English by the Bay or Spanish in the Highlands:
A Tale of Two Low-Cost Retirement Towns --Corozal in
Belize and Boquete in Panama
By LAN SLUDER
Copyright 2005
All Rights Reserved
View of Corozal Bay
With millions of Americans and Canadian baby
boomers just a bank CD or two away from retirement, the race to find low-cost
retirement destinations is off and running. ThatÕs particularly true in Mexico and Central America,
where many prospective expat gringos see the potential of stretching their
dollars and living better for less than is possible back home, yet being within
two to four hours by jet from their old home towns.While there are many
exciting choices south of the border, two contenders in that race, Corozal in
Northern Belize and Boquete in Panama, are already attracting a lot of lookers
and an increasing number of buyers.
The town of
Boquete, seen from a hill near the entrance to town
These two small towns, both boasting a high quality of
life and low cost of living, are worth looking at closely to see how they
really compare in key areas of interest to relocating expats and prospective
retirees, such as daily living costs, real estate prices, the cost of home
building, acceptance of foreigners by local residents and overall appeal.In
looking at the Corozal and Boquete areas, retirees and other expats have to
make a choice between living on the water and speaking mostly English or living
in the mountains and speaking mostly Spanish.IÕve recently visited both areas
and talked with people who have taken the plunge to get their perspectives on
the pros and cons of the two towns.
PROFILES OF COROZAL AND BOQUETE
COROZAL PROFILE
Corozal Town (pronounced Cor-Roh-Zahl) is located in
Northern Belize, just 9 miles south from the Mexican border and less than 90
miles north of Belize City. Named
-- in the Yucatec Maya language -- for the cohune palms that once were common
in the area, Corozal Town has a picturesque setting on Corozal Bay.
Once a trading center of the ancient Maya, who lived
in the area from at least 2000 B.C., in the 19th century Corozal was settled by
Mestizos fleeing the Caste Wars in the Yucat‡n. In 1955, much of the town was destroyed by Hurricane Janet. It was rebuilt in a combination of
Mexican and Caribbean styles. Today, the town is a sleepy gateway to Belize
from the expanding ŅMayan RivieraÓ of Mexico. The main part of Corozal is laid out at the edge of
the gently curving Corozal Bay, offering one of the most appealing settings in
Belize. By contrast, the town
otherwise is of no particular distinction, with ramshackle storefronts and
simple houses with fenced yards keeping barking dogs at bay. Near town are the ŅsuburbsÓ of Xaibe,
Ranchito, Calcutta and other villages along the Northern Highway. To the north
is the Four Mile Lagoon and the Consejo area, where several small real estate
projects targeting expats are being developed. Across Corozal Bay are the ruins of Cerros, the village of
Copper Bank and Progresso Lagoon.
Corozal TownÕs population is around 8,000 and the entire Corozal District, comprising
718 square miles, has a population of around 35,000. About 15 miles away by boat is the fishing village of
Sarteneja. Beyond that, hanging
down from Mexico like a tropical stalactite, is an appendage of the Yucat‡n
peninsula and, separated from Mexico only by a narrow channel, BelizeÕs most
popular resort area, Ambergris Caye.The economy of Corozal is based on
services, importing goods in a duty free zone near the Mexican border where
there also are several small casinos and sugar cane production. Increasingly, the area is getting
income from real estate and tourism.
Corozal and surrounding areas have about a dozen small
hotels, and there has been a mini real estate boom over the past year or two,
with speculators buying up tracts of inexpensive bayfront land near Corozal
Town.Unlike Ambergris Caye, Placencia and some other areas of Belize, Corozal
is on a shallow bay, not directly the Caribbean Sea, and has no real beaches. The waters of the bay are as blue as
those elsewhere on the coast or cayes, however, and the breezes from the water
as cooling and constant as any in Belize.
Anglers find good fishing for tarpon, bonefish, permit and other fish, and
boating is enjoyable on the protected waters of the bay. Especially outside of town, you can
swim in the warm, clean water.
The climate in Corozal is subtropical, similar to that
in central or south Florida. In
winter, temperatures may drop to the high 50s F at night, but thereÕs never a
frost. In spring and summer, the
thermometer may hit the low 90s at midday and drop only to the 70s at
night. Bananas, mangos, citrus and
other fruit grow almost like weeds.
