4 Different Ways To Get From El Tunco To Utila
How to get from El Tunco to Utila
After spending a pretty awesome week soaking up the sun on El Salvador’s beautiful black sand beaches, we, like many other backpackers, needed to figure out how to get from El Tunco to Utila, our next destination.
Having spent 2 days of my life trying to work out how we can get from the west coast in El Salvador to the east coast in Honduras, we finally had a plan!
You can also check out our guide on things to do in El Salvador and our guide to the Islands in Honduras if you’re still in the stages of planning your trip.
It’s safe to say that as of right now there is no easy or cheap way to get from one side of this continent to the other, across these 2 countries. Getting from El Tunco to Utila is challenging, to say the least, but where there’s a will, there’s a way, right?
Sadly for us travellers, there is no regular, direct shuttle or bus from El Tunco to Utila. Or should we say La Ceiba, which is the town on the coast of Honduras where you will need to catch a ferry to Utila.
I couldn’t even find shuttles or buses going from San Salvador but this might be possible to find if you are staying there.
It is worth mentioning that El Salvador is in the early stages of growing its tourism industry still. There aren’t tour offices everywhere like you would find in places like its neighbour Guatemala. You can do online searches like I did and may find some companies offering services.
The best way to make plans in El Salvador is to ask around. Speak to the owner of your guesthouse or hostel. There’s a very strong chance they will know someone who can find you a driver, or arrange a tour for you.
How to get from El Tunco to Utila
During my searches, I have found there are actually a few ways you can do this journey. So while they are still fresh in my mind, I am going to share them here to save you a whole lot of time.
In total, we had 4 options to get from El Tunco to Utila to choose from;
Option #1 – Fly from San Salvador to San Pedro Sula
This might sound like the easiest option BUT it is also the most expensive. If like us you have large backpacks anyway.
We found flights leaving most days at 2 pm from San Salvador and even looking in the same week we saw you could buy a ticket for around $80. Not bad right?! Well sadly, they also charge $80 per checked-in bag so that doubled the price straight away.
However, if you have smaller carry-on bags then it’s perfect.
If you decide you’d like to fly, find the best deals below!
We ALWAYS use SkyScanner to get the best flight deals!
You will need to get a shuttle or taxi to the airport. Shuttles going from El Tunco to San Salvador airport cost around $35 per person. An Uber at this moment shows at $27.
You will then also need to get a Taxi or bus to La Ceiba from San Pedro Sula once you land. Then catch the ferry which we will cover later.
Option #2 – Take an overnight shuttle via Copan Ruins
Another option we found going from El Salvador into Honduras, was via Copan Ruins.
This option was available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at a maximum but mostly just whenever they have enough demand to send a shuttle. The shuttle leaves around noon and heads through Guatemala to Copan Ruins.
You stay in a shared dorm for the night before heading to La Ceiba the following day.
We were quoted $110 per person for both shuttles and the dorm room. The number of the agency to WhatsApp for more info was (+503)78548839.
Option #3 – Have a chicken bus adventure
We have heard from others that they did the whole journey via chicken buses. This will by far be the cheapest option. However, you are still going to be looking at an overnight stop somewhere along the way. Most likely in San Pedro Sula, which I wouldn’t recommend.
From other accounts, the journey is at least 5 different buses and may require a few taxis also. This will save you some money but it is likely to be the most mentally challenging option. You will need to stay awake and alert for the entire journey as chicken buses are not the safest way to get around.
I don’t have any more advice on this option as it was not appealing enough to us to look into it further. Other than chicken buses can be a prime location for pickpockets, so try to blend in and keep all valuables close to you. I personally wouldn’t recommend this option.
A super handy website we found for advice on all chicken bus routes in Central America was Centrocoasting.
Option #4 – Shuttle Via Antigua in Guatemala
I was reluctant to do this option as we had just come from Guatemala and I didn’t fancy going backwards. In the end, this option was the best for us to get from El Tunco to Utila.
There are daily shuttles from El Tunco to Antigua. They pick you up from your hotel at 2 am and you should arrive in Antigua around 10 am. This part of the journey costs $45 per person.
On the main street in El Tunco, there are 2 shops that have signs outside for shuttle services so you can ask in either of those. This Journey should take around 7-8 hours.
You then need to spend at least one night in Antigua (we spent two nights), because on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays you can catch a shuttle from Antigua direct to La Ceiba. This second shuttle picks you up at 1 am and costs $80 per person.
We booked the shuttle from Antigua to La Ceiba through an online company, Roneey Shuttles. They have pretty good reviews online and actually have a tonne of shuttle services all over Central America. We were really impressed with this company and ended up using them more than once.
The Journey from Antigua to La Ceiba took us 16.5 hours and we arrived just in time for the last ferry of the day. Their aim is to get you there on time to catch the ferry.
You could always opt to spend a few days in Antigua if you haven’t already visited this beautiful city. If you do, check out our guide on the best things to do in Antigua while you’re there.
Catching the ferry to Utila from La Ceiba
Once you finally make it to the east coast, take a deep breath and maybe grab a beer, you will have earned it. Your journey all the way from El Tunco to Utila is nearly over, now all you have to do is catch the ferry and you’re in paradise.
Sadly though, there are only 2 ferries each day. One at 9 am and another at 4.30 pm. So if your shuttle doesn’t quite make it in time you’ll need to grab a room for the night in La Ceiba and take the 9 am ferry the next day.
At the ferry port, you need to pay a small port tax of around $2 per person before you check in your bags. You can also buy your ticket online in advance to save some time if the bus is running a little late. We used this website to buy our tickets and it is really straightforward.
A one-way ticket from La Ceiba to Utila is around $27 per person.
El Tunco to Utila – Final Thoughts
So there you have it, 4 different ways you can get from El Tunco to Utila. They may not be fast, easy or cheap but they work and will make great stories to tell the folks back home.
If you’re wondering what to pack for your journey through Central America, I’ve made a list of all the stuff I’m carrying around, feel free to check it out.
