Hopkins Belize provides eco-travelers with a perfect opportunity to fulfill their New Year’s resolution of being more sustainable without compromising comfort or culture. Resorts such as Hamanasi take this commitment seriously by reducing plastic waste and teaming up with Pack for a Purpose.
Belize, an island paradise in the Caribbean, boasts lush jungle trails, tranquil waterfalls, and ancient Mayan ruins that attract tourism. Locals view tourism as an invaluable way to preserve their environment while keeping communities strong.
Support Local Businesses
Visit Hopkins Belize means engaging with its vibrant community and supporting local businesses, helping strengthen its economy while upholding sustainable tourism practices and eco-friendliness.
Southern Belize’s seaside village, Hopkins Village is a beloved eco-cultural hotspot that draws travelers looking for an idyllic coastal base from which to explore Garifuna culture and access top jungle attractions such as its Southern Barrier Reef or jungle tours nearby.
As one way of supporting Hopkins’ community, shopping at local markets and shops is an effective way to show your support. Here you’ll find locally produced goods like honey, coconut oil, and pottery as well as restaurants such as Ella’s Cool Spot or Maxims serving authentic Caribbean fare that’s both good for the environment as well as your wallet!
Hopkins is an authentic Central American village where locals are warmly welcoming of visitors. Come experience their vibrant cultural traditions first-hand at a drumming class or bar with Garifuna music playing in the background; also try some delicious Garifuna cuisine such as hudut and cassava bread during your stay!
Hopkins offers many exciting, eco-friendly activities such as snorkel tours at the reef, river kayak trips that allow you to spot wildlife in mangrove forests, or birding excursions at Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve. Animal enthusiasts may want to volunteer at their local humane society as animal welfare advocates to support both domestic and wild animal species alike.
If you prefer something more daring, try visiting the Actun Tunichil Muknal Caves where you’ll float through this sacred and mysterious underground cavern. Or perhaps hiking and exploring nearby Xunantunich Mayan ruins will do. Nature enthusiasts might also want to join an environmental education program that helps teach conservation and sustainability within local ecosystems.
Volunteer
Hopkins Belize is an idyllic village nestled between nature and Garifuna culture, inviting guests to reconnect with both while supporting local communities. Belize’s environment has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to stunning coastal waters, rainforests, wetlands, and its longest barrier reef – yet human activity threatens this Caribbean nation’s unique biodiversity by degrading habitat and impacting wildlife populations. Travelers looking to protect its unique biodiversity may join conservation efforts such as marine conservation or tracking jaguars at Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve
Hopkins Belize offers many eco-friendly activities to take part in while visiting, such as environmental education. Discover sustainable development principles while gaining hands-on experience in the field. Many educational programs also allow you to work directly with community members and gain a better understanding of Belizean culture and lifestyle.
If you enjoy hands-on experiences, Belize provides a fantastic opportunity to help preserve its second-largest barrier reef and become an underwater scientist by conducting reef surveys and collecting data about this magnificent marine ecosystem.
Dryland enthusiasts can also help out with community development efforts, like improving school quality or increasing healthcare access for residents. Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome at these projects; some even offer homestay options so you can immerse yourself in Garifuna culture while helping build your community.
Hamanasi is proud to support the Hopkins Belize Humane Society with their free spay/neuter clinic for community pets, and partner with Pack for a Purpose in encouraging visitors to bring school supplies when traveling to Belize. In addition, Hamanasi remains dedicated to reducing, upcycling, and recycling waste wherever possible.
Hamanasi provides the ideal blend of sustainability and community involvement when choosing where to stay in Hopkins Belize. Boasting eco-friendly initiatives, including river canoe trips and tropical birding excursions; plus visiting a Garifuna herbalist for an in-depth lesson on traditional medicine practices.
Take a Wildlife Tour
As you support local business, another great way to help Hopkins and nearby communities flourish is by taking a wildlife tour. Several tours depart from Hopkins; The Lodge at Jaguar Reef provides one along the picturesque Sittee River where guests can soak up nature while watching for feathered friends flitting from tree to tree.
Mangrove tours allow visitors to get up close with local wildlife by boat ride and guided hike. Other popular wildlife adventures in Hopkins include birding, tropical rainforest kayaking, crocodile spotting and exploring Actun Tunichil Muknal caves – along with Hopkins’ stunning beaches, nearby reef and top jungle attractions making Hopkins an excellent hub for adventure travel.
Hopkins is known for its delicious seafood dishes, so your trip wouldn’t be complete without trying some local cuisine. Fresh snapper, sea bass and other locally caught seafood dishes, as well as sweet and spicy tamales and cassava bread, should not go unnoticed – don’t forget the traditional Garifuna dessert known as wangla – made with sugar and sesame seeds – are always among your options here!
Hopkins offers private ranches that specialize in horseback riding experiences through orange groves, rainforest and river waters. Or you can visit an herbalist for an educational workshop on using local plants and herbs as medicine.
Hopkins residents are dedicated to maintaining its natural charm and protecting its heritage, making this beach community truly welcoming for visitors and residents alike. Hopkins is often considered Belize’s friendliest village! To ensure Hopkins stays as authentic and charming as ever, Hopkins encourages guests to support sustainable tourism by reducing their environmental impact by supporting local businesses, taking wildlife tours or volunteering while recycling water bottles and paper waste responsibly.
Help Preserve the Marine Ecosystem
Belize relies heavily on its marine ecosystem as a source of livelihoods and sustainable development, providing millions of tons of carbon storage annually, while supporting diverse marine life such as coral reefs, birds, fish, manatees and endangered species such as hawksbill turtles.
But overfishing, unchecked coastal development, and lack of funding for marine conservation is endangering marine ecosystems. To safeguard their future, a new Global Support Initiative was recently unveiled that empowers local communities to manage their ocean lands and waters under guidance from government agencies.
Hopkins Belize is already reaping the rewards of this effort. Established after a nearby town was hit hard by hurricane damage in the 1940s, Hopkins is home to mostly fishermen and farmers dedicated to upholding Garifuna culture while welcoming visitors with open arms. Today this charming coastal destination features luxury resorts and restaurants as well as water and nature tours that visitors can take part in.
Hopkins should be visited between January and March during its dry season when sunshine and calm seawater reign supreme. The most popular is touring Blue Hole – one of the world’s largest sinkholes – though mangrove forests and protected marine reserves also await discovery.
Another way to contribute to preserving natural beauty in an area is through volunteering with a conservation project. Hamanasi Rainforest Resort, a Green Globe-certified resort, provides guests with an ideal way to help protect ecosystems and leave places better than when they came. Their staff are specially trained in leaving positive footprints upon their surroundings while sustainability initiatives at Hamanasi include protecting beaches in the area, cutting energy consumption by 50 per cent while conserving habitats surrounding their resort.
Other eco-friendly ways to experience Hopkins are visiting its botanical gardens, taking a jungle river canoe trip or tropical birding expedition, learning traditional herbal remedies from Garifuna healers and taking part in drumming classes or visiting crocodile sanctuaries – these activities provide excellent ways to get acquainted with local wildlife firsthand.
