Things to do in Chetumal

by admin · Published November 22, 2020 · Updated September 20, 2023

Chetumal is the administrative capital of Quintana Roo, many people arrive possibly for business or because they have to do some paperwork in government offices since if we are honest, it is not a place that is famous for attracting tourism. But nevertheless..

Chetumal, the city “where Mexico begins”, the capital city of the state of Quintana Roo and city border with Belize, surrounded by countless streams, lakes, lagoons, the deep river, and the Chetumal Bay, in literary terms It is an Island (Fluvial Island).

Chetumal does not have large resorts, but it does have very comfortable, well-located, and above all cheap hotels with options to be close to nature.

The south of Quintana Roo also hides some paradises, here we propose some so that on your visit to Chetumal, you can take maybe a day and get to know some of them.

Boulevard Bay

You can start a walk-in Chetumal by walking along Boulevard Bahía, we recommend doing it from the corner with Av. Emiliano Zapata to the north since it will allow you to see all the sculptures, monuments, and places of interest that you will find along this avenue.

Including restaurants and bars where you can eat or cool off on a hot day.

Some of the highlights that you will find on the way are:

• The Renaissance Park
• Courthouse
• The fiscal dock
• Government palace
• Esplanade to the Flag
• Payo Obispo model
• Monument to the Fisherman
• Legislative Palace
• Sculptural Corridor of Boulevard Bahía
• Acoustic Shell
• The lighthouse
• ..and much further north the source of the manatees

All these attractions are located on Boulevard Bahía from the corner with Av. Zapata and walking north, although most are between Zapata and Calzada Veracruz.

Chetumal City Museum

On the corner of Héroes and Chapultepec, there is a building built in 1939, during the government of the then-president Lázaro Cárdenas, inside there are offices of the Cultural Center of Fine Arts, rooms where workshops are given, an open-air auditorium and six rooms that make up the Museum of the City of Chetumal.

It is not a very large museum, but here you can find objects, maps, diagrams, historical documents, and everything related to the foundation and history of Chetumal.

It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 19:00.

Museum of Mayan Culture

Just one block from the City Museum, on the corner of Avenida Héroes y Gandhi, is also the Museum of Mayan Culture.

It is not the typical museum that presents exhibition rooms with objects and vestiges found but is based on the interpretation of concepts and ideas through key points that explain what the Mayan World was like.

Visitors will learn about the vision of the universe, the underworld, knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, and in general various aspects through environments, models of the daily life of the Mayans, as well as symbols such as a large ceiba tree where the worldview of the Mayans is explained.

It is worth the visit, this museum is interesting and also very educational.

The Museum is divided into three large floors that cover the most important areas of the Mayan civilization, that is, earthly life, the underworld, and the celestial vault. Through these exhibitions, you will be able to better understand the conception of the pre-Hispanic world.

Calderitas Chetumal

If you were to walk all the Bahía Boulevard to the north, you would run into Calderitas, approximately 9 km away from the capital of Chetumal. This area is little known but of great beauty.

Like the Lake Bacalar, its waters have different shades, and due to its tranquility, it is possible to kayak, snorkel or simply swim for a while.

One of its biggest attractions is Isla Tamalcab: a piece of land with white sands and vegetation that will make you feel like the only person in the world.

In Calderitas, the best thing you can do is rent a boat and take a ride to Tamalcab Island, located 2 kilometers away. It is an uninhabited island, a piece of land with white sands and vegetation that will make you feel like the only person in the world.

The island is about 9km long and is home to spider monkeys, eagles, herons, and coatis, among other species of animals.

And if you are one of those who like fishing or snorkeling, here you can practice it. From Chetumal, there is public transport that takes you back and forth without a problem.

Chetumal