With its timeless beauty and sweeping vistas of the Caribbean, it’s easy to see why the small village of Hopkins has become such a popular destination. Regularly voted as the friendliest place in Belize, Hopkins offers visitors a chance to learn more about the unique Garifuna culture in a gorgeous, natural setting that includes a five-mile curved stretch of beach.
First founded in 1942, Hopkins has successfully managed to preserve its small-town feel. In fact, most of the approximately 1,000 residents of Hopkins still earn a living by farming and fishing. Tourists are highly welcomed as workshops and demonstrations of traditional handicrafts, dancing, drumming, and music allow residents to earn a living while preserving their ancient culture.
More and more people are learning about Hopkins thanks to increased competition amongst airlines to serve the busy Belize travel market. Five U.S. air carriers – American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, Sun Country, and United – all now fly to Belize from major cities like Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Newark. And now airlines in other countries are getting in on the action, including Aeroméxico (Mexico’s largest airline), WestJet, and Air Canada. And once you’re in Belize, it’s quite easy to get to Hopkins. By car, it’s around a two-hour drive from Belize City. And there are several daily flights that connect every urban area in the country with Dangriga (airport code: DGA), the nearest airport to Hopkins.
But once you’re in Hopkins, where should you stay? The exquisite Belizean Dreams Resort is located right in Hopkins and owned and operated by a local family. The resort has its own freshwater pool, a spa, a beachfront tiki bar, and is home to The Woven Palms, a full-service restaurant and bar. Belizean Dreams has just nine standalone villas, each with a lovely view of the Caribbean. The villas each come with elegant, modern furnishings and a full range of modern comforts, including a full-size kitchen.
Belizean Dreams is designed to be a cocoon of comfort and luxury for your travels in Belize, including Hopkins Village itself and explorations of the region. The resort offers a wide range of guided adventures, including hiking through the pristine jungle, visiting ancient Maya sites, rappelling, caving, zip lining, and cave tubing (floating down underground rivers). The resort also offers activities on the reef like fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving.
If you’re planning to visit Hopkins, be sure to stay at Belizean Dreams Resort!