Travel Guide CHETUMAL Contents

DISCOVER CHETUMAL 01

CHETUMAL PROFILE 03

CHETUMAL ATTRACTIONS 04

CHETUMAL DINING 09

CHETUMAL SHOPPING 10

CHETUMAL NIGHTLIFE 12

THINGS TO DO IN CHETUMAL 14 DISCOVER CHETUMAL

Chetumal is a small, charming city. Whether you’re walking or cycling, you can enjoy the view along its long boulevard, where the combination of the breeze and birdsong makes it an unforgettable experience. Here you enjoy many festivals and traditions, the abundant plant and wildlife, the lagoons, and the mystical archeological sites that can be found nearby.

The “Old Chetumal” district, in the downtown area, stands out for its romantic English colonial-style houses made with beautiful woods and roofs of corrugated sheets painted in red. Avenida Insurgentes, in the north of the city, is where you’ll find most of the recent urban development, including shopping malls, universities, and tourist attractions. On the other hand, the boulevard or coastal road is the epicenter of the city’s night and social life.

BIRTHPLACE OF THE “MESTIZO”

Many important events happened in Chetumal, from the start of the Spanish conquest to the fall of the Mayan empire. An old legend tells the tale that this was where the Spanish soldier Gonzalo Guerrero married the Mayan princess Zazil Ha, and together they had the first “mestizo” children in history. This is why Chetumal is also known as the Birthplace of the “Mestizo”.

1 CHETUMAL Y BELICE, DOS PUEBLOS HERMANOS

Chetumal and Belize link Mexico with Central America, which is why they have shared a lot since their foundation, including cuisine, architecture, music, and traditions. Reggae, Zanebay (a type of Samba) and Punta Rock (a mix of English and African lyrics) are the musical genres adopted by the locals, while passacaglia and calabaceado are popular dance styles in the region.

The fact that the people of Belize go to Chetumal to make the most of the clinics, schools, shopping, shows, and other services, has strengthened the links between them. Belize also has a duty free zone where people from Chetumal usually go to buy clothes, electronics, and other imported goods.

2 CHETUMAL PROFILE

State capital of Quintana Roo.

Peaceful, small city with a laid-back lifestyle.

Birthplace of the “Mestizo”.

English-style architecture in downtown areas.

Eco-tourism and archeological sites in the surrounding areas

Mayan roots reflected in the customs, vocabulary, and cuisine

A charming bay with a beautiful coastal road.

Affordable lodging with a tendency towards business hotels.

Shared cultural elements with Belize.

3 CHETUMAL ATTRACTIONS

There are countless attractions to see in Chetumal. You’ll find culture, fascinating history, and architecture, as well as adventure and natural beauty in the surrounding region. Plan a trip into the wild or the archeological sites, and admire the stunning natural scenery that the state of Quintana Roo has to offer.

Enjoy the charming solitude of the bay, sail on the river Rio Hondo, or go to Bacalar and visit the eco -archeological sites in the Kohunlich and Dzibanchen areas. Whether by land or sea, you can have an incredible adventure in Chetumal!

THE BOULEVARD

The Boulevard is the main meeting point where the locals like to relax, exercise, and hang out. Featuring a fantastic view of the bay, this coastal avenue stretches for more than three miles from the Renacimiento Park to the Quintana Roo University. Along the way you’ll find restaurants, clubs, parks, and other entertainment options. Enjoy contact with the outdoors, savor a refreshing ice cream, or have fun at the music concerts that are held on the avenue.

4 CASINOS IN BELIZE

If you’re looking for a different way to have fun, then the Las Vegas style casinos in the Belize Free Zone are ideal. If you’re lucky, you’ll even be able to take some extra money home! Featuring a wide variety of games like Blackjack, Roulette, and Poker, they also have lots of slot machines. The Belizean casinos offer great shows, bars, and restaurants with enticing menus.

MAYAN CULTURE MUSEUM

This museum teaches you about an extraordinary civilization that survived for more than two thousand years. With the help of modern technology, the museum lets you get close to this culture that has stood the test of time, as the wisdom of the Mayans has been preserved in the region to this day. This museum is recognition of the artistic inspiration and knowledge of the Mayans. Visiting the city’s museums is just one of the activities not to be missed during your vacation in Chetumal!

