Beachfront Parcels for Sale in Monkey River Town, Toledo, Belize
225,000 - 250,000 USD
(Negotiable • Financing available)

Beachfront Parcels for Sale in Monkey River Town, Toledo, Belize

Two Large Beachfront Parcels in Southern Belize

Asking Price: 225,000 - 250,000 USD
(Negotiable • Financing available)
20 and 5-Acre Parcels

The 20-acre plot has over 950 feet of beach frontage located approximately two miles south of the village of Monkey River Town. The property is undeveloped, accessible by boat only, and suitable for a private location or resort development. The title and taxes are current and registered. The five-acre parcels immediately adjacent have been sold except for one 5.24-acre parcel with 178 feet of frontage. All parcels are government surveyed, registered, and posts are in place.

It was decided not to subdivide the property ourselves. However, it is subdividable and approved in principle, which simply means that if you decide to subdivide you may have to get an updated survey and submit your plan. It was surveyed by the government about five years ago, so all the posts are in place. The property taxes are current, as is the plot plan.

This untouched beach property has over 950 feet of frontage and has never been developed. It is backed by a huge reserve, so no one will be building behind you. It was going to be subdivided into three parcels, each with over 300 feet of frontage. However, if you wish, it can be divided into smaller parcels.

A smaller parcel has recently become available for relisting as the purchaser has become unable to complete. This 5.24-acre parcel is the final parcel in the subdivision. It has 178 feet of frontage, and though it has grown over during the last party's endeavor to purchase, pictures of what it looks like cleared are available. The taxes are current and the title is clear and registered within the subdivision.

Both properties are only accessible by boat. This is mentioned because old maps of the area show a road, but there is not any form of a road, nor has there ever been one.

Property Details

Both the 20-acre and 5.24-acre parcels are on the beach and situated between Monkey River Town and Punta Negra. This may be the only place other than the cayes where the sand is natural, not trucked in. As the pictures show, these beaches can be as wide as 100 feet or as narrow as 15 feet. The person who owns parcel one has put up a breakwater to stop any erosion, as they plan on building their home there when they retire in a few years. Parcel four is immediately adjacent to parcel one, and it is possible to see the property post at the end of the breakwater. Though parcel four has grown back over the years, pictures of it cleared are included. The back property pegs were put in at the back of the parcels about eight years ago and can be found if needed, as they are made of cement, not wood.

Titles, registrations, and property taxes are all current. The registration, title searches, and tax records are available to view, thus no nasty surprises when purchasing in a foreign country.

The upside of these parcels includes beautiful pristine beaches close enough to amenities, transportation, shopping, and airports, but far enough away to have privacy and create your own dream resort, beach bar, scuba school, or private retreat. If you have always wanted cabanas on the beach and your own beach bar, resort approval for a small resort was previously granted and would likely be available again. Whatever you can imagine, you can create. All it takes is a dream, some elbow grease, a sense of humor, patience, and a plan.

The Law Offices of Barrow and Williams are available for all questions regarding the properties. If a second law office is required, Barrow and Williams are able to offer suggestions on offices they have worked with who are familiar with the properties.

General Information About Belize

Belize is a British Commonwealth country, and as such the first language is English, and all documents are in English, as is the schooling. All business transactions are based on British civil and common law, as they are in Canada and the United States. The banks are Barclays, Bank of Belize, and Bank of Nova Scotia. Belize does not have disclosure treaties with any other country, thus offshore banking is also a consideration and quite easy to put together, as is creating a business. If pursuing these ideas, you should engage a reputable law office. Reputable vetted references regarding law offices are available.

Belize has a number of incentive programs offered to expats, retirees, and investors. Current research is advised to see what is available. These programs offer tax-free or tax-reduced opportunities to create a small business, purchase property, and import materials and personal goods at reduced or duty-free rates. It is worth spending time researching those opportunities to determine which is the best plan for you.

The other languages spoken are Creole amongst the locals, and Spanish helps with the land workers. Neither Creole nor Spanish is required but will become helpful the longer you are in country.

Racially and nationally welcoming, Belize is a very mixed country, reflecting every shade of complexion, and that may well be within one family. There is a large Asian and South Asian population, and the first generation in Belize Caucasians seem to be mainly British, Canadian, and American. Belize is not a WASP country and does not have any laws or attitudes that discourage mixed marriages.

There are also a couple of somewhat separate communities of Garifuna villages and Mennonite settlements. Everyone tends to interact easily with each other on a day-to-day basis. If there is discord between parties, it is based on personal conflict rather than preconceived notions about race, religion, or orientation.

The largest Mennonite settlement is called Spanish Lookout and is situated in central Belize, Cayo District. There are also a couple of smaller settlements in the south near Punta Gorda. The few Garifuna villages are located in central coastal Belize, and there are a few Mayan villages also in south central Belize. Each of these identities has a very interesting history and very much forms the parts of Belize that make it so unique within its placement in predominantly Latin Central America. Spanish Lookout is the place to purchase most large goods and appliances, as the prices are reasonable and often they will deliver.

