Authentic Garifuna Cultural Cooking Class in Hopkins Belize
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
Authentic Garifuna Gastronomic Experience in Hopkins Village, Belize offers the most interactive hands-on opportunity to cook with a Garifuna Ambassador in an enchanting Garifuna village replica located on Kalipuna Heritage Island. Learn about the indigenous flavors and cooking techniques that makes Garifuna meal tasty. The cooking experience is punctuated by informative conversations about the culture, history & people and spiced with laughter. Guests explore the herbal garden on the island and harvest organic ingredients to be used in meal preparation. The art of Coconut processing is always a highlight and includes husking, cracking, grating & making coconut milk. Learning how to cook over a traditional stove and prepare the most delicious traditional afro-indigenous lunch is sure to be fun. Guests with special dietary needs are equally catered for however advance notification is appreciated.
Additional Info
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Alcoholic beverages may be served to guests that are over the age of 18 only (optional)
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What‘s Included
Kayaks
Snacks
Lunch
fruit punch
Life Jacket
Repellant
Sunscreen
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Prepare to unlock the secrets of Garifuna cuisine in a journey that combines culture, nature, and culinary artistry. Join us for The Traditional Garifuna Cooking Classes, where you'll embark on a sensory adventure that immerses you in the heart of Garifuna traditions. Your culinary escapade begins with a picturesque kayak ride across the pristine waters of a tranquil lagoon. Step ashore and embark on a guided walk through our herbal garden, where you'll encounter a world of herbs with diverse properties and flavors, selecting some to infuse your culinary adventure with natural goodness. Step into our cultural kitchen, where tradition and innovation merge. Here, you'll cook over a traditional open fire stove known as the "fire heart." With freshly caught fish, hand-picked herbs, locally sourced coconuts, and plantains. You'll prepare the iconic Garifuna dish, hudut. As you work your culinary magic, we'll teach you the art of coconut husking and coconut milk extraction. After your culinary journey, savor the fruits of your labor as you enjoy a delicious Garifuna meal for lunch. Every bite is a symphony of flavors that encapsulates the essence of Garifuna cuisine.
Sample Menu
main
Hudutu
Coc.nut chowder flavored with herbs, garlic, onion & Fish. Served with pounded plantains and fried fish
Options
Authentic Garifuna Cultural Cooking Class in Hopkins Belize
Pickup included
Reviews
11 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Truly amazing
kimberly381,
Sep 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was truly an amazing experience. The place is welcoming to everyone. The staff are very friendly with so much knowledge and history to share with the visitors. The food was great, delicious! We truly enjoyed the day.
Informal and fun, interesting, and unforgettable!
wcrowfoot,
Aug 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A wonderful half-day of learning and fun! Super interactive and informal cooking experience— an adventure for adults and our 11 year old. And a delicious meal to boot! The drumming was super cool too. The folks leading this are wonderful, nice, candid and interesting. The whole thing really helped us feel connected to the local culture. It’s definitely a unique experience impossible anywhere else!
Amazing Experience
corals35,
May 31, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had such an amazing time! Learning about local plants and what thwy are used for. Then cooking delicious food and learning how to husk coconuts and make fresh coconut milk! After we enjoyed the fruits of our cooking labors we received a drum lesson using traditional Garifuna drums and ending it with some dancing! Everyone was so wonderful!
Culinary and cultural must do in Belize!
Eric M,
May 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An afternoon at Palmetto Grove was not only a cultural experience, it was a trip back in time. From entering a private island by kayak to seeing their traditional homes, gardens, and well appointed kitchen, we learned not only about their culture, but the fabric of their family. Taking a cooking class taught us about their spiritual values and family history as we learned traditional cooking techniques of the Garifuna people. We experienced this with just two of us, but it would be great for large groups as well. This cooking class has been one of our best and deepest and meaningful adventures in Belize so far. It is also a great meal!
Great Experience and Delicious Food
Wesleyray18,
Mar 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I joined another couple on this tour for an evening class/dinner. Our host was very hospitable and gracious in assisting me to join another group. The discussion on the Garifuna culture was very informative and interesting. If visiting Hopkins, you should prioritize this type of activity for a great cultural experience! The Hudut meal we made was delicious and made even better by knowing we worked hard splitting and grating coconuts, mashing plantain, and dicing veggies. Rum punch is also on offer if you choose to indulge. This exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend!
CAN'T MISS, unique & fascinating cultural experience in Hopkins Village!!
ireneraven,
Mar 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00After seeing the experience listed on a couple other tour websites, my partner and I booked the $75pp cooking class directly on the Palmento Grove website. SUCH a incredible experience!!! From the unhurried, introductory, cultural history lesson with Elder Eugene, straight through the hands-on experiences in the kitchen to the (yummy yummy!) dinner of hudut enjoyed at the end, we learned so much about the Garifuna culture (not having known anything of it prior). Uwahnie and Star were so generous & passionate sharing their cultural heritage & telling us about the history of the company--it was really, REALLY inspiring! We were pressed for time, otherwise we would've definitely enjoyed spending more time with them, perhaps with the full-day experience, or the drumming/dance lesson or a fishing trip. And they have a few accommodations available on the island, so definitely consider booking a stay with them if that appeals to you at all--I'm sure the experience would prove extremely interesting & rewarding!!
This tour was awesome!!...
Avni B,
Jan 18, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour was awesome!! Got a short ride through Hopkins Village as well as a history lesson of the Garifuna people and their culture. Then a very involved cooking class and was shown how to use every part of the coconut. Finally, a drum circle class that was so fun! Would HIGHLY recommend to anyone travelling to Hopkins to learn about the Garifuna especially through this course.
Great family experience hosted by a friendly Garifuna family
Karin O,
Dec 28, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00The family that runs the Garifuna cultural cooking class is warm & friendly & make it a great experience. After one the younger folks sent us over by kayak, we started by learning about Garifuna culture, spirituality & how to prepare cassava from the grandfather. He then took us through the garden to the kitchen, explain the medicinal value of different plants along the way & giving us plant leaves to smell & guess their names/flavors. Then we spent time in the kitchen with his daughter in-law and her sister in-law in the kitchen. We were given just-fried plantains & juice as a snack. We learned how to open our own coconuts. Then we learned & did the other work of making a traditional hudutu meal, including mashing boiled plantains in a big churner. The meal itself was delicious and we made sure to take down the recipe to try at home! I wore a traditional dress (there’s a rack of clothes to choose from), which was a nice touch.
Best Time Ever!
mercedesjohnson234,
Nov 1, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00It was soooo amazing! We had so much fun while learning. You learn about the culture and history. And then go and do some cooking with laughs and fun. We also were able take some coconut fudge and it was SO DELICIOUS! Oh my goodness!
Do it!
Alicia D,
Oct 20, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience.. highly recommend. Great people, Food, and culture. Great way to spend a day and learn some new things
From US$119.00
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Operated by Palmento Grove Garifuna Eco Cultural And Healing Lodge