Hotels in Hopkins

Hopkins: Garifuna Heartland on Belize's Southern Coast

Hopkins is a Garifuna fishing village on the Caribbean Sea in Stann Creek District, roughly 50 km south of Dangriga and 30 km north of Placencia. The community of around 1,500 residents preserves one of the most intact Garifuna cultures in Central America — drumming circles, hudut fish stew, and cassava bread made in the same coastal style documented since the Garifuna settled Belize in 1832. The village stretches along a single sandy road parallel to the sea, with the main strip divided informally into North Hopkins, the quieter residential end, and South Hopkins, where most guesthouses, dive shops, and restaurants cluster.

Where to Stay and Getting Around

Accommodation ranges from thatched-roof budget cabañas to mid-range beachfront lodges. Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort sits 2 km south of the village center and caters to divers targeting the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-longest in the world at 300 km. The reef lies about 40 minutes offshore by speedboat. Inland, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary — the world's first jaguar preserve, established 1986 — is 20 km southwest.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Shared shuttle vans run daily from Belize City (roughly 3.5 hours) and from Placencia.
• Currency: Belize dollar pegged at 2:1 to USD; most hotels accept both.
• Best season: February through May offers dry conditions; hurricane season runs June–November.
• Reef access: Book dive trips 24 hours ahead during high season — operators fill quickly.