Cultural & Local Experiences
Garifuna Cooking and Drumming Lessons
Spend a terrific mid-day immersing yourself in the rich culture with native Garifuna people of Hopkins, Belize! Beat the drums to different rhythms from the famous Lebeha Drumming Center. Learn about the culture while you make one of the most popular Garifuna dishes, Hudut. Hudut pronounced “hoo-doot” the soul food of the Garifuna culture.
You will grate your own coconut to create a rich coconut broth, mash the plantains, cook over the fire hearth, and enjoy a tasty meal at the end! A fantastic way to spend a couple hours.
Note: Cooking class must be scheduled 24 hours prior and subject to availability.
Mayan Chocolate Tour
Experience cacao from bean to bar! Nestled in the serene village of Maya Center, which is 15 minutes from the hotel. Che’il Chocolate tour takes you through an active cacao farm, and then you get to make your chocolate the traditional way. Come prepared to sample!
This experience can be combined with a visit to The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary!
Mayan Kitchen Cooking Class
You will have lots of hands-on-fun gathering fresh ingredients and learning how to cook authentic dishes that are unique to the Mopan Mayas. Enjoy what you prepared!
Bring your appetite and be sure to let us know if you have special dietary restrictions/allergies!
Fry Jack Making Class
Join our passionate restaurant cooks for a hands-on, 90-minute class where you'll learn to prepare and cook authentic Belizean Fry Jacks.
Get involved in every step, from mixing and kneading the dough to watching your fry jacks being perfectly fried. You'll also create our signature stuffed jacks with cheese and beans, using freshly made fry jacks. Recipes are provided, so you can recreate this delicious Belizean treat at home. (Please note: Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent. This outdoor class is not suitable for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Please inform us of any food allergies in advance.)
Once the cooking is done, relax and enjoy your handmade creations with a refreshing glass of juice.
Note: Classes must be booked 24 hours in advance and are subject to availability.
Taste the Heat with Marie Sharp's Farm Tour
With Marie Sharp’s Habanero Pepper sauce being Belize’s most famous hot sauce, sold worldwide, it is not unusual that fans of the hot sauce wonder where all the magic happens.
Marie Sharp offers a full tour of the facility where you will see the manufacturing process, then head over to the Gift Shop where you can purchase items that are not yet on public shelves. WARNING! Marie Sharp Peppers are up to 350,000 Scoville units.
Spice Farm & Botanical Garden Tour
Here you will get your hands on cardamom, vanilla, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper plants, as you travel through the farm on our Spice Farm Tram. Touch and taste these spices and learn about their origins, uses, cultivation and processing. You'll never look at your spice rack in the same way again!
At the end of the tour, you get to relax and enjoy lunch. Then take a walk through the gift shop and buy locally grown spices that you wish to take back home with you.
