We first arrived in Trujillo, Honduras, in 1996, drawn by the beauty of the north coast and the warmth of all its people, including the Garifuna community. Shortly after, we purchased land, visiting regularly, building relationships with the local community (including multiple generations of a Honduran family), and finally, in 2014, constructing our beautiful home. Over the years, we furnished and improved it, creating what we envisioned as our perfect retirement and vacation spot. We also developed meaningful connections, supporting local initiatives and fostering friendships that cross all backgrounds.

When we first purchased our land, we did so with clear assurances from our lawyers of legal title, registered formally in Honduras. At that time, we were unaware of any disputes around ancestral land claims. However, in recent years, we’ve observed increasing tension as some Garifuna groups, led by OFRANEH, have taken action to reclaim land they assert as ancestral territory. This has included occupying foreign-owned properties in the region, leading to complex legal battles.

In May, a large OFRANEH-led group occupied a neighboring property at Campo del Mar, with whom we share a road. This action has impacted access to our home and the home of another family whose property we have been managing until its sale. Access to both properties was blocked, including for our gardener and security personnel, making upkeep impossible. As a result, the jungle has already started to reclaim the land we had carefully maintained.

This situation has left us in limbo. We remain uncertain about the status of our home, machinery (such as an expensive generator and pool equipment), and contents, everything valued at over $400,000 (excluding the land itself). While we’ve heard reports of neighboring properties being entered, we don’t know if our home has been affected in the same way. It’s painful to feel disconnected from a place we love, one where we have invested not only money but also years of care and community support.

We respect the historical ties of the Garifuna to this land and understand the importance of addressing these issues with respect and fairness. However, reclaiming developed, privately held land without compensation for the extensive improvements seems, from our perspective, unfair and at odds with our understanding of legal property rights.

We are hopeful that a fair solution can be found—one that honors the Garifuna heritage while respecting legitimate investments made by those who, like us, were unaware of these issues when we first arrived. Honduras’s future as a destination for investment and tourism depends on resolving these challenges in a way that balances history with hope for a shared, prosperous future. We remain optimistic that open dialogue and mutual respect can lead to a peaceful resolution.

So, here’s to hoping we can share a more positive update soon—one that encourages visitors and future investment in this beautiful country.

Tracy Knight MacDonald shared another lovely post about her experiences in Honduras, this one awhile visiting the Wall Murals in the town of Catarranas or San Juan de Flores, close to Valle de Angeles. Read it here.

I saw this blog and received permission from the owner Tracy MacDonald to share it.
Some great pictures and stories about their experience in Honduras. Click on the link that follows and enjoy!
Notable Honduras Sights and Sounds

Hello all fellow Honduras dwellers. Today I want to share my experiences with a mechanic who worked on our Land Cruiser.
In early 2020, the turbo on our diesel engine shattered throwing a blade into one of the cylinders. As a result, the engine had to be almost completely rebuilt. We were fortunate in that the owner of a local auto repair shop in the town of Tocoa (near our town of Trujillo), could recommended a good diesel mechanic – Denis. You can see his contact info on the www.trujillopicks.com website. The repair shop recommended him since they didn’t do engine work.
He rebuilt the engine with a new turbocharger and many other new or refurbished parts, and it was working perfectly when he returned it. Then COVID hit and we went back to Canada for what we thought would be a few months.
15 months later we have returned for a short visit. And the Land Cruiser wouldn’t start! I called Denis and he came out that night, knowing how important it was to us to have a vehicle in order to do some shopping since we had just arrived. He even offered to lend us his vehicle so we could go while he worked on ours. Or if wanted, he would drive out the following morning with a car we could use. (Tocoa is a 1 hour drive from our house)
After working on it for 2+ hours, removing and reinstalling the starter, it was determined that the starter needed work as it had been sitting for 15 months so became frozen. He removed it again and took it and the battery back to Tocoa, saying he’d be back the following day.
Sure enough, the following night he showed up with the repaired starter,a fully charged battery plus some new cable material and lugs. In addition to installing the starter and battery he spent another hour replacing the battery cables, as the ones we had weren’t up to his standards. (I had bought a new battery just before the turbo blew, and the battery shop had installed it)
With a repaired starter and improved cables, it started with the first turn of the ignition key!
Watching him work, I was impressed by how knowledgeable and competent he was. I will definitely go back to him with any future problems. He charged about one-fifth what similar work would cost in US or Canada and remember, he made two trips from Tocoa which is about 1 hour from our house, for which he only asked we reimburse him for fuel.
So here in Honduras there are definitely competent mechanics in Honduras; you just need to find them. And if you’re reading this and need some work done around here, he’s your person!