The south - The Rough Guide to Belize - page 178

Marie Sharp's hot pepper sauces are produced on a rural 400-acre estate northwest of
Dangriga. You won't learn the secret recipe if you take a free tour of Marie Sharp's Factory ,
but you'll get to see the fields and orchards where the ingredients are grown watch the
latest batches being prepared, graded from Mild, via Fiery Hot and No Wimps Allowed,
up to Beware, and possibly meet the “Fiery Lady” herself. Her products, which also
include fruit jams and seasonings, are also sold from a downtown o ce at 3 Pier Rd.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DANGRIGA

6

By bus Dangriga's bus terminal, immediately north of the
Drums monument at the south end of town, is used by all local
bus companies. The town centre is roughly a 10min walk from
here; taxis are usually available for around Bz$5-7.
Destinations Belize City, mostly via Belmopan (at least
every 2hr, last bus 7.30pm; 1hr 30min-3hr); Hopkins
(Mon-Sat 10.30am & 5.15pm; 30min); Placencia (3-4
daily, last bus 6pm; 1hr 45min); Punta Gorda (8-10 daily,
last bus 6.15pm; 2hr 30min).
By plane Dangriga's airstrip, close to the shore just north
of the Pelican Beach Resort , is served by at least eight daily
flights in each direction on the Belize City-Punta Gorda run
(typical one-way fares US$63 to Belize City, US$73 to Punta
Gorda; W tropicair.com and W mayaislandair.com). A taxi
into town will cost at least Bz$10.
By boat to the cayes Travellers heading out to the cayes
are advised to arrange accommodation in advance; all
hotels will arrange boat transfers to and from Dangriga.

Boats to Tobacco Caye (40min; from Bz$35) normally set off
from alongside the Riverside Restaurant , just downstream
from the bridge, in the early afternoon; there are no
scheduled departures, but if you ask in the restaurant
someone should know if one's due to leave.
By boat to Honduras A ferry making its way from San
Pedro, Caye Caulker and Belize City ( T 630 2152,
W prideofbelize.com) passes through Dangriga on its way
to Puerto Cortés, Honduras, every Saturday morning at
10.30am, stopping at the north bank of the river. The Belize
City-bound return departs on Monday at 3pm. Tickets from
Dangriga to Puerto Cortés are Bz$110, while the total run
between Puerto Cortés and Belize City costs Bz$145.
By kayak Island Expeditions ( W belizekayaking.com), on
the Southern Foreshore, which rents sea kayaks (singles
Bz$70/day, doubles Bz$110/day), will also, for a substantial
fee, shuttle groups of kayakers out to the nearby cayes, and
offers multi-day packages that include accommodation.

ACCOMMODATION
Bonefish Hotel 15 Mahogany St T 522 2243,
E [e-mail]. Welcoming little hotel in a
quiet but central seafront location. Eight spacious rooms
featuring TV, private bath and a/c - the nicest are upstairs
- and an attractive sea-view lounge/lobby. As well as
serving as the o ce for Blue Marlin Lodge on South Water
Caye ( see p.1 84), this is also a good place to arrange fishing
trips. US$95
Chaleanor Hotel 35 Magoon St T 522 2587,
W chaleanorhotel.com. This colonial house holds a
friendly, good-value hotel with accommodation ranging
from no-frills budget rooms to larger en-suite options, with
private bath and TV, in which you can pay an extra US$15
per night for a/c. Free coffee, fruit and purified water
available. The own er's so n Elihue is a skilled guide.
US$21.60 , en-suite US$60
★

tours and Garífuna language and culture classes. US$12.50
Jungle Huts Hotel 4 Ecumenical Drive T 522 0185,
E [e-mail]. Sixteen light, pleasant
rooms and cabañas beside North Stann Creek, set around a
charming flowery courtyard just a short walk from the
town centre, with a friendly family atmosphere. All rooms
have p rivate bath, so me also have a/c or kitchenette.
Rooms US$60 , cabañas US$80
Pal's Guest House 86 Magoon St T 522 2365,
W palsbelize.com. Quiet, somewhat faded hotel. All the
basic tiled rooms have private baths and TVs; those with a/c
cost more, although only two of them are in the nicer of the
property's tw o build ings, a ten -room structure is set right
on the beach. US$40 , with a/c US$50
★

Pelican Beach Resort First St T 522 2044,
W pelicanbeachbelize.com. A well-managed large hotel
that enjoys Dangriga's finest beachfront location, 1 mile
north of the centre; the long jetty is equipped with
hammocks, and used by boats to and from its wonderful
sister property on South Water Caye (see p.184). Unusually,
the most attractive rooms, right by the sea in the original
wooden, colonial-style lodge, are also the cheapest, as they
have ceiling fans and open verandas; the more modern
rooms in the annexe further back have a/c, though only
some have outdoor space. Frequently used by tour and
conservation groups and scientists. There's also an excellent

D's Hostel 1 Sharp St T 502 3324,
W valsbackpackerhostel.com. Simple concrete hostel,
close to the beach, where each of the three plain clean
dorms - one male, one female, and one mixed - holds
eight bunks and private wooden lockers. Rates include a
free breakfast of fruit and wa es, and there's also same-
day laundry service, in-room wi-fi, a book exchange, bike
rental and lovely views of the sea from the rooftop. The
friendly owner, Dana, prepares lunch and dinner on
demand, which you can eat outdoors, and can arrange local