Planning Your Fact Finding Trip to Belize

There is really only one way to know for sure if Belize is right for you and that would be to make plans to visit Belize.  If you have never been to the country before, I would recommend an initial fact finding trip. Go to Belize to see for yourself what it is like there, eat and drink like a local.

Our initial trip to Belize was for vacation and it was many years ago, so last year we booked a flight to Belize to go on a fact finding trip, with the idea of retiring in Belize.  Months before we left, I read several books on Belize (see Taking Belize blogs recommended reads) and anything on the Internet that I could find related to retiring abroad.  We only had a week, so I made a list of things that we definitely wanted to check out while we were there.  Belize is a small country but a week is really not enough time to see everything, so you may need to make several trips to Belize.

On our first trip to Belize we flew back and forth from the island to the mainland in small puddle jumper planes, but in September we chose to take the water taxi's.  We took a water taxi to Chetumal, Mexico to check out the shopping available there. We also made visits to many of the island grocery stores on Ambergris Caye.

English is widely spoken throughout Belize, so it is easy to travel independently in Belize.  We found the Internet was available in most areas of Belize, so if you needed to make a quick reservation, it was no problem.

Where to Live in Belize? Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is Ambergris Caye's "Little Sister" Island.  It is a small limestone coral island off of the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea.  It is approximately 5 miles long running north to south and less than 1 mile running east to west.  The town on the island is known as Caye Caulker Village. 

Caye Caulker is located approximately 20 miles north northeast of Belize City.  You can get to the island by high-speed water taxi, or small plane.  It has become a popular destination for backpackers and tourist. 

Unlike Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker has fewer cars than San Pedro.  Everyone mostly gets around town on foot, but you can rent bikes and golf carts on the island. 

Caulker has much less beachfront and doesn't really compare to the beaches on Ambergris Caye.  Beaches of white coral sand that easily reflects the sunlight and causes mild sunburns, so you should always wear plenty of sunscreen.  You can even get a sunburn sitting in the shade. 

Caye Caulker remains a budget friendly island with a laid back atmosphere.  Water sports such as boating, fishing and diving are very popular off the island. 

Caye Caulker is much like the tourist businesses of San Pedro, but just fewer of them.  There is over 30 small hotels, a few casual bars, dive shops and small grocery stores.

Where to Live in Belize? Orange Walk

The Orange Walk District, with an area of 1790 square miles is located beside the New River and between Corozal and Belize City on the Northern Highway and is the second largest district of Belize.  The name Orange Walk comes from the orange groves in the area.  There is a formal plaza and the town hall is called Palacio Municipal. 

The strong Spanish influence here is unmistakable.  Old fashionsed totilla factories, mission churches and Spanish-styled homes are everywhere.  There are approximately 16,000 people living in Orange Walk District.  The main source of income before the 19th century was mahogany logging, which has now been replaced with sugar can fields lining the Northern Highway.

Although the Orange Walk District has no coast because it is locked inland, it has the remains of two forts, Mundy and Cairns that were the scene of battles between earlier Mayan inhabitants of the district and settlers. It offers some of the most natural  areas of Belize, with excellent birding and wildlife viewing.

Sights and Recreation in the Area:
1.  Banquitas House of Culture-exhibit of history, culture and industry of Orange Walk.
2.  New River and New River Lagoon-chance to see Morelet's Crocodiles and iguanas.
3.  Honey Camp Lagoon-white sandy beaches and coconut trees.

Other posts you may be interested in:
Where to Live in Belize?  Placencia
Where to Live in Belize? Belmopan

Where to live in Belize? San Ignacio

San Ignacio and it's sister town of Santa Elena make up Belize's second largest urban area.  San Ignacio and Santa Elena are separated by the Macal River and Belize's only suspension bridge, the one lane Hawksworth Bridge which was built in 1949.

