Qibla direction in Puerto Cortez

How to face the Qibla in Puerto Cortez

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 34.6° towards north: the result is the bearing of 55.4°. Because the angle sits far from the cardinal points, a rough guess such as “east” would be off by more than 30°, which is why a measured bearing matters in Puerto Cortez.

The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Puerto Cortez, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.

Why a flat map shows a different direction

This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Puerto Cortez to Mecca points to 87.4° (east), a full 31.9° away from the true Qibla of 55.4° (north-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 497 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Puerto Cortez first heads north-east, and that is the direction to face.

The value of 55.4° is the direction in which the shortest route from 15.8256° N, 87.9297° W sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.

Distance from Puerto Cortez to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 12,973 km from Puerto Cortez as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 12,774 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 15 h 46 min, although most pilgrims from Puerto Cortez connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Puerto Cortez run 9 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Puerto Cortez rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Puerto Cortez

On 97 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Puerto Cortez while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in July (31 days); for example, on 15 May 2027 it happens at 11:29 local time.

On 268 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 15:35.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Puerto Cortez (03:18 and 03:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 15:29 and 28 November 2027 at 15:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Puerto Cortez points straight to Mecca.

Puerto Cortez compared with other cities

Compared with Tegucigalpa, 209 km away, the Qibla in Puerto Cortez is turned 1.1° further anticlockwise (55.4° against 56.6°), and Mecca is 44 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, San Pedro Sula (37 km), prays towards 55.5°, a difference of 0.1°.

Among the 10 cities in Honduras on this site, Puerto Cortez has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 56.9° in Catacamas. Across the country the direction varies by 1.5°.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Honduras.

Qibla in cities near Puerto Cortez

• San Pedro Sula55.5° · 37 km
• El Progreso55.7° · 49 km
• La Ceiba56.1° · 123 km
• Siguatepeque56.0° · 137 km
• Olanchito56.3° · 150 km
• Tocoa56.5° · 207 km