3 week trip Guatemala and Belize, travelling arrangements
Replies: 8 - Last Post: Feb 20, 2013 8:00 AM Last Post By: charge
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3 week trip Guatemala and Belize, travelling arrangements
Hi thereMe and my girlfriend are going to Guatemala in July, meeting our friends there who will be in Belize.
So I'm planning a 3 week trip, starting in Guatemala, spending 2 weeks there and then heading back to Belize to see off our friends and spend a week in Caye Caulker with my girlfriend. I lived in Guatemala for a year in 2006 and travelled around a bit but obviously time wasn't really an issue back then.
I want to visit Antigua, San Pedro and Lanquin as these were my favourite places and I think must sees. Obviously Antigua first as it's easy to get there from Guatemala City, spend a few days there, then go to Lago Atitlan and spend a few days there, and then to Lanquin for a few days. From Lanquin we'll need to get to Belize City, this is the bit that we need to be as time conscious as possible, whenever I went to Belize City I took the boat from Puerto Barrios to Punta Gorda, and then the express bus up to Belize. Do people think this is the best way to do it? Or if not which way would be best?
Thanks in advance
Henry
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Are you not interested in seeing Tikla Ruins, its on the way as well. From Lanquin/Coban/Sayaxche area, get a shuttle to Flores, in Flores you can get a direct bus to Belize, or a shuttle van to Tikal, and then after night in Tikal, get a shuttle to turn off for Belize (El Cruce) and catch the bus to the border there.Also read a few days post back, someone just posted their journey on this route the last week from Flores.
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I've been to the ruins, and I think the friends that we're meeting are going to be coming to Guatemala City that way from Belize. I guess if it's the same amount of time then we may as well kill two birds with one stone so to speak though!I think that might be the quickest way actually, as we'd have to wait for the boats/bus in Puerto Barrios/Punta Gorda.
Do you know if you can get overnight busses to Flores?
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I think the only overnight busses to Flores are from Guatemala City, these are nice sleeper type VIP busses.My error, I was thinking of Semuc/Coban areas, to Flores, for Lanquin, the boat may be the best option distance wise, from Lanquin to Barrios, but not sure how you get there from Lanquin....
Nevermind, hopefully someone else can offer you the info you need...apologies..
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Yeah I think to get to Barrios from Lanquin would have to go to Coban anyway, just don't want to leave it until we get there and then spend more of our holiday on busses than at the destination :-/ I remember when I went from Belize to Flores before our bus got stuck in the mud and we were stuck for around 10 hours!7
The daily water taxis still operate from PB to PG -- they depart at 1 & 2 pm, and should arrive in PG in time for the last James Bus at 3:50 pm, but it's a Regular bus, not an express. That bus will arrive in Belize City at 9:30 pm. If you miss that bus, it will probably mean a night in PG. I don't know about buses from Lanquin to PB.If you go via Flores, three express buses operate between Flores & Belize City, but they all depart in the early morning, so you would either need an overnight bus from Lanquin or spend a night in Flores. But, there are other non-express buses (or taxis/colectivos/whatever) from Flores to the border. After crossing the border, continue by Belizean buses/taxis.
I don't know about buses from Lanquin, but it looks like the Flores to BC route is a bit quicker than the PB to BC route.
If you're venturing into Honduras, there's a once per week water taxi from Puerto Cortes to Belize City. Let me know if you need more details about that one.
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Wow thanks misterbee, very helpful indeed. I think I'm going to try and do the Puerto Barrios route, the drive up from Punta Gorda to Belize is spectacular so would rather try and get to Puerto Barrios for the boat, sleep in Punta Gorda and get the 6am bus up, that way we'd be able to go straight to Caye Caulker and not have a night in BC.The only tricky part is getting to Barrios from Lanquin, any idea on that front?
