Punta Gorda - History

The Toledo District is the largest district in Belize, yet the most underdeveloped. It covers 1669 square miles. The largest town in the Toledo District is the Town of Punta Gorda with a population of around 6,000 people. The Town of Punta Gorda, or PG as it is called locally, sits along the Gulf of Honduras. It is a quaint seaside village and the last frontier of Belize, with many ethnic groups as, Garifunas, Creoles, Mayans, and East Indians. The largest contingent of Mayan are in the Toledo District comprising more than one half of the population. The whole district has many different and varying landscapes. From the Mayan Mountains in the west to the lowlands in the east, much of this area is rugged and full of life. The jungle is teeming with tapirs, jaguars, ocelots, howler monkeys, piscary, toucans, gibnuts, iguanas, snakes, so many it is difficult to name them all for fear of leaving some out. If you want a truly unique experience, connect with a guide to take you out very early in the morning where you can hear the roar of the howler monkeys and see the toucans and other birds feeding.

The Gulf of Honduras, which is the body of water that PG sits along, is also teeming with underwater life. The many different sea life such as lobster, conch, shrimp, snappers, snook, tarpon, bonefish, permit, barracudas, manatee, and so many different species of fish that it is difficult to name them all. Whale sharks have been encountered in these waters during the month of November to spawn and are very approachable. There have been other locations where fin whales have been seen. If you are lucky and in the right spot along the seashore, you can see dolphins feeding off shore as well. Much of the shoreline is mangroves with just a little area that is beach. You can, however, take an excursion to one of the many islands, or caves, that populate the waters in the Gulf of Honduras, where there are tropical white beaches.

There are two ways to reach Punta Gorda. The first being by airplane and the second is the long, rough and dusty or muddy Southern Highway. But if you are up for it, you will see some of the most beautiful scenery in Belize. It is well worth the adventure. If you are a lover of nature, you should not miss the opportunity to travel to the Toledo district.