Punta Gorda Water activities Chocolate Capital Belize

Things To Do In Toledo District

Chocolate Making
Toledo is considered the “chocolate capital” of Belize. Visit local cacao farms and learn about the process of cultivating and harvesting cacao to transform cacao beans into artisanal chocolate.

Maya Archaeological Sites
The district is home to Lubaantun, the large ceremonial center in southern Belize and famous for its unique mortarless stone construction and rounded pyramid corners. It's also known for the legend of the "Crystal Skull" allegedly found there.

Punta Gorda
The district's capital, Punta Gorda, is a vibrant coastal town with a mix of cultures, including Garifuna, Maya, East Indian, and Creole. Visit local markets for fresh produce and crafts, or check out cultural museums like the Lila Vernon Museum, which celebrates the local Creole music icon.

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Travel Guide for Toledo Attractions & Activities

Maya Villages
The Toledo District is home to many Maya villages inhabited by the Mopan and Ketchi Maya. You can take a guided tour to a traditional Maya home, learn about their daily life, and even participate in activities like grinding corn for tortillas or making traditional crafts.

Punta Gorda
The district's capital, Punta Gorda, is a vibrant coastal town with a mix of cultures, including Garifuna, Maya, East Indian, and Creole. Visit local markets and cultural museums like the Lila Vernon Museum, which celebrates the local Creole music icon.

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Best Toledo Full Day Tours

Monkey River Tour
This is a very popular tour that often departs from the nearby town of Placencia but is also accessible from Toledo. You take a boat up the Monkey River to spot wildlife, most notably the loud and majestic howler monkeys. You'll also likely see crocodiles, manatees, and many bird species.

Big Falls Extreme Adventures
Located in the Stann Creek District, north of Toledo, this adventure park offers ziplining and river tubing experiences in the lush rainforest. It's a great option for a day of adrenaline-pumping fun.

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Where is Toledo District Located? + Map

The District of Toledo is located 238 km from Belize City, the nearest international airport is Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport. By land, the trip takes approximately 3.5 hours. By plane you can reach Punta Gorda airport, the flight takes a little less than 1 hour.

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FAQs About Visiting Toledo District

The District of Toledo is located in the south of Belize, it is the furthest district from the city. Its capital is Punta Gorda, which is 3 hours away from the city, 238 km. It is the birthplace of several important Mayan cities, several of which were abandoned and now restored, not in their entirety, but traces of this vast culture can still be seen. The District of Toledo is one of the least explored places in Belize, so there are several natural reserves and undiscovered sites, there is a lot of nature and there are still virgin territories where man has not lived.

From the District of Toledo you can access a marine reserve where you can find manatees and dolphins. If you want to combine hiking with water activities, surely in the District of Toledo you will find the ideal place to do so. The winds that blow have formed the line of the Caribbean coast of the District of Toledo. Several coastal lagoons provide the ideal habitat for wildlife birds and some mammals.

Attractions and Activities

Discovering Toledo District

With the reef located 35 miles from the mainland and inland it is endowed with several natural attractions, including caves and waterfalls. You will find several protected areas that have been declared nature reserves and include a Belizean rainforest. These nature reserves are abundant with wildlife and have over 2000 species of plants.

The Mayan ruins are mostly covered by jungle and some have not been dug up yet. In the Toledo District you can do many activities such as kayaking, fishing, diving and snorkeling, swimming, cave exploration, bird watching, canoeing and tours to the reserves in the midst of the abundant jungle. You can also see some of the Mayan culture. There is a Mayan reserve near Punta Gorda, where you can see stelae and other Mayan constructions dated back thousands of years..

Activities

Fishing
If you wish to fish, you can count on an expert guide who will take you to special places to fish in a sustainable way for fish such as snapper, barracuda, grouper and others. If you wish your guide can clean and prepare your catch for lunch, or you can take it to your hotel so they can prepare it for you.

You can merge other activities with fishing, such as snorkeling or diving, this will make your experience more memorable.

Blue Hole
This giant sinkhole part of the Lighthouse Reef, named for its circular shape, is one of the major attractions within the reef. It is the perfect destination for an expert diver.

Snorkeling
If you don't like diving, but you still want to enjoy the marine life found in the reefs, or you want to swim with sharks, this is a very good option, this experience is done with a mask, a snorkel and fins, you will swim at water level and you will be able to see several species of fish.