Understand
[edit]The people tend to be very friendly. Corozal is a small and sleepy town with great views of the bay. Advantages of this small town is that it has less rain than most areas in the south meaning that it has the same tropical climate with less of the tropical rain. Real estate prices in Corozal are much less than you will find in many other areas in Belize. The area is home to several hundred year round American retirees, and many more seasonal "snowbirds" who regularly spend the winter months in and near Corozal Town. In addition, Corozal is less than thirty minutes from the lively Mexican border city of Chetumal. The duty free zone at the border features a WalMart, Sam's Club, and modern shopping mall. If you want a laid back village vibe, Corozal is a great stop. If you arrive on Sunday, you'll find most businesses closed, although a few of the small restaurants and general stores will be open. There are very few tourists, so it is a good place to see Belize off the beaten track, and consequently accommodation, food and drink, and other items are cheaper than in better known places.
Get in
[edit]By bus
[edit]- Very regular buses are available between Corozal Town and Chetumal in Mexico, running about every 20 or 30 minutes during the day. The journey lasts about 1 hour and costs around US$1.25 or BZ$2.50.
- Fairly regular and inexpensive buses are also available from Belize City, Belmopan, and other destinations in the country.
By plane
[edit]- Tropic Air and Maya Island Air offer flights on smaller prop-driven aircraft between Corozal and Belize City, San Pedro, Caye Caulker, and many other less-traveled Belize towns.
By ferry
[edit]- The Thunderbolt Ferry runs between San Pedro and Corozal (also stopping in Sarteneja if requested), leaving Corozal Town 7AM and returning about 3PM. The trip takes 1½-2 hours. The cost of the ferry is $90 round trip or $50 one way.
Get around
[edit]Corozal is small enough to go around on foot. There are also taxis at the bus station. You can also join other by riding your bike as you go enjoying the calm and serene bay.
See
[edit]
- 1 Fort Barlee. Not much to see here, just a wall is left.
- 2 Corozal Central Park. Little place to relax in the center of town.
- 3 Corozal House Of Culture, ☏ +501 422 0071. M-F 08:00-17:00. Museum on Corozal history and tradition.
- 4 Rainbow Park. Kind of like a beach only there's not much sand.
- 5 Mangrove Park. Quasi-beach, i.e. mangrove trees and watery shoreline.
Do
[edit]- 1 Santa Rita Archaeological Site. Daily 08:00-17:00. Visit small Mayan ruins.
- 2 Cerros Mayan Ruins (across Corozal Bay). Daily 08:00-17:00. Visit other Mayan ruins. The easiest way to reach these is by boat, usually hireable at the main dock east of downtown, but the site can also be reached by road. Follow the Cerros Ruins signs on the road to Copper Bank and Sarteneja, but be careful, it is about a 10-mile dirt road which can be very washed out following bad weather, especially hurricanes. The direction to Cerros may also not be terribly well marked, but if you take the left path at major forks in the road, you should find it fairly easily. Again, hiring a boat in Corozal will definitely be quicker and easier, but taking the road will give you a chance to ride one of the hand-cranked ferries seen throughout Belize (no charge for the ferry, but feel free to tip or buy juice or snacks the ferry pilots have for sale).
- Arts in the Park
- Visit a nearby butterfly farm
- Consejo tourist village- where the view of Chetumal can clearly be seen.
- Corozal Free Zone- 15-20 minutes away from Corozal Town.
- Nearby cultural villages like Xaibe, Patchakan, San Pedro or Chan Chen.
- Boat trips to nearby islands (Some leave from the Thunderbolt Dock.)
Buy
[edit]The town has a fairly wide selection of shops, it is possible to buy clothing, food, kitchen and garden equipment, electronic goods, bicycles and more. During the day there is a market close to the bus station selling a variety of local products, such as fruits, local food, arts and clothes.
There are three banks in Corozal, two of them foreign with ATMs, but these will only accept Visa or Mastercard. The local 'Belize Bank' also has an ATM and will accept other cards such as Maestro, but its reliability is questionable; you may end up having to wait inside the bank for an hour before they give you back your card and tell you its not working today. Within the banks you are likely to find very long queues.
It is possible to change Mexican and Belizean money on the street here, and this is legal and certainly safe if you do it next to the border checkpoint. You can also change money inside the customs office, but the rates are often less good, cash advances on credit cards are available here but a large "handling" fee is charged. If you are leaving the country and need to pay the exit tax it is a good idea to take money out in Corozal instead. Without a credit card you will have to withdraw money at the Belize Bank in Corozal or take out Mexican Pesos on the other side of the border, and change this into Belize dollars.
