Chetumal

Introducing Chetumal

The capital city of Quintana Roo, Chetumal has stylish, friendly people, some decent restaurants, and a lively music scene. Hurricane Dean displaced many of Chetumal’s inhabitants, but with a bit of lumber, some tarpaulins, sweat, rummaged nails and a few quick-drying tears, the town is quietly rebuilding. None of the major tourist areas were affected.

The bayside esplanade hosts carnivals and events, and the modern Maya museum is impressive (though a bit short on artifacts). Impressive Maya ruins, amazing jungle and the border to neighboring Belize are all close by. And the Free Zone between the two countries makes for interesting shopping. Carnaval (late February or early March) is particularly lively in Chetumal.

Before the Spanish conquest, Chetumal was a Maya port. After the conquest, the town was not actually settled until 1898, when it was founded to put a stop to the illegal trade in arms and lumber carried on by the descendants of the War of the Castes rebels. Dubbed Payo Obispo, the town changed its name to Chetumal in 1936. In 1955, Hurricane Janet virtually obliterated it.

The rebuilt city is laid out on a grand plan with a grid of wide boulevards along which traffic speeds (be careful at stop signs).

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009