Peaceful Corozal District blends Spanish flavor with Old World charm to create a haven of tranquility away from the tourist track. Corozal Town nestles along the windswept waters of Corozal Bay.

The rich blue and white-capped bay, edged with fluttering palms, is the trademark of Corozal Town, population 8,600. Deluxe resorts, comfortable houses, and shady parks overlook the inviting waters. Visitors and retirees from Europe and North America mix easily with more deeply rooted locals, mostly descendants of mestizos who fled the 19th-century Caste Wars in Yucatán. As much Spanish as English is spoken here. Mexican influence becomes even more evident in villages and towns like San Jose, San Pablo, and San Roman. Maya and Mennonite settlements also dot the district.

Corozal may feel closer to Chetumal, capital of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, than to Belize. People cross the Rio Hondo border quite casually to shop, eat Mexican food, or see a movie. Mexicans who cross into Belize shop for bargains in the free zone. But residents remain so attached to their beloved Corozal that many commute two hours to Belize City for school or work. Visitors prefer daily commuter flights via San Pedro for US$135.50 RT from Belize City's municipal airstrip. Water taxis also run between San Pedro and Corozal.

Many locals work in the sugar industry in this bucolic district of 35,000. Named after the Spanish word for the cohune palm tree, a Maya symbol of fertility, Corozal is the country's most productive agricultural region. The district also grows thick with beautiful trees and flowers, countless animals and birds, and ancient Maya temples. Boat tours ply rivers and bays once used by the ancient Maya. Fishing is superb.

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