Punta Gorda is principally a base for exploring the Toledo district rather than a destination in itself. The town has a Saturday market where Maya and Garifuna vendors sell produce, crafts, and food. The Garifuna settlement of Barranco, south of Punta Gorda, is one of the last places where traditional Garifuna culture is practiced — reachable by road or water taxi.
The real draw is the surrounding jungle and coast. The Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit archaeological sites, both Maya ceremonial centres, are accessible by road from town. The Toledo Ecotourism Association can arrange homestays in Maya villages in the interior, one of the more genuine rural tourism experiences in Belize. Offshore, the southern cayes and part of the Belize Barrier Reef are reachable by boat.