8 days in Belize

My husband and I are planning an 8 day trip to Belize in early March. Our plan right now is to fly in to Belize City, head to San Ignacio and spend a day or two at Parrot Nest, then head to Tikal, then back to Caye Caulker for a couple of nights.

What is the best way to get from Belize City to San Ignacio/Tikal and how long is the drive?
Any recommendations for a hotel in Belize City for the first night we arrive?
Would anyone recommend somewhere other than Caye Caulker for the last few days of the trip?

Our plans are far from set in stone right now. We hope to see some Mayan ruins, do some hiking, have some time on the beach, and explore some local shops and restaurants.

Many Thanks!

The best way to get to San Ignacio is to arrange a transfer service pick you up at the airport and take you. And since you're staying at Parrot's Nest, William's Shuttle would be a good choice. This would also mean you don't have to spend the money for a night in Belize City and the BZ$50 taxi ride. The trip by private vehicle is about 1.5 hours.

The cheapest way is by bus -- about BZ$7 and 2 hours.

Caye Caulker is a good choice.

Do you know about the expess buses from Flores (Guatemala) to Belize City?

For more info about buses & transfer services, click the BelizeBus link on my profile page.

Unless you're arriving very late in the afternoon, I'd try to get to San Ignacio on the day you arrive.

I don’t know your budget, but here are some good LOWER BUDGET places that I know in the City:
Bayview Guesthouse is in a relatively safer neighbourhood on the north side.
http://www.belize-guesthouse-hotel.com/

Freddie’s Guest House, 86 Eve Street, Belize City, private room, shared bath. Cost: about BZ$55.

Three Sisters Guest House, Queen Street, Belize City. Very close to the water taxi terminals and the city center.

And a couple I don’t know as well…
North Front Street Guest House, North Front Street, Belize City. I’ve seen some not so positive comments – bedbugs, noise, etc.
Smokin Balam Guesthouse, 59 North Front Street – not sure if this one’s still open.

There are a couple of hotels on the south side of the city, but they’re in an area of the city I wouldn’t recommend walking around in.
Hotel Mopan, Coningsby Inn.

Isabel’s Guesthouse is very nice, but right in the downtown area of the city – opposite the Swing Bridge.
The Belcove Hotel is also in the downtown area of the city.

More information about these hotels can be found on:
http://www.belizeexplorer.com/
http://www.belizehotels.org/
http://www.travelbelize.org/

Outside the City, closer to the international airport and for more money (and comfort), there’s the D’Nest Inn, 475 Cedar St., Belize City
www.dnestinn.com

There is some other motel style accommodation on the highway between the airport and the City, but without transportation, you're stuck there.

For a bigger budget, there’s the Radisson Fort George and Princess Hotel & Casino in the City, or the Best Western a bit outside the City closer to the airport.

Hummingbird Haven on Hummingbird Hwy at mile marker 29.
I stopped in for 1 night and stayed 2 weeks.
Just like heaven.
Crystal clear stream flows around the property with lots of swimming holes.
Waterfalls, untouched jungle, 5 Blues Lake near by, caves, etc.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hummingbird-Guest-Lodge-Hostel/142188072545758

As the others say, Caye Caulker is wonderful, Belize City is not so great. If you must stay there, we liked Villa Boscardi, but it is in the suburbs, fairly close to the international airport.

If you have a little more to spend, you can save time on this short trip by flying on Tropic Air from Flores in Guatemala to Belize City, then a quick taxi to the marine terminal, then the boat to Caye Caulker, and you'll be there by 11:30 AM. Or you can take a longer cheaper bus ride. Most car rental agencies will either not let you go across into Guatemala or else won't provide insurance for that part.

We talked with a lot of people who rented a car. They all found the driving quite hair-raising at night, but not so bad during the day.

Caye Caulker is nice place to hangout for a couple of days. If it gets too crowded for you, head to San Pedro (30min by boat from CC) for a day or two. San Pedro has better beaches and quieter than Caye Caulker I found. Truly like La Isla Bonita.

i strongly advise against san pedro / abomigrease caye, unless you are stoked on falling into sketch sitch.

Just got back from a week doing a very similar trip across Belize.

Some interesting responses. Wouldn't go along with all the advice but much is sound.

We combined using buses and also hiring a car with 2 others. It's a very safe and easy country to drive in (except BC)..........so don't listen to previous advice. And of course everything is in English. Doddle!

As others have said, you really shouldn't bother staying in BC unless you really have to.

River tubing near San Ig is good (ask where you're staying to fix you up with the guys that do it). A one day there and back to Tikal is easy (or stay a night and come back next day). Again your accom in San Ig will organise transport. Don't bother with a guide for Tikal........it's a much nicer experience with your own guide book! It's actually better to arrive at Tikal mid/late morning and stay till mid/late afternoon as it's full of the big 'dawn brigade' tour groups early to mid morning.

Back in San Ig consider going to Dangriga and on to Tobacco Caye...........a much more authentic experience of the reef than CC, with few people, rustic but good accom and coral/fish/rays all right at the water's edge. Stay at Bluefield Lodge in Dangriga the night before and lovely Louise/Marie will sort you out with everything for getting to TC and accom there.

The river trip from Orange Walk to Lamanai is an excellent day out if you can get over there.

Hope this helps with some alternative views.

"Tobacco Caye....a much more authentic experience" - interesting! I think it may have more lodging options per square inch than any place else in Belize. I wouldn't normally recommend it because it requires extra travel time which could be spent a dozen different ways.

Re: Tikal, the vast majority of visitors arrive mid/late morning and leave in the afternoon; the site is so large that it might not seem crowded. The big "dawn brigade" might be a dozen or more folks heading to Temple 4 for the sunrise; in my 3 visits to Tikal I've never seen another soul outside my own group of family or friends for the entire morning visit. When you visit as a day tripper you miss the cooler evening and early morning hours when the wildlife viewing is fantastic so I highly recommend an overnight.

I'm not usually a guided tour sort of gal but touring the Tikal site with archaeologist/naturalist Roxy Ortiz is one of the highlights of more than a dozen trips to the region. I realize now that when people say it's much better/nicer to tour without a guide they've never had a really outstanding one who knows the secret places no one else visits, can spot an emerald toucanet from 100 yards out, and brings the history of the ruins to life.

Guess I wish you would have qualified your "don't bother", "more authentic", "don't listen"+, and +"much nicer" comments as opinions, at least until you have traveled more in an area.

Thank you everyone for your comments!

After reading these posts I'm thinking that if we arrive from the states in Belize City we'd want to spend the night and head out asap. What's the best way to get to Placencia and then on to Tobacco Caye from there? What's the progression?