Belize is in the hurricane belt, with the greatest
risk in September and October. The
last major hurricanes to hit Belize were Keith, in October 2000, which hit
Ambergris Caye and Belize City, and Iris, which struck southern Belize in
October 2001. Neither had an
impact in Corozal. Since Hurricane Janet half a century ago, Northern Belize has
not experienced a truly serious hurricane, although several storms in Belize
and Mexico have caused moderate damage to the area.Local residents are
primarily Mestizos of mixed Indian and European heritage, with some Yucatec and
other Maya, a few Creoles, along with Chinese, East Indians, gringos and in
nearby Shipyard and Little Belize, quite a few Mennonites who moved to Belize
in the 1950s and 60s.English is the official language of Belize, and you can
easily get by with English alone in Corozal Town, although many residents of
the district speak Spanish as a first language and some speak only
Spanish. Signs are in English,
distances are measured in miles and local laws are based on the English Common
Law, as in the U.S. and Canada.
Next door is Chetumal, population around 260,000,
capital of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, with its good, low-cost medical
care and inexpensive shopping.
While Corozal Town has only small grocery stores, inexpensive local
restaurants and little shops, Chetumal has large supermarkets, Wal Mart-style
super centers, department stores, multiplex cinemas and even McDonaldÕs and
Burger King. The appeal of Corozal is clear: Corozale–os are friendly, the crime rate is lower than in some
other areas of Belize, though there has been an increase in crime of late, and
the climate is sunny with less rain than almost anywhere else in Belize, around
50 inches a year, about the same as Atlanta.
Best of
all, housing and real estate prices are a bargain, with large bayfront building
lots going for US$60,000, bayview lots for less than US$20,000, and modern
large homes built to U.S. standards available for US$100,000 to $200,000. Belizean style homes are much less, and
some expats have built simple but attractive homes for less than US$50,000. Building costs for concrete
construction run US$35 to $55 or $60 a square foot, and rentals range from
US$200 to $800 or so a month, the latter for a pleasant, modern three or
four-bedroom house.Most foreign residents of Corozal say that can live pretty
well for less than they could in the U.S. and Canada. Although gasoline and electric costs are two to three times
higher than back home, taxes, insurance, medical care, restaurant meals and
most personal services are cheaper.
A carpenter or mason, for example, gets only about US$25 a day, and a
maid or gardener around US$15.
Grocery prices arenÕt a bargain, but local fruits and any foods grown or
made in Belize are very affordable.
Chetumal is nearby for big-ticket purchases.
No one knows for sure how may foreign retirees and
other expats live in the Corozal Town area, but the best estimates are that the
total is around 300 to 400. Some
live in Corozal Town proper, and others live a few miles north in the Consejo
area or in other nearby communities.
Three of Belize's banks, Scotia Bank, Belize Bank, and
Atlantic Bank, have branches in Corozal Town, and Belize Bank has an ATM that
works with foreign-issued ATM cards.
The town has a Rotary Club and a few other local
organizations of interest to foreign residents. An informal expat association meets monthly for lunch. Attendance is usually around 40 to 50
people. Some foreign residents
take courses at Corozal Junior College.
Tuition costs are nominal.
Corozal Town has a small public library. Local cable TV has more than 30 channels, some in Spanish
but most in English, for under US$20 a month.
Corozal Town has a district public hospital, a local
clinic and the Northern Regional Hospital serving Northern Belize is in Orange
Walk Town, a little over an hour away.
Many residents go to Chetumal for medical and dental care, where there
are modern hospitals and clinics and charges are only a fraction of that in the
U.S. and even lower than in Belize City. Shipyard, a Mennonite settlement south
of Corozal Town, has a low-cost dental clinic, and there are dentists in
Corozal Town.
Crime concerns are increasing in Corozal Town. One survey of almost 50 expats in the
Corozal area found that a large majority had experienced a theft, burglary or
other property crime in the past few years. Though most incidents were minor, at least one had
experienced a violent home invasion.