Eat
[edit]- 1 June's Kitchen, ☏ +501 422 2559. Homemade Belizean breakfast and lunch daily, served on June's veranda dining room. Just ask the locals for directions if you can not find it.
- 2 Corozo Blue's, ☏ +501 422 0090. Su-Th 10:00-00:00, F Sa 10:00-02:00. Cocktails and cozy meals on the bay.
- 3 Venky’s Indian Restaurant, 5th Avenue, ☏ +501 625 4662. Daily 08:00-21:00. Provides vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian food in large quantites. BZ$15 (US$7.50) for more than one person could eat. Opposite the immigration office, within a couple of blocks of 4th Street, not far from the Hok'ol K'in Guest house.
- 4 Al's Cafe, 5th Ave. Daily 08:00-18:00. Belizean and Mexican.
- 5 RD's Diner, 7 4th Ave, ☏ +501 422-3796, [email protected]. M-Sa 10:30-22:30, closed on Sundays. All foods prepared with EVO and high grade vegetable oil. All foods are prepared fresh as you order. Dine in an air conditioned, elegant and non-smoking atmosphere. Accepts all major credit cards.
- 6 Jam Rock, 4th St S, ☏ +501 402 2405. W-M 11:30-00:00, closed Tu. another idyllic place to get your grilled fish or drinks at the bar and watch the waves roll in.
- 7 Tortuga Grill and Paddle Lounge, corner 1st Ave and 8th St. Tu-Su 11:00-21:00, closed M. Shrimp kebabs and tacos across from the waterfront.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Jam Rock, 4th St S, ☏ +501 402 2405. W-M 11:30-00:00, closed Tu. bar on the bay.
- 2 Corozo Blue's, ☏ +501 422 0090. Su-Th 10:00-00:00, F Sa 10:00-02:00. More drinks on the waterfront.
Sleep
[edit]As Corozal is easily reached from Mexico, many travellers from Mexico will cross the border to here, in order to re-enter Mexico and obtain a new tourist visa for additional time there. Corozal therefore has a very large amount of accommodation relative to its size and attractions. Since the town is not very big, one is sure to find several places after wandering around the center for a few minutes.
Budget
[edit]- 1 Mirador Hotel, ☏ +501 4220189, [email protected]. A hotel in front of the bay offers clean and spacious rooms at very reasonable prices. A room for a couple with fan cost US$35, and air conditioning US$50. All rooms have private bath (hot/cold), television, and free wireless internet access. 24 rooms. Facilities: restaurant, tours arranged, internet cafe, terrace, free wake up service, parking, and phone booth. Air-con rooms are $100BZ per 1 person, $120BZ for two, as of May 2024.
- 2 The Hok'ol K'in Guest House, 89 4th Ave, ☏ +501 422 3329. Clean, quiet, and friendly, right on the street that runs along the waterfront. BZ$120 (US$60) for a double with air conditioning and a view of the bay. BZ$104 (US$52) for a double with ceiling fan.
- 3 Rum Punch Lodge, 23 1st Ave, Corozal, ☏ +501 664 5870. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Up and coming new place where Waterfront Seaside Guest House used to be. Owner is from the US and is renovating the place for digital nomads. Right by the water and has a pier for access to the Corozal Bay across the street. Bz$100 (US$50) for double room with a/c, Bz$60 (US$30) for double with floor fan.
Mid-Range
[edit]- 4 Tony's Inn and Beach Resort. Nice bayfront property with restaurant.
- 5 Cerros Beach Resort (near the Cerros Mayan Ruins, across the bay from Corozal.), ☏ +501 623 9530. Restaurant, bar, wi-fi.
Cope
[edit]Internet:
- Mirador Hotel offer internet service for the public US$2 an hour and free wifi access in room for guest accommodating in the hotel.
- Hok'ol K'in also has wireless internet available.
- Corozal Bay Resort free high speed Wi-fi available for guests.
- Sea Breeze Hotel also has free Wi-fi for guests.
Banks:
- Atlantic Bank (Corner 5th Avenue & 1st Street North), ☏ +501 422-3473, [email protected].
- Belize Bank, ☏ +501 422-2087, fax: +501 422-2738, [email protected]. With ATM and pesos, provide passports or permits
- Scotia Bank (4th Avenue), ☏ +501 422-2046, fax: +501 422-2998.
Go next
[edit]The Free Zone area next to the Mexican border is 9 miles north of the town and features a large casino, hotel, and an American style shopping mall. It is free of some taxes and popular with Belizian and Mexican citizens and American expats.