Spot in Belize for a single retired woman

Hello karenwoohoo,

Welcome to Expat.com

You did very well for the intro, thank you for that.

Please note that I have moved your post to create a new thread on the Belize forum.

This way you will have more reach.

I will be looking for long term furnished rental

Feel free to post an advert in the Housing in Belize section. Also, you can check older ads to have an idea on the price range.

I suggest you read the Living in Belize guide for expats as well.

Let's hope that you get some feedback soon.

Cheers,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

@karenwoohoo
Hello Im Anthony, Placencia is a good place or Corozal maybe they are main land. I plan to return there three or four months. I don't really mean retire I have things I want to never stop moving.
-@Anthonyejr10

Hey Anthonyejr10,

thank you for the input!

So you have been to Belize several times before?

@karenwoohoo

Hello! I retired as well, active solo female, and took a tour of Belize for 2 weeks to see the general locations. There is something for everyone. I felt San Pedro was active and locals nice. So it made my list. The rain forest isn't my thing but along the coast, Hopkins Bay, although small, had nice people and beaches but not much ‘social' life. And that too is possible for a quieter beach front town. I didn't make it to Placencia but several folks said that should be my next look about for beach and social life. There seem to be several expat communities in the Northern area and I can't speak to that either. I do not know how the hurricane will impact future plans and available homes. Hope your adventures and dream come to fruition!

San Pedro, while nice, it's so very American that feels like a Cancun. And in a sense, so is Placencia.

And I disagree that Hopkins has no social life. Living nearby, and having visited all the areas in this country before settling here (Ambergris, Corozal, Cayo, PG and Placencia), I feel like it has way more of it than most of the other places (excluding San Pedro, of course).

But, YMMV.

And I disagree that Hopkins has no social life. Living nearby,
-@TexItalian

The wife and I have visited Hopkins several times when renting a car to visit away from our Place in Placencia.

We could not find anything like a central area, lots of nice hotels/resorts homes of many types, but spread out over an area far too large to walk around. (we walk everyplace in Placencia)

My question that I have asked to others without getting an answer, Is there a central area folks can go and socialize, sit down and chat with strangers, have a drink, go someplace else for desert... Is it focused on a day of the week?

Its been 2 years since last there, has it changed? How about happy hour specials in Hopkins?

Thanks

@Aerodex Yes, Hopkins is more spread out, HOWEVER, it's not that big. and if you live at one end or the other, at max you could use a bicycle. I've walked it, no problem.

And yes, it's a lot about days of the week. Friday, for example, it's '80 dance night at Windschief. Lots of expats there that night. The various places are closed on certain days/nights of the week, knowing that it's pointless to compete with a certain particular night.

Bear in mind, lots of contacts/ advertisement for specials and events occurs on the various FB groups (I'm not on it personally), and also that it takes a little time to become a "known quantity" versus "another tourist", which local expats rather not associate with...

@Aerodex Yes, Hopkins is more spread out, HOWEVER, it's not that big. and if you live at one end or the other, at max you could use a bicycle. I've walked it, no problem.
And yes, it's a lot about days of the week. Friday, for example, it's '80 dance night at Windschief. Lots of expats there that night. The various places are closed on certain days/nights of the week, knowing that it's pointless to compete with a certain particular night.
Bear in mind, lots of contacts/ advertisement for specials and events occurs on the various FB groups (I'm not on it personally), and also that it takes a little time to become a "known quantity" versus "another tourist", which local expats rather not associate with...
-@TexItalian

OK, got it:

Primarily Night time

Cliquish

Must plan in advance

Need transportation

No central socializing general area.

Yup, that fits with my observations, no wonder we never found anything the afternoons we looked. Just going out for a walk to see what's going on, doesn't work well in Hopkins.

We do luv The Curve Bar/Restaurant at the Sittee River Marina a short drive away, if the mud is not too deep. 😁

@Aerodex Is the Curve Bar/Restaurant reopened? When?

@Aerodex Is the Curve Bar/Restaurant reopened? When?
-@CocoHer

Sorry, I was not aware it had closed. We did not rent a car during our last 2 trips to our place in Placencia or we would have stopped there. I just checked them on FaceBook and it looks like they are having events in November, and a link to WhattsApp. So they do look to be open.

I luv taking visiting friends the backway through Sittee, letting them think we are hopelessly lost, then pulling in there. 😁

@Aerodex

Let' see:

Placencia:

Mainly TWO bars (that's about it)

A walking boardwalk with tourist traps for shops

Lotsa gringos, way more expensive for just about everything (and let's not start talking about cost of housing)

Need more transportation than Hopkins, if you consider getting past the airstrip, or Maya Beach

I guess socializing is easier, if you got such limited options.

Yup, that's about it....

@Aerodex
Let' see:
Placencia:

Mainly TWO bars (that's about it)

A walking boardwalk with tourist traps for shops

Lotsa gringos, way more expensive for just about everything (and let's not start talking about cost of housing)

Need more transportation than Hopkins, if you consider getting past the airstrip, or Maya Beach

I guess socializing is easier, if you got such limited options.

Yup, that's about it....
-@TexItalian

@TexItalian

LOL ROFLMAO LOL

I recall you saying you drive like an Italian.

Having driven in/around northern Italy Milan, Monza, Verona, and many little towns, and on the Autostrada. I loved watching the shops empty, and other folks gather to choose sides when a fender bender happened. Everything comes to a standstill, as the drivers and new found audience "work things out". Very entertaining even though I don't understand Italian. So I understand what you meant. 😉

I held an SCCA and IMSA competition drivers licenses and road raced sports cars for about 14 years a lifetime or two ago, So in the right places I too still enjoy driving at speed.

But perhaps the next time in Plascencia if you park your car, and walk, you wont miss the other 96% of places your description indicates you did miss 😁

May I suggest Googling Placencia Belize, clicking on the map to view the Village, and then click the google restaurant tab. About 36 came up in the Village .when I did it.+New places opened over the last year that have not been added to google yet.

And yes the many additional places up the peninsula are too far to walk, but the few times we do head that way, taxies are easy to get. I occasionally do rent a car to see other parts of the country. Living in the Village, I find Its a lot cheaper to rent/taxi for the few times I need to, rather than owning a car...too each their own. Oh I do use my bike too.

And yes of course life is more than just restaurants and bars, so we have a good selection grocery stores 8 at last count, many fresh fruit/veggie stands many other facilities/shops/ two hardware stores in the village and another in Maya Beach with free delivery. etc etc.  Ill just ignore your distaste for certain ethnic groups. As Belize is a very diverse country, and one of the things I love most is the friendliness of the people. Sure their are a few jerks, but they seem to move on. Housing prices, yup prices have climbed since coming out of coved. Glad I bought in 2016....really sorry I did not buy and invest in property in 2009 when I had the chance. Oh well.

Beaches, best beaches one can drive to in Belize, and they are all open, no one is allowed to put up things that restrict public access to the great beaches.

OH and how can I forget.... Tutti Frutti, the best darn  Fresh made Gelato one can buy.

At least a dozen flavors each day. The couple running the place have been doing it here for 30 years.

When they close during low season and go back to Europe for 2 months, folks cry they miss it so.😀

@karenwoohoo

I saw your post. How was your visit to Belize and what did you learn? I will be retiring in a few years and I am single as well. I live in Charleston, SC and I am a teacher. I would love to talk to with you.

My email is: r***

I am also on Facebook at **

Moving there in August

Been searching 10 years for this spot

Let's correspond

I will contact you this week via your email

Rev. Jewell

Your email address is not complete here.

@Dorothy Wooden

You have questions?