Some -- not all -- expats also report increasing resentment of
foreigners in Corozal, perhaps as a result of deteriorating economic conditions
in Belize and to increasing taxes and layoffs of public workers by the
debt-ridden current Belize government.
COROZAL LODGING
Corozal Bay Inn
Corozal Bay Rd. (P.O. Box 1, Corozal Town)
tel. 501-422-2691
fax 800-836-9188
e-mail relax@corozalbayinn.com
Owners Doug and Maria Podzun (he's Canadian though heÕs lived in Corozal
for many years, and she's Mexican) have built 10 new caba–as beside their
popular restaurant. The caba–as
are painted in tropical colors with bay palm thatch roofs, and they have
air-conditioning and new 27" TVs with cable. They're just steps from the pool and the bay. The Podzuns
had to truck in the sand for their beach here, but it's surprisingly big. Rates
US$90 double in-season, US$80 off-season, plus 9% tax.
Thatch caba–as at Corozal Bay Inn
Copa Banana Guesthouse
409 Bayshore Drive (P.O. Box 226, Corozal Town)
tel. 501-422-0284
fax 501-422-2710
e-mail relax@copabanana.bz
If you're in town shopping for property around Corozal, you couldn't do
much better than this guesthouse, new in 2004. Two banana-yellow one-story, ranch-style concrete houses,
with a total of five guest rooms, were merged into a single guesthouse. You can
cook meals in the common kitchen, complete with dishware, stove, coffee maker,
microwave and fridge, and the owners, from the U.S., even run a real estate
business, Belize North Real Estate Ltd.
There's also a second-floor apartment for longer-term stays. Rental cars
available, and free bikes for guests.
Rates: US$55 double/US$350
week.
HokÕol KÕin Guest House
4th Ave. and 4th Street (P.O. Box 145, Corozal Town
)tel. 501-422-3329fax 422-3569
e-mail maya@btl.net
HokÕol KÕin (a Yucatec Maya phrase for Ņcoming of the rising sunÓ) is a
pleasant ten-room motel/guesthouse just across the street from the bay, and thereÕs
usually a nice breeze from the water.
ItÕs run by a former Peace Corps volunteer and her family. Recent
upgrades have added A/C and TVs.
The small restaurant serves inexpensive breakfasts, burgers and
snacks. Unusual for Belize, one
room is wheelchair-accessible.
Rates: US$49-$60 double including tax, year-round.
Casablanca by the Sea
Consejo Village (P.O. Box 212,
Corozal Town)
tel. 501-423-1018
fax 501-423-1003
e-mail info@casablanca-bythesea.com
http://www.casablanca-bythesea.com/
This 10-room inn on Chetumal Bay is a place for those who just want to
relax and do nothing for a while.
Sit in a little palapa by the water all day long and read, or retire to
your air-conditioned room, as you please, and relax on a comfortable bed. At night, watch the twinkling lights of
bustling Chetumal across the bay.
Owned by a U.S. couple, the hotel has small but attractive rooms featuring
hand-carved mahogany doors, saltillo tile floors and custom-made
furnishings. Rates US$75 to
$95 double (US$150 for a suite) in-season, plus 9% tax, with discounts in the summer.
DINING IN COROZAL
The food scene in Corozal is fairly limited, but across the border in
Chetumal you have a wide range of restaurants from a Cajun cafˇ to a rib joint
to Burger King. On a recent
visit to Corozal, my family and I had a huge, filling dinner with multiple appetizers,
drinks and main dishes for almost nothing at PattyÕs Bistro, on 4th Avenue next to
the undertakers. But donÕt worry Ń
the food is good and a real bargain.
Rice and beans goes for US$3, a fried chicken dinner for US$3.25 and T-bone
steak dinner for US$6. TonyÕs is an old favorite, with
meals now served in a breezy thatch caba–a by the bay-- fajitas are excellent
here. Next door, the outdoor
restaurant at Corozal Bay Inn gets a good bit of business for drinks and meals, and
thereÕs a new waterfall backdrop for the restaurant. One of my favorite joints, Cactus Plaza, on 6th St. South is
renovating and adding another floor and appears to be moving more towards being
a bar and nightclub than a restaurant.
