Mexico, Belize & Guatemala in 5 weeks

Hello :)

My bf & I are planning a trip to Mexico, Belize & Guatemala and have a time frame of 5 weeks. We are Australian and only I can speak some Spanish. I really need some help in deciding what to see and how long to stay in each place considering the transport is mainly bus.

We are young (me 23, him 25) so actioned packed is not a problem. We are after less touristy places, yet a little bit is ok if it is a must see.

We plan to visit in June/July next year btw. I was considering Cancun & Playa del Carmen but was a bit unsure.. are they touristy in a good way?
I have made a list of places we would like to see, please let me know if this is over ambitious and if you would subtract or add anything!

Mexico city - 6 days

Taxco -2 days (flight to Oaxaca)

Oaxaca - 3 days (flight to Campeche)

Campeche 2 days

Celestun - 2 day

Merida - 2 days

Chitchen Itza - 2 days

Tulum - 2 days

Caye Caulker - 3 days

San Ignacio - 1 day

Flores - 1 day

Tikal - 1 day (bus from Flores to Palenque)

Palenque - 2 days

San Cristobal - 2 days (bus to Tuxla Gurierrez)

Fly to Mexico city & home.

Any tips and suggestions would be great.

Thanks!!!
Minet

No. I don't agree with a good part of this. 6 days in Mexico? It's a cool city, but that's too much. Merida sucks ass. Definitely not worth 2 days. Chitzen Itza is half a day trip from Merida and could even be done in transit from Merida to Tulum, not 2 days.

San Ignacio will need an extra day, most of the day trips are full day trips. San Cristobal has a bunch of cool side trips and could use and extra day of two.

In Guatemala, the south has some great highlights. Antigua is a love hate sort of place. Some say "pretty" some say "artificial" but it's worth the trip. Lake Atitlan is the most beautiful lake in the world and not to be missed.

I have the majority of these places on my blog. Check it out. Mexico, Belize and Guatemala

Thanks for the reply! I really wanted to see the pink flamingo's in Celestun which is why i'll be staying at Merida .. haha but ok then, i'll only stay a day there!

As for Chichen Itza that is a good idea, I will take the evening bus to the east coast after the day is done. Is there somewhere to leave your luggage at Chichen Itza considering we wont have a hotel for the day?

If we do see the south of Guatemala, is the bus ride to Palenque exhausting or difficult?

Thanks for your suggestions, i'll check out your blog now :D

No, DF with side trips IS worth a week...And temps will be comfortable...Drop Taxco & bus Puebla-Palenque...The heat there, should drive you up to San Cristobal where you will probably make a different plan...Plans that will not include internal flights to places that do not have commercial air service such as Taxco or Campeche...carracar

Carracar - Is Puebla considered a nicer city than Taxco?? It does obviously seem more logical but the town seems so pretty...

I'm basically trying to know what to drop and add in this trip. Also what route ppl would suggest I take!!

Thnks, Minet

Taxco, while scenic...Is all about buying "stuff"...The town is expensive to visit and for your main plan, much out of the way...Puebla is a historic and cultural city fast becoming contemporary.The possibility of day trips to Tlaxcala & Cholula might well be put "in" here, before pressing on...carracar

Hi,
I can´t say Cancun and Playa de Carmen are touristic in a good way as well as Tulum. You can find a lot of smaller and nicer places along the mexico-guatemala´s border. For me Tikal is one of the greatest highlights-landscape,nature,history... You can try to cross border to Mexico around Belem though it is not so easy. In Mexico don´t travel by 1st class buses as their AC creates arctic cold inside. Other options are cheaper and good enough.. I can only agree with Lago de Atitlan - it´s beautiful,spiritual place although tourism is attacking it..
Save journey!
Some hints are at my web: www.worldalive.info