17 Best Sights in The Southern Coast, Belize

South of Hopkins in Anderson's Lagoon, bioluminescence (when an organism emits light through a chemical reaction) is the main attraction. Plankton that live in the water light up when disturbed by any agitation of that water, such as when fleeing predators or when fleeing your excursion boat. In a different take on the town’s nightlife, several Hopkins outfitters (Barefoot Services;  www.barefootservicesbelize.com and Get to Know Belize Tours;  www.gettoknowbelizeadventures.com) let you take in this evening spectacle. The first part of the evening takes you by boat through the mangroves of the Sittee River where you’ll spot crocodiles, iguanas, and coatimundi among the variety of nocturnal animal life. You enter the lagoon and the motion of your boat drives the display of blue light. 

You have a narrow window of opportunity for optimal viewing here. You want the driest of Belize’s dry season. (Bioluminescence is a year-round phenomenon, but rain stirs up the lagoon, making it nearly impossible to see.) Most nighttime excursions run February through May, admittedly with forays outside those months, depending on the weather. You want as close to a dark night as possible. Nights surrounding the new moon are ideal. Quarter-moon nights become possible but less optimal. The full moon makes for difficult viewing, and tours do not run on those nights.  Unfortunately, the bioluminescent phenomenon does not show up well in smartphone photos.

Some visitors to Cockscomb are disappointed that they don't see jaguars and that wildlife doesn't jump out from behind trees to astound them as they hike the trails. (Or maybe they're relieved.) The experience here is indeed a low-key one, and seeing wildlife requires patience and luck. You'll have the best chance of seeing wild animals, perhaps even a jaguar or one of the other large cats, if you stay overnight, preferably for several nights, in the sanctuary and employ the services of a guide on an extended hike. Several nearby lodges, such as Hamanasi in Hopkins, offer night hikes to Cockscomb, departing around dusk and returning around 9 pm. Even then, your jaguar might not materialize—pragmatism is a must—but you'll spot plenty of other wildlife, and that's a splendid consolation prize.

Among the native wildlife aside from the jaguars, you more likely will see other cats—pumas, margays, and ocelots—plus coatis, kinkajous, deer, peccaries, and, last but not least, tapirs. Also known as the mountain cow, this shy, curious creature appears to be half horse, half hippo, with a bit of cow and elephant thrown in. Nearly 300 species of birds have been identified in the Cockscomb Basin, including the keel-billed toucan, the king vulture, several hawk species, and the scarlet macaw, a species of parrot.

Within the reserve is Belize's best-maintained system of jungle and mountain trails, most of which lead to at least one outstanding swimming hole. The sanctuary also has spectacular views of Victoria Peak and the Cockscomb Range. Bring serious bug spray with you—the reserve swarms with mosquitoes and tiny biting flies locals call no-see-ums—and, if you can tolerate the heat, wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants. As anywhere in Belize, the best times to hike are early morning, late afternoon, and early evening, when temperatures are lower and more animals are on the prowl.

The road from Maya Centre to the Cockscomb ranger station and visitor center winds 6 miles (10 km) through dense vegetation—splendid cahune palms, purple mimosas, orchids, and big-leaf plantains—and as you go higher the marvelous sound of tropical birds, often resembling strange windup toys, grows stronger and stronger. This is definitely four-wheel-drive terrain. You may have to ford several small creeks as well as negotiate deep muddy ruts. At the end, in a clearing with hibiscus and bougainvillea bushes, you'll find a little office, where you can buy maps of the nature trails, along with restrooms, several picnic tables, cabins, and a campground. The Belize Audubon Society manages the Cockscomb and can assist in making reservations for the simple accommodations in the sanctuary.

Altogether there are some 20 miles (33 km) of marked trails. Walking along these 12 nature trails is a good way to get to know the region. Most are loops of 0.5–1.5 miles (1–2 km), so you can do several in a day. The most strenuous trail takes you up a steep hill; from the top is a magnificent view of the entire Cockscomb Basin. Longer hikes, such as to Victoria Peak, require a guide and several days of strenuous walking.

