Welcome to Corozal Town
Corozal
Town is in northwestern Belize on the shores of the Bay of Chetumal. The bay is
relatively shallow with a sandy bottom and the slightest wind makes the water a
color the natives refer to as “leche verde” or milky green. On Sunday afternoons
you’ll find families and friends gathering to picnic along the sea wall on the
bay. Access to shopping and medical care in Chetumal, along with attractively
priced properties along the protected waters of the bay, make the Corozal
District popular among expats.
Corozal Town is the seat of government for the country’s northernmost district and the town closest to the Mexican border. Corozal has a hospital, airstrip, banks and hotels. The Northern Highway, one of the country’s main paved roads, runs through the western portion of the district. Villages in the Corozal District include Chunox, Progresso, Little Belize and Copper Bank.
Corozal Town was almost completely obliterated in 1955 by Hurricane Janet. Old photos show a community of wooden structures and gingerbread indistinguishable from other Caribbean communities like Eleuthera in the Bahamas or Key West in the Florida Keys. After the hurricane, the community was redesigned with streets in a grid pattern around a town square. Today, most structures are concrete.
Transportation
Visitors entering Belize usually arrive via the Phillip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE); However, if your itinerary includes Corozal Town, you may also want to consider flying into the international airport in Cancun, Mexico. For more detailed information and alternative travel options see our entire section.
If you do travel to Belize through (BZE) it is located in Ladyville just outside Belize City. From there, visitors have several options. Rental cars are available at the airport for the drive along the Northern Highway to Corozal Town. Local commuter airlines run scheduled service to the airstrip in Corozal Town. Bus service from Belize City to Corozal Town is also available. Look for an express bus or be prepared for the bus to stop numerous times between towns. Numerous transport companies specialize in taking tourists from one city to another.
Travel in the Corozal Town area is greatly influenced by the Bay of Chetumal and the rivers flowing into it. Many places are more easily reached by boat, especially in the wet season. If you travel along the coastline by road, you will encounter the hand-cranked ferries which cross the various tributaries. Here, you’ll discover that most of the locals travel by bike or on foot. Corozal Town is not a place to be in a hurry.
Hotels
While you won’t find any big chain hotels in the Corozal Town, you will find a wide variety of places to stay. There are multi-room hotels in Corozal Town, but consider some of the smaller hotels offering more unique experiences. In Corozal Town you can find a quaint hotel on the bay where breezes blow through the open air restaurant and cold Belikin rinses the salt tang from your lips. Nearby, you can stay in your own little thatched-roof, bayside hut within walking distance of a Mayan ruin. Corozal Town hotels are a great place to step outside the ordinary.
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Cerros Beach Resort (Editor's Top Pick)
Location. On the Bay of Chetumal across from the town of Corozal. Surrounded by jungle it is the only resort within walking distance to Cerros Mayan Ruins.
Guestrooms. All cabanas have private bathroom with hot and cold water. Expert Tip. The resort and be reached via road or water. Transfers are available from Corozal airstrip upon request. The boat ride is highly recommended, it’s approximately 10 minutes across the beautiful bay waters. Learn more or book this hotel!
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Attractions
Bay
of Chetumal
In the dry season, the bay progresses though the color spectrum from blue to green disclosing its nature as part of the Caribbean Sea. While protected from the open water by the Yucatan Peninsula and barrier islands, the warm waters of this large bay are ideal for sailing, swimming and a variety of other water sports.
Santa Rita Corozal Town is actually built on an area once part of the Mayan settlement known as Santa Rita. Santa Rita was not the Maya name; that name has been lost. It may have been part of the larger Maya metropolis of Chetumal or Chactemal. The largest pyramid on the site sits opposite the Coca Cola plant in Corozal Town. The ruins are open to the public and can be visited by driving north from Corozal Town toward the Mexican border.
Cerros
Just east of Corozal Town
you’ll find a place fairly unique in the Maya world, the seaside ruin of
Cerros. Cerros, Spanish for hills, is not the Maya name. From the heights of
their city on the Bay of Chetumal, the Maya could monitor sea trade in the
area. The city’s position near the mouth of the river was strategic for
receiving goods coming from communities and farms in the interior bound for
the large Maya metropolis of Chetumal. The ruins are most easily visited by
boat from Corozal Town. The main pyramid is relatively easy to climb and
offers a great view of the bay.
Bacalar Chico Park and Marine Reserve
On the eastern edge of the Bay of Chetumal you’ll find a UNESCO World Heritage site protected by the Bacalar Chico Park and Marine Reserve. Here, where barrier reef meets the mainland, you’ll find a convergence of unique marine and terrestrial species. Loggerheads and nine other endangered sea turtles nest here, while 187 bird species fly overhead and all five of Belize’s native cats prowl the land bordered by mangroves. Bacalar Chico includes 15,000 acres of marine reserve and 12,000 acres of land.
The Bacalar Chico channel, marking the boundary between Belize and Mexico, was dug out by the Maya in 100-900 AD. Thousands of years ago these protected waters were a bustling trading area essential for moving food and goods to locations throughout the Maya empire. Today it is a pristine environment essential to protecting the natural resources of Belize. There are numerous locations within the reserve ideal for snorkeling or diving. The reserve is accessed by water. You can secure a guide and transportation to the reserve from the town of Sarteneja on the Bay of Chetumal.
Shipstern Nature Reserve
The
Shipstern Nature Reserve is east of Corozal Town between Chunox and Sarteneja.
The 27,000 acres reserve on the Bay of Chetumal includes wetlands, lagoons and
dry forests. Along the bay you can see manatees and majestic woodstorks, while
inland you’ll find the Baird’s tapir. All of these creatures are endangered, but
have healthy populations in the Shipstern Nature Reserve. Truly adventurous
naturalists can arrange to stay overnight in treetop observatories. The reserve
includes a visitor’s centre, butterfly garden, museum, botanical train and
mahogany park.
Dining
As in most of Belize, you can find a wide variety of cuisines available in Corozal Town. Corozal Town is a great place for fresh fish.
Nightlife
Corozal Town isn’t known for its exciting nightlife, but there are unpretentious watering holes frequented by locals and resident expats. If you have a taste for gambling, there are casinos just north of town on the border with Mexico.
Shopping
Corozal Town is less frequented by tourists and you’ll find fewer souvenir shops than in some places in Belize. While you may not find the brands you are used to, you’ll find plenty of shops selling the necessities of life. Corozal Town, just like all of Belize, is a blend of cultures. Don’t be surprised to find a portrait of Chairman Mao hanging in the local hardware store.
Weather
The Corozal District is the northernmost district in Belize and receives the smallest amount of rainfall in the country – only 1500 mm a year compared to 5,000 mm in the southern district.
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