Guidebook for Hopkins & Surroundings

Coral safe sunscreen. Please try to find some sunscreen that does not bleach and slowly kill the coral. Or bring a rash guard or some other piece of clothing to cover up with when snorkelling on the reef. Regular sunscreen. Some people think that some coral safe sunscreen is not as effective as the regular (yet). Bring some regular for use on the beach, or other inland tours. But please consider 'reef safe' for snorkel tours, or when staying on an island on the reef. Hat. Thin long pants. Long sleeves for the rare cool evening. Raincoat for jungle/rainforest hikes or boat rides.

Insect repellent for those hikes (containing DEET is most effective, but don't listen to anyone who tells you need something like 95% DEET, this is not so and I have seen some terrible allergic reactions to that amount of concentration, remember this is a chemical that will melt plastic and strip paint from furniture. 15% - 25% is quite sufficient. On some days here (few and far between, but better to be prepared) there are sand flies/no-see-ums, a light oil such as "Avon Skin-So-Soft after bath oil" works well, but so does your deet product.

Insect bite relief. Despite all your precautions with the above remedies Belize is in the tropics, and you may get a bite or two. Some anti-itch tablets and creams can really help. Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is one brand readily available over the counter. The tablet form helps at night and the cream can be useful in the daytime. A torch/flashlight can be useful.

I have found that some people sleep happier with earplugs - Hopkins is a village with a community, not a resort area. The village wakes early, and also sometimes there is no wave action on a calm night, and those roosters/cockerels and dogs can be pesky if you are not used to it. Some have a problem with this, some not, but a pair of earplugs is not going to take up much room in your suitcase and even if you don't use them here you may use them somewhere else on your trip, or on the plane.

Coffee. A few smaller hotels in Belize, that offer coffee pots in the rooms, do not supply the coffee. If you have booked a room with coffee pot and have a favorite coffee, bring some of it with you, if you can drink any brand then usually the shops in Hopkins have some. We provide a starter pack for coffee. Tea. A small selection is available in stores.

US dollars. If you are travelling from the US, bills in small denominations ($20 and below) can be used throughout the country (and cash is often appreciated in small villages that have no banks - such as Hopkins). Larger bills may be accepted in your hotels, but making change is sometimes a problem in the smaller villages. Quite a few small hotels and tour operators do now accept credit cards. Cash. There is an ATM in Hopkins but you may still want to bring some cash with you in case it is empty.

Book/magazine. If you like reading when on vacation/holiday it's best to bring something with you, there are not many book shops in Belize. Prescription medications. If you need prescription medications please bring them with you. There are some meds available in Dangriga and Hopkins, but it is quite possible that the pharmacy or clinic may not have what you need.

Medications (even out of date) and medical supplies are a good thing to donate to the Stann Creek Humane Society if you feel you are able to help in that way. The animals use many of the same medications that humans do. Books and magazines are always appreciated in Belize, both adult fiction and childrens books. Childrens book bags for school, pencils, and erasers. If you would like to contribute in some way it is always appreciated, and I can distribute these items for you.

...consider asking any of the lodgings that you are staying at in Belize if there is something from your home country they would like you to bring for them, we always appreciate the offer, and are happy to cover costs. In my case sometimes I am running low on UK tea or medications for my dog. For others it may be something little food item they miss from home, or something that their children would like that is unavailable here.