San Ignacio is very close to the Mountain Pine Ridge region where you can see some of the most beautiful waterfalls that Belize has to offer.  It also is a popular tourist destination in Belize with backpackers visiting and the Cayo District offers a wide variety of outdoor activities for those seeking some adventure.

San Ignacio is known by locals as the "Cayo" district and is located long the Western Highway and is approximately 70 miles or about a 90 minute drive from Belize City and only 9 miles east from the Guatemalan border.

Burns Avenue is the "Main Drag" in town and has many shops, hotels and places to eat. 
San Ignacio was originally names "El Cayo"  before being changed in the 1960's. El Cayo survived two major fires. The first fire was in 1966 and the second fire was 1972. The entire Burns Avenue was destroyed.

Getting to San Ignacio from Belize City:

Plane - All of the major tour operators offer airport shuttles, but they generally do not run with fewer than 4 passengers.

Bus - Bus services run approximately every half hour between 5:00 to 8:00pm.  The bus trip generally takes about 2 1/2.

Car - You can rent a car and take the Western Highway from Belize City.  You will go through the town of Santa Elena first and across the Macal River is where San Ignacio is located. 

Things to do and see in the Cayo Area:

1.  Xunantunich Archaeological Site-Ancient Maya City
2.  Chechem Ha Cave and Vaca Plateau-
3.  Caracol Archaeological Site
4.  Medicinal Jungle Trail and Iguana Exhibit
5.  Actun Tunichi Muknal
6.  Thousand Foot Falls-Central America's Highest Waterfall
7.  Belize Botanic Gardens-Lots of Hiking Trails-Learn about the Medicinal and Ritual Plants of the Maya
8.  Cahal Pech Archaeological Site-Discovered in the early 1950's

Best Places to Retire Abroad, Belize - AARP The Magazine

Best Places to Retire Abroad

Belize

A Central American paradise that offers beaches, beauty and a fast track to residency status.

by: Barry Golson | from: AARP The Magazine | September/October 2010 issue

Let’s fast-forward to Belize’s unique appeal to U.S. retirees: It's the only south-of-the-border country whose official language is English. Until 1973 it was called British Honduras, and was a crown colony of the U.K.; it was granted full independence in 1981 (although Queen Elizabeth II is still head of state). Another goodie: It’s catching up to Panama and Costa Rica's retiree perks. Its Qualified Retired Persons program, known as the QRP, offers benefits and a fast track to residency status.

Squeezed between Mexico’s Yucatan coast and Guatemala to the south, sparsely populated Belize is a Central American paradise, with tropical jungle flora, endless white beaches, an aquamarine Caribbean sea, some of the world’s best reefs for snorkelers, fishing to die for, Mayan ruins, and even casinos. Most expats settle either on the largest island, Ambergris Caye, or in Corazol Town on the mainland’s northern tip. Ambergris Caye has the fancy restaurants and condos, including million-dollar properties. It can be as expensive as South Florida (Leonardo Di Caprio bought an island west of Ambergris Caye). The Corozal district, a few miles’ drive from the Mexican border, is far more affordable. Corozal expats live a laid-back life, with year-round outdoor play (boating, hiking, swimming, diving), but are still only 20 minutes from the malls and cineplexes of Chetumal, the capital of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

After many visits to Belize, Atlantans Walter and Terri Fisher, 55 and 49, built a "concrete ranch house" with a water view for $125,000, including the lot. "The house was finished in 2007," Walter reports. "Last year we sold our house in the States, got off the corporate treadmill, and moved here. I drove down in my truck on my own, and Terri—and five cats—flew down. We're completely happy, though it’s tough being this far from family."

A former educator, Audrey Shabbas, 68, moved to Corozal from Berkeley, California, with two of her four children three years ago. "We looked at Nicaragua, but Belize had what we wanted—water all around," she says. "We bought a home with one-third of what we got for our Berkeley house—and it’s three times as wonderful. I'm very blessed to be here."


Best Places to Retire Abroad, Belize - AARP The Magazine