If you’re looking for a local spot in Belize that most tourists don’t know about, Blue Creek will be right up your alley! Hidden in the jungles of the Toledo District, Blue Creek is an amazing destination if you’re looking for some peaceful time out in nature.

Earlier this year, my partner and I were visiting a friend of mine who now lives in Toledo with her Belizean in-laws. We had the pleasure of staying with her family in a small Mayan village where we got to explore all the hidden gems in the area. One of the places they took us to was Blue Creek: a serene and turquoise creek perfect for swimming and cooling off in the heat.

If these photos intrigue you, then keep reading to find out everything you need to know before visiting.

Blue Creek is located in a small Mayan village promptly named Blue Creek in southern Belize. Punta Gorda is the nearest major town which is about an hour away.

How to Visit Blue Creek 

There are two ways to visit Blue Creek: by tour or on your own with a rental car. Below I will outline each so you can decide which would be best for you.

Booking a Tour 

Blue Creek in Toledo is not a big tourist destination. However, there are a few different companies in the country that host tours there. 

Black Jaguar Tours seems to be the most reputable tour operator that goes to Blue Creek, but TIDE Tours is another option.

Still, this is not a widely popular tour by any means. And when you visit you’ll be able to tell that this is not a very well known area yet. It’s mostly visited by locals.

Tours to Blue Creek will cost you at least $190 per person. So it’s not very budget-friendly, but then again most excursions in Belize can be pricey.

This tour takes you through a Mayan village in a rural part of the country most travelers never get to see. If you don’t have your own vehicle and are up for a full day adventure with swimming and hiking into caves, I think Blue Creek would be an excellent tour for you.

Visiting on Your Own Via Rental Car

However, if you’re renting a car for your trip to Belize, you should definitely opt out of the tour and drive yourself. Especially if you’re already planning on going down to Punta Gorda. There are tons of hidden gems like Blue Creek in the Toledo District that are worth checking out.

I do want to say that you should at least have a high clearance vehicle. Maybe even a 4×4 if you’re visiting in the rainy season. The road is gravel and unpaved for about 10 miles once you turn off the main highway.

You can put in directions with this pin, or by typing in “Hokeb Ha Cave” to your Google Maps.

Once you get there you will just park in the pull off in the grass beneath the palm trees. There is no real parking lot. Shown below.

If you drive yourself, there is no entrance fee or cost to visit Blue Creek. 

There is a local Mayan family that lives uphill from the creek who may come say hi but they do not ask for payment. 

Best Time to Visit

The best time of year to visit Blue Creek is between November-February for the best weather and water conditions. This is part of Belize’s peak season, and November marks the start of the dry season. 

The only reason I’d recommend not visiting in the late dry season (like between March-May) is because the creek may become drier resulting in less water to jump into and swim in. This isn’t a huge deal though, and shouldn’t deter you from checking it out even if you’re there in May. Just something to keep in mind. 

In the rainy season (June-August) you obviously get frequent rain showers throughout the day. Also, heavy rain can sometimes make the water look cloudy. You’ll definitely want to see Blue Creek in all its turquoise glory on a sunny day. Plus, it’s no fun to swim when it’s pouring.

Things to Do at Blue Creek

If you love swimming, hiking, and exploring caves, this is the perfect place to experience it all. If you’re visiting on your own, you can easily spend all day here just taking in the scenery and enjoying the creek.

Swimming in Blue Creek

Obviously one of the best things to do at Blue Creek is to swim in that gorgeous water! There are a few good places to get in along the creek, but we enjoyed jumping off the dock.

Once you’ve parked, just up walk the trail leading you along the creek and in about 5 minutes you’ll see the dock. There’s also a covered table area here where you can put your things while you swim.

It’s only about a 10 foot drop, but if you don’t want to jump in you can easily walk into the water on the rock steps next to the dock. This is definitely the most popular place to hangout and swim at. 

The creek is slow moving so swimming isn’t very difficult. There are no undercurrents and this is overall a very fun and safe place to enjoy one of Belize’s beautiful creeks. But of course always use your best judgement because there are no lifeguards here.

Hike to the Cave

I loved swimming in the creek but hiking through the jungle to the Hokeb Ha Cave topped it for me. The hike itself is about a 2 mile round trip with about 130 feet of elevation gain. 

You just get on the same trail that you were walking on to get to the dock and it’ll take you further upstream to the cave.

There will be some slippery rocks at some points so come prepared with good shoes. There’s overgrown tree roots to hike over and you may have to do some mild rock scrambling to get to the cave. Nothing too crazy, but I would say this is a more moderate-level trail.

As you hike you’ll find a couple other nice swimming holes which you’re free to swim in as well. 

Once you make it up to the cave, if you’re exploring on your own, I’d recommend not going too much further than the entrance. The rocks are really slick and it’s easy to fall into the cave water. So use extreme caution without the proper gear. 

If you’re interested in exploring deeper inside the cave, you should book a tour. Unless you happen to bring all of your spelunking gear with you on your trip to Belize. Tours give you all the gear you need (life jackets, helmets, rope, etc) to safely explore the depths of the Hokeb Ha Cave.

It’s also important to know that the entrance to this cave may not even be possible during the rainy season. So much water flows out of the cave and into the creek that it’s impassable for hiking.

Is Blue Creek in Belize Worth Visiting?

If you’re traveling all the way down to the Punta Gorda area and have your own vehicle, I’d say that yes Blue Creek is worth visiting while you’re in Belize. 

If you don’t have any plans (or don’t have enough time) to visit the Toledo District, then Blue Creek might be a little too out of the way for you. Although it is beautiful, and one of my favorite places in Belize, I don’t think it would be worth it to travel down just for that. You could make a whole trip out of it and visit other places like Lubaantun, Nim Li Punit, and Rio Blanco National Park. In that case I’d consider it worth it.

But overall if you’re looking for a real local, off the beaten path gem, then you’d really enjoy the trip to Blue Creek. Since it’s so rural and you pass by several authentic Mayan villages, you get a neat cultural experience on top of the beautiful scenic views. I hope you enjoy Blue Creek as much as I did and thank you so much for reading!