GETTING TO COROZAL
From Mexico: ADO (tel. in Mexico 525-133-2424, http://www.adogl.com.mex/, e-mail mailto:info@adogl.com.mx) and other
Mexican bus lines serve Chetumal from various towns and cities in the Yucat‡n,
including Cancun, Mˇrida , and Playa del Carmen. Fares, on first class and deluxe buses -- with reserved
seats, videos, and bathrooms -- are around US$15 to $20 depending on the origin
and class of service. It's about
five hours from Cancun, four from Playa del Carmen, and six from Mˇrida. At the Chetumal bus station,
you change to a bus to border and
into Corozal Town (fare US$1.50 ).
From points south in Belize: The
Northern Highway is one of Belize's better roads. Figure about two hours by car from Belize City. Novelo's and Northern Transport are the
primary Belize bus lines on the Northern Highway, with frequent service in both
directions. Fares are around US$6
to Belize City, depending on the
type of bus.
By air and boat: Maya Island Air (http://www.mayaairways.com/) and Tropic
Air (http://www.tropicair.com/)
fly from Corozal's tiny airstrip to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye (25 minutes,
about US$37 one way). Both offer four or five flights daily. The airstrip is
about 2 miles south of town, a US$5 cab ride. A water taxi makes a daily trip in the morning from
Corozal Town to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, returning in the afternoon. Cost is US$22.50.
Volcan Baru seen from the grounds
of Villa Marita
BOQUETE PROFILE
After being spotlighted as one of the best places in
the world to retire by Forbes, Fortune and AARPÕs Modern
Maturity, Boquete (pronounced Boh-Keh-Teh) has become a hot
spot for baby boomers looking for a retirement location, and the real estate
market in Boquete has started to sizzle.
Boquete is in the Highlands of Chiriqu’ (pronounced
Chee-Reh-Kee), about 300 miles west of Panama City, and 55 miles northeast of
the Costa Rica border at Paso Canoas.
From the Lowlands city of David (pronounced Dah-Veed),
less than 25 miles away, an unpretentious small city of 80,000, you drive north
on a good, paved country road to Boquete.
The roadway slopes gradually upward. David is at about 100 feet elevation. The town of Boquete is at around 3,000
to 3,700 feet, and the areas just north of Boquete are at 4,000 to 6,000 feet,
with Volcan Baru topping out at 11,411 feet.
As you enter Boquete, the red zinc and tile roofs of
the town are spread out in a valley below you. A good viewing point is the IPAC (Tourism Panama) office, in
a handsome building on the south side of town. The name Boquete means Ņbetween two mountains.Ó The town has a population of around
5,000, with close to 16,000 people in the entire Boquete district.
Boquete is also nicknamed Ņthe city of flowers and
coffee,Ó and both are in abundance here.
Flowers and tropical plants grow in lush arrays around Boquete. Wild impatiens cling to the
mountainsides, orchids are in the trees, and roses, bougainvillea and colea are
in many yards. Eucalyptus trees,
silvery green, add texture to the hillsides. About 50,000 acres of coffee is in production in Panama, and
the best of the countryÕs Arabica coffee is grown above 3,000 feet in the
Chiriqu’ Highlands. The highest
quality coffee is shade-grown, organic and handpicked. Kotowa, Cafˇ Ruiz, Hacienda La
Esmeralda and Lamastus Family Estates are among the higher quality coffee
operations in Boquete. The coffee
beans turn cherry red and are harvested in this area in
October and November. Each
January, Boquete celebrates its twin passions with the Festival de Flores y
Cafˇ. In April, there is an orchid
festival.
The dark, rich volcanic soil makes the Highlands the
breadbasket of Panama. Above
Boquete and around Volcan and Cerro Punta large fields of onions, potatoes and
other vegetables are intensely cultivated.
With more than 500 American, Canadian and other expats
living at least part of the year in Boquete, and with increasing tourism from
both foreigners and Panamanians, a
number of new restaurants and tourism activities have sprung up. The downtown area, basically only two
streets wide, has a dozen or so restaurants, a new deli with a selection of
imported items, and two well-stocked groceries.
