NORTHERN BELIZE
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
San Pedro is Belize’s largest island. The entire island is approximately twenty-five miles long and about a mile across in width. Throughout Belize, the island is fondly known as “La Isla Bonita.” San Pedro is big, it is popular, and it is constantly expanding. Tiger Woods, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lennox Lewis, Simone Biles, Francis Ford Coppola, Kanye West, and Brittany Spears are some of the celebrities who have visited the island. Living in San Pedro has all the amenities of living on the mainland with the added benefit of having the Great Belize Barrier Reef right in front of it. San Pedro is known for its snorkeling, its diving, its resorts, its food, and its active night life. Residents and visitors looking for a quieter stay can find it in the developments up the coast and on the outskirts of the main town area. The island is big enough for everyone.
Corozal
The Corozal Bay is the first thing that catches any visitor’s eyes. The Bay’s turquoise color and cool breeze can feel a lot like being at the beach. The Corozal District sits at the top of the Belize map. It is the country’s northernmost district bordering Mexico. Apart from the Capital City of Belmopan, Corozal town is the only other municipal center in Belize. Its settlement and infrastructural history are a rich story of ancient Maya ruins and refugees fleeing the Caste War of Yucatan in the late 19th century. Today, Corozal is a thriving town with a growing expat community.
For anyone looking to make Corozal their home, the town’s proximity to Chetumal, in Quintana Roo Mexico, means easy shopping at Walmart or Sam’s Club. Residents have access to banking, local grocery stores, healthcare, and outside dining. What cannot be done in town is not a worry. San Pedro, Ambergris Caye is a boat ride away and Belize City is approximately 90 minutes away by driving- two of the busier and more cosmopolitan areas in the country. The local Farmers’ Market offers access to organic foods freshly grown and handpicked. Not exactly a part of the regular tourist’s bandwidth, the town can is sleepy and laid back. Life in Corozal can be solitude with the quick option if getting more if needed.
Orange Walk
Orange Walk Town, locally dubbed as “Sugah City”, is all things family and farming. It is the fourth largest town in Belize. When driving through this town your can expect to see a steady flow of trucks full of sugar cane. The Town’s economy and social structures are tied to Belize’s sugar industry which goes as far back as the mid- 19th century. Today the industry is still thriving because of this community. Orange Walk Town (OW) is a quiet town of industrious family-oriented citizens. The population is mostly Mestizo descent which is a mixture of Spanish and Yucatec Maya.
Residents is Orange Walk Town do not just enjoy fresh sugar and family time. Spread across the district are pieces of the country’s ancient and contemporary history. Lamanai archeological site is one of better-known attractions. Nature lovers and outdoors enthusiasts would love life in this area of the country with its marshes, savannas, and broad lead forests. Banking and everyday grocery shopping are readily available in Orange Walk Town. With Belize City and driving South or Corozal Town being the same distance driving north, tending to other business or shopping matters is only a quick drive away. What is always available is fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers and suppliers.
Orange Walk, Sugah City, is a beautiful place to live for the forests and family-oriented type.
CENTRAL BELIZE
Belize
Belize City is the country’s commercial and industrial hub. It is the largest and most populated city in the country. As the former capital, the city is fondly referred to as “old capital”. Being the country’s metropolitan center, Belize City offers a faster pace of living with the amenities that come with any major city in the world. The Phillip Goldson International Airport is ten minutes outside the city, the country’s major port, and the headquarters for most major businesses are in Belize City. More of everything can be found in Belize City.
With many of its colonial style buildings still standing and scattered throughout the area, Belize City can be described as quaint and picturesque. City residents enjoy walks by the seaside, boat rides up the old Belize River, quick trips to the outer cayes, and proximity to most major businesses, government offices, and the Phillip Goldson International Airport. Belize City is busier than other parts of the country but still with an old colonial feel.
Cayo
Mountains, freshwater rivers, and lazy green pastures are scattered throughout the Cayo District. The crisp fresh and spacious landscape are some of the things that attract many people to visit and live in this part of Belize. Freshly gown and organic foods are in constant supply at local markets and grocery stores.
The twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena are a part of the popular tourists’ route. Residents and visitors get the best of both worlds. They have the option of a sleepy evening at home or the convenience of visiting some exceptional restaurants and resorts in the country including the Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge and Ka’ana Resort. Buying property in the Cayo District is always an excellent choice for families or singles who just love nature, birdwatching, hiking, and spending time in the clean outdoors.
SOUTHERN BELIZE
Stann Creek
The Stann Creek District is known for culture. While the entire culture is a melting pot of various cultures, Dangriga is locally referred to as the country’s “culture capital”. This town stands out because of the Garifuna people and their contribution to music, dance, education, farming, etc. The Garifuna culture and villages such as Hopkins, Seine Bight, George Town have made the Stann Creek District synonymously tied to all things having to do with preserving authenticity and history.
The Stann Creek District is also a farming community. Citrus and banana are grown throughout the district. Big tourists’ areas like Placencia and Hopkins are popular areas for purchasing property with growing expats communities. Anyone looking to live in this side of the country can look forward easy access to beaches, cayes, and a more authentic cultural experience.
Placencia
Placencia Village is a fishing community turned primary tourist attraction. Located at the end of the Placencia Peninsula, it is a quaint rural community with prime beach and lagoon properties. Maya beach and Seign Bight Village are also located on peninsula. Placencia Village has developed into a premier destination for vacationers, foreign investors, expats, or just those looking for a weekend getaway. Residents enjoy a variety of experiences that are readily available to them such as day trips the cayes, a range of restaurants and bars, local hangout spots, some of the best snorkeling and scuba operators in the country, and approximately twenty-seven miles of sandy beaches. The village is reachable by land, air, or sea. Visitors can fly on one of the local airlines, drive down on the scenic highways, or ride the boat taxi from Independence Village. No matter how you decide to travel, just get there because Placencia is a wonderful place to visit and invest.
Hopkins Village
Hopkins Village is a small Garifuna community that is rustic, friendly, and picturesque. With the cockscomb mountains visible just behind it, this small coastal village is popular for its local mom and pop restaurants, reggae bars, and cool gift shops. With a population of just over one thousand residents, Hopkins is really a home away from home where your neighbor is bound to become your friend. The village is about a 40-minute drive away from Placenicia Village and about 25 minutes away from Dangriga Town. Readily accessible and with a chill vibe, Hopkins is a beautiful place to invest if you are looking for a quiet community where the people are as warm and diverse as experiences you are bound to have there.
Toledo
The Toledo District the southernmost part of the country and Punta Gorda Town is its capital. Punta Gorda Town is quaint and homey. Tourism is active but not as busy as other parts of the country. In Town, you can expect find friendly and familiar faces at the local farmers’ market, bars, hotels, and businesses. This part of the country is popular for its rainforest and extensive cave systems. The population in Punta Gorda is diverse with a large East Indian community and the historic Garifuna village of Boranco within driving distance. Additionally, many Maya villages are in the outskirts of the Town. The Toledo coastline shares a small part of the Bay of Honduras along with Guatemala and its namesake. Some like to say that Toledo is the forgotten districts, but once visit, for leisure or living, will quickly prove that nothing is forgettable about this district.