Puerto Cortés (Spanish: Puerto Cortés) is a city in the north of Honduras, in the department of Cortes on the Caribbean coast.

Toponym
The city got its name in honor of Hernán Cortes, who founded the city of La Natividad on this site in 1524. In 1533, the Indians destroyed the city. Later, in 1536, Pedro de Alvarado founded a new city, called “Puerto Caballos”. In 1869 it was renamed Puerto Cortes.

Geographic location
The city is located on a small peninsula that juts out into the sea and forms a natural bay on the south side, known as Laguna de Alvarado.