In this beautiful city which is located on a huge bay in the jungle, you will find Mayan culture, history, architecture, adventure travel, seafood and nature at its best. New to the tourism world, the lucky people who are now visiting are catching a diamond in the rough. Chetumal is a stone’s throw from Guatemala, Belize and the neighboring Mexican states of Campeche, Yucatan and Chiapas. Nestled in the jungle, Chetumal boasts a perfect climate, abundant flora and fauna, the nearby Caribbean Sea, Bacalar lagoon, cenotes, Chinchorro Banks Reef, miles of white sandy beaches and Mayan pyramids.

Downtown Chetumal is unlike most southern cities. There are no quaint colonial streets or buildings. Most of Chetumal has been built in the last fifty to seventy years. The streets are wide and more accommodating to traffic than most Mexican cities, making it easier to get around.

Chetumal (Chactemàal which means: “Place of the red wood” Modern Maya) is a small growing city on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is the capital of the state of Quintana Roo and the municipal seat of the Municipality of Othón P. Blanco. In 2005 it had a population of 136,825 people.

The city is situated on the western side of Chetumal Bay, near the mouth of the Río Hondo. It is home to an international airport. Chetumal is an important port for the region and operates as Mexico’s main trading gateway with the neighboring country of Belize. Goods are transported via a road connecting Chetumal with Belize City to the south, and also via coastal merchant ships. Because of its location on the Caribbean coastline, it is vulnerable to tropical cyclones; Hurricane Janet and Hurricane Dean, both Category 5 storms, made landfall near Chetumal in 1955 and 2007 respectively.

Chetumal’s economy has been influenced by its proximity to the border with Belize. A goods and services tax-free zone (Corozal Free Zone) established on the Belizean side attracts many visitors to Chetumal and also provides a ready market for Chetumal’s retailers and traders. Chetumal itself was also once a free zone and a notable destination for people from other parts of Mexico seeking to purchase high-value and bulk goods, free of government duty charges (a policy that was deliberately implemented to attract this business). The city retains a significant retail trade for the region, which supports many local businesses. Since it is the location of all of the state’s central offices, there is a large population of government employees whose consumption of local goods and services injects additional revenue into the Chetumal economy.

Several modern malls have been built, such as the Plaza de Américas mall, which houses a modern movie theater (which belongs to the Mexican chain Cinepolis), various department store chains, fast-food outlets, and supermarkets

In the early 1990s, the University of Quintana Roo was established at Chetumal, providing training and degrees over a range of subjects.

Tourist Attractions in Chetumal:
• numerous cenotes
• Archeological zones: Kohunlich, Dzabanche, Kinichna, Chakanbakam, Oxtankah, The San Felipe Fort
• Festivals: Carnival (celebrated in February), International Border Fair (October), Anniversary of the founding of Chetumal (May 5th), International Festival of Caribbean Culture (November)
• Religious festivities: Virgin of Guadalupe (December 12th), Easter, Day of the Dead (November)
• Interactive Mayan Culture Museum
• The “Teatro minerva”, which is an open air theater and belongs to the state’s music school , and the “Teatro Constitullentes”, which is a private-owned theater.
• Local homes and nearby pueblitos where tourist can eat, chat and experience how locals live.
• There is a Country club, which features tennis, football and basketball courts, a gym, a swimming pool, a steam-bath and a lounge for parties.

Tourist Attractions in surrounding area:
• Bacalar
• Majahual
• Cancun
• Belice
• Merida
• Chichen Itza

• Río Tres Garantías: Appropriate place for the lovers of the ecoturismo. Although the communitarian ones are farmers who live on the natural resources, this reserve, are some stretches that have been exentos of this activity, reason why are possible to see foxes, tapires, pecaríes, and hocofaisanes, among other hundreds of birds, rustic cabins with the basic services are offered.

• Banco Chinchorro:The 2nd largest coral reef in the world.   The banks occupy about a 1200 km2.

• Isla Tamalcab: this island is a brief trip in boat from calderitas, in the Bay of Chetumal. There is Mayan vestiges without recovering, tepescuintles, tejones, monkeys spider, and a spectacular population of birds, like  blue herons, and the fishing eagles. There are fresh water sources around the island,and is  an ideal place for esnórquel and the fishing by the abundant marine population.
• Xcalak
• Calderitas