Major tropical storms typically strike Honduras every decade or so, leaving thousands homeless and sometimes dead. The devastating Hurricane Mitch of 1998 was one of the worst natural disasters of the 20th century to hit Honduras. Although not as powerful as Mitch, 1974’s Hurricane Fifi devastated the region around Choloma, in northwest Honduras.

In general, though, Honduras lies off the regular hurricane path in the Caribbean. Most storms come from the southeast and travel northwest, passing through the western Caribbean toward the Gulf of Mexico, to the north of Honduras. But it’s best to try to avoid the north coast of Honduras during the August–November hurricane season. Even if the hurricanes themselves don’t reach the shore, they bring heavy rains; flooding is an annual ritual and can seriously disrupt travel. Cases of cholera and other diseases are also more common during this time. Pacific hurricanes rarely strike Honduras.