be found in its modern metropolis. The city of San Pedro functions as an important hub, with some of the best highways in Honduras. Its Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport (also known as La Mesa), has more scheduled international flights than Tegucigalpa. It is both a civil and military airport, and is located just 19 km (11 miles) from the center of San Pedro Sula.
Best Hotels in San Pedro Sula
As the second largest city in Honduras, and the manufacturing and financial center of the country, San Pedro Sula has many different hotel options available for people visiting the city. The best hotels in San Pedro Sula were chosen from the internationally famous hotel chains to small more personable hotels and even some cozy bed and breakfasts. There is something for every need and desire, as well as for every budget in our selection of the best hotels in San Pedro Sula.
Hotel Real Intercontinental San Pedro Sula
The best chain hotel in San Pedro Sula, the Intercontinental, offers the highest service standards in Honduras, with large rooms, great restaurants, outstanding meeting facilities and everything a business person would want in a hotel. The Intercontinental is located within the Multiplaza Mall, offering great shopping and a truly convenient location, not downtown, but really within reach of downtown. http://www.realhotelsandresorts.com/rhr/info/en/RISanPedroSula.aspx?_wf_lm.lp=en Telephone (504) 2545 2500.
Hotel Gran Mediterraneo San Pedro Sula Honduras
Spacious, comfortable suites at the Clarion Suites Gran Mediterraneo.
Hotel Clarion Suites Gran Mediterraneo
65 spacious suites with all of the amenities, Gran Mediterraneo has outstanding facilities in the heart of San Pedro Sula. A multitude of meeting rooms, a comfortable restaurant with good food and a cozy bar make up for a true oasis in downtown San Pedro Sula. If you need to be close to the heart of San Pedro Sula, this hotel is a great option. www.hotelgranmediterraneo.com E-mail: info@hotelgranmediterraneo.com Telephone: (504) 2550 8585.
Casa del Arbol Galerias Hotel in San Pedro Sula
A clean, spacious room with king size bed at Casa del Arbol Galerias Hotel in San Pedro
Hotel Casa del Arbol Galerias
A small, family owned and run hotel that has two very distinct features: It was built with energy efficiency in mind, and efforts and financial investments were made to insure the highest possible efficiency. It is one of a very select group of hotels in Honduras that has qualified to be certified as such. The second outstanding feature is the local art found in rooms, hallways and common areas. The art combines exquisitely with the décor in the rooms which are large, fresh and very comfortable. Casa del Arbol actually has two different locations, the original, a 13 room hotel is located very close to downtown, in the Guamilito district of town, the new larger 26 room Casa del Arbol Galerias is located in the upscale Jardines del Valle district, only a few of blocks from the Galeria Jardines del Valle Mall. Owners, Dora and Donaldo are always on site and ready to take care of your needs. www.hotelcasadelarbol.com E-Mail: reservaciones@hotelcasadelarbol.com Telephone: (504) 2566-4201, (504) 2566-4202.
The Green Frog Inn in San Pedro Sula
Uniquely decorated rooms at the Green Frog Inn in San Pedro
The Green Frog Inn
A small, very comfortable bed and breakfast located in the Colonia Trejo. The owner, a nice older lady called Doña Sara has a small apartment here and personally supervises the daily operation. Each room is different, with decoration being unique and different and making of it a really nice small boutique hotel in San Pedro Sula. If you are looking for a small bed and breakfast, this is without doubt a great option in town! www.thegreenfroginn.com E-mail: info@thegreenfroginn.com , thegreenfroginn@gmail.com Telephone: (504) 2550-4910, 2550-0998, 9537-5791.
Boutique Hotel Isabella
A small, 12 room cozy boutique hotel with outstanding service, Isabella offers a first class concierge service, a unique gourmet restaurant featuring fusion cuisine and a nice swimming pool. The hotel is located in the nice residential area of Los Andes, a couple of blocks off the main Juan Pablo Segundo Boulevard that does a loop around the city.
www.hotelisabellahn.com Email : reservaciones@hotelisabellahn.com Telephone: (504) 2550-9191, (504) 9511-1679.
