The Corozal District is located in northern Belize on the border with Mexico. The history of settlements in this region goes back a long way. The oldest finds date back to 900 BC. At the beginning of the first millennium, one of the early kingdoms was able to establish itself here in Cerros. Although this kingdom collapsed just 200 years later, the New River and the Rio Hondo were two important trade routes into the interior of the country that met the coastal routes here. This led to a population boom during the Classical period, which led to the creation of numerous cities. Numerous ruins still bear witness to this today. At the end of the Classical period, there was also a radical reduction in population here. But the trading hub around the two headwaters was still important, as large cities (e.g. Lamanai) continued to be important along these two rivers. When the Spanish advanced from the north in the 16th century, they were successfully defeated militarily in Santa Rita, but the important trade routes along the coast to the north had become inaccessible. In addition, diseases brought by the Spanish arrived, and the rest was done by the British pirates and loggers who advanced from the south a few years later in search of hiding places and wood. By the beginning of the 19th century, this region was almost deserted. That changed during the Caste Wars. Numerous refugees from the Mestizo and Maya fled across the border to start a new life here. Most of the towns, such as Corozal, date from this period. Larger groups of Mennonites followed.
In the northwest, the Northern Highway is surrounded by farmland and the larger towns. In the southeast, you will find untouched nature in the form of mangrove swamps and lagoons. In general, this district, along with the Toledo District, is considered a forgotten district from a tourist perspective. Most tourists only use a first stopover to get their bearings before continuing on to Orange Walk, Belize City or San Ignacio (Belize). But it is precisely the mangrove swamps and lagoons with direct access to the picturesque Caribbean that offer a variety of attractions such as undiscovered Mayan ruins, unique fauna and flora and fantastic swimming and diving opportunities on the doorstep. Small villages also provide the infrastructure for small-scale eco-tourism. Although you have to expect that not everything is perfectly organized every now and then due to the lack of mass tourism, you can really discover a lot for yourself and there is a lot to discover.
Most places have far fewer than 10,000 inhabitants and are located
directly or near the Northern Highway.
The most important places
are:
Copper Bank - Dreamy fishing village on the Seca Lagoon
Consejo - The northernmost place in Belize
Corozal - Provincial
capital
Louisville - Small town with Mayan ruins
Sarteneja - Small
fishing village with infrastructure for ecotourism
Of course there are also Mayan ruins to visit here. Tourists can
visit and are recommended:
Cerros
Santa Rita
The Shipstern
Lagoon is located in the long mangrove swamps. A large nature reserve
has been created around the area, which attracts visitors with a large
breeding colony of rare storks, among other things: the Shipstern Nature
Reserve.
In many places, Spanish or Mayan is spoken alongside English.
Corozal has a small airport for domestic flights. There are numerous
shuttle services that offer immediate transfer to Chetumal International
Airport.
Corozal can also be reached by bus from Mexico via
Chetumal. There are also domestic connections from Orange Walk or Belize
City.
If you have your own car, you can drive into the district
from the north or south via the Northern Highway to reach destinations
in the northwest. Destinations in the southeast should be driven from
the Orange Walk District in the direction of San Estevan.
The central connecting road is the Northern Highway.
Nature. Here the climate changes from the rather dry Yucatan climate
to the more humid Central American rainforest climate. This is the best
basis for a fantastic variety of fauna and flora. This is embedded in a
long-forgotten lagoon landscape.
Caribbean. Hidden beaches and the
reef for diving and snorkeling on the doorstep leave nothing to be
desired. Fishing enthusiasts will also get their money's worth here.
Mayan ruins. Not as spectacular as in Tikal or Calakmul, but at least as
beautifully situated as the tourist magnets Tulum and Lamanai.
Caves.
These are also present here, but compared to those in the west in the
Cayo District or the south Toledo District they are rather
unspectacular.
Nature observations - Manatees can often be seen in the bay of
Corozal. In addition, the Shipstern Nature Reserve offers the ideal
environment for almost every animal species in Belize. The forest stork
colonies are particularly noteworthy. If that's not enough for you,
there's the Bacalar Chico Marine right on your doorstep.
Discovery -
Several Mayan trade routes met here. So it's not surprising that there
are numerous small Mayan ruins. The Cerros and Santa Rita ruins are
certainly the most famous and most historic.
Diving - Whether with a
bottle or snorkel: the diving paradise of Belize is reflected here too.
Numerous destinations on your doorstep or in the surrounding area will
make every diver's heart beat faster.
Swimming - A little off the
beaten track at the Shipstern Nature Reserve, a path leads towards the
coast to the best beach in the region. Boat trips and the islands with
dream beaches also invite you to swim.
Boat tour - Whether by boat to
the Caribbean and the Bacalar Chico Marine or to the lagoons, there is
definitely a lot to see and discover. Or you can just enjoy the trip...
Hiking - The Shipstern Nature Reserve in particular has a few small
hiking routes in the rainforest.
Fishing - Of course, it is obvious
that the opportunities for this are very good thanks to the numerous
fishing villages.
The restaurants are generally simple and the only difference is in the dishes: fish, chicken or meat, but this does not usually reduce the quality. On the contrary, especially in small towns, real delicacies are served at good prices. Marie Sharp's Habanero Pepper Sauce is on every table in Belize. This extremely hot sauce has telling names like "No Wimps Allowed" or "Beware". Fish is highly recommended.
The nightlife is rather spartan. There are only a few options in
Corozal and Sarteneja. If you really want to let it rip, you should head
to San Pedro (Belize) or Belize City.
The crime rate is
negligible, especially in the smaller towns. Nevertheless, you should
keep an eye out for con artists when crossing the border and in Corozal.
There are also crocodiles and poisonous snakes, so it is certainly
not advisable to be too careless. But given the fact that humans are not
on the menu of these animals, cautious behavior and appropriate clothing
should guarantee sufficient protection. The "most dangerous" here are
almost the mosquitoes, so mosquito repellent should not be omitted.
Dengue fever, which is occasionally transmitted by mosquitoes, cannot be
prevented by vaccination. However, other diseases can be prevented:
Malaria prophylaxis should be carried with you at least in case of
emergency.
A typhoid vaccination should be carried beforehand -
Hepatitis A, B, tetanus and rabies vaccinations should be updated.
Despite the relatively dry climate, there is clearly a dry season and a rainy season here too. Most of the rain falls between June and November, while it is mostly dry between February and May.