Next stop on our Belizean road trip, Hopkins! Hopkins is a small, sleepy beach town in the middle of Belize’s coastline known for its local Garifuna culture.

The first day we embarked on an all day snorkeling journey to the tiny Silk Caye off the coast of Belize. This baby beach had the most beautiful sand and water I’ve ever seen. At one point, we were surrounded by about 10 reef sharks, a couple of sting rays, and a HUGE sea turtle. They all collect around a spot where local fishermen used to drop the remains of their catches.

 
We ended the night eating pizza at the local and tourist favorite Driftwood Pizza bar. Our meal was complete with Belikins, the national beer of Belize, and Belizean-famous Marie Sharp’s hot sauce.

Following the exhausting day in the sun, we opted for a jungle hike in the shade at Cockscomb Sanctuary. We chased waterfalls along the Tiger Fern trail for a 4.3 km hike — sorry TLC, it was worth it!

We spent our last morning relaxing at the pool bar by the beach. Cue “Escape” on repeat as we drank our weight in piña coladas.

Now I’m back in NYC enduring the rest of the winter months. Summer can’t come quickly enough!