- August 13, 2021
- Belize
Life in Sittee Point, Belize
Flashback to February of 2001, when I was living outside of Fairbanks, Alaska:
Tony says to his wife, Angela:
“I think we need to go somewhere where it is warm and open a little beachfront hotel with a few cabanas.”
Thank goodness for Google back then. I had never even heard of Belize but learned about it with a few clicks and the more I learned, the better I liked the sound of it.
English speaking, British Common Law, meaning property ownership is just about the same process as the US, and it’s close proximity to the US were some key reasons, though the real reason came after just one visit in 2002. Simply put, the people are awesome.
An easy International flight is just 2 hours from Houston or Miami where you will land at Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City, and begin to experience the hospitality of the people in this English-Speaking country.
Sittee Point is situated just a half mile South of Hopkins Village, which is Centrally located on the Caribbean Coast about 90 miles South of Belize City. It is easily accessed by the newly paved Coastal Highway, just over an hour’s
drive from International, or the more scenic Hummingbird Highway, a 3 hour drive. Dangriga Town is just a 15-minute flight from International on a small plane and flights leave about every hour. From Dangriga you are just a 20-minute drive from Sittee Point. An hour’s drive from Hopkins to the South, you will be at another popular destination, Placencia. Both Dangriga and Placencia are business hubs as well, with banks and larger stores, but your day-to-day needs can be met without ever leaving the Village or in many cases, your home.
The Hopkins and Sittee Areas have developed into a thriving tourist destination and is home to over 40 restaurants and shops, all without sacrificing its small town and rural appeal. You won’t find a Starbucks on every corner or a Home Depot Garden Center, but you will find great locally brewed coffee, plenty of locally owned plant nurseries, a local bread vendor that drives around on his 3-wheel bike daily making deliveries, and even a vegetable salesman coming to you. There are no large marquis announcing Fresh Fish, but if you keep your eyes on the sky, when the Magnificent Frigates are circling, it signals that the local fisherfolks have returned with their catch of the day and you can bring your cooler to fill with fresh grouper, snapper or jackfish filets. The local grocery stores can fill most of your needs and are well stocked with local and imported products like extra virgin olive oil, cheeses and wines.
The area is a plethora for nature-based activities including fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, biking, birdwatching, boating, swimming, and generally exploring. There are 4 National Parks within a 10-mile radius of this area, 2 inland and 2 offshore. Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve is located just 15 minutes South and is still the world’s only Jaguar Preserve. (Read JAGUAR, by Alan Rabinowitz about the founding of this park). At Cockscomb you will find miles and miles of hikes, swim underneath a waterfall, float in a tube down the cool mountain fresh river, visit Maya Center, home of a local Cocoa farmer and chocolate maker, a butterfly farm, and a medicinal herbalist. Travel from Sittee Point North 15 minutes and you will be at the entrance to Mayflower Bocawina National Park, 7000 acres with 5 waterfalls, one of the longest Zip Lines in Central America. No need to pack a lunch, after your day of hiking, exploring, and birdwatching, you can grab a bite at the Wild Fig restaurant at the onsite resort. Just a few miles offshore, in your boat or local captain’s charter, you will find Southwater Caye Marine Reserve, another protected area teeming with fish and coral. Many small islands inside the world’s second-largest Barrier Reef dot the gin clear and green-blue waters of the temperate Caribbean Sea.
A healthier lifestyle without the stress and worries associated with life in so many other places is the norm here, and everyone will bid you good morning. Go out in your yard and pick some fresh grapefruit or oranges or a lime for your rum and soda. Bananas, citrus, papayas, mangos, starfruit, avocados, and passionfruit are just a few of the many trees you can plant in your yard that will thrive year-round. In a small garden, you can grow watermelon, beans, tomatoes, and just about any vegetables you might want. What you don’t grow is usually available from a neighbor or farmers from the north who bring their harvests around in trucks on a weekly basis. Life has slowed down here, and savoring the day from sunrise to sunset, and the small planned community of Sittee Point that has been slowly keeping pace will never become so crowded simply because there are only so many lots available, and they are quickly selling out. Come and see what our beautiful area has to offer. We can help you plan a visit to experience first-hand what Sittee Point has to offer.