The Savvy Traveler’s Corner 

Overlooked Village in Caribbean Belize

Many visitors to Belize head east to the Cayes (pronounced “keys”) to sail and scuba dive on the world’s second largest barrier reef. Others drive west to explore the country’s extensive Mayan ruins. Some hike in the central rainforests. But few people make it to the—still authentic—Caribbean retreats of the south. The small fishing village of Hopkins is one such place. This Garifuna community, located in the Stann Creek District, is lapped by warm turquoise waters and home to deserted white-sand beaches sprinkled with coconuts. There are daily scuba diving, snorkelling and island-hopping. You can hike up to Antelope Falls in the Mayflower Bocawina National Park and zipline through the rainforest. Or you can take a Sittee River kayak tour and discover some of the 500 species of birds that call Belize home.