Hotels and tour operators and guides in Hopkins, Placencia, and Dangriga offer tours to Cockscomb; Hopkins is closest to the sanctuary but it is easily accessible from any of these coastal communities.

This museum on the outskirts of Dangriga contains a number of displays on Garifuna history and life. It was named for a Garifuna heroine who came to Belize with her 13 children and founded the village of Punta Negra in the Toledo District. Exhibits cover the Garifuna migration from Africa to the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, then to Roatán and Belize. Another exhibit is on Thomas Vincent Ramos, a visionary Garifuna leader who, in 1941, established the first Garifuna Settlement Day. (The Southern Highway now bears his name.) Other displays are on Garifuna food, clothing, medicinal plants, and music and dance. The museum also has rotating displays of paintings by Garifuna artists including Pen Cayetano.

Five miles of golden sand stretch north and south of Hopkins. The in-town sector of beach has a local vibe; the resorts south of the village populate that strand of sand with more international tourists. The water has less seagrass than other mainland beaches, making Hopkins Beach better and cleaner for swimming. The barrier reef lies only 8 to 10 miles (13 to 16 km) out, meaning you don’t have to boat out so far to find good snorkeling. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; solitude; sunrise; swimming; walking.

You can visit the source of one of Belize's best-known exports, Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce, made in about a dozen different heat levels from Mild to Beware. The small factory, with about 25 workers and still a Sharp family business, is open to interested visitors weekdays, but for a tour it's best to call in advance. Besides the factory tour, you can also see the entire selection of products manufactured by the Sharps, and most are offered for sale along with Marie Sharp T-shirts and tote bags. The products are sold in nearly every grocery in Belize and sit on tables in most local restaurants in Belize.  Marie Sharp's main office is on 3 Pier Road in Dangriga, where there also is a small shop.

Mayflower Bocawina, an expansion of Belize's first protected area, has small Maya ruins, lovely waterfalls, and good hiking on more than 7,000 acres. A private lodge, Bocawina Rainforest Resort, is in the park and has upscale lodging, food and drink, and the longest zipline in Belize. The park has three minor Maya ceremonial sites: Mayflower, T'au Witz, and Maintzunum, near Silk Grass Creek. Nearby are the three waterfalls, usually referred to as "the Three Sisters": upper and lower Bocawina Falls and Antelope Falls. Access to Mayflower is easiest from Hopkins, about 20 minutes by car, but tours are offered from Placencia and Dangriga as well. The entrance to the park is about 4½ miles (7½ km) on a dirt road off the Southern Highway. From the visitor center, to get to the two Bocawina falls, it's an easy hike of about 1¼ miles (2 km) on the marked Bocawina Falls trail. The trail to Antelope Falls, about 1¾ miles (3 km), is more difficult due to some steep sections that can be slick after rains. Maps of the trails are available at the small visitor center. So far, little excavation has been conducted at the Maya sites.

This 1,600-acre park lies along the Hummingbird Highway between Miles 16.5 and 19 in Stann Creek District. Established in 2001, the park is still relatively young, and although it offers no spectacular sights, it does have rustic hiking trails. The Barquedier Waterfall (locally sometimes called Bak-a-Der Waterfall) is about a 20-minute hike from the entrance. The park is part of a community co-management program for nature reserves. It's best to enter the park via the northern entrance at Mile 16.5 of the Hummingbird Highway. Camping is available in the park for BZ$20 per person, plus the park entrance fee. As to the park's curious name, it was named after its principal creek. Billy Barquedier was not a person, at least that anyone knows. Barquedier is an alternative French spelling for a barcadere, a "landing place." No one can identify where the "Billy" part comes from. 

