Getting round Belize is seldom a protracted and drawn-out course of. This isn’t some super-long nation like Argentina or Chile the place you may drive for 20 hours and solely be partway to your vacation spot. It is a small nation, with most islands not very far offshore, so touring round Belize will often take you a couple of hours at most. Home flights are often someplace between 20 minutes and an hour with stops.
Since this nation has a inhabitants of lower than a half million and there aren’t numerous mass-tourism operations other than the visiting cruise ships, there’s seldom a lot site visitors on the roads both. The principle Hummingbird Freeway going north to south is sort of nice, with fairly views a lot of the best way.
Whenever you trip in Belize, you’re touring across the latest nation within the Americas: it gained its independence in 1981. Right here’s our Belize transportation information to getting round.
Getting Round in Belize by Automobile
When you’re staying on the mainland of Belize, the best possibility is to journey by rental automotive. You possibly can lease a automotive if you land on the Belize Metropolis airport and a lot of the typical manufacturers have franchises right here, akin to Alamo, Hertz, and Avis. Your house driver’s license is often superb right here in case you’re coming from the USA or Canada, but it surely wouldn’t harm to apply for a global driving allow simply in case since you should utilize it later for different nations too. That is particularly necessary in case you’re from a rustic the place your license just isn’t in English–the official language of Belize.
Test rental automotive charges on Kayak right here.
Naturally you’ll must have insurance coverage, each collision that’s often included together with your bank card, and legal responsibility which is often not. It could be included within the rental charge, but when not you’ll want so as to add legal responsibility insurance coverage on in case there’s an accident the place you’re at fault. Use a bank card with a excessive accessible steadiness as they’ll put a maintain on it that’s increased than the rental value.
You possibly can truly drive throughout the border from Mexico to Belize if you lease a automotive in Chetumal in case you deliver it again there, however we may solely discover one firm that permits that, Europcar, they usually pulled an insurance coverage rip-off on it that we had no alternative however to just accept. They make you purchase insurance coverage for Belize from them, very overpriced insurance coverage, then if you get to Belize they let you know it’s not legitimate there and also you then have to purchase (way more cheap) insurance coverage on the border that truly works in Belize.
Hopefully by the point you learn this there’s a extra sincere rental company in Chetumal that may allow you to drive their automotive in Belize, so perform a little analysis and see. In any other case, you’re higher off going to Ambergris Caye and finally Belize Metropolis by boat, then renting a automotive there. On the finish you may fly residence or fly elsewhere in Mexico as a substitute of returning to Chetumal.
Driving is on the correct facet of the street, pretty easy, although you will have the GPS on as there aren’t many indicators to get round Belize when you get off the principle roads. As is regular exterior the USA, a guide transmission automotive will often be simpler to search out and rather less per day than an automated one.
It’s possible you’ll wish to skip getting behind the wheel altogether although, particularly in case you’re solely visiting one jungle lodge or coastal resort. Simply organize the transfers if you make your reserving. It’s also possible to bounce on excursions that head out on journey excursions or go to Maya historic websites.
Getting Round Belize by Air
Regardless of being a small nation, Belize has a strong home flight system that’s environment friendly and quick. A fleet of prop planes from Maya Island Air and Tropic Air ply the routes and runways all around the nation, working like a bus system within the sky as a lot as an airline: a flight to Placencia or Punta Gorda could contact down in a couple of different spots earlier than it will get to your remaining vacation spot. It’ll drop off a couple of individuals, choose up a couple of, and also you’re in your manner.
I’ve flown on each airways a number of instances and there’s not a complete lot of distinction within the consolation or service, so test each websites to see which one coincides higher together with your timetable. If there’s stormy climate, there could possibly be delays, so don’t reduce it too shut in case you’re vacationing within the wetter months of summer season.
When you’re going to take a couple of of those flights, it’s greatest to not overpack. These are small planes with someplace between 8 and 24 seats often, so in case you include three large suitcases it’s going to be bother and also you’ll pay numerous surcharges. The excellent news is, you don’t have to point out up two hours forward of time. You gained’t wish to both: among the “terminals” are simply small buildings with a couple of chairs.
