Punta Gorda Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

As with elsewhere in Belize, the slack left by the bankruptcy of Novelo’s bus company has been taken up by a number of smaller companies (many of which have bought up old Novelo’s buses). The largest of these servicing the south is James Bus Line (722-2625, 702-2049; King St), which runs nine times a day from Punta Gorda to Belize City (BZ$22, seven hours), pulling into Independence (BZ$9, two hours), Dangriga (BZ$14, 3½ hours) and Belmopan (BZ$20, 5½ hours) along the way. The only official express service leaves at 6am daily, and costs BZ$2 more. While the express still stops at all three terminals prior to getting to Belize City, it tends not to pick up passengers at random spots along the road (except when it does), hence the ‘express’ status. All buses leave from the main bus station on King St and cruise around PG a bit before heading north. A few other companies also do the PG–BC run.

Car & motorcycle

Galvez’s Auto Rental (722-2402; 61 Jose Maria Nunez St) rents Chevy Geo Trackers for around BZ$160 a day.

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Boat

Requena’s Charter Service (722-2070; 12 Front St) operates the Mariestela, departing Punta Gorda at 9am daily for Puerto Barrios, Guatemala (BZ$30, one hour), returning at 2pm. Tickets are sold at the office and the customs dock down the street. The Guatemalan Pichilingo (722-2870; one-way BZ$36) sails from Puerto Barrios to Punta Gorda at 10am and returns from Punta Gorda at 2pm. From Puerto Barrios boats leave for Lívingston (BZ$3 to BZ$7, 30 to 90 minutes) until about 5pm. A Guatemalan-operated direct boat to Lívingston (BZ$30, one hour) leaves the customs dock at about 10am Tuesday and Friday. The local Belize Tourism Board can help you buy tickets.

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Air

Tropic Air (722-2008; www.tropicair.com) has flights five times daily to Placencia (one-way/return BZ$90/180, 20 minutes), Dangriga (BZ$120/240, 40 minutes) and Belize City (BZ$218/427, one hour). Maya Island Air (722-2856; www.mayaairways.com) does the same trips three times daily. Ticket offices are at the airstrip (airport code PND).

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