Barranco

Barranco is the last Garifuna village on the Belizean coast, a small place of a few hundred people near the Guatemalan border, reached by a rough road or by boat from Punta Gorda. It was the home of Andy Palacio, the musician who did more than anyone to bring Garifuna music to an international audience before his death in 2008, and a small house museum commemorates him. Garifuna language, dance and music are recognised by UNESCO across four countries.

The main sights

• The Andy Palacio house - a small museum to the musician in the village.
• The Garifuna village - the southernmost Garifuna settlement in Belize.
• The coast - the shore and river mouth at the edge of the village.
• The language - Garifuna still spoken as the everyday language here.

When to go

December to April is the dry season; the road is often impassable in the rains and the boat is then the only way. Settlement Day on 19 November brings celebrations. Boats run irregularly.

Good to know

The road is genuinely bad and the boat schedule is informal; getting stranded for a day is possible. Facilities are homestays and very little else. The village population has fallen sharply through migration and it is quieter than it was.

Nearby

Punta Gorda is northeast, and the Guatemalan border is west.

Key facts