Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CROSSING THE BELIZEAN BORDER
It's 100km from Flores to Melchor de Mencos, the Guatemalan town on the border with Belize. From the Tikal
junction at Puente Ixlú, 27km from Flores, the road continues paved until 13km short of the border.
Officially there are no fees at the border for entering or leaving Guatemala, but in reality, immigration officials
on the Guatemalan side charge a Q20 fee to enter or leave the country. Technically you don't have to pay it but
most travelers fork over this de facto tip and move on. No fee is charged to enter Belize, but travelers leaving that
country have to pay a B$30 departure tax and a B$7.50 protected areas conservation fee, in Belizean or US dol-
lars.
There are moneychangers at the border for changing quetzals to Belize dollars, an exchange that is not per-
formed by banks. Rates are better on the Guatemalan side. Taxis run between the border and the nearest town in
Belize, Benque Viejo del Carmen, 3km away, for B$3. Authorized rates are posted for other destinations, includ-
ing Belize International Airport (B$200). Buses run from Benque to Belize City (B$10, three hours) about every
hour from 3:30am to 6pm.
Coming in the other direction, travelers bound for Flores or Tikal, after clearing immigration, should cross the
bridge, where there's a microbus stop on the right side with departures to Santa Elena every half hour until 6pm.
Red Asetur vans provide shuttle service to Yaxhá, Tikal and Flores with highly negotiable rates.
Most travelers pass through Melchor, though there is an actual town across the Río Mopán, with hotels, banks
and businesses. There is a Cajero 5B ATM at the Texaco station 500m west of the bridge. There's little reason to
linger but if you're done traveling for the day, Melchor has one fine place to stay, the
Río Mopan Lodge
(
7926-5196;
www.tikaltravel.com
; s/d from Q100/150) . Set back from the road in lush, jungly grounds, it's so
tranquil that you'll find it hard to comprehend you're just 50m from the immigration booth. The rooms are big,
cool and well decorated, with balconies overlooking the river, and the kitchen prepares good Mediterranean fare.
It's between the bridge and Guatemalan immigration.
Shopping
Castillo de Arizmendi
(Parque Central, Flores; 8am-9pm Mon-Sat)
The 17th-century 'castle' on the main plaza's north
side houses a series of shops with local handicrafts, particularly wood carvings by artists
from El Remate working in mahogany, cedar and chicozapote.
HANDICRAFTS
Information
EMERGENCY
Hospital Privado de Petén
(
7926-1140; 3a Av 4-29, Zona 2, Santa Elena)
Proatur
(Tourist Police;
5414-3594)
MONEY
