Hopkins Bay
After three nights in San Ignacio, we made our way (about two hours by car, via the scenic Hummingbird Highway) to Hopkins Bay, which is on the coast in the southern part of Belize. We had booked a gorgeous 3BR villa at the Hopkins Bay Resort, which would be home for the remainder of our trip.
We loved it here. The resort was amazing. One of the only properties situated on the northern end of town, it was right on the beach, a secluded slice of paradise. The staff were wonderful, and really went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed. We had some great chill days hanging out at the beach/pool, having tasty cocktails and tacos delivered right to our hammocks/lounge chairs. Vacation mode was in full effect. The food at the restaurant was pretty good, too. Definitely recommend Hopkins Bay Resort.
Town was just a few minutes away (by car or bike), and we really enjoyed venturing out into town to try local restaurants and soak up the culture. Hopkins has a very rural feel, where the simple life reigns. The people are all so friendly, and the town lacked that touristy vibe that I’m always trying to avoid. We really loved the laid back vibe, and I was happy to pump my American dollars into the local economy.
Some of the restaurants we tried and enjoyed:
Sher’s Diner – Huge, delicious lobster tails for $20 USD! We loved it so much we ate here twice!!!
Driftwood Beach Bar and Pizza Shack – Really good pizza, but, FYI, that’s pretty much all they serve.
Gecko’s Restaurant – My family recommends the jerk chicken… the shrimp burger, not so much. Cocktails are also excellent.
Siomara’s – Hearty portions! Great local spot!
Nice Cream – Another part of our daily routine… 
One cool excursion we booked through our hotel was a day trip to Thatch Caye, private island about twenty minutes off the coast. We left early in the morning, and spent most of the day playing on the island — kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, snorkeling, lounging in the hammock. There is one resort on the island that can only lodge 30 people (I hope to return to stay there on a future trip), so it really does feel like you have the island to yourself for the most part. We had lunch at their restaurant, and it was pretty good.
For us, our time at Hopkins Bay was all about lounging and being lazy beach bums. The southern end of town is definitely being developed into more of a “resort” town/ExPat haven, but for us, the charm was really about mingling with the locals and frequenting local establishments. Hopkins Bay is a great choice if you’re seeking that “off the grid” feeling…
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