The climate here is dubbed Ņeternal spring.Ó While it is spring like, at times it
can get warm during the day, especially in Boquete town and south of town at
the lower elevations. Temps in the
high 70s or low 80s F. are not unusual.
At night, though, it cools down.
Most homes require neither air-conditioning nor heat, except perhaps for
a fireplace, although interestingly the tourism office in Boquete does have
central air conditioning. At the
higher elevations around Cerro Punta and up Volcan Baru, it can get positively
chilly, and you may need a sweater at night. Boquete and the Highlands get considerable rain. One weather station near Boquete
reported an average of about 131 inches of rain annually, two to three times
the average in much of the U.S. Southeast. While rain can come in torrents, often it comes as a bajareque, or
drizzle, in the afternoon. When
that happens, rainbows are common. Panama is south of the hurricane belt, but
earthquakes are possible. Volcan
Baru, while dormant for at least 800 years, could awaken.
Residents of Boquete have access to good medical care
at hospitals and clinics in David,
about a half hour away.
Wild impatiens
and organic potatoes ona mountain near Boquete
Real estate prices in Boquete are not as inexpensive
as in most other parts of Panama.
In fact, they are verging on being damned expensive. Local residents say the price of land
has increased by several hundred percent in the past few years. Real estate agents claim real estate
prices around Boquete are now increasing about 20% a year. Building lots and small tracts go
for US$5 to $15 a square meter (a square meter is about 10.76 square feet), and
a hectare of land (about 2.47 acres) around Boquete could cost US$30,000 to
$75,000, and rarely is less than U$S10,000. Building lots are in the US$30,000 and up range, although
few are priced as low as US$10,000 to $15,000. Home prices vary, of course, but new homes in one of the
gated country club style developments near Boquete, such as Villa Escondido and
Los Molinos, run US$140,000 to
$400,000.
In
mid-2005, a five-bedroom 4,100 sq. ft. villa at Villa Escondido was on the
market for US$390,000 and a 2,650 sq. ft. three-bedroom home was for sale for
US$285,000. At Hacienda Los
Molinos, 1,300 sq. ft. two-bedroom condos started at US$130,000 and homes for
around US$145,000, with 75% mortgage financing available from HSBC Bank at
about 5%.Building costs, however, are much less than in the U.S. You can expect to pay US$40 to $60 a
square foot for a new home built to U.S. standards. The difficulty in Boquete is in finding a qualified
builder. Some 2,000 building
permits were issued in the Boquete area in 2004, and most local builders are
booked months or years ahead.
Other than housing, the cost of living in Boquete is
low by U.S. and European standards.
Grocery store prices in Boquete and indeed all over Panama are about the
same as or lower than in the U.S.
Gas about the same as the U.S. , around US$2.15 to $2.40 a gallon for
regular unleaded, with diesel US$2.00 to $2.25. Liquor and beer are about one-third to one-half less than in
the U.S. -- even in small towns a liter of Stoli or Johnny Walker Red goes for
US$12 to $14 and local beers are US$2 to $2.50 a six-pack. A steak dinner at the best restaurant
in Boquete is US$12, beer is 75 cents to a dollar (very occasionally US$1.50)
in restaurants. In Boquete and
towns in the Highlands you can eat lunch at a local restaurant for US$2 to
$3.With the increase in expat interest in Boquete, besides the increase in real
estate prices there seems to be the beginning of some concern among Boqueta–os
about the influx of foreigners.
Some local residents complain about the spate of signs in English. ŅIf youÕre going to live here, learn to
speak the damn language,Ó one said.
While property crimes are always an issue in
developing countries, and those who leave their property vacant without a
caretaker are asking for trouble from burglars or squatters, in general there
is a feeling here that this small town does not have a crime problem. There is a high percentage of home
ownership, with houses and farms well maintained, and many residents seem
relatively prosperous. Boquete was
partly settled about a hundred years ago by immigrants from Germany, Switzerland
and elsewhere in Europe, and there is a tradition of independent businesses and
small farms. The area has an
egalitarian streak. For example,
in Spanish the tu form of the second person is often used locally
instead of the more formal usted widely used in Central America.