Boutique Hotel La Cordillera
Located across the street from the Copantl Hotel in the Colonia los Arcos, the Boutique Hotel La Cordillera is a sister hotel of the Apart hotel La Cordillera. A great location in a quiet neighbourhood and yet within walking distance to the Multiplaza Mall, this hotel offers the large, comfortable rooms nicely decorated, good service and the charm of a medium size boutique hotel. A great, classy mid priced option in San Pedro Sula.
http://boutiquehotellacordillera.com E-mail: reservaciones@hoteleslacordillera.com Telephone: Tel: (504) 2516-0425.
Best Restaurants In San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula is the second largest city in Honduras, and as such, offers a large selection of restaurants that will fit every taste. There is probably no other city in Central America with such a large proportion of US franchise restaurants. You can find anything from Applebee’s to Fridays to Chillies and Denny’s as well as Burger King, Wendy’s, McDonalds, Church’s Chicken, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken etc. If you want a meal at a franchise, just ask the front desk clerk and he will send you where you want, if you want to have a nice lunch and dinner, then check out the best restaurants in San Pedro Sula, and select the option perfect for you. You will not be disappointed!
San Pedro Sula Restaurant Las Carnes
San Pedro Sula Restaurant Las Carnes
El Portal de las Carnes
The best example of a successful family business! The whole family works here, and the result is outstanding, as care is guaranteed across the board in this great restaurant. Juan, his wife Olga and their son Nacho are always on premises offering the best hospitality. Probably the best steak restaurant in town, El Portal is located on 1st street, and offers three different ambiances, air conditioning, a nice area in the garden and a more informal patio style atmosphere. In addition to steak they also offer a variety of seafood dishes. Their parrilladas which consist of a variety of grilled meats is generous and great for larger groups, giving you the chance to taste different cuts, including beef, pork and chicken. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 1a Calle, 23 Avenida, Barrio Rio de Piedras. www.relportal.com Telephone (504) 2552-6137 E-mail: reservaciones@relportal.com
San Pedro Sula Restaurant Bel Pase
Bel Paese is the best Italian restaurant in
San Pedro Sula
Bel Paese
Bel Paese is an outstanding Italian restaurant. Owned and run by Piero, an Italian and his Honduran wife. The restaurant offers a variety of pastas as well as outstanding Italian specialties. Located in Los Andes district of town, 5 Calle A NO between 13 and 14 Av. Try their eggplant parmesana or their outstanding Italian desserts, an absolute to die for if you have a sweet tooth! Open Monday to Saturday from noon till 2:30 p.m. for lunch and from 6 to 9:30 p.m. for dinner.
Baranda
Fusion cuisine at its best in San Pedro Sula. A variety of different options that go from Thai curries to French and Italian specialties all with a nicely spiced taste. Chef Ana Maria does an outstanding job in the kitchen. The tables are nicely set with white linens, and there is a nice, if small, wine list to accompany your selected meal. Atmosphere is pleasant, with a very inviting outdoor lounge that serves a as a bar while you wait for your table or work up some hunger. Located at 21 ave entre 1-2 calle NO Colonia Moderna. Telephone (504) 2552-7446. E-mail: baranda@globalnet.hn
Pat's Steakhouse - San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Pat’s Steakhouse in
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Pats Steakhouse
A true institution in town! Probably the oldest and most successful of all restaurants in San Pedro Sula, Pats has managed to retain not only its great food, but also a pleasant ambiance and best of all its clientele. Its menu offers not only US style cuts, but also a variety of fresh Caribbean seafood. The wine list complements a great dish. Definitely one of the Best Options in San Pedro Sula. Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Located on 5 Calle So Barrio Rio de Piedras, one and a half blocks uphill from Circunvalacion Boulevard. Telephone (504) 2553-0939.
Los Cayos Grill - San Pedro Sula
Los Cayos Grill
One of the best restaurants in San Pedro Sula
Los Cayos Grill
An interesting combination of New Orleans cuisine and the typical Honduran food! Best of all, a pleasant informal, very comfortable atmosphere, and great service from Gary and his staff. Los cayos menu includes the best conch soup in town (the famous Honduran Sopa de Caracol) to the best po-boy sandwiches and the best BBQ ribs in town. Try them out! Their bar serves whatever you are into including some of the coldest beers in town. Located at 9th. Calle 15th Ave. Barrio Los Andes, San Pedro Sula. Telephone (504) 2553-0431.
