Sunday on El Malecón

Every Sunday at 6 p.m., locals gather at the Esplanada de la Bandera (southern end of Av. de los Héroes) to enjoy city-sponsored events, typically performances by the municipal band or local musicians and singers. The events are free and family friendly, with vendors selling drinks and street food.

Cinema

If you’re hankering to watch the latest Hollywood film, head to Cinépolis (Plaza Las Ámericas, Av. Insurgentes s/n, tel. 983/837-6043, www.cinepolis.com, US$3–5), an 11-screen theater. Unless they’re animated, most films are in English with Spanish subtitles. To be sure, ask at the box office whether the movie you want to watch is subtitulada.

Shopping

The Zona Libre (Corozal Duty Free Zone, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. daily) is an area jam-packed with stores selling products from around the world. It’s located in Belize, and visitors can enter and leave the area without passports or paying taxes on their purchases, mostly household and personal items. (A US$1 entrance fee, however, must be paid.) Lots of people complain of second-rate quality, but it’s worth a visit if you’re in the region for more than a couple weeks and want to stock up on specialty foods or liquor.

Mercado Ignacio Manuel Altamirano (Efraín Aguilar btwn Avs. Belice and de los Héroes, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. daily) is a two-story building mostly selling everyday items from clothing to kitchenware. For travelers, it’s a good place to buy a pair of flip-flops, a travel clock, or kitschy souvenirs.

Educal (Av. de los Héroes at Calle Cristóbal Colón, cell. tel. 983/129-2832, www.educal.com.mx, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Tues.–Sat., 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Sun.) is a fine bookstore and gift shop located next to the ticket booth of the Museo de la Cultura Maya; it carries a small but good selection of guidebooks, maps, posters, T-shirts, and Spanish-language books and magazines.

Plaza Las Ámericas (Av. Insurgentes s/n, 9 a.m.–10 p.m. daily) is a classic shopping mall with clothing and shoe boutiques, a Chedraui supermarket, a megaplex movie theater, and all the typical amenities, like ATMs, food court, parking, and public bathrooms. Best of all, it’s got air-conditioning.