OMOA Located west of Puerto Cortes, on the highway leading from Puerto Cortes. Omoa is one of the oldest towns in Honduras and played an important role in the history of Honduras, especially during the colonial times. The paved highway leads west towards the town of Tegucigalpita, a village located only a few miles from the Guatemala border. This area of the country is of stunning beauty thanks to the impressive Merendon mountain range that serves as a backbone to this part of the coast. Along the road, you will pass the town of Omoa, where the Spaniards built the massive fortress of San Fernando de Omoa centuries ago. Its purpose, to protect the coast and shipments of silver bound from the mines of Tegucigalpa to Spain from the continuous attacks of the British pirates. In effect, by the time it was finished, the pirates were a thing of the past. This structure is of such importance, that you would have to travel south as far as Cartagena de Indias in Colombia, or north as far as Campeche, in the Gulf of Mexico to find another fortress of equal importance. After the independence of Honduras in 1821, the fortress was taken over by the local government, and was used for many years as a jail, and was later abandoned. Today, the fortress is considered a National Monument and is open to the public. The Honduran Institute of Archaeology and History is in charge of its maintenance. The fort, a mute testimony of Honduras colonial past, with its green gardens, humid rooms and massive walls will no doubt make your fantasies take you to a time in the past, when pirates still roamed the Caribbean Sea. The fortress is open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m. There is a small entrance fee charged on premises. You can purchase guide books or hire a guide if you wish. Warning Travelers driving their own vehicle without Central American plates will need a special permit only issued at the Puerto Cortes customs, since this is not possible in Corinto, you will need to hire a custom official to escort you as far as Puerto Cortes to get the proper documents for your car. All fees are to be paid in Puerto Cortes. If you are too late to make the Puerto Cortes Customs that day, a good option is to stop at Roli’s in Omoa, he has all the info on the process and knows all of the escorts from Corinto, so he can help you out.