Cusuco National Park
This lovely park acts as the lungs and water source for San Pedro Sula. Located just behind the city. The municipality of San Pedro Sula issued a city ordinance many years ago forbidding the building and development of properties above the 200 meter above sea level line, (approximately 656 feet above sea level). Because of this, the state of conservation of the park is actually quite good. El Cusuco has a maximum altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level, with the highest peak in the park being San Ildefonso, which faces the Caribbean Coast.
Geographically, Cusuco National Park is within the municipalities of San Pedro Sula and Omoa in Cortes, and Quimistan in Santa Barbara. Despite the fact that the park is adjacent to San Pedro Sula, and almost borders the city to the west, its access is somewhat complicated and difficult. However, the park does have some of the best infrastructure of the National Parks, thanks in good part, to an NGO who in the past co managed the Park. Fundacion Hector Rodrigo Pastor Fasquelle. The park has the benefit of having been subjected to serious biological studies that have taken place regularly, thanks to overseas cooperation, such as that of operation Wallacea, a British, scientific organization that has yearly expeditions to Cayos Cochinos and Cusuco National Park. Cusuco National Park has an extension of 233.68 square kilometres and was declared a National Park by Congress in 1987.
There are two ways to reach El Cusuco: the traditional route is through the City of Cofradia, that is accessed via the Western Highway that leads from San Pedro Sula to Copan and other destinations. Cofradia is only 22 km west of San Pedro Sula. If you are driving, take the western highway towards Copan, turning off at the entrance to the town of Cofradia, and continue up a dirt road to the village of Buenos Aires. If you are taking a public bus, go to the Metropolitan Bus Terminal in San Pedro Sula and take a bus to Cofradia. The bus will leave you at the central park of Cofradia. Get off the bus at the Central Park and find the Bodega Mabel, located right in Central Park. Folks here will help you arrange for transportation to the community of Buenos Aires. Take note that regularly, it is easier to find transportation on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, because it is on these days that producers bring their crops to the local markets. Usually, you can find transportation somewhere between 11:00 a.m and 3:00 p.m. on these days. The cost is not fixed, but you should not pay over $2.00 USA dollars per person. Please note, however, that the area around Cofradia has gotten quite dangerous in the past couple of years, and you should seriously consider not using this route unless you have a guide who is familiar with the area.
Beautiful Scenery at Cusuco National ParkThe other, much safer option to enter the park, is directly from San Pedro Sula. The entrance is roughly behind the Apart Hotel La Cordillera at the Colonia Trejo. (Please note that there are two hotels La Cordillera in San Pedro Sula, the other one is known as Boutique Hotel La Cordillera, and is exactly in front of the Hotel Copantl in San Pedro Sula.) There is a small village called La Primavera that is located on the mountains, just behind the Colonia Trejo, within walking distance of the Hotel La Cordillera. As you get to the village you will see a soccer field with a small construction next to it. This is the best spot to catch a ride up to the village of Naranjito. The best time to catch a ride in the back of pick up trucks is between noon and 2:00 p.m., as this is when the finca owners are driving back up to their farms after having done their shopping in town.
The cost of the ride is approximately $2.00 US or its equivalent in Lempiras. Once you get to El Naranjito, you will have to take a soft hike of about 1 ½ hours to the village of Buenos Aires. En route, you will see several small villages and have a chance to see how the people in these communities live. From this village you are in the proximity of the park and its visitor’s center. I must warn you that the dirt road from Buenos Aires onward is not easy, and that during the rainy season, it is imperative to have a four-wheel drive vehicle to make it to the visitor’s center. The center has basic installations, including a camp ground, running water, and toilet facilities. In addition, information on the different trails in the park is provided, as well as the different species living in the park. Perhaps the most famous of these is the enigmatic Quetzal, famed to be the loveliest of all tropical birds, which has been sent to the brink of extinction because of loss of habitat, as well as over hunting because of its beautiful long emerald green tail feather.
Zona de Armenta
The Zona de Armenta is a cold-water river that comes from the Merendón mountain range. The park is located in the Northeastern part of the city and serves as a recreational area for many people in the city. The river has several areas that are open for swimming as well as places to purchase food.[citation
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