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

The Serpon Sugar Mill is no longer functional, but its enormous cast iron remains are still on display, including the crusher, boiler, and other components. The Serpon Sugar Mill was built by Americans fleeing the Civil War in the United States but was later sold to a local Scot named William Bowman.

Why You Have to 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.

Where in Belize is it located? 

It is located near the village of Sittee River in Stann Creek District.

Best time to visit

The Serpon Sugar Mill can be visited 365 days a year and is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. There is a $10 BZD entrance fee for non-residents of Belize and a $5 BZD fee for residents.

How to get here

The sugar mill can be reached by exiting the Southern Highway around mile marker 10 south of its intersection with the Hummingbird Highway by following the marked exit for Sittee River Village. After exiting the Southern Highway, follow the road for one mile, and this attraction complex will be on the righthand side of the roadway.

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Best way to experience it

There is a small information center at the entrance of the Serpon Sugar Mill where you can hire a guide, but it is possible to explore this attraction without a guide. The main appeal of the Serpon Sugar Mill 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 rusting or disintegration remarkably well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osIR8f84

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