Hopkins village
Local life, drummingThe village along the beach.
Village guide
Things to do in Hopkins
A Garífuna fishing village on the coast of southern Belize: drumming lessons, hudut and coconut bread, quiet beaches, waterfalls in Mayflower Bocawina and jaguar country at Cockscomb Basin.
1
Hostels in the city
8.8
Average, from 584 reviews
19 Nov
Garífuna Settlement Day
2–4
Days
Garífuna culture by the sea
Hopkins is a small village on the coast of the Stann Creek District, home to one of Belize's largest Garífuna communities. The Garífuna are descendants of West African and Indigenous Caribbean peoples, who arrived in Belize in the early 1800s. Their language, music and dance are recognised by UNESCO, and Hopkins is one of the best places to experience them.
The village stretches along a long beach, with fishing boats, small guesthouses, restaurants and a few resorts at the southern end. Evenings often bring drumming, and you can take lessons yourself. Garífuna Settlement Day, on 19 November, is the biggest celebration of the year, with drumming, dancing and a re-enactment of the arrival by canoe.
Inland, Mayflower Bocawina National Park has waterfalls and zip lines, and Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is half an hour away. Boats run to the cayes for snorkelling. Give Hopkins two to four days.
Where to base yourself
In the village for guesthouses and local life, or at the southern end, near False Sittee Point, for quieter beaches.
South end
Quiet beachesTowards False Sittee Point.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 1 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Hopkins
Take a Garífuna drumming lesson, or listen to drummers in the evenings, and learn how to make hudut or cassava bread with local families. Walk the village and its beach, and kayak or paddleboard along the coast.
Hike to the waterfalls in Mayflower Bocawina National Park, where you can also zip line, and visit Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary for jungle trails, tubing and waterfalls in the world's first jaguar reserve.
Take a boat to the cayes, such as South Water Caye or Tobacco Caye, for snorkelling on the reef. If you are in Belize in November, come for Garífuna Settlement Day.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
The beach and the village are free to explore, and evening drumming in the village often costs nothing to listen to.
Garífuna Settlement Day celebrations are free to watch.
The national parks charge small entry fees.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
Garífuna food is the reason to eat here. Try hudut, a fish and coconut stew served with mashed plantain, sere, a coconut fish soup, and cassava bread. Small family restaurants serve it, often to order.
Fresh fish, rice and beans and fry jacks are cheap and everywhere.
Belikin is the local beer.
Nightlife
Going out
Nightlife is drumming nights, beach bars and the odd party. Hopkins is quiet, and most evenings are about dinner and music.
Settlement Day in November brings a big celebration.
Roads are dark at night, so carry a torch.
Getting around
Getting around
Buses on the Southern Highway stop at the Hopkins junction, about 6 kilometres from the village, where taxis wait; some buses go into the village. Dangriga, about 30 minutes north, has more buses and flights. Placencia is about an hour south.
In the village, people walk and cycle; bicycles are easy to hire.
Tours include transport to Cockscomb and the waterfalls.
Costs
What Hopkins costs
Hopkins is good value for Belize. Guesthouses and hostels start at around €20 to €40 a night, and local meals cost €5 to €12.
Drumming lessons, snorkel trips and park visits are the main extras.
The Belize dollar is fixed at two to one with the US dollar, and US dollars are accepted almost everywhere, though change often comes in Belize dollars.
Safety
Safety and scams
Hopkins is a friendly, generally safe village. Take normal care with belongings and use a torch on unlit roads at night.
Sandflies can be fierce on the beach at dawn and dusk, so bring repellent.
Hurricane season runs from June to November. In an emergency, call 911.
Worth the trip
Waterfalls, jungle and the cayes.
Placencia
Beaches and whale sharks.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Garífuna Settlement Day and the dry season.
19 November
Garífuna Settlement Day
Hopkins and Dangriga
Drumming, dancing and a re-enacted arrival by canoe.
Through the year
Drumming nights
Hopkins
Evenings of Garífuna drumming.
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in Hopkins, live from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
When to go
December to April is the dry season. Garífuna Settlement Day, on 19 November, is the best time for culture. September and October are the wettest months.
Jan
Dry, busiest
Feb
Dry
Mar
Dry and warm
Apr
Hot and dry
May
Rains begin
Jun
Wet afternoons
Jul
Hot and humid
Aug
Wet
Sep
Peak hurricane risk
Oct
Wet
Nov
Garífuna Settlement Day
Dec
Dry season returns
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs, rounded.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on Hopkins prices.
Treat these as a guide. Tours and boat trips cost extra.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Hopkins questions
The ones we get asked most.
Who are the Garífuna?
Descendants of West African and Indigenous Caribbean peoples, who settled in Belize in the early 1800s. Their language, music and dance are recognised by UNESCO.
When is Garífuna Settlement Day?
On 19 November, celebrated in Hopkins and Dangriga.
How do I get to Hopkins?
By bus to the Hopkins junction on the Southern Highway, then a short taxi ride.
Can I learn drumming in Hopkins?
Yes. Local drummers offer lessons.
Is Hopkins good for beaches?
It has a long beach, quieter than Placencia's.
What should I eat in Hopkins?
Hudut, a fish and coconut stew with mashed plantain, and cassava bread.
How many days do I need in Hopkins?
Two to four days.
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