Other Chiriqu’ Highlands towns, such as Volcan and
Cerro Punta, are beginning to get the overflow from Boquete. Real estate prices there, while not
cheap, are less than in and around Boquete.
LODGING IN BOQUETE
There are at more than two dozen small hotels, pensions and cabin colonies
in and around Boquete, with rates from under US$10 to more than US$200.
Hotel Panamonte
1 de Abril Ave, Boquete
tel. 507-720-1324
fax: 507-720-2055
e-mail panamont@cwpanama.net
http://www.hotelpanamonte.com/
The Panamonte is the oldest hotel in Boquete, a frame structure built in
the 1920s and run by members of the same family for more than 60 years. Charm exudes from the woodwork, and
there are lovely gardens in the central courtyard and an appealing bar with
fireplace. The lobby has cowhide
rugs on the floor, and if that doesnÕt throw you off you can enjoy a wonderful
Angus beef filet and mashed potatoes in the restaurant for US$12. While not stuffy, the PanamonteÕs
restaurant has white tablecloths and a more formal air than most of the other
places in town. Hotel rates
US$60-$130, plus 10% tax. The
hotelÕs owners are developing home sites near the hotel, Panamonte Estates.
Villa MaritaJ
ust north of Boquete
tel. 507-720-2165
http://www.panamainfo.com/marita
Villa Marita has seven cottages set in well cared for grounds, with views
of coffee farms below and Volcan Baru above. At the edge of the Villa Marita grounds is a striking, if
not exactly what you expect in Boquete,
home built to look like an English castle; it is not a part of the
hotel. While not deluxe by any means, the Villa Marita cabins are comfortable,
with hardwood paneling and tile baths, and large bay windows. The co-owner, Rodrigo Marsiacq, a Texas
A&M grad who speaks excellent English, is a helpful host. He plans to upgrade the cottages and
Rates US$50 double, plus 10% tax, with one large cabin for up to six people,
US$110. Breakfast, served in a
covered deck with lovely views, costs US$4 and usually consists of a selection
of fruit and juices, eggs, breakfast meet and breads. Rodrigo operates a large hydroponic, pesticide-free
greenhouse nearby.
Caba–as Via Lactea
Palo Alto area north of Boquete
tel. (507) 720-2376
This collection of 10 delightful cabins about 1 1/2 miles north of town is
set beside the Palo Alto River.
The well-maintained Milky Way cabins have small kitchenettes, and guests
have complimentary wireless internet access. Rates US$50 to $72 double, plus 10% tax (seventh night free
on for weekly stays).
DINING IN BOQUETE
Boquete has more than a 20 restaurants. On a recent visit, we ate out every night and never had a
bad meal, nor an expensive one. Hibiscus, owned by a
French-Panamanian couple, was pleasant, with most complete meals under
US$10. El Rancho had good Argentine-style
grilled meats, US$12. Bistro
Boquete
is an unabashed gringo spot, but still very good and always busy, with full
meals from only a few dollars. La
Casona Mexicana is a popular and inexpensive place for Mexican food, and beers here are
only 75 cents. For value and a laid back atmosphere, it's hard to beat Java
Juice,
where there are fast internet connections (about US$1 an hour) and a big
hamberguesa con queso and a mango-banana smoothie is US$2
.
A small river above Boquete
GETTING TO BOQUETE
By car: You can drive from Panama
City to Boquete in around six hours.
It is about 265 miles from Panama to David on the InterAmerican
Highway. The InterAmerican is
about one-half divided four lanes and one-half two lanes. Most of it is in good to excellent
condition, with good signage and plenty of gas stations, some open 24
hours. Gas is around US$2.15 to
$2.40 a gallon for unleaded regular, and a few cents less for diesel. From David to Boquete it is about 22
miles on a two-lane paved road.
From the Costa Rica border at Paso Canoas, David is about 33 miles on a
four-lane divided highway.
By air: From Panama City (Albrook
Airport) you can fly to David, about 30 minutes from Boquete. Turismo Aereo (http://www.turismoaereo.com/ and
Aeroperlas (http://www.aeroperlas.com/) each have three flights a day
Monday-Saturday to David, and two on Sunday, at around US$59 one-way. A taxi to Boquete from David is around
US$15.
By bus: