Hopkins is one of the most beautiful villages in the country. Located on the Caribbean coast in southern Stann Creek District, the village is separated by the outflow of the Sittee River. Still principally an idyllic fishing village, Hopkins is widely considered to be the cultural center of the Garifuna people in Belize.

Belize is a small country in Central America that offers visitors a dazzling array of options, including exploring rainforests, mountains, savannahs, wetlands, offshore islands, jungles, rivers, waterfalls, and the Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest barrier reef in the world. In order to get the most out of your Belize vacation, the best option is to rely on a tour company to organize and book your itinerary.
 

As close as two hours' flying time from the United States is the small nation of Belize, a land where there are no Starbucks, transnational fast food joints, or even big name hotel chains. Far off the radar for many Americans, Belize is rapidly becoming a top destination for exciting vacations.
 

The Caribbean Journal recently published a list of its 10 Best Belize Resorts that feature rustic hillside retreats and swanky beachfront resorts located on the offshore islands. With so many world-class resorts, lodges, and boutique hotels to choose from, the Caribbean Journal carefully selected only the finest accommodations with the right combination of location, amenities, customer service, and onsite facilities.

Published on February 3, 2017, a new article from Vogue, the lifestyle and fashion magazine, entitled "The Must-Visit Caribbean Destination You've Never Heard Of" lavishes plenty of praise for the verdant beauty and genuine friendliness of the Placencia Peninsula. Highlighting the astonishing variety of the food, the exciting discoveries of ancient Maya ruins, and the abundance of adventure opportunities on both land and sea, the Vogue article is sure to entice legions of readers to come visit Belize, the Caribbean destination that they've "never heard of."

The multiple award-winning monthly science and photography magazine published by the National Geographic Society has recently published an article entitled "21 Best Beaches in the World" that made special mention of Belize. Using a gorgeous photo by Brian Skerry of the magazine, National Geographic highlighted the outstanding snorkeling opportunities available on Pelican Beach on the island of South Water Caye in Belize. The article sang the praises of the sea turtles, angelfish, and colorful coral on display in less than 20 feet of water along the shores of Pelican Beach.

 In the past year, major airlines like American, WestJet, and Southwest have announced several new non-stop flights from North America to Belize. With new cities like Toronto, Denver, and Ft. Lauderdale welcoming direct flights to Belize, travelers in North America have even more convenient options for enjoying a fabulous all inclusive vacation in Belize.

2016 was a banner year for Belize, and travel experts expect only more positive developments in 2017. With progressive improvement in total visitor volume year over year, Belize is rapidly becoming one of the top vacation destinations in the region.

Joining the growing ranks of non-stop flights connecting the United States and Canada to Belize, Southwest Airlines has just announced that they will begin operating a non-stop flight from Fort Lauderdale in southern Florida to Belize City. According to the official announcement on their website, Southwest will offer one-way fares beginning at just $79. Fort Lauderdale is located just 30 miles north of Miami, and the new route has a flying time of approximately three hours.