Hopkins Belize is an easygoing beach village filled with friendly locals and exciting experiences to discover. Enjoy sipping Belikin cocktails as you overlook the Caribbean Sea at Ella’s Cool Spot or learn to drum from Lebeha Drummers – you may even discover new interests!
Venture deep into the jungles on a hike at Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve and spot 500+ bird species! Or kayak on nearby Anderson Lagoon to witness bioluminescence!
Snorkeling and Diving at the Barrier Reef
Hopkins is best known for snorkeling and diving on the magnificent Belize Barrier Reef, with many tour companies and resorts providing tours. You will likely see everything from fish, manta rays, turtles, and even sharks during your time underwater! Snorkeling or diving provides an enjoyable way to spend your time.
Hopkins offers many beaches for visitors to enjoy. Some hotels provide private beaches while others share public stretches of sand. To maximize your beach time in Hopkins between January and March when conditions are at their most ideal – expect sunny weather and calm seawaters.
On your trip to Hopkins, there are various opportunities to experience the jungle. Take a day trip to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary – known for being home to one of the first jaguar preserves – for a truly immersive jungle experience. Hike through its trails for an immersive nature experience where you might even spot pumas or ocelots!
Bocawina National Park is another fantastic way to experience Belizean wildlife. A popular adventure destination, this national park features numerous waterfalls that you can hike or rappel around and the longest zipline course in Belize!
Horseback riding and mountain biking tours are available, just be sure to inquire at your hotel first before making reservations!
Hopkins is home to an abundance of Garifuna culture, making it a central factor in why travelers come here. You’ll hear drumming echo across the village and can take lessons in playing Garifuna-style drums yourself.
Garifuna Settlement Day held each November 19, is one of Hopkins’ favorite days to be in town. From music and dance performances to remembering its heritage – established after an African ship carrying refugees crashed off St Vincent – everyone comes out for this celebration of culture that started over 300 years ago!
Hopkins Belize: Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
No matter if your pleasure lies in hiking through the jungle to a hidden waterfall or riding natural river waterslides and inner tubes on an inland blue hole, this full-day tour offers everything needed for nature lovers. Just remember to bring insect repellent, hats, sunscreen, and walking shoes; plus there may even be chances of seeing Belize’s national animal: the Jaguar!
At nightfall, Cockscomb Basin comes alive, providing an unforgettable experience as you hike its trails just after dusk on this expedition from Hopkins. Keep an eye out for stealthy jaguars as well as ocelots, pumas, coatamundis, and over 300 species of birds on your walk through Cockscomb Basin!
Get to know Belize by touring Maya ruins near Hopkins. Explore Xunantunich, an important Classic period city, for stunning views and insight into how Belizeans lived before European arrival; nearby Cahal Pech ruins display the impressive architectural skills of early inhabitants.
Also visit Actun Tunichil Muknal, a Maya ceremonial cave featuring an underground river and winding passageways leading into dry chambers, offering a stunning cathedral-like main hall and its sacred remains as you go on an organized tour.
At this wildlife sanctuary in Belize, you’ll get to enjoy some of its most stunning animals – many endangered ones included! Birdwatching at this zoo is particularly impressive and you may even spot their national bird – the majestic jaguar!
Boca del Rio offers the perfect taste of Hopkins cuisine and should not be missed on any visit to Hopkins. Here you’ll find everything from fresh seafood and homemade cheeses, herbal remedies and tea to herbal remedies and coffee – the owners also specialize in using indigenous plants medicinally, offering workshops on harvesting, husking, grinding and preparing natural medicines such as cacao.
Hopkins Belize: Monkey River Tour
Hopkins draws many visitors for its sandy beach, but there’s plenty more to experience and discover here. Near the border with Guatemala, Hopkins provides an ideal starting point for discovering Mayan temples and pyramids as well as hiking through jungles full of exotic birds like crocodiles and Howler monkeys.
One of the best ways to experience Hopkins is on a guided tour. The Monkey River Tour features an exciting boat ride upriver past mangrove swamps and verdant jungles teeming with wildlife, mangrove swamps, herbal plants used by locals for medicinal use as well as numerous bird species including some that may even include crocodiles or green iguanas!
Once at the top of the river, your guide will lead you on an exhilarating hike through the jungle where you may spot troops of Howler monkeys swinging from tree branch to branch in trees overhead. After your walk has concluded, hop back on your panga and return to Harvest Caye’s dock for another ride back home!
This excursion is suitable any time of year, though its popularity peaks between late November and mid-April when weather conditions are ideal for exploring the coast. Be sure to bring warm comfortable clothing, bug spray, sunblock and camera gear on this adventure.
Xunantunich is another fantastic day trip from Hopkins, especially if you don’t have time to visit San Ignacio directly. This ancient Mayan ruin site provides panoramic views of its surroundings as well as views into Guatemala; additionally, visitors can walk through a rainforest trail and float down Antelope Falls during this full-day tour!
Hopkins boasts a strong Garifuna culture and provides visitors with delicious cuisine from this area of Belize. Visitors can also learn about this heritage by attending one of Hopkins’ drumming performances or private lessons from one of its drummers.
Xunantunich and Cahal Pech Maya Ruins
Hopkins is a small beach village on the central Caribbean coast that’s best known for its picturesque white sand beach, freshwater lagoon, and Garifuna population dedicated to upholding their traditions. Here guests can experience local food and music at various restaurants and bars while numerous hotels, guesthouses, and budget resorts line its main road through town.
Snorkeling, diving, river tubing and hiking are popular activities in Hopkins. Adventure travelers may also appreciate jungle horseback riding and visiting Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve where wildlife enthusiasts may spot pumas and ocelots!
Hopkins is nestled amidst lush jungle, providing ideal hiking and exploring conditions. Hikers can explore on foot, rent bikes or golf carts, or rent carts. Additionally, travelers can also visit Xunantunich or Cahal Pech Maya Ruins nearby in order to gain more insight into Belizean culture and history.
Xunantunich was once an important city-state that flourished during Belize’s Classic period. The complex features six major plazas surrounded by 25 temple and palace structures – including El Castillo – as well as three river valleys from its lofty heights. Visitors can see three river valleys from El Castillo.
Cahal Pech Maya ruin is another ancient site near Hopkins that visitors can explore for a fee. While smaller than Xunantunich, Cahal Pech still offers stunning views and an opportunity to learn more about Mayan culture – with stairs leading all the way up to its tower for spectacular panoramic views!
Bocawina National Park offers adventure travelers another thrilling destination. Here, hikers and rappellers can trek past stunning waterfalls as they traverse one of the largest waterfall parks worldwide, which also hosts Belize’s longest zipline course. Hopkins is an ideal vacation spot due to its peaceful beach environment and authentic Garifuna culture. Visitors can immerse themselves in this rich heritage through events and attractions like cooking classes that showcase local cuisine while simultaneously learning its history and culture. Driftwood Beach Bar also hosts traditional Garifuna music performances for visitors’ pleasure.
