Accessible by dirt road from Santa Rosa de Copán via Cucayagua and Corquín, high on the side of the Sierra de Celaque, is the mountain town of Belén Gualcho. The town is dominated by a well-maintained triple-domed colonial-era church, among the most beautiful in the country. Great views of the church are had from the local grade school—the guard will usually let you in if you ask nicely.

The town hosts a large Sunday market, which attracts campesinos from the mountain villages and is quite a colorful and lively event, well worth scheduling your trip to see. It’s pretty much done by 11 a.m., so if you want to see it, you have to get there the night before, and best to be early on Saturday before the hotels fill up.

Belén’s annual festival is held on January 17 in honor of San Antonio de Abad. The story goes that in years past, a spirit was so impressed by Belén’s festival that every year he arrived on a black mule and took part in the revelry himself, afterward disappearing into the hills. But one year, a group of young men thought it would be amusing to attach a bunch of firecrackers to the mule’s tail. Offended by this evident lack of respect for his otherworldliness, the spirit—known as El Hombre de Belén Gualcho—rode off in a huff and has never returned.

A comfortable hotel in Belén is Hotelito El Carmen (no phone, US$2–6), with 20 clean rooms. Bathrooms are communal, and no hot water is available. Some private rooms are available for a bit more. Don’t come out here expecting luxury. Similar although less clean is Hotel Olvin (US$3–6, the pricier rooms with private bath). Both hotels are often full on Saturday nights, before the Sunday market, but other rooms can often be found by asking around, particularly in the stores.

Of the local eateries in town, Comedor Raquel serves good, inexpensive típico food in a friendly little dining room.

Getting to Belén Gualcho

One bus travels daily between Belén and Santa Rosa de Copán, via Cucayagua and Corquín, leaving Santa Rosa at 1 p.m. There are also buses that go between San Pedro Sula and Belén Gualcho, passing Santa Rosa at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., reaching Corquín in another 1.5–2 hours and Belén Gualcho another 45 minutes after that.

Alternatively, you can catch the more frequent buses to Corquín and try to hitch from there, though pickups are often full already. The schedule for buses back to Santa Rosa from Belén (US$2) varies, but they all leave early in the morning, the exception being Sundays, when the last buses leave at midday.

If coming by car, the turn to Corquín and Belén Gualcho is off the Santa Rosa–Nueva Ocotepeque highway, 16 miles from Santa Rosa. Be forewarned that the 24-kilometer stretch between Corquín and Belén Gualcho can be pretty challenging, best for a four-wheel-drive.