Palmento Grove Garifuna Live-In Experience

Located on historic Kalipuna Island on the north end of Hopkins Village in southeastern Belize, Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco-Cultural & Healing Institute is a private island retreat designed to reflect the authenticity of a traditional Garifuna village. Owned and operated by local Garifuna people of Afro-Caribbean descent that embraces a history of always being free people, Palmento Grove is one of the best places to experience authentic Garifuna Culture in Belize. The space Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco-Cultural & Healing Institute in Hopkins Village, Belize that offers an amazing and enriching Garifuna Cultural & Fishing Experience with memories to last a lifetime. Welcome to our unique & Historical Garifuna Island Haven, the first & only Cultural & Healing Institute of its kind authentically operated by Indigenous Garinagu on the northern end of Hopkins Village. Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco-Cultural & Healing Institute welcomes you to submerge yourself in the unique primitive elegance of historical Hopkins Belize to enjoy all the wonderful cultural, fishing, open dinning, gallery, kayaking, birding, bioluminescence, rainforest, reef adventure & Natural attractions. Enjoy our primitive elegance, rustic and native exotic Cultural & Fishing Institute while being hosted by our hospitable host spanning 3 generations. Come experience Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco-Cultural & Healing Institute in Hopkins Belize located on the beautiful Fresh Water Creek Lagoon that is rich in ambiance and historical significance. Our Lodge is nestle in a quiet, peaceful, spacious and boastfully save property that is just a 5 minutes-walk off the coastline, minimum of twenty minutes from the nearest store, restaurant, bars and many attractions in Hopkins. The first Public Bus Stop is just a 15 minutes-walk from where the island is located. Palmento Grove offer a Belize Cultural & Healing Adventure filled with rich diversity, fly fishing, bottom trolling, Garifuna drumming, singing and dancing lessons, tasty Hopkins Belize Cultural Foods and Great Diving, Water Repelling, Ziplining, Cave Tubing and World Class Snorkelling on Belize’s World Heritage Barrier Reef. Let your Hopkins Belize Cultural and Fishing Experience be remarkably fun, adventurous & awesome, punctuated with greater purpose having participated and contributed to the preservation of the celebrated indigenous Garifuna Culture & People. Belize's Fishing experience is known to be one of the best and Hopkins, Belize is known to be home to the most avid indigenous fishermen that is sure to provide you with your most memorable fishing adventure. Be one to brag about fishing with Belize's most elderly & respected Fly Fisherman that has over 50 decades of fishing experience. Such a trip affords you the opportunity to interact upfront and personal with this remarkable fisherman who can share with you many fisherman's folklore, history, jokes and life excitements from his unique & colorful perspective. So thinking fishing? Make Hopkins, Belize your next destination. Traditional Early Morning Fishing: Accompanied by a folk fisher venture out to catch traditional fishing bait (sea roach) and then paddle out to the Freshwater Lagoon and/or Caribbean Sea in a traditional dorey to catch the fish for a meal of choice. We also make kayaking fun. Our Freshwater Culture Kayak Tour can sure add some spark to your vacation. It is a lagoon kayaking tour where you are accompanied by a fisherman in a traditional dorey who fishes utilizing traditional methodologies while you leisurely paddle enjoying the breath-taking view of the Fresh Water Creek Lagoon. The catch of the day sure makes it to the lunch table on the beach where fresh fish is stylishly Barbecued and served with our Belizean Rum Drink Panty-rippers. Palmento Grove Cultural & Healing Lodge where an opportunity to interact with Native Garinagu excited to share their culture awaits. Your vacation can sure be meaningful and amusing. Immersing in the impressive masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity as declared by UNESCO it promises to be a memorable experience being engaged. Garifuna Cooking Lesson: Experience the best in Belizean & Garifuna Cuisine in Hopkins when Dining at Palmento Grove in a beautiful, private and secluded lagoon setting. Cultural Cooking Experience in Belize is AMAZINGLY FUN? Palmento Grove is the place to visit. We are delighted to share with you our unique and flavourful cultural recipes and food preparation methodologies. We will engage you in your food preparation from the garden to the table that includes the harvesting of the many food items cooked to your personal taste. Take on the cooking challenge today: Select and pull your coconut off the many trees on the premises & learn to husk and grate the coconut while listening to cultural tales. Have fun peeling Banana or Plantains and being creative at preparing the Hudut, Tapou, Bundiga and other dishes. Most of all dig in and enjoy the tasty meal. Yummy, Welcome to our Cultural Food World!!! Reservations preferred... Its Belizean Garifuna Soul Food Restaurant, the only cultural open dining facility frilled with Garifuna hospitality at its best. We serve authentic cuisine for brunch, lunch and dinner. Come treat yourself to our Cultural Breakfast that includes a wide selection of our organic herbal teas. We cater for every individual INCLUSIVE of VEGANS & VEGETARIANS, couple, family and Group with a seating capacity to accommodate 40 - 50 people in our 3 native kitchen facilities. Garifuna Drumming & Dance Lesson: Fascinated by the pulsating rhythms of the Garifuna Drums. We are pleased to share in the fulfilment of your quest to learn to play the drums and become a member of our drummers club. Guest are taught the different Garifuna Rhythms and some folkloric songs. While the Garifuna Dancing Lesson is sure to teach you how to move to the pulsating rhythm of the Garifuna songs. Garifuna Language Lesson: Learn conversational Garifuna, learn common slogans/greetings. Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco-Cultural & Healing Institute is your destination to enjoying an awesome & relaxing Hopkins Belize Vacation. Plan your travel today and begin to create your authentic vacation experiences with memories to last a lifetime. Guest access Spread across nearly five miles of a sandy, palm-strewn inlet, Hopkins is home to about a thousand Garifuna fishing and farming families. Time moves like a turtle. The Garifuna language is also widely spoken throughout the village. The quickest way to get to Hopkins from the International Airport is by way of a small Cessna Airplane flown by our local carriers Tropic Air of Maya Island-Air. The flight takes about 20 minutes to Dangriga Airstrip where a private vehicle will transfer you to Hopkins within 30 minutes of driving. We also provide private pickups from the International Airport by way of a Van which involves a 2.5hr drive. In a vehicle? From Belize City, drive 52 miles to Belmopan via Western Highway, continuing past the monument in Belmopan and travel south along the well-marked Hummingbird highway for 56 mile at the cutoff which connects the Hummingbird Highway with the Southern Highway, turn right. About 15 miles later you will see a turn off for Hopkins Village. Turn left, and four miles later you will be at the village crossroads. From there you can turn north to the left or south to the right. By Bus, take the bus from Belize City to Dangriga. This takes about 3 hours. In Dangriga change buses again, and get on the Hopkins bus. Buses leaves Dangriga at 10:00am, 2:30 pm and at 5 pm. There are also buses that leaves from the Hopkins Junction with the Southern Highway at 8:30am, 11:30am, & 6:15pm. Theses are 3 buses that leaves Placencia to Dangriga but stops off in Hopkins. Buses from Placencia to Hopkins depart at 7:00am, 10:00am and 5:00pm Hopkins is nearly five miles long so it is most convenient to get around on foot or bicycle. Its close proximity to the sea also makes it a nice place to relax or take an evening seaside stroll. By walking, you also get a chance to interact with the locals and experience a different side of Hopkins.Hopkins is nearly five miles long so it is most convenient to get around on foot or bicycle. Its close proximity to the sea also makes it a nice place to relax or take an evening seaside stroll. By walking, you also get a chance to interact with the locals and experience a different side of Hopkins. During your stay Staff of Palmento Grove Lodge will be available to render guest service at all times during opening hours. Other things to note IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THE ECO-CULTURAL ADVENTURER Thanks for Booking your stay with us! Welcome to a unique Afro-Indigenous Cultural Island Life in Southern Belize. Explore the Garifuna Culture!! We are delighted and looking forward to hosting you at Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco-Cultural & Healing Institute now located on the historically secluded Kalipuna Cultural Heritage Island on the north end of Hopkins. Come and immerse yourself in the authenticity of Garifuna lifestyle, where we journey back to the basics, having great inspiring conversations, eating healthy and sleeping peacefully. *All prices quoted herein is for double occupancy. Additional guest per room will be charged USD12.50 per person. *A BOAT RIDE CROSSING IS A MUST!!! Please contact us at least 1 hour prior to arrival so that boat transfer can be arranged. The comfortable crossing by way of a fiberglass boat is available for USD10.00 per person (minimum 2 pax) based on request. *You can help us to safe mother earth by taken the eco-friendly kayak option to the island. It is a free & adventurous crossing by way of 5 minutes kayaking. *WIFI: Available for FREE in and around the spiritual centre and cabin area by way of portable MIFI devices. (SERVICE IS LIMITED) *ELECTRICITY on the island is powered by solar. The outlets in the rooms facilitates 12Volts connections. Special Gadget has been installed to enable the recharging of small personal devices like cell phones. Pathways to cabins are lit by outdoor solar lights to make moving around safe and easy. *WATER/BATHING/SEWERAGE: Water pressure for private indoor showers is provided by way of pressurized pump from the wells located on the island. An electric switch to operate the water in the cabin is located in the bathroom and will be shown to you on check-in. There are outdoor showers that maintain pressure throughout the day. Private In-Room Bathrooms can be flushed throughout the day as well. *DRINKING WATER & FOOD: Drinking water is provided by way of purified water at 4 refill stations on the island and in every room. We encourage you to bring along a container that you can utilize to refill your supply of water. *2 traditional communal kitchen is available where meals are served based on request for a contribution. Average cost of Buffet Breakfast USD12.50 & Dinner range from USD20.00 - 35.00 (depending on food choice). Food can also be ordered from restaurants in the village and delivered for USD7.50. A cooler is also available per room to facilitate storage of dry goods or perishable goods. Ice can be ordered from the office or bought in the village at the stores. There is also a freezer located in the Hudut Kitchen to facilitate food storage. *LOCATION & DISTANCE FROM MAIN VILLAGE: The main village is a 20 minutes walk from where we are located. Bicycles are available for rent upon request for USD12.50 daily. Golf Carts can also be rented. Taxi when need can be called. feel free to make these requests with a staff member. *EXPLORING THE SURROUNDINGS: Kayak usage is for free for all paying guests. Explore the serenity of the mangrove tunnels and lagoons around the island. *Baba Sandu Spiritual/Cultural Centre is available free of cost; this is where you can explore literature and artifacts about the Garifuna Culture. N.B. Guided Cultural Experiences, Healing Activities and Eco Adventures Tours are not included in payment quoted herein. These activities will be charged separately. * Cost of Meals not included in price quoted herein. We are here to assist in making your trip memorable so please let us know how we can do so. If you are traveling for a special occasion; have special considerations that we should know about like allergies, diet & physical abilities; have special things you want to see or/and experience & need pick up from the airport please let us know. Check out our website and personalize your tours/experiences to all parts of Belize. So, feel free to let us know what activities or adventure on your bucket list you would like us to help you experience. THINGS TO BRING: Appropriate light clothing for the tropical climate, flipflops/sandals, mosquito repellent & sunscreen. SPECIAL REQUESTS: Please free to advise us of any special abilities, allergies, phobias and/or dietary restrictions. We are Looking forward to assisting you, so if you have any questions, please contact us. Kind regards, Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco-Cultural & Healing Institute