Wherever the compass points, Stann Creek District delivers something exotic. Dreamy Dangriga, wedged between towering Maya Mountains and crystalline Caribbean Sea, is the largest town in southern Belize. Serene Hopkins, a few miles down the coast, sits on a fabulous stretch of beach. Wilderness and civilization live in perfect harmony around here.

In beguiling Stann Creek, woodsy terrain slopes down from the mountains to the beachy coast, with sparkling rivers and Maya villages along the way. Jaguars prowl the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary - world's first jaguar preserve - as playful monkeys race through the trees.

Gentle manatees glide through the iridescent lagoons. Remote cayes and reefs entertain watersport enthusiasts. Whale sharks migrate, weighing up to 15 tons and stretching to 45 feet.

DANGRIGA AND CAYES
To launch a Stann Creek adventure, fly 20 minutes or drive 2.5 hours from Belize City. Manatee Road may look like a direct route, but beware of the unpaved "shortcut." The faster, more popular route is Western Highway to Belmopan, then south on picturesque Hummingbird Highway, which winds through forested hills and citrus orchards.

At the end of the line awaits Dangriga, the district's capital and historic home of the Garinagu people, in whose language the town's name means sweet water. A mix of African slaves and South American natives, the Garinagus arrived early in the 1800s from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. Today their descendants comprise most of Dangriga's 10,400 residents, and still practice traditional farming, cooking, painting, music, and religion.

North Stann Creek flows through the town. From its southern bank, boats shuttle passengers to surrounding cayes. On the northern bank, townspeople shop for fruits, vegetables, fish, hammocks, and woven goods at the central market, open 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday.

HOPKINS AND CAYES
The sleepy retreat of Hopkins, 25 minutes south of Dangriga, lures visitors with 12 miles of white beach, among the best in the country. Time moves slowly in Hopkins, home to a thousand Garinagu families, where the men fish and carve canoes while the women weave baskets.

Follow Southern Highway, turn east at the sign, and proceed to the magnificent beach. Can't miss it. Keep watch for jabiru storks and toucans, denizens of the marshes around the village.

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