Small colonial river town where Magdalena boats once met mule trains bound for Bogotá
Honda is a small colonial town in central Colombia, in the department of Tolima. Sitting on the banks of the Magdalena River, it was once one of the country's most important trading ports — the point where goods were transferred between river boats and mule trains heading to Bogotá.
The old town is full of crumbling colonial architecture, narrow cobbled streets, and a handsome stone bridge over the river. Honda is hot, quiet, and largely overlooked by travellers, which is part of its appeal.
Honda is about three hours by bus from Bogotá's Terminal de Transportes (around 35,000 COP). Buses also connect to Medellín and Ibagué. There is no airport — Honda is road access only, which is part of why it has stayed quiet.
Honda's appeal is its colonial core — the stone bridge, the crumbling riverside mansions, the quiet plazas baking in the heat. There is not a huge amount to do, but what is here repays slow attention.
Honda has one of the hottest climates in Colombia. Temperatures regularly exceed 35°C and the humidity makes the heat feel heavier than the thermometer suggests. There is no cool season, but the dry periods — December to February and July to August — are at least drier, which makes wandering the cobbled streets more bearable. Avoid the rainy season (April–May and October–November) if you can: the Magdalena swells, the streets get muddy, and the heat becomes truly oppressive.
