The Serpon Sugar Mill in Sittee River village –off the beaten path, interesting piece of history to visit!

Have a vehicle, and looking for something offbeat to see? The remains of the Serpon Sugar Mill are certainly worth a visit. The park is located in Sittee River village, just a few miles south of Hopkins. You can also bicycle there.

The Serpon Sugar Mill is Belize’s first designated historic site. Built in 1865 by Americans fleeing the Civil War, it revolutionized the country because it was the first steam-powered device of its kind in Belize. For more than 30 years the mill produced thousands of pounds of sugar a month, far outpacing traditional methods of extracting sugar from sugarcane manually.

The mill is no longer functional, but its enormous cast iron remains are still on display, including the crusher, boiler, and other components.

Why You Should Visit 

For most of its history, Belize was an agricultural nation, and all the harvesting, processing, and manufacturing of sugarcane into sugar was done entirely by hand. The Serpon Sugar Mill marks a key milestone in Belize’s history as an industrial nation. Although the mill has not functioned for more than a century, its resistance to the elements stands as a monument to the industrial might of the steam age.

Best way to experience it

Entry to the preserve is BZ$10. There is a small information center at the entrance of the park where you can hire a guide. It is possible to explore this attraction without a guide. The main appeal of the park is seeing the incongruous remains of an enormous industrial apparatus sitting quietly in the middle of the jungle. Despite its extreme age, the sugar mill has resisted disintegration remarkably well.

So Book your stay with the Funky Dodo now! And put the Serpon Sugar Mill on your list!