The Stann Creek District is in Belize. The history of human activity here also begins in the Mayan period. But when and in what context is still unclear. Although some cities from the Classic Period have been discovered here, the date of the first settlements and the importance of the cities in this district are unclear. Archaeological research is currently being carried out only in the Mayflower Bocawina National Park. But it is certain that all the cities here were abandoned at the end of the Classic Period and the first settlements only arose again with the British. From 1832 onwards, this region was decisively shaped by the Garifuna culture. This culture, which emerged from a mixture of Caribs and shipwrecked slaves, increasingly fled to Belize from the chaos of war between England and France and settled in the Toledo District and Stann Creek District. The capital of the district was then renamed Dangriga in the 1980s, using the Garifuna name. In recent years, an increasing number of Mayas from El Salvador and Guatemala have settled in the south, and dropouts from Europe and North America have settled on the coast in the towns of Hopkins and Placencia.
The Stann Creek District borders the Belize District to the north, the Cayo District to the west and the Toledo District to the south. To the west lies the Caribbean coast with many small islands and atolls, and the Southern Highway runs from north to south as the central traffic artery. Along the coast, there are of course plenty of opportunities for swimming and diving, as well as a lot of Caribbean flair influenced by the Garifuna culture. In addition, there has been a regular construction boom in the tourism industry in the greater Placencia area in recent years. The only deep-sea port, Big Creek, is also located in this region. In the southwest, the landscape stretches up into the Maya Mountains and is an old Maya settlement area. The many Maya villages that can be found here largely originate from the Maya from Guatemala and Honduras who have settled here in recent decades. The main crops grown here are oranges, pineapples and bananas.
Big Creek - Largest deep-sea port in Belize
Dangriga - Secret
capital of the Garifuna culture, which was still called Stan Creek Town
in the 1980s
Hopkins - dropout village with drum school
Independence -
Maya Centre -
Placencia - Small town with a
fantastic location and fantastic growth
Red Bank - Mayan village near
an observation point for macaws
Mayflower Bocawina National Park - National park with three Mayan
ruins
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary - Nature reserve with 50
jaguars and the second highest mountain in Belize
South Water Caye
Marine Reserve - The largest marine reserve in Belize with dream islands
and bird breeding colonies
Glover's Reef Marine Reserve - This atoll
was named after pirates and offers the opportunity to watch whale sharks
Nature - Here there are good opportunities to see not only an
exciting bird world but also large mammals in the wild.
Caribbean -
Fantastic beaches on the coast and on the islands and the reef invite
you to swim, dive and snorkel, are right on your doorstep and leave
nothing to be desired. Fishing enthusiasts will also get their money's
worth here.
Maya ruins - Rather unspectacular and not yet explored.
But they are definitely worth a visit.
Caves - These are also present
here, but compared to those in the western Cayo District or the southern
Toledo District they are rather unspectacular.
Relaxing - The coasts of this district are particularly characterized
by their Caribbean flair. The towns of Hopkins and Placencia have grown
in recent years mainly thanks to dropouts in need of relaxation. While
they are rather wealthy in Placencia, people in Hopkins like to be
alternative and multicultural. Diving and snorkeling - Whether with a
tank or a snorkel: the diving paradise of Belize is reflected here too.
Numerous destinations on the doorstep or in the surrounding area will
make every diver's heart beat faster. With the South Water Caye Marine
Reserve and the Glover's Reef Marine Reserve, there are two world-famous
diving areas where you can do everything from reef snorkeling to whale
shark watching. Animal watching - The Cayes offer a variety of life
underwater and turtle nests and bird breeding colonies above water. On
the mainland there are numerous options from macaw watching in Red Bank
to jaguar watching in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Trekking -
In the Mayflower Bocawina National Park and Cockscomb Basin Wildlife
Sanctuary there are several signposted hiking trails on which you can
roam through the rainforest and enjoy the flora and fauna. For those who
love a challenge, there is the Victoria Peak Trail to the second highest
mountain in Belize. In five days you climb through the Cockscomb Basin
Wildlife Sanctuary through the rainforest to this mountain. You are
rewarded with lots of wildlife, a Mayan ruin and a fantastic view.
Boat tours - In the harbors or on the large islands these are always
offered for diving, animal watching, fishing, swimming or relaxing on
the Caribbean Sea.
Culture - The African and Caribbean cultures such
as the Garifuna culture have shaped this district. You can not only see
and feel this, but also learn it. In the strongholds of Dangriga and
Hopkins you can learn to drum and dance.
Most of the rain falls in the rainy season between June and November. It is mostly dry between February and May.
The official language here is of course English. On the coast, the languages of the Garifuna and Ibo are also widely spoken. In the hinterland, various Mayan languages such as Mopan or Kekchi are often found.
The Southern Highway is the district's main transport route. The
Skybird Highway and the Costal Highway, although the latter no longer
deserves this name, continue to lead to the north. Most of the towns are
not directly on the highway and can only be reached via roads branching
off the highways. Only a few have bus connections.
The larger
coastal towns can be reached via regional airlines.
Larger towns such as Placencia or Dangriga are served by buses or
planes. However, the main means of transport is the car. If you want to
reach destinations away from the Western and Hummingbird Highways, you
cannot avoid using a car. It should be noted that many roads are more
like off-road tracks and should only be driven on with an off-road
vehicle.
As many places here are not yet developed for tourism,
you should not go without a local guide. These can often be found at the
sights. If you want to be on the safe side, it is advisable to organize
this beforehand through the Belize Travel Guide Association. Bruno
Kuppinger, the only official German-speaking guide in Belize, is
particularly recommended for the south. He can also arrange a car
through his own car rental company. Contact: Sun Creek Lodge (Tel:
(+501) 614-2080).
The restaurants are generally simple, and the only difference is between fish, chicken or meat dishes, but this does not usually reduce the quality. On the contrary, especially in small towns, real delicacies are served at good prices. Marie Sharp's Habanero Pepper Sauce is on every table in Belize. This extremely hot sauce has telling names like "No Wimps Allowed" or "Beware". Fish is recommended.
If you are looking for nightlife in the Stann Creek District, you will only find it here and there in the larger coastal towns. But if you really want to let it rip, you should head to Belize City or San Pedro (Belize).
The crime rate is negligible, especially in the smaller towns.
There are also crocodiles and poisonous snakes, so being too
careless is certainly not advisable. But given the fact that humans are
not on the menu of these animals, cautious behavior and appropriate
clothing appropriate to the rainforest should provide sufficient
protection. The "most dangerous" thing here is almost the mosquitoes, so
mosquito repellent should not be omitted. Dengue fever, which is
occasionally transmitted by mosquitoes, cannot be prevented by
vaccination. However, other diseases can be prevented:
A malaria
standby preparation should at least be carried in case of emergency.
A typhoid vaccination should be carried beforehand.
The hepatitis A,
B, tetanus and rabies vaccinations should be updated.