10 Best Places to Shop in The Southern Coast, Belize

The oldest grocery in Placencia, Wallen's Market has the basics, and it's even air-conditioned. Wallen's also has a pharmacy and a separate hardware store.

The largest gift shop on the Southern Coast, and one of the country's best, GariMaya has a terrific selection of Garifuna and Maya crafts, including masks, clothing, jewelry, and wood carvings, although a few items appear to be imported from Guatemala and Mexico. (Look carefully.) You'll also find a good selection of souvenir T-shirts, too, more artistic than the ubiquitous Belikin wear.

This small gallery in an unassuming white building sells Garifuna drums, masks, wood carvings, and other locally made items. In the gallery you'll find rotating exhibits on Garifuna life.

This little gallery on the south end of the Sidewalk has paintings by owner Greta Leslie, along with work by other Belizean artists and some locally made jewelry from seashells, too.

This small gift shop on the main street of Placencia Village sells locally made jewelry, mostly from seashells, as well as leather bags and natural soaps. It's the original among three other Kaj shops in Belize.

Painter and writer Lola Delgado-Crossman's workshop displays her bold, cheerful acrylic paintings of local women and scenes (BZ$100 and up). She also sells hand-painted cards, painted gourd masks, and some of her husband's wood carvings. Espresso and pastries are available. The workshop is up a flight of steps in a tiny wooden house off the main street, behind the football field.

Dangriga craftswoman Mercy Sabal hand-stitches Garifuna dolls in traditional dress. Prices range from BZ$50 to BZ$100.

Punta rocker and internationally known Garifuna artist Pen Cayetano displays his bold, colorful paintings at his studio and gallery at his home in Dangriga. Works by his wife, Ingrid, and daughter, Mali, are also displayed. The house, built around 1900 and totally redone by Cayetano, including painted murals on the exterior walls, alone is worth a visit, as it is one of the most interesting old buildings in Dangriga.

Stop by for a sample of Tiburon, a Belizean handcrafted rum. (Tiburón means "shark" in Spanish.) The knowledgeable folks here will provide a mixology lesson too.

We think this is the classiest of the big lodging gift shops, even if everything here is not made in Belize.