Touring Belize by Boat
Since Belize is a coastal nation that runs alongside the second-longest barrier reef on the earth, numerous guests find yourself touring to their vacation spot by boat. Typically they’re known as ferries, water taxis, or shuttle boats, plus there are live-aboard dive boats and transportation to island resorts for kayaking, fishing, or scuba diving. Or you may go Belize island hopping on a yacht.
When you’re on some sort of organized tour, just like the Glover’s Reef Atoll kayaking journey we did with Island Expeditions, they’ll make all of the boat journey preparations for you. The identical goes in case you’re headed to a personal island resort like Thatch Caye or Ray Caye.
There are business boat journeys as properly the place you purchase a ticket and hop on a frequently scheduled ferry. These largely ply the routes between Belize Metropolis and San Pedro (Ambergris Caye), Belize Metropolis and Caye Caulker, and Chetumal (in Mexico) to Ambergris Caye.
The costliest one-way ticket is $77, the longest attainable journey between Chetumal and Caye Caulker. The busiest route between Belize Metropolis and San Pedro can be between $30 and $40. There are a number of corporations working on numerous routes. Strive San Pedro Belize Categorical, Caribbean Sprinter, and Water Jets Worldwide.
Often Requested Questions About Transportation in Belize
A whole lot of transportation questions come up time and again for vacationers coming to Belize, particularly if it’s their first time. Since we’ve been to Belize 4 instances now and a few of our correspondents much more, we’ve obtained your solutions right here.
How do you get from Belize Metropolis to San Pedro?
San Pedro is the capital of Ambergris Caye, the most well-liked space for vacationers in Belize. It’s not removed from the most important metropolis and airport, however you may’t drive there. It is advisable to both fly there on one of many two home airways from the identical airport you landed in or it’s worthwhile to take a ferry (typically known as a water taxi) from the Belize Metropolis port to one of many San Pedro piers. Then on the opposite finish, you’re taking a taxi or golf cart to your Ambergris Caye luxurious resort or villa.
Because of this in case you lease a automotive in Mexico and are available down from Chetumal, your automotive goes to wish to take a seat within the Belize Metropolis port car parking zone till you come. It’s a safe lot, however you’ll need to pay the each day price. When you’re going to lease a automotive in Belize Metropolis to get to a different vacation spot within the nation, do it after your Ambergris trip half.
Are you able to journey to Ambergris Caye from Mexico?
Sure, after being suspended for a few years throughout the pandemic, a ferry (water taxi) is again up and operating once more between Chetumal in Mexico and San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Test the schedule right here. This protects an enormous period of time and problem in case you fly into Chetumal on a home Mexican flight after which simply take the boat over. In any other case, it’s a protracted journey overland in a car.
Facet word, Chetumal is close to Lake Bacalar, so this feature permits you to go to that stunning blue and inexperienced lagoon earlier than you head to the ocean in Belize. Right here’s the perfect place to remain in Bacalar: Casa Hormiga.
Is there Uber in Belize?
Sadly, Belize is a kind of nations the place the taxi organizations have managed to fend off ridesharing, so pulling up your cellphone and getting a trip, and even an estimate of prices, just isn’t attainable. There’s no Uber or Lyft in Belize, so that you’ll want to rearrange the whole lot trip by trip with a taxi driver or, higher but, organize a shuttle together with your lodge so that you’ve obtained it arrange prematurely and also you’ll have somebody to name if wanted.
Remember the fact that in case you’re flying into San Pedro or Placencia, the luxurious resort we function will often embrace a pick-up within the charges. The airport just isn’t far out. For the jungle lodges, they might require an additional price for pick-up, but it surely’ll be value it to go straight to the place it’s worthwhile to find yourself.
Are you able to journey by bus in Belize?
Sure, Belize has a bus system, however frankly it’s horrible. Whereas Mexico has very nice specific buses that really feel like enterprise class on an airplane, the buses in Belize are run-down, outdated, and never very snug. The terminals are additionally awful or only a spot to face in a car parking zone, so depart this feature for getting round Belize to the backpackers and discover a higher manner.
See our detailed opinions of the greatest Belize luxurious inns and resorts.
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