1

Remember even if you get a place that will let you take a rental car to Belize that if the car is stolen even with all the insurance you will still have to pay a couple of thousand out of your pocket. Make sure the rental car is well secured at night and when unattended like visiting a Maya ruin.

2

It's obligatory to herein say, have you thought of the bus? No insurance, no threat of theft, no problems of negotiating about "damage" upon return of car.

3

Some fellows are afraid that their gonads might shrink if they are not driving some sort of vehicle and adding extra to the Greenhouse Effect. Maybe the boyfriend is this way. There are good reasons to rent a car in Mexico, such as visiting obscure locations, but getting to Belize is not generally among them.

4

Belize is a beautiful country and I enjoyed time spent in Orange Walk, but I would not consider Belize City a tourist destination. I felt safer in Beruit than BC, but only because I could return fire there.

5

Thanks everyone, its all very helpfull. Indeed, we might rent a car to get around Mexico and cross the border by bus. We are thinking about staying close to the shore and up north in Belize. Not the first bad comment we hear about Belize city.

Thanks again for all your comments !

6

We are thinking of doing the same. I saw a thread on this site where the ADO bus is starting service from Cancun to Belize in October. We might look into that instead of renting a car.

Also considering driving from Los Angeles to Belize. This has been discussed on another post several months ago.

7

@isamailhot
@travelmaven

I did both, drove and took a bus diff ocassions. If you are just going from one place to another, taking a bus is the best option. In fact there are direct itineraries, you can also stop on certain cities. It helps you to relax yourself too.

As for renting a car, you can leave the car at another office (they will charge you extra money for this) and is a convenient solution if you plan to stop on the main attractions across your way to the border, there are some other places to visit near the main highway but depending on your taste you might even skip it (except Cobá, Tulum, PC, etc.) I did this exactly and it was not worth the money to just go straight from one point to the other. Some other time did the same too but traveling all across Yucatán, woo that was fun!!!

Depending on your trip, if this is at the end of your journey in Yucatán you will be kinda tired and it will make more sense to take a bus to rest, recover and be ready for the rest of the trip when you reach your destination.

As for economy, the road is flat, in great conditions, near sea level so is very cheap. I live near montains and valleys, so I felt a huge difference on performance and economy.

8

Just back from trip. Family of 4 drove cancun to Belize city, Belize. At airport in cancun tell mexico immigration officer that you going to belize and want double entry stamp
1. Only 3 or 4 car rental companies that allow you to take car over border.
2. rent car from USA prior to arrival
3. bring along copy of receipt - car rental company we choose insisted the rate was higher till we showed them our receipt
4. insist on the car you booked and nothing else
5. make sure you have a letter form car rental company that they allowing you to take car to belize
6. 3.45 to 4 hour drive to border ( car rental company said 6 hours)
7. at border on mexico side, get an exit stamp, DO NOT PAY HIM ANY MONEY. we arqued and he let us go, said we will have to pay on return and took our immigration paper that was given to us at airport. You do not have to pay if you been in mexico les then 72 hours
8. Next get car insurance (on the right in the free zone.
9. next get tries sprayed, he is also on the right
10. goto Belize immigration and customs give them all papers
11. enjoy Belize 2 hours to belize city

On return
1. Go through immigration and then customs on Belize side. Have to pay departure tax ($19 US)
2. At mexican border, before the gate, park on the right and go through immigration,
3. fill out immigration paper, they will give you receipt and will stable a white stub saying you have to pay 262 pesos on departure
4. pass through gate into mexico
5. throw away the white stub that is stapled to your immigration receipt
6. enjoy mexico

Over tips.
in mexico
1. Carry and pay for gas using pesos
2. paying gas with credit card or US currency is what they want because they will kill you on the exchange rate
3. check that the gas pump shows zero before they pump
4. if you get a speeding ticket, negotiate a price around $20 or $30, he wanted $100 we gee him $40. Said it is normally $180 for tyne fine

9

TAKE THE BUS!
I used to drive a private vehicle from the US thru mexico to belize each january. NEVER again! The only reason we made it january 2011 (my daughter, fluent spanish, and I), was because the Zeta gang chased then killed the Americans in front of us, who, rather than let them take their truck, fled from the ZETA's fake roadblock in Tamualipas. This is true. Then things got worse. But we made it, and we kissed the ground once we were in friendly Belize.

Both the Mexican & Belize border checkpoints at Chetumal are a nightmare if you are in a private vehicle, even if you have all your papers in order, arranged in advance, with receipts, passports, titles, insurance, and pockets full of bribe money, and you speak spanish. Trust me-Take The Bus!!! Take a taxi! Fly! DONT DRIVE THRU MEXICO, especially if you are driving any late model SUV or pickup truck.

If you must drive thru mexico, bring a cooler full of CocaCola & ice to get a smile from the army checkpoint guys. You know things are tough when you are GLAD to see the marines and their 50-cal. machine guns... But if it is a ZETA roadblock? Be very polite, DONT RUN, and do let them take whatever they want; you can buy a new truck, not a new wife.

Yes, downtown Belize City is dangerous, but so is LA, detroit, and cleveland. No need to spend much time in Belize City when there are so many beautiful places and friendly people throughout the country and islands of Belize. (Take a taxi in BC, you'll be fine!)