The falls here are about 500 feet high and are the second highest in the country; the natural pool at the base of the falls is 75 feet deep. The swimming is wonderful, and the undisturbed forest around the falls is great for a picnic or enjoying nature. Before going to Davis Falls, stop at the Citrus Products of Belize plant (Mile 14.5 of Hummingbird Highway/Stann Creek District Highway) for information and to pay your admission fee. Tours of Davis Falls are offered by several tour guides including Holistic Eco Tours at Steadfast Village.

Getting to Davis Falls requires a four-wheel-drive vehicle to tackle the extremely rough 8-mile (13-km) dirt road, before you set out on the arduous 2-mile (3.3-km) hike.

The Hummingbird Highway ends at a roundabout on downtown Dangriga’s waterfront. In its center sits a bronze monument to the famed art of Garifuna drumming and to its people at large. In a link of the past to the present, the sculpture portrays three dügü drums, used in traditional funeral services, and a pair of rattle-like sísira, a staple in contemporary Garifuna music.

The small Creole village of Gales Point, population about 500, has an idyllic setting on the Southern Lagoon. The lagoon and nearby waters are home to many manatees. You can drive to Gales Point via the unpaved Coastal Highway; tours are available from Dangriga and Hopkins, an easier alternative.

You can watch young Garifuna boys hone their drumming skills at Lebeha Drummers. Lebeha means "the end" in the Garifuna language, a reference to the school's location at the north end of the village. The drums are of mahogany or mayflower wood, with deerskin on the drumhead. Other instruments include shakas, or shakers, calabash gourds filled with fruit seeds and turtle shells. The drumming goes on nightly, though most activity is on weekends. Donations are accepted. You can take drumming lessons and purchase a CD of Lebeha's works.

Whether the peninsula’s 16 miles (26 km) of sand (the longest in Belize) constitute one beach or multiple is open to debate. All residents do agree that their golden strand stretching from Maya Beach to Seine Bight to Placencia Village is the mainland's best—and most outsiders do, too. Some sections hum with activity, especially those in the village itself; others, you’ll have all to yourself. The Barrier Reef lies a distant 20 miles (32 km) away, making snorkeling immediately offshore not ideal. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunrise; solitude; swimming; walking.

By law, all beaches in Belize are public, and while you won't be permitted to use a resort’s beach chairs and towels without staying there, access is open to all. If your own lodging is not right on the beach—and many in-village accommodations are not—enter the concept of the beach club. A reasonably priced day’s membership gets you access to the club’s beach amenities. Food and drinks cost extra. Two adults-only days per week limit pool use to those 16 and over, but all guests may use the beach and other facilities. The club partners with a few small Placencia lodgings that don't have their own strands of sand. Some toss in membership as part of their rates.

For a pose and a post on social media, Placencia’s colorful beach sign near the entrance to the village makes a great spot to snap a photo. Local artists have decorated the block letters with illustrations of fishing, diving, and regional flora and fauna—the community’s tourism mainstays.

One of Belize’s most offbeat sights are these ruins of a 19th-century sugar mill, now eerily engulfed by the jungle over a century after its abandonment. Sugar once fueled the economy of this region, and American Southerners fleeing the defeated Confederacy established the Serpon Plantation after the Civil War. At its peak, the steam-powered mill produced 1,700 pounds of sugar a month. By the early 20th century, mills in northern Belize were able to harvest and generate sugar more efficiently, and Serpon ceased operation. You’d think the heat and humidity would have taken their toll, but the cast-iron equipment remains remarkably well preserved with little rust. You can visit the site on your own—it’s a tad hard to find—and hire a guide at the small information center at the entrance. Hopkins and Placencia tour operators can also arrange visits.

One of the most beautiful lagoons in Belize, Southern Lagoon is about 25 miles (41 km) north of Dangriga—a 45-minute car ride. This lagoon is home to many West Indian manatees, and on beaches nearby, hawksbill turtles nest May to October. The Northern and Western Lagoons also are in this area.

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, is one of the most interesting old buildings in Dangriga. You'll find a shop with souvenirs for sale. The gallery is open weekdays; you can visit weekends by advance appointment.