CITY MUSEUM

This museum, on the grounds of the Instituto Quintanarroense de la Cultura (Quintana Roo Cultural Institute), one of the oldest buildings in Chetumal, was created to preserve and tell the history of the city. It has six galleries displaying historic documents, photographs, furniture, weapons, and other artifacts that depict a past of fighting for the growth and well-being of the city.

5 BIOUNIVERZOO

This small nature reserve is located in a fast-growing area in the north of the city, on Avenida Insurgentes. Its lush green areas are ideal for relaxing walks as you discover the region’s plants and animals, some of which are in danger of extinction. The animals are located in settings similar to their natural habitat; there are none of the traditional cages on show. The reserve also offers guided evening tours to see the many nocturnal species.

BACALAR

Bacalar is a sleepy town with pre-Hispanic origins, located about 20 minutes north of Chetumal, that was founded about 500 AD by the Itza Mayans. The region also served as a point for unloading and loading merchandise on route to Honduras and Guatemala.

The San Felipe Bacalar Fortress was built in 1727 to protect the area after the town suffered repeated pirate attacks from Caribbean and European smugglers and privateers. Today it is a wonderful museum that displays close to 300 years of history featuring Mayans, Spaniards, and pirates, as well as pre-Hispanic and colonial artifacts.

The saltwater of the Caribbean Sea mixes with freshwater in the town’s beautiful lagoon, which is also known as the Lagoon of Seven Colors or the Rainbow Lagoon. This combination has created different tones of blues and greens that light up in the sunshine. Featuring abundant mangroves and lush vegetation, it is a perfect place to enjoy boat tours and water sports, especially scuba diving. The lagoon has underwater caves and tunnels that connect it to the sea, making it ideal for any fan of diving.

6 CENOTE AZUL

Located near Bacalar Lagoon, Cenote Azul is an amazing display of nature. This magical place is an obligatory stop for fans of scuba diving, as it is a challenging site to dive because of its depth, enormous size, and characteristics. You can plan dives in different areas to explore every corner of the sinkhole, making for an unforgettable experience.

DZIBANCHE

Dzibanche is located about an hour from Chetumal and is considered to be the most important Mayan settlement in southern Quintana Roo. The impressive, beautiful buildings are loyal witnesses of the complexity of the Mayan sociopolitical system and are excellent examples of the architectural development of the area. During your tour you’ll see the Dinteles Temple, which has a base with ornate bodies in a sloped shelf design, built in a way similar to Teotihuacan. At the top you can see a very-well preserved temple that dates back to the year 554 AD.

7 BANCO CHINCHORRO BIOSPHERE RESERVE

This reserve is located on Mexico’s Caribbean coast near Chetumal. Here you’ll find numerous shipwrecks along four sandbanks, including Cayo Norte, Cayo Centro, and Cayo Lobos. There are a wide variety of wildlife, sea life and coral to explore here, making this ships graveyard and diver’s paradise, well worth a visit.

KOHUNLICH

Less than 40 miles from Chetumal you’ll find the most studied archeological site in southern Quintana Roo, Kohunlich. It is a fascinating place to visit featuring architectural treasures like Templo de los Mascarones (Temple of the Masks), the building with the highest symbolic and ritual importance at the site. Other highlights include the Ya’axna group, the oldest at the settlement, as well as Plaza de las Estelas and Acropolis. A number of residential buildings have been found in this area, which were originally occupied by the governing elite, including the sites 27 Escalones and Pixa’an.

8 CHETUMAL DINING

The cuisine in Chetumal has strong Belizean and Yucatecan influences, with one of the highlights being the traditional “rice and beans”. This dish is prepared using colored rice fried in coconut oil with bananas and beans, and accompanied by chicken or fish. Another traditional specialty is “meat pie”, a spicy beef pie.

The Mayan culture leaves its culinary mark on Chetumal in the form of tamales made with a special bean called “xpelon”, or in the delicious “brazo de reina” (queen’s arm), which is also known as “sotobichay”. The latter is a tamal, the main ingredients of which are egg and chaya (a plant related to spinach), with the optional extra of being covered in a tomato sauce. During different festivals, the locals prepare special dishes, like “mucbi pollo” (large, oven - baked tamales) for the Day of the Dead (November 2nd).

