Hopkins Belize: Garifuna Cooking & Drumming with Locals

Summary

Discover Garifuna food music and stories on Kalipuna Island

You’ll cross a lagoon to Kalipuna Island in Hopkins and cook traditional Garifuna hudutu with locals—coconut chowder, plantains, fresh fish. Explore an herbal garden and learn about medicinal plants before joining a lively drumming session led by community musicians. Expect laughter, hands-on cooking, and real stories shared over lunch—you might leave thinking about those rhythms for days.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the soft slap of water against the kayak as we crossed the lagoon toward Kalipuna Cultural Heritage Island. There was this faint smell—maybe coconut oil or something green from the shore? Anyway, it felt like we were leaving regular life behind for a bit. Our guide, Li, waved us over with a grin that made me relax right away. She started telling us about her grandmother’s fishing stories before we’d even landed, which set the tone for the whole day—personal, not scripted.

We wandered through their herbal garden, brushing past leaves that left my hands smelling sharp and earthy. Li handed me a sprig of something (I forgot the name instantly) and said her uncle uses it for headaches. The sun was out but not too harsh, just enough to make you squint at all the colors—bright shirts, green everywhere, flashes of yellow from some flower I couldn’t name. I tried husking a coconut for our hudutu (the main Garifuna dish), and honestly, it’s way harder than YouTube makes it look. Everyone laughed when I nearly flung half the shell across the table.

Lunch was this thick coconut chowder with fish and plantains—hudutu—which we’d actually helped make. It tasted like something you’d crave after swimming all day: rich but fresh at the same time. There was fried fish too, crispy on the outside, soft inside. We ate together under a palm roof while someone’s cousin played quiet rhythms on a drum nearby. I still think about that meal sometimes when I smell garlic frying at home.

After eating, there was this drumming session led by an older guy who barely spoke above a whisper until he started playing—then you could feel it in your chest. He showed us how to keep time (I kept losing it), but nobody seemed to mind if you messed up. By then everyone had loosened up; even people who looked shy at first were laughing or trying out dance steps they’d just learned five minutes ago. The whole thing felt more like being welcomed into someone’s backyard than taking a tour.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Garifuna culture and cooking experience

• Kayak to cultural island
• Explore herbal garden
• Cook traditional hudutu
• Enjoy Garifuna meal
• Participate in drumming session

Top questions

What is included in the Garifuna cultural experience?

The experience includes kayaking or boating across the lagoon, hands-on cooking of hudutu (coconut chowder with fish and plantains), exploring an herbal garden with local guides, snacks, bottled water, rum punch for adults 18+, and a Garifuna drumming session.

Where does the tour take place in Hopkins Belize?

The tour takes place on Kalipuna Cultural Heritage Island near Hopkins Village in Belize.

Is lunch provided during the Garifuna tour?

Yes, lunch is included—you’ll help prepare and eat traditional Garifuna dishes like hudutu with fried fish and pounded plantains.

Are dietary restrictions accommodated?

Yes, guests with special dietary needs or restrictions can be accommodated during meal preparation.

How do you get to Kalipuna Cultural Heritage Island?

You’ll cross the lagoon by kayak or boat as part of the experience; all equipment is provided.

Is there alcohol served on this tour?

Rum punch is available for guests aged 18 and over; it’s optional.

Can children join this activity?

Specialized infant seats are available; however, travelers with certain health conditions may not be recommended to join.

What’s included

Your day includes kayaking or boating across the lagoon to Kalipuna Island with all equipment provided; hands-on cooking of hudutu guided by locals; snacks; bottled water; optional rum punch for adults; exploration of an herbal garden; plus a lively Garifuna drumming session before heading back to Hopkins village.