Meet the Quieter Side of Belize’s Southern Coast
Dubbed the Deep South because of its tucked-away adventures and amenities far removed from any rush of crowds, Toledo still won’t shy away from its soft side of culture-rich villages, fresh-caught seafood, familiar faces, and cosmically untouched isles in spades. That’s because it doesn’t need to. Naturally a quieter corner of the country, which lends to it being often overlooked, Toledo is Belize’s southernmost and least populated district that spans some 1,700 square miles—gifting plenty of room to roam its living Maya culture, the relaxed charm of a ramshackled seafront town, and mossy temples of abandoned Maya cities strewn amply like an open-air museum.
A place like Toledo begs to be explored in depth rather than just widely—for a truly immersive, lower-carbon experience that offers a visceral feel beyond just “Peini”. Sure, you’ll tick off must-do tourist sites. Still, it’s the moments in between that hold weight too: a borrowed bicycle to pick up fresh Creole bread from your B&B’s grandmother (who insists, yet refuses payment), or seaglass hunting in the pockets of pebbly beach that’s tucked below broken cement staircases, which leads directly to the Caribbean Sea. Between the trickles of modernity and slow pace, here are 5 things to do in Toledo to support its local traditions and community-based tourism.
Scout “PG” and Settle Into Daily Life
Satisfyingly down to earth, Punta Gorda—or lovingly just “PG”—is the second southernmost Garifuna settlement in Belize. Local painters are proud of the “Welcome to PG” or “I ♡ Peini” sign that greets you as a foreground to a beguiling port town riddled with deep-rooted fishing traditions, even today. Early to rise, the town awakens softly: colorful shuttle buses pick up daily commuters, pastel-colored pangas glide into the Gulf of Honduras, and compact, while outdated Toyotas have their pickup beds overflowing with fresh produce. The latter are heading to the Farmer’s Market on Front Street, filling the square with wares and farm-fresh crops plucked straight from farmers nearby. Saturdays draw the biggest crowds, but any opportunity is a glimpse into daily life and the region’s power of sustenance farming, from spices to seafood and raw cacao as the country’s chocolate capital. Grab a cup of warming sahou, a sweet and cinnamon-spiced cassava porridge, or coffee the Belizean way—instant grounds, with a spoon of sugar, and another of powdered creamer—to then head for shorebreak. Pick your favorite stretch of seawall, or descend rough stone steps to any rocky beach, sprinkled with colorful glass pieces polished by the sea. You can find some of the same sold by small-scale artisan cooperatives as handcrafted jewelry, too.
Leave Town and Live Off The Land
Any serendipitous conversation shared in town will usually involve locals talking about their families, their communities, and their age-old traditions. Like tips from highly skilled agriculturists, or catch-and-release fly fishing royalty. You’re in permit alley now, so even if you’ve never cast a fly rod, this is exactly where to try it. The patience of an angler can’t be understated, but the reverence that flyfisher guides have for the flats and fish within is another level entirely: anyone brave enough to be bad at something new will leave inspired, with a deep-rooted respect for nature on a coast this pristine.
Rather skip your sealegs? Go from shoreline to timberline at the Belize Spice Farm or a family-run organic farm instead to explore sustainable agriculture and taste fresh, local produce. Or sip. Think chocolate-based natural energy drinks, corn wine, rainforest-distilled zero-carbon rum. Belizean gold—or cacao—is a cornerstone in Maya culture, still grown on indigenous land with ancient practices. Tour second- or third-generation organic farms of Q’eqchi Maya village of Indian Creek or San Felipe to go from bean-to-bar, or head to Copal Tree Distillery to peek behind-the-scenes of turning native sugarcane into sustainable, organic Copalli Rum.
And sure, you can take an authentic hands-on Maya cooking class, or you can dive into the deep end with a Maya homestay, something Toledo is known for. Families in San Pedro Colombia and Santa Cruz offer the chance for travelers to do a full cultural immersion (for cheap) in basic thatched-roof guesthouses, though it’s not just “chores”—you’ll sing, dance, and have fun the living Maya way. Not only will you be giving back to the community through your time and effort, but you’ll also be financially supporting a family.
Sink Into Pristine White Sands Offshore
Off the beaten path takes you to Belize’s most untouched islands, anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours beyond Punta Gorda. There’s Hunting Caye with its beautiful, crescent-shaped powdery beach that’s particularly popular for daytrippers to picnic, as is Nicholas Caye next to it. You can also choose postcard-perfect Lime Caye, or either of the four petite Snake Cayes, distinguished only by direction (Middle, East, etc.). For an extra sustainable island day, venture out to the private Tom Owens Caye to volunteer and dive for invasive species control, sea turtle conservation, and biodiversity monitoring (yes, even whale sharks!) with organizations like Reef Conservation International.
Be A Ranger For A Day
Food, medicine, livelihoods: the land is more than a place to visit. That’s an understatement when it comes to the Maya Golden Landscape, which comprises the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve, Bladen Nature Reserve, and Maya Mountain North Forest Reserve protected areas, plus private lands for forests, reefs, and rivers that hold immense ecological value. Get up close with conservation efforts by cosplaying a ranger for a day: a unique experience offered through Ya’axché Conservation Trust, from 3-hour morning patrols on foot or river to jungle treks on four trails inside the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve. You’re in good company: besides Ya’axché rangers, expect to see howler monkeys, the futuristic-sounding Montezuma oropendolas, and even tapirs. Rangers (safely) guide you through daily activities, including how to detect illegal logging or poaching, and the importance of safeguarding a landscape this remote and rugged. Talk about hands-on environmental education!
