Carmelita, Belize

Carmelita feels like a place caught between its rural roots and the chaos left behind by John McAfee’s bizarre legacy. The village stretches along the New River, where boat tours to Lamanai launch, but daily life revolves around the Northern Highway and that infamous toll booth—Belize’s only one. You’ll notice McAfee’s fingerprints everywhere, like the repurposed police station he built that’s now someone’s home.

This isn’t a typical expat hub. With just over 300 residents, expect zero infrastructure for foreigners—no international clinics, no English-speaking bureaucracy, no expat cafes. The river access means constant tourist traffic, but they’re just passing through. If you’re considering Carmelita, Belize, you’d better be self-sufficient and fluent in Spanish. It’s for off-grid types who want land cheap and don’t mind isolation, not retirees seeking community.