Mid Life Crisis...Belize?

Come to Belize. DSL would probably suit your work needs. The best way to find out is to take two weeks, come down and explore the options.

Thanks for the quick reply. As long as there is DSL, that would definitely work. In fact, in my research it looked like Corozal was one of the more appealing places for me with inexpensive rent on the water.

I'm thinking about coming down with my kids this summer for a month maybe. Are there restaurants in Corozal? I was researching both San Ignacio and Corozal. It seemed like San Ignacio might be too far from the coast but with a bit more to do?

I'm at the Copper Horse Inn restaurant as we write.
There is the Purple Toucan.... One of my favorites! 
Party's Bistro.  Bens Fast Foods.  And on and on
It all depends what you're looking for! 
I'm certain that other folks who have been here
Longer can give you ideas also.

That's great to far Cathie! Could you or anyone else give me an idea of the rental market? Either houses or condos... ball park rates for furnished? Maybe there's a realtor on the forum?

Can someone live there without a car?

I am going down in three weeks to the Corezol-Cosejo area, and Ex-Pat say their DSL is very good.  I have learned that our phones are pretty worthless/costly there. (Verizon) Belize has it on towers so you will need a disposal phone and buy the minutes there when you get there. I have been told they are very reasonable and what most use to stay in touch with folks from home.  Hope this helps...and good luck in your seach....

Thanks again for the response! That's good to know about DSL. I figured that our cell phones could be an issue. Can you get away without having a car - at least for a while? Are there places to get groceries within walking distance?

I don't have a car and walk everywhere so far. I think it all depends on where you rent as to whether you need a car or can walk.  How old are your kids?  It can make a difference if they find things to do and are happy.

Belize controls telephony so you can buy a phone here for calling within Belize. Magic Jack on a VPN works well for hooking up to a laptop and calling states or Canada. If you and recipients have Apple products the FaceTime is a wonderful alternative for keeping in touch. 

Bring bug spray if you plan ant jungle expeditions!  Remember, there are no sandy beaches in Corozal.  You have to go elsewhere if that's your goal.  Best!

Thanks, Cathie. I guess I need to do more research because I thought that Corozal was on the water

My kids are 17 & 15. They wouldn't be moving down but I'd bring them for a "vacation".

Speaking of not being on the water, does anyone have any feedback on living in the Cayo District (San Ignacio)? It seems like a cool carribean feeling town and is also popular with expats.

Corozal has lots of water and we have a seawall on the bay. People swim in it and in the lagoon all the time.  Just no sandy beaches......

The term high speed internet, DLS, etc are very misleading really. As internet usage has gone way up, and what people do with the internet varies greatly. For doing E-mail that is about the lowest bandwidth requirement, especially when there are no pictures, or graphics in the mail.

You really need to know what your usage is, and of course as Cathiekl said - come try it out. There are really 5 things to consider:

1. Download bandwidth
2. Upload bandwidth
3. Latency
4. Uptime
5. Data limits (usage)

Compre these with what you are using now, with what you can find in Belize.

hawkbiz wrote:

Thanks, Cathie. I guess I need to do more research because I thought that Corozal was on the water

My kids are 17 & 15. They wouldn't be moving down but I'd bring them for a "vacation".

Speaking of not being on the water, does anyone have any feedback on living in the Cayo District (San Ignacio)? It seems like a cool carribean feeling town and is also popular with expats.

Corozal is on a bay.  The water is not turquoise, and there are no sandy beaches, but there is water.  If you want turquoise water and beaches, look at Ambergris Caye.

San Ignacio has a lot of expats and much to recommend it, but it is not Caribbean in feel at all.  If you want that kind of feel, look at Caye Caulker, Ambergris Caye, Hopkins Village, and Placencia. 

Belize is very diverse -- it all depends on what you are looking for!  But visit before you move, and rent before you buy.

As for living without a car, we did it with just beach bikes in Ambergris Caye for 1.5 years.  It would be even easier on Caye Caulker and very possible in Placencia village as well.  A bit more of a challenge on the mainland.  There are local buses and taxis, but most people want the flexibility of a car.