Walking in The Moskitia: coast, savannah and jungle

The exuberance of its vegetation and isolation have kept their people, has made La Moskitia in a booming ecotourism destination. It is not yet exploited in this regard, and most agencies operating in the area just take 3 years organizing facilities and circuits to facilitate access to foreigners who want to know the area.

Photography by parnhn.org

As mentioned in previous article, The Moskitia is divided into three very distinct areas, the coastline, savannah and rainforest. The arrival by plane takes place in Brus Laguna, one of the main towns where you start the climb up the Rio Platano. If you need to buy a staple or soda type drinks (drinking water is guaranteed in other stops on the circuit), is to buy them in small shops in Brus Laguna. Of this population also supply most peoples settled along the River.

Yamary, savannah cats and crocodiles:

For the savanna, a very interesting landscape at the gates of the lush jungle, ‘Cabañas Yamari Savannah’ is an excellent choice. Yamari is the name of a tree and the mountain that dominates this area, so he has borrowed for the small settlement with accommodation for travelers.

Sabana La Moskitia:

In Yamari, the landscape is predominantly straw tone, peppered with palm trees are dried in the summer. In these parts live cats that prey on livestock and also a large number of birds, crocodiles are the owners of the river in this area. Although the day remain hidden, it is relatively easy to see at night due to the brightness of his eyes, watching for potential prey. These reptiles usually come out at dusk to hunt, so, to make a whale out is advisable to go when the night has already entered and are quieter.

Photography by latinaregional.com

Las Marias: population in the jungle

The Marias is the largest population in the area and Pech is located about 5-6 hours upriver from Brus Laguna. Still, there is a village with streets and houses are far from each other, except for hosting Mrs. Otilia, along the pier, where there are several cabins.

One of the most popular excursions from Las Marias is visiting the petroglyphs upstream. Due to the shallowness of the river, this stretch is on foot, so that each boat can only carry two passengers and two boatmen boats that move based on the strength of the sticks stuck into the riverbed. It is a difficult path, especially in sections where the current is stronger. The tour is interesting not only for the petroglyphs, mysterious inscriptions on rocks dating from ancient times and are attributed to the Indians at the time Pech coetanea the Maya, but the lush nature that extends on both sides of the river and where you can see toucans and many other native animals.

The Marias is a pech native population, although at present this ethnic group is almost completely mixed with the Miskito. Pech are still some who remain independent of the people and preserve their traditions, based on nomadism, hunting and fishing as a way of survival. Some of these families live inside the forest and conserve indigenous features purer than those of the Miskito, the result of the cohabitation of Pech, freed slaves and Europeans.

Bethlehem: the coast of Moskitia

Bethlehem is an extension of Raista and both populations are very close. In Bethlehem the best accommodation for passengers is found in Pawanka Beach Cabins, near Ibans Lagoon.

Although the Honduran coast of the Bay Islands and Cayos Cochinos are pure Caribbean in this area of the Atlantic coast, we should not expect beautiful beaches emerald waters. The beach of Pawanka is a wild and windy beach, where in some areas, rampant cattle. Due to the proximity of the mouths of the lagoons of Ibans and Brus, water has a brown color caused by sediments carried by the river to the sea.

Photography by www.travelpod.com

The Bethlehem area and Raista is exposed to hurricanes that hit the area, so that the buildings have a temporary continuous air as if its inhabitants did not want to settle at all, with the impending arrival of tropical storm that will take your home (again). This area is also very visible awareness work being done on AIDS and the creation of infrastructures for health, such as building and developing the use of latrines.

Even the local culture seems to be in a period of self-searching and conservation. Therefore, in Bethlehem and have recently been established Raista dance groups that retrieve the balls of your ancestors and shown to visitors in impromptu gatherings around a bonfire on the beach. And … All dancing!