“It’s boring. There are only old people, and there is nothing to do”, a Dutch guy tells me on the road. So, to be safe, I only book one night in Placencia, Belize. And as soon as I get there, I immediately book an extra night.
The guidebooks describe Hopkins as one of Belize’s most touristic destinations. And that is true. But touristy Belize is an entirely different experience than touristic Mexico. No mass tourism, no Western chain stores, no cruise ships, and no rush. Love it!
At first, I think they are people. That some people somewhere in the distance make strange noises. But the sound lasts too long for a joke. It’s a continuous, deep, loud roar. It’s not people, I realize. I am surrounded by howler monkeys in the jungle of the Mayan city of Lamanai. So cool! Want to experience it too? I’ll explain what to expect and how to get there.
Only a few tourists have found their way to northern Belize. If you want to travel off the beaten track, you’re in the right place. I end up in the sleepy fishing village of Sarteneja and get to know it through the stories of the inhabitants.
I have trouble characterizing Orange Walk in Belize. There is no one word or phrase to describe the city’s character. It’s a place where things that don’t belong together come together. Traditional Mennonites, a marijuana penchant, and a rich Mayan past all have a home in this dry, dusty city.
I want to travel from Bacalar in Mexico to Corozal in Belize. There are about 50 kilometers in between, but getting there is quite an undertaking. The information on how to travel best is confusing, to say the least.
When I tell the hotel manager in Bacalar (Mexico) that Corozal (Belize) is my next stop, she looks at me questioningly. What on earth am I going to do there? This a question I ask myself a few more times in Corozal Town, where I mainly meet pensioners and potentially ‘bad’ people.
I’ve found another one: a city where I lose track of time, feel good and don’t want to leave any time soon. Mérida in Mexico is exactly what the Lonely Planet claims: a tourist town too big to feel like a tourist trap.
