Hotels in Punta Gorda

Staying in a Mayan Village

Many people who make it as far as Punta Gorda are interested in learning more about Mayan village life. Though the ruins were abandoned centuries ago, Maya Indians still live in this region. The villages of the Toledo District are populated by two main groups of Maya Indians, the Kekchi and the Mopan, who have different languages and agricultural practices. The Mopan are upland farmers, while the Kekchi farm the lowlands. Both groups are thought to have migrated into southern Belize from Guatemala less than 100 years ago. Four decades of political violence and genocide in neighboring Guatemala have bolstered this migration.

San Antonio, the largest Mopan Maya village, is in a beautiful setting on top of a hill, with an old stone church in the center of the village. Steep streets wind through the village, dotted with both clapboard houses and traditional Mayan thatched huts. In addition to the Deer Dance, the nearby village of San Pedro is known for its annual festival on June 13 in honor of that village’s patron saint. This festival includes masked dances and other Mayan rites mixed with more traditional Catholic themes and celebrations. Beyond San Antonio and San Pedro, there is a host of even smaller and more remote traditional Mayan villages.

The Maya Village Homestay Network (tel. 722-2470; demdatsdoin@btl.net) provides accommodations directly with families in the Mayan villages. There’s a BZ$10 registration fee for any stay, and then accommodations cost BZ$20 per person per night, and meals are BZ$8 per person per meal. These fees are paid directly to your host family. Accommodations during a homestay can range from a hammock to a simple bed, and almost all families have some sort of bathroom or latrine. Currently, the villages involved in the homestay program include Aguacate, Na Luum Ca, and San José.

If you opt for this program, you can expect plenty of close contact with the local villagers. You will be eating what the locals eat, which in most cases means plenty of beans and tortillas, as well as the occasional chicken soup or meat dish. One of the highlights for many guests is participating in the cooking chores and learning the simple art of tortilla making.

Staying with a GARÍFUNA Family

Those seeking a unique Caribbean cultural experience can also look into staying with a local Garífuna family. Just 18km (11 miles) south of Punta Gorda lies the small Garífuna village of Barranco. With a little more than 100 residents, Barranco is a quintessential quiet Garífuna village. However, this is the hometown of one of Belize’s most famous and beloved musicians, Andy Palacio, and the town’s little House of Culture is a mini-museum to the history, traditions, and culture of the Garífuna people of this area. Although the road to Barranco is usually passable during the dry season, it’s best to get there by boat. Ask around at the Punta Gorda pier whether there’s any regular ferry service. If not, you should be able to hire a ride for about BZ$80 to BZ$120 per boat.