Omoa is about as laidback a place as you will find. Gentle breezes from the Merendón mountain range, the backdrop of the town, swoop down across the jungle-clad coastline and leave the hustle and bustle of Puerto Cortés far behind. This sleepy beach community takes more of an easygoing, Belizean vibe, and the atmosphere has much more of a beach and tourist scene than in neighboring Puerto Cortés. While San Pedro residents and foreigners are increasingly flocking here to build vacation homes, mostly outside of town, the crowds are minimal, and on most days, you will have the town almost to yourself. While tourism here could one day take off, the municipality hasn't helped their cause much. They've allowed a line of giant oil processing towers to be placed right in the center of town, and they've let the beach erode almost completely. Three significant earthquakes in 2009 caused considerable damage to a few buildings, as well. History buffs take note: Omoa is also home to one of the most important colonial-era forts in the Caribbean: Fortaleza de San Fernando, which recently finished an extensive renovation.