Obviously, being a coastal city, we have to mention seafood specialties like “pan de cazon”, originally from Campeche, and tikinxic fish, originally from Yucatan. Other highlights include specialties prepared with conches, which you can enjoy in the Calderitas area (to the north of Chetumal) or in the town of Bacalar.

For dessert, you could try the “machacados”, which are made up of blended fresh fruit sweetened with condensed milk and cinnamon, ideal for a warm afternoon. “Fruit cake”, while Belizean in origin, is very typical during the Christmas season.

Regional snacks include green mangos and plums in brine, all of which are prepared with salt and habanero chilies.

9 CHETUMAL SHOPPING

Modern day Chetumal was founded in the 20th century, and is a relatively young city that owes its recent growth in part to shopping. Here you’ll find imported goods sold at a great price due to its proximity to the duty free zone. Midway through the 20th century, when it became the government seat for the state of Quintana Roo, the city started to flourish and to have more purchasing power.

One of the best places to go shopping in Chetumal is at the border with Belize, an area that sees lots of commercial activity the whole year round. Here you can buy imported goods in hundreds of stores, with everything available from clothes to liquor, completely tax free.

In Chetumal you can also find beautiful handicrafts. In fact, the manufacturing of products used for clothing, religion, and the arts, has always been one of many Mayan traditions. Today the same tech- niques from days gone by are still being used, having been passed down from generation to generation.

HANDICRAFTS

Currently handicrafts are of utmost importance in the development of the region, because it is a way to help keep the Mayan culture alive. The predominant handicrafts in the region are textiles, in which beautiful figures are sown, or natural dyes are applied. Another typical handicraft from the region is the carving of ostrich eggs to make jewelry boxes, or the use of pink conches to make charming lamps. It is also possible to find items made with fine tropical woods.

10 BELIZE FREE ZONE

The Belize border is located just minutes away from downtown Chetumal. Crossing the border you’ll find the Belize Free Zone, where there are hundreds of stores selling tax-free merchandise and services. This is very attractive for people from the region and even for people from neighboring states. Before you go to Belize, it is highly recommended that you verify the amounts and types of products that you can bring back into Mexico.

PLAZA LAS AMERICAS

This shopping mall has a large number of stores offering a wide variety of products. The complex features a cinema, a restaurant area and fast food outlets, as well as a diverse array of services.

11 CHETUMAL NIGHTLIFE

The city of Chetumal has lots of great places for an entertaining night out. There are clubs playing all kinds of different music, including rock, hip-hop, salsa, and merengue. Some genres are more traditional in the region, like reggae, which entered Mexico from nearby Belize.

CASINOS IN BELIZE

12 THE CHETUMAL BOARDWALK

The local nightlife is not just about bars and nightclubs; the city also has a charming boardwalk known locally as “El Boulevard” (the boulevard). Here you can see people every evening hanging out and admiring the beautiful sunsets, as well as the starry night sky with the bay of Chetumal as the backdrop. Enjoy this wonderful spectacle and gift from nature with a delicious ice cream or a coffee from one of the establishments located nearby. Another thing to do is to listen to the music performed by amateur musicians that meet here. Sometimes you can also see dance companies putting on shows, mainly at the weekend.

13 THINGS TO DO IN CHETUMAL

Go for a walk on the boardwalk, enjoy an ice cream, or just relax and admire the view of the bay.

Explore the downtown area and see the typical romantic English colonial style architecture.

Go to the museums to find about the city’s history and the legacy of the Mayan civilization in the region.

Visit the nearby archeological sites and discover the Mayan world first-hand.

Explore the picturesque nearby towns like Calderitas and Bacalar, with their unique cuisines and recreational activities.

Snorkel or scuba dive on the Chetumal coast, especially at Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve.

Go shopping in the Belize Free Zone to purchase tax-free imported goods at great prices.

Try the traditional “rice and beans”, a dish with Belizean influences that includes exotic ingredients like coconut milk and fried bananas.

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