Corozal

ABOVE: Corozal Bay on a calm Sunday morning.

The May 12, 2000 census noted that Mestizos now make up 48.7% of Belize's population, and el norté. A mixture of Spanish and Maya, the Mestizos in the north continue to be engaged in sugar production, although diversification is evident, especially in nearby Orange Walk which has begun soybean cultivation. The Mestizos living in the Corozal and Orange Walk districts observe a "nine nights" celebration at Christmas called the "Posada" in which they move house to house asking for a posada (a shelter). The Fajina is the custom of tackling village projects on a voluntary basis. An Oregon businesswoman who is a frequent visitors shares her first impression of Corozal:

"This town of about 9,000 on the very northern border of Belize just across from Mexico is, predictably, more like a Mexican town than most others in Belize. There aren't as many Creoles and hardly any Garifuna, it's mostly Mestizo, Mexican and Mayan. And of course, the Chinese and Korean shop-keepers and restaurant owners that are all over the world. And the "Rasta" hustlers. Called Rascals by some and pronounced "rah-scals."

The language of the street is almost exclusively Spanish. Other signs of the Mexican orientation are the central square typical of Mexican communities, the proliferation of other public speaking, meeting and music areas and the statuary. The most dominant statue in town is of a nursing mother, but there are a number of other statues scattered here and there. The town is located on Corozal Bay, a "sub-bay" of the Bay of Honduras which borders all of Belize.

The town fathers have done a nice job of preserving public space along the bay; the public market is set on the bay, and the tourist center and a public basketball/soccer court. And there is a park that runs along the bay for a quarter mile or more. The bay is beautiful, reflecting the sky in many shades of blue, green and lavender when clear and a strange milky green when stirred up. I only saw the clear colors because we had a small taste of the rainy season while I was there. A storm that blew up quite quickly and dumped probably an inch-and-a-half of water in less than an hour. When it was over the water in the bay was clear and beautiful and you could see to the bottom in the shallow spots. But then the weather cleared and by the next morning it was like green hobnail glass again -- a phenomenon that I don't understand, and no one could explain to me, either.

Aother traveller, a novice backpacker and his fiance, describes his first impressions of Corozal:

"I can also say I had the wrong impression of the area. I have read in many places on websites and in travel guides that Corozal is a nice place to stop and refuel while on your way to somewhere else. WRONG! Corozal Town is a very well organized community with more to do than you will have time to complete. If you have been to Belize in places where food can only be found in a few restaurants serving Belizean food only, you would have an appreciation for the number and variety of shops, restaurants, and activates available to you in Corozal Town. The place could easily be mistaken for any small town in the United States. Here, you get all the benefits of plentiful supply, due to its location near the Mexico border, and a tropical and peaceful paradise.

So what types of things can you do in Corozal the district and in Corozal the town. Well, strap on your travelers seatbelt. Let's look at this place from the value it offers adventure and luxury hungry tourist.

Ever wanted to be in the middle of it all? Yeah, thought so. Corozal Town offers exactly that. Corozal Town just happens to be in the center of the great Mayan World, otherwise known as Mundo Maya. Corozal Town is a nice place to call home while you learn more about the Mayan Empire. Why? Well, first of all, Corozal Town is very near the history rich Santa Rita site once the capital city Chactumal. Chactumal controlled the entrance ways to the two largest trade route rivers to the southern Maya cities and temples. The Rio Hondo makes the border between Corozal and Mexico today. At the apex of the Mayan Empire, called the Classic Period, The Rio Hondo allowed trade to pass from the sea routes and areas to the north to places like Lamanai, Tikal, Caracol, and Xunantunich. The mouth of the New River to the south controlled trade routes to the inner land locked sites such as Lamanai, Altun Ha, Cerros, and Cuello.

The modern day city of Chetumal is the largest remains of the once great empire. In Chetumal, only thirty minutes by bus north of Corozal Town, is the Maya Museum. The museum offers a detailed tribute and historical window to the whole Empire which once covered all of the Mexican Yucatan, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, parts of Nicaragua, and El Salvador. It is best to schedule your stay in Corozal Town and visit Chetumal for a day by bus."

East Indian Museum

A visit to Windows to the Past (Khirkee to Guzarna) Museum of East Indian Culture is an opportunity to see displays of East Indian culture. It is located at 129 South End, Corozal, Telephone +501-422-3314. It features many of the day-to-day household items used in the past and even into the present by many East Indian Belizeans who originally settled here around 1838. At that time, the sugar estates needed workers so East Indians who were in Guatemala and Jamaica came over as indentured laborers, which included contract work as well as the ability to own small portions of land. This original group of East Indian immigrants holds much in common with Creole culture, as separate from the modern day merchant class of East Indians. The East Indian museum features some of the cultural items that current day East Indian immigrants use, even though the original, now mixed, East Indians may no longer use them.

Resorts Hotels and Beaches

Tony's Inn and Beach Resort offers attractive and reasonably priced accommodations, comfortable air-conditioned rooms attractively laid out in mahogany and tile. Tony's features a private beach and gourmet restaurant, convention and meeting facilities. Tony's also offers a variety of tours to Mayan ruins and wildlife reserves. Corozal also has several small budget hotels; popular ones are Caribbean Village (which also offers RV camping facilities) and Hotel Maya, which also has conference facilities and a camping site.

A few miles north of Corozal is four Mile Lagoon, an attractive beach for swimming, windsurfing, ailing and fishing. Camping is also available. About seven miles north of Corozal Town, near the tip of the Corozal Peninsula that lies on the Bay of Chetumal is Consejo Shores. Many American, Canadian and European expatriates have purchased and built homes in Consejo. Also set in Consejo is Casa Blanca Hotel by the Sea, a small 8-room haven... Its restaurant features seafood and meat, and it also offers meeting facilities for groups ranging from 25 to 200. Customized adventure tours are available at most hotels.

Mayan Ruins of Cerros and Santa Rita

These two ancient Mayan sites are embraced by the town of Corozal. Corozal Town itself is built over what was once the Mayan city of Santa Rita, an important trade center until it was destroyed by the Spanish in the 1550's. Its ruins are within walking distance of Corozal Town and the Santa Rita ruins also offer visitors a panoramic view of the area, with Cerros in the nearby distance. Cerros, is located on the peninsula in the Bay of Chetumal, a short boat ride away. Cerros was a major coastal trading center during the pre-Classic period (350 BC - 250 AD). Burial sites with jewelry and artifacts were recently unearthed at Cerros.

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