Belize is also welcoming to, as far as I am aware, all religions, though it is predominantly Christian. In the smaller villages, it seems as if the whole village follows one particular faith: Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Seventh Day, Islam, etc. Church buildings are not abundant, as often meetings are held outside or in a local gathering place. A Kingdom Hall is present in Belize City. However, there are no visible temples, mosques, or synagogues.

Toledo District Local Information

This area is, as yet, untouched by tourist hordes. Those that live in the area treasure their surroundings and what it offers: solitude, abundant assorted wildlife, sea life, and views most of us have only imagined. The area is home to armadillos, ancient leatherback tortoises, parrots, pelicans, and howler monkeys. The sea life includes sea rays, dolphins, manatees, and the occasional orca. It is a lobster stronghold, so you can, in season, dive in the clear waters and grab a lobster for supper or toss a line and catch a fish. Seriously.

If you need a touch of tourist or nightlife, Placencia provides both and is only 40 minutes away by slow boat. A 26-foot skiff with a 40-horsepower engine can take you all over the coast, including Guatemala and Belize City.

There is a small grocery store in Monkey River for quick items like milk, bread, eggs, or some vegetables. If you fancy a beer or a more serious drink, it is a 20-minute walk down the beach or five minutes by skiff. For larger grocery needs or materials such as lumber, there is Placencia, Punta Gorda, and Independence. Placencia and Independence are about 40 minutes, and Punta Gorda about 90 minutes by skiff. By comparison, the drive to these areas would take far longer: Punta Gorda about two and a half hours and Placencia about four hours. All of these towns have airports, doctors, dentists, hospitals or clinics, banking, government offices, and public transportation to Belize City and beyond. From Belize City you can fly to Houston in about two hours and Miami in about three.

There are multiple international airlines such as Southwest, Alaska, American, WestJet, and Delta, plus two domestic airlines, Tropic Air and Maya, serving Belize.

The possible downside, depending on your outlook, is that the property is only accessible by boat, as the properties back onto Payne's Creek Reserve, a national park without any roads current or planned. It is far less expensive to use the sea highway. The sea highway requires no maintenance, does not flood or wash out in the wet season, is prettier and cooler. You can also walk the beach in about 20 minutes, but to bring any large amount of goods you will either need your own boat or hire a boat from Monkey River Village to the property. A skiff is recommended, but an old pontoon boat as a floating barge for large supplies such as lumber or larger appliances is also suggested.

To the south a few miles is a very large marine preserve, created circa 1999. In the last 20 years or so, the area around Monkey River and to the south has become world renowned for fly fishing. And for added serenity, just around the bay at Punta Negra is the quite large Ycacos Lagoon, a canoe or kayaker's happy place.

There is a road into Monkey River from the main highway if you choose to have a road vehicle too. The public road goes through large mango and orange plantations and ends at a turnaround and small dock across the river from the village of Monkey River Town. A pick-up truck can be kept there, and you can boat back and forth between the property and the village if you need to go inland. Otherwise, the skiff is the mode of travel. This area of Belize is still protected by the southern end of the reef, so waters are generally calm.

If you arrive at the turnaround and do not have your own boat but wish to go into the village, you need to honk your horn or yell. Someone will come across and pick you up. Often there are children playing on the beach, and they will fetch someone or come and get you themselves. It is not unusual in the small coastal towns to see 8 or 10-year-old children operating the skiffs for small errands.

As noted previously, there are no roads to the property, thus no powerlines. For power you can purchase a gas or diesel generator, or use wind and solar. Solar is the way to go now, as it is easily assembled and shipped around. Water for drinking and cooking is usually collected during the wet or rainy season. Water barrels and cisterns are easily acquired or built. Or you can simply buy the big bottles of water available in all the surrounding towns and swim or bathe in the sea. Forty-five-gallon plastic barrels work well for drinking and cooking water, as they are easy to clean and don't rust. If you live there year-round, you will need to have a cistern to collect the water in the wet season. As there is virtually no pollution in the area, the water is truly crystal clear.

As far as I am aware, cell phones work in the immediate area now. Everyone has a cell phone, as it is much cheaper than landlines, which are sometimes available and sometimes working.

As anyone researching Belize knows, the reef is the second largest living reef in the world. Check out the Blue Hole.

Additional Information

Numerous pictures have been posted on this site, but more extensive shareable Google albums are also available. One album shows the beach as it comes and goes over the years. It has been as narrow as 15 feet and as wide as about 100 feet. It is important to be aware of this action so that you are not disappointed in a narrow year.

Google Earth screenshots showing the position of the parcels on the eight-mile sandy stretch between Monkey River and Punta Negra are available. If you wish to do your own plotting on Google Earth, the coordinates for the assorted parcels can be shared. These plottings will show you the general location of the properties in their relationship to each other, villages, towns, and roads. They are not exact when plotted on an interactive map, but the overview on Google Earth will indicate the entire area, often with the names of the towns.

Note: The seller is currently in Spain, so there is a time difference, but all inquiries will be answered. If you are phoning, WhatsApp is available, but please check the time difference before calling. Messages are welcome anytime.