Dangriga

Southern Belize working town and Garifuna cultural capital, especially tied to Settlement Day traditions

Dangriga is the largest town in southern Belize and the cultural capital of the Garifuna people. It's a working town rather than a polished tourist destination, but Garifuna Settlement Day on November 19 — when the community commemorates the arrival of the Garifuna from St. Vincent in 1832 — is one of Belize's best festivals, with drumming, dancing, and food.

The town has a handful of guesthouses and is a gateway to the southern cayes. Boat services to Tobacco Caye depart from the river near the bridge — a 45-minute ride to a tiny island right on the reef, with good snorkeling directly from shore. The Dangriga Drum School offers sessions in the Garifuna drumming tradition for those who want more than a spectator's experience.

Dangriga is also a stop on the southern bus route from Belize City toward Punta Gorda.

Guide

Getting There

Dangriga is 160 km south of Belize City on the Southern Highway. James bus lines run several services daily from the Pound Yard Bridge terminal in Belize City; the journey takes about two and a half hours depending on stops. Express services are faster. The Southern Transport company also runs buses from Belize City through Dangriga toward Punta Gorda.

Tropic Air and Maya Island Air both offer scheduled flights from Belize City's municipal Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport to Dangriga's small airstrip. The flight takes about 20 minutes and is the fastest way to arrive. A taxi from the airstrip to the town centre is five minutes.

Guide

Things to Do

Dangriga's appeal is primarily cultural rather than scenic. The Garifuna Heritage Foundation and several community drummers give the town a musical identity unlike anywhere else in Belize. For offshore activity, boat services to Tobacco Caye and other southern cayes depart regularly from North Stann Creek bridge.