Back Street (Avenida Hicaco) at Dusk
While Front Street gets all the attention, the island's quieter western side — locally called Back Street or Avenida Hicaco — faces the lagoon and offers a completely unhurried, authentically local atmosphere as the day cools down. This is where fishermen pull in their boats, kids play on the docks, and the sunset colours the lagoon in shades of gold and rose.
Walking the Lagoon Side
The western shoreline is lined with simple wooden houses painted in faded Caribbean colours, small family-run comedores (local canteens), and the occasional hammock strung between palms. There are no souvenir shops here — just neighbourhood life moving at island pace.
Stop at any of the small docks jutting into the lagoon for an unobstructed view west. On clear evenings the sky behind the mangroves turns extraordinary shades of amber, and because there are no tall buildings on the island, the horizon is completely open.
Local Eats on Back Street
A handful of no-frills spots on Back Street serve Belizean staples — stewed chicken with rice and beans, garnaches (crispy tortillas topped with beans and cheese), and fresh-caught fish fillets — at prices aimed at locals, not tourists. Look for hand-painted signs and follow your nose.
The Sandbox Restaurant on the lagoon side is one well-regarded option with tables practically in the sand and a menu that leans into local seafood. Conch ceviche prepared fresh to order is the dish to get here — tangy with lime, cooled with cucumber, and spiked with habanero.
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