2 questions regarding Belize and Honduras

Hi,

I'd love some advice and opinions on 2 aspects of my possible trip (mid Aug to mid Sept) that keep jumping up at me:

1. I keep reading conflicting advice on the weather in Belize at this time of year. Some sites say it is hurricane season and some say there is a 6 week dry period. This also goes for Utilia, Honduras! Some say hurricane season some say the skies are clearest March - Sept?

2. Is it possible to travel from Tikal to Caye Caulker or Placencia in 1 day (staying for 5 days) and then Caye Caulker to Utilia in 1 day (staying for 5 days) and then Utilia to Guatemala City in 1 day?

Thanks in advance as these are pretty vital points I need to work out!

August is hurricane season. Last year a hurricane just skirted the Cayes just around that time. That being said, I don't believe a hurricane has directly hit Belize for some time. Even if the hurricane doesn't hit directly, the weather that it brings will curtail activity that you can do on the Cayes. No point in snorkeling/diving in that weather.

You can get from Tikal to the Cayes in one day. You can get a bus directly from Flores (or nearby villages) to Belize City water taxi that will arrive around 3 p.m. You can then get your water taxi to Caye Caulker or Ambergis. You will need to get a very early start out of Flores, but it can be done.

Sorry I can't speak to the rest of your questions, although I'm sure Lan will help out.

Thank you for you advice, it's greatly apreciated!

August is indeed hurricane season in Belize and the rest of the Western Caribbean, but since 1889 only one hurricane has hit Belize in August (that was Dean last year, which came ashore in northern Belize). There also have been five tropical storms to hit Belize in August during that 119-year period.

But ... there is usually a dry period in part of August, sometimes called the mauger.

Here's some data:

Number of storms making landfall in Belize since 1889
In the past 119 years since weather records in Belize were first formally maintained, Belize has seen the following storms make landfall:
• 21 hurricanes -- average of about 1 hurricane every 5.7 years
• 32 tropical storms – average of 1 tropical storm every 3.7 years
• 53 total hurricanes and tropical storms – average of 1 hurricane or tropical storm every 2.2 years

Of the 21 hurricanes:
• 9 or 43% were in September
• 8 or 38% were in October
• 2 or 10% were in July
• 1 or 5% was in November
• 1 or 5% in August
• 0 or 0% in June

Of the 53 total hurricanes and tropical storms:
• 19 or 36% were in September
• 14 or 26% were in October
• 8 or 15% were in June
• 6 or 11% were in August
• 4 or 8% were in July
• 3 or 6% were in November

(Figures rounded)

Most powerful hurricanes to hit Belize:
• Unnamed hurricane, September 9, 1931, Belize City and Northern Cayes, 110 mph, estimated 2,500-3,000 deaths
• Hurricane Janet, September 28, 1955, Northern Belize, 165 mph, 16 deaths in Belize
• Hurricane Hattie, October 31, 1961, Belize City, 140 mph, estimated 225-310 deaths in Belize
• Hurricane Carmen, September 2, 1974, skirted Northern Belize, 120 mph
• Hurricane Mitch, October 27, 1998, skirted Belize to the south, 155 mph
• Hurricane Keith, October 1, 2000, Ambergris Caye 120 mph, 2 deaths in Belize
• Hurricane Iris, October 9, 2001, Placencia & Southern Belize, 145 mph, 21 deaths in Belize
• Hurricane Dean, August 21, 2007, Northern Belize, 165 mph at landfall in Mexico, lower in Belize
Source; Belize National Meteorological Service, NOAA and other weather records

Tropical Storm Arthur in early June of this year produced heavy rains and flooding that killed 7 and did tens of millions of dollars in damage to crops and roads.

Yes, as #1 said, you can get to Belize City and on to Caye Caulker in one day. Take the San Juan or Linea Dorada (the better choice) tourist bus from Flores to Belize City for US$15 to $20 -- these minibuses stop mainly at the border. It's maybe a 5-hour trip. You'll be dropped at the Marine Terminal, and from there you can take a water taxi to Caulker (45 minutes, US$7.50). The last boat is at 5:30 p.m.

--Lan Sluder
http://www.belizefirst.com

Thanks Lan. I emailed you at your website too so thanks!

Schedules & cost....

EXPRESS BUS SCHEDULE – FLORES / BELIZE / CHETUMAL
Two Guatemalan bus companies, San Juan Express Bus Service and Linea Dorada, provide bus service between Flores, Belize City and Chetumal. In Belize City, buses arrive at and depart from the Belize City Water Taxi / Marine Terminal on North Front Street near the Swing Bridge. Buses operate on Sundays and public holidays. Not all buses are air-conditioned. The schedule below was in effect on 15 May 2008 but always confirm times before travel.

FLORES TO BELIZE CITY (235 km / 146 miles / about 5 hours)
San Juan Bus departs 5:00 am daily: US$ 20.00
Linea Dorada departs 6:00 am daily*: US$ 15.00
San Juan Bus departs 7:30 am daily: US$ 20.00
* Departure of the Linea Dorada bus is sometimes delayed because it waits for a connecting bus from Guatemala City. It then stops in Santa Elena.

WATER TAXI
The Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association provides water taxi service between Belize City, Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye (San Pedro). In Belize City, boats depart from and arrive at the Belize City Marine Terminal located on North Front Street (near the Swing Bridge). Website: www.cayecaulkerwatertaxi.com.

If you want to go to Placencia, you would have to get off the Linea Dorada bus at Belmopan and get a southbound bus. The LD bus does not go into Belmopan; it would only stop on the highway and you would have to find your own way to the bus terminal. It's only a couple of km.

The hurricane season is June 1 to November 30. It's not like a tropical wet season where it might rain every day. In Belize, there might be a period of rain during a tropical wave and then weeks of dry weather or an occasional storm. From my experience, June & November seem to be the wettest months. But, it's weather - no one can predict it!

We've found summer to be a great time to visit Honduras and Belize. Seems like you could do Caulker to Utila and Utila to Guatemala each in a day if you fly. It would be easy to spend 10 days in either Honduras or Belize (easy to spend 3 times that either place in my experience) so I'd reconsider doing both.

Hello,

John500 is right, you cannot get a direct bus to Placencia from Flores, or at least I could not find one. ( Last Oct ) I took a mini Bus...(not sure of the name) out of Flores and they did indeed drop me off at the intersection close to Belmopan. No taxis in sight. Luckily, I kind of expected this and was traveling light. I hoofed it to the edge of Belmopan and a found a taxi to the bus station. Caught the chicken bus to Placencia, I beleive @ about 2:00 pm. It was an interesting but long ride and I think I arrived in Placencia about 8:00PM ( just after dark ). If you do this you may want to have a room reserved so you don't end up dragging your stuff around in the dark. I didn't have a room, but in October it was dead there and plenty of rooms. I thought Placencia was an interesting place to visit. Can't compare it to the Northern Cayes because I left there and went to Utila Honduras. Good luck...I think I will return to Belize this winter.
Ted,
NC Coast