Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
interiors. Buses are managed by an ever-changing
variety of different companies, few of which have
websites or printed schedules, but the good news is
you're rarely far from locals who know the schedule
(ask at one of the many bus stops along the road) -
and in fact, they may be a more accurate source of
information anyway. For an overview of buses and
schedules, see Belize City (p.52), where most of the
bus companies are headquartered. Service usually
begins in the very early morning and finishes some
time in the evening. On Sundays and holidays, some
services are reduced or, in the case of smaller, local
ones, often non-existent. You'll find some bus
schedules and further information at
W
guideto
belize.info or the blog
W
belizebus.wordpress.com.
The faster “
express
” buses are occasionally the
more comfortable coach type; they operate along
all main highways, stopping only in terminals in the
towns. The more common non-express or “regular”
buses will stop anywhere along their route on
request. Tell the driver or conductor where you're
headed and they'll usually know where to let you
off. You'll also often see people hailing a bus from
the side of the road, even if they're not at a bus stop.
Many of the buses that ply the Philip Goldson
Highway (formerly the Northern Hwy) cross the
Mexican border to serve the town of Chetumal.
Others terminate in Corozal town, nine miles south
of the border. From Belize City, numerous bus
companies also fan out to the west and south,
along the George Price (formerly the Western) and
Southern highways.
Once you travel beyond the main highways, you'll
need to rely mostly on
local buses
operated by
small agencies, which rarely have backup plans
when breakdowns occur. Travelling this way is a
fairly slow business, as it caters primarily to the
needs of villagers - taking produce to market, and
so on - but it has its rewards: you're sharing a ride
with people who know the area well, and by the
time your ride's over you may have made friends
eager to show you around.
Fares
are a true bargain compared to the cost of
most things in Belize. Regular buses start at around
Bz$8-10 one way; tickets for express buses are just
a few dollars more. Some bus terminals don't have
ticket o
ces; you pay the conductor directly.
DISTANCES FROM BELIZE
CITY
Distances are based on transport routes,
not as the crow flies.
Belize City to
Distance
Belmopan
52 miles (84km)
Caye Caulker
21 miles (34km)
Chetumal, Mexico
93 miles (149km)
Corozal
84 miles (135km)
Dangriga
106 miles (171km)
Guatemalan border
81 miles (130km)
Orange Walk
54 miles (87km)
Placencia
161 miles (259km)
Punta Gorda
213 miles (343km)
San Ignacio
72 miles (116km)
San Pedro
32 miles (51km)
Tikal, Guatemala
149 miles (240km)
By plane
The main towns and tourist destinations in Belize
are linked by
domestic flights
operated by the
country's two chief carriers: Maya Island Air (
T
223
1140,
W
mayaregional.com) and Tropic Air (
T
226
2012,
W
tropicair.com). There are also several
charter airlines
. Together, Maya Island and Tropic
Air provide numerous daily flights from Belize City
to main destinations, including Dangriga, Placencia,
Punta Gorda, San Pedro and Caye Caulker. Trips are
short - anywhere from 25 minutes to an hour, and
rarely more than that.
One-way prices start at around Bz$70-100; note
that they often offer seasonal deals and discounts.
In Belize City, airlines operate from the two airports:
Philip Goldson International Airport and the smaller,
domestic Belize City Municipal Airport (a few miles
north of the city centre).
Flying is also the most convenient way to make
side-trips
out of Belize to neighbouring countries.
Both domestic airlines operate flights to Flores,
Guatemala (for Tikal) and to Roatan and San Pedro
Sula, Honduras. Tropic Air also has flights from
Belize City to Cancún, Mexico; and Guatemala City,
Guatemala. TACA also flies from Belize City to its
main hub in San Salvador for connections
throughout Central America.
By bus
By boat
Buses in Belize fan out to all parts of the country,
with regular departures throughout the day. That
said, you'll hardly be travelling in luxury. Most are of
the school bus variety, brightly painted, with worn
Boats
travel regularly between Belize City and
other mainland destinations out to the cayes. Two
main water taxi companies connect Belize City with
Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker (starting at BZ$20
