A bustling free-trade zone sprawling over 24 muddy hectares in a no-man’s-land between the borders of Belize and Mexico, the Zona Libre draws thousands of Mexicans seeking cheap liquor and cigarettes, knockoff clothing and CDs, and other shiny things.
Minibuses depart from a terminal in Chetumal at the corner of Avenidas Primo de Verdad and Hidalgo about every half-hour between 6am and 9pm for the 20-minute trip, or take a taxi from downtown for M$120. If traffic is bad at the border you can get off and walk over the bridge, then turn left: you can’t miss it. Walking back you may need to show your passport, but usually officials will just ask where you’ve been and wave you through.
