Traveling south to Gales Point by boat from Belize City will take you upstream on Haulover Creek, through the Burdon Canal, across the Sibun River and into the Northern and Southern Lagoons. It's undoubtedly the most scenic way to reach this beautiful and hospitable little spot of land that's home to a conservation minded community of Creoles, feeding grounds and sanctuary to the Caribbean Manatee, and nesting beach for the endangered Hawksbill Turtles.

Formerly a home site for pre-colonial loggers, the residents of Gales Point today are mostly farmers and fisherman who recognize the importance of this delicate habitat and have spared no effort to preserve it. The narrow peninsula of land and the surrounding hills and wetlands are full of opportunities to take in a range of natural attractions and enjoy the sights and sounds of rural Belize.

The lagoons and wetlands support a rich variety of marine flora that attracts the West Indian Manatee in droves, making the area their largest breeding grounds in the Caribbean basin. The endangered Hawksbill turtles also arrive in large numbers every year to the nesting beaches at Manatee Bar at the mouth of the Manatee River. Estimates indicate that up to12000 hatchlings survive to populate the Caribbean from Gales Point annually.

The community has put together a decent selection of services that will allow you to find inexpensive accommodations and guided excursions through the waterways and surrounding areas. The residents are also happy to share their homemade mango and cashew concoctions including cashew wine that's good for sipping on while you're regaled with the many local legends.

Ben Lomans's Cave
On the northwest shore of the Southern Lagoon, inside one of the limestone foothills that reach upward from the flat floor of the savanna is Ben Loman's Cave. It's an easy cave to explore and has a variety of interesting stalagmite and stalactite formations that climb and fall in curious shapes, sizes and patterns.