Introducing Southern Belize
Southern Belize is where open savannah and citrus-filled farmland give way to forested hills dotted with Maya ruins and jungles, with many fine beaches and beautiful tropical islands thrown in for good measure. The area comprises two districts; Stann Creek, ancestral home of the Garifuna people, and Toledo, often referred to lovingly throughout Belize as the country’s ‘Deep South, ’ home to an eclectic mix of Maya, Garifuna and Creole people.
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Diversity, both cultural and ecological, is the main hallmark of southern Belize, so it’s natural that the area appeals to a wide variety of travelers. Adventurers will find no shortage of opportunities to get off the beaten path in the jungles of the Toledo District. Those who like their paths pre-beaten will find Placencia a tourist’s paradise. Trekkers who wish to splurge have a number of five-star jungle lodges tucked away in remote corners from which to choose, while those of more modest means will be able to have a great time on the cheap in the small villages and communities of the Deep South.
Lest we forget, the south also has cayes all its own, islands small and large boasting stunning coral reefs, where snorkeling, boating and diving enthusiasts can experience Belize’s nautical wonders while avoiding the crowds (and significantly higher price tags) of the northern cayes. Walt Whitman once wrote of himself: ‘I am vast; I contain multitudes.’ Though not large in size, this region can claim the same: from Dangriga to Baranco and everywhere in between, southern Belize definitely has many sides. Both the land and those who call it home are as diverse as the nation itself.
Last updated: Jun 19, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: Itinerary help please!
by braxman 16 June 2011
either way, you are talking about taking a boat down from rio dulce to livingston - about 1.5hrs, probably 20-25 person capacity in the…
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Re: Belize to Tikal info: itinerary and reasonable hotel suggestions
by slnale 01 April 2011
How are you planning to return to Antigua? One option could be that the Tikal lady break off at Rio Dulce Town to bus up to Tikal from…
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Re: Beaches in Belize
by erikatravels1 15 February 2011
Thanks everyone for your advice! We're maybe going to focus our trip towards Southern Belize (Placencia, Tobacco Caye- Glover's seems…
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Southern Belize
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Southern Belize Overview
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Our Top Picks For Southern Belize
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1 Crocodile Isle
Camping, chilling and zip-lining into rivers at Crocodile Isle
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2 Cave’s Branch
Cave-tubing through Belize’s dark underbelly at Cave’s Branch
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3 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Mayflower Bocawina National Park
Walking the jungle trails of Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Mayflower Bocawina National Park
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4 Hopkins and Dangriga
Learning Garifuna beats and drum making with master drummers in Hopkins and Dangriga
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5 Deep South
Exploring the ancient Maya ruins, modern Maya villages and remote rivers, lagoons and forests of the Deep South
Our favourite Southern Belize Blogs (beta)
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Skulls and Stelae – Lubaantun & Nim Li Punit Archaeological Sites, Belize
Blog: Trans-Americas Journey - 26 August 2011
Lubaantun: home of the Crystal Skull (or not) Lubaantun means “place of the fallen stones” and there are a lot of those lying about. What differentiates the piles of stones at Lubaantun, a pre-Columbian Mayan city that dates back to 730 AD, from those at every other Mayan archaeological site is that many of the stones used at Lubaantun were actually cut to fit. That’s a fact. What may not be a fact is the legend of the Crystal Skull of Lubaantun. According to Frederick A.
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Extremely Natural – Belize Lodge & Excursions, Belize
Blog: Trans-Americas Journey - 24 August 2011
Belize is full of remote and wild places like La Milpa Field Station in the Rio Bravo Conservation Area in the northern jungles and Turneffe Atoll out in the impossibly blue ocean. But Belize Lodge & Excursions (BLE) has created a small collection of unique lodges that take visitors deep into the wilderness, and in rare form–no roads, resident jaguars, a private island and the best jungle bird-watching platform we’ve ever seen. Jaguar slumber party: Ballum Na Lodge No TVs. No phones. No Wi-Fi. Just jungle.
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Change in the Sea Air – Placencia, Belize
Blog: Trans-Americas Journey - 22 August 2011
There have been big changes in Placencia since Eric visited in 1993–though we were happy to see that the tiny (but expanding) landing strip still exists in the midst of a giant curve in the road, sometimes requiring drivers to stop and wait for planes to clear the asphalt on their way into or out of the airport. Unlike in 1993, the road to Placencia is paved all the way and construction of fancy homes and condo buildings is going on everywhere you look, giving the place a kind of Caribbean Hamptons 30 years ago feel. Out a long peninsula, the area has one road.
