belize/guatemala road conditions to ruins?

Hi everyone,
I have some time off and enough frequent flier miles to take an 8-10 day trip leaving some time next week ( June 17 or 18 to june 24 or 25). I have the option of flying into:

Belize City
Guatemala City
or San Salvador

I'm really interested in seeing ruins, and I like rain foresty/ hiking type trips as well (I'm a bit beached out for the moment). Tikal and the ruins near San Ignacio look like a good match for what I want to do, but I'm having difficulty getting a good picture about how that area has been affected by the recent storm and flooding. (I keep hearing about the Kendall Bridge being out, but I think that is in the southeastern part of the country????)

If anyone has suggestions about which city is the best to fly into (considering current weather conditions) and/ or places to visit with nice ruins and/ or nice nature on a short trip, I'd love to hear them. I can afford to take a couple domestic flights if necessary.

I'd also be interested to hear opinions about traveling sola in the region -- I'm 29, have traveled by myself in SE Asia, visited Ecuador and Mexico, and speak decent-ish Spanish. It seems like people feel safe enough in Belize, but I've heard conflicting things about El Salvador (which has the most convenient flight options).

I appreciate any advice you can offer! Also, if you think your travel plans might mesh with mine, let me know (platonic interest only, please :) )

Thanks!
Anne

You could land in Belize and visit the cayo district on your way to Flores. I am sure the road will be good even in rains (most of it is paved and potholed and the rest is graded).
From Flores you can easily visit Tikal, Yaxha and hike to Nakum. If the ground is too whet to hike, there is an old military type truck that can take you to Nakum.

If you land in Guatemala City, There are nightly express buses to Flores, over a major paved highway. Here a bit of rain is not an issue. There are also two or three flights a day between the two cities. And you would also have the option of heading the other way to lake Atitlan and the highlands where you could climb one or more 11,000 feet volcanoes.

As for traveling alone, there are as many solo women out there as there are men, maybe more. Following your normal good sense, you will be much safer than in New York City.

I don't think you have to be concerned about the conditions of the roads in western Belize as a result of TS Arthur. (Kendall Bridge is in southern Belize near Hopkins and is now passable over a temporary causeway.) Some of the roads in Cayo are pretty rough anytime. This includes the road to Caracol. In fact, one of the two access roads to the Mountain Pine Ridge, the Georgeville Road, is one of the worst roads in Belize in terms of being rough and a pain to drive over.

But having said that, people drive these roads every day, and with rare exceptions after a very, very heavy rain, are easily passable, generally without 4WD.

The road from the Belize border to Flores and to Tikal Park is in pretty good shape.

My recommendation probably would be to fly into Belize City, go to the San Ignacio area, visit Xunantunich, Caracol, Altun Tunichil Muknal, Cahal Pech and maybe El Pilar, and then go on to the Peten for Tikal and other Maya sites there. You can probably see all you want to see in western Belize in four days, though you could stay longer, and then spend the rest of the time in the Peten.

--Lan Sluder

Just a question: If you are using a flight to El Salvador to use it as a jumping point for Guatemala, you would have to figure an extra $ 25.00 for Taxi to the capital San Salvador, and then $ 58 for a round-trip or $ 33 for a one way ticket with King Quality (a comfy air conditioned bus with hostess, movie and snack) to Guatemala. This info is so you can weight if it is convenient to go through El Salvador. If you do so, taking a taxi and then King Quality is a safe way to travel from El Sal to Guate.

Sorry, make that Actun (cave) Tunichil Muknal, not Altun.

--Lan Sluder

Roque, wouldn't it be much faster and not much more expensive to fly one more hour to Guate?

The recent rains of last week, did not effect the Cayo District at all. We did flood the low wood bridge between Santa Elena Town and the San Ignacio side. But that was like for an overnight and a day later was cleared, the river had dropped. Mostly we have been getting night showers.

Xununtanich and Cahel Pech are a real local bargain at all day for $22 usa. Two very nice hilltop pyramids that span two eras. The three thousand years of pre-classic and classic Maya periods. Tikal can be done by local buses out of Santa Elena Town where we are. We have had a number of girls do it that way, on a one day trip, there and back. There are tour operators who will take you though. Not all are good deals.

ATM Cave, which is the Actun Tunichil Muknal underground XIBALBA sacrificial Mayan entrance to the Mayan underworld is a very exciting and mind boggling trip everybody tells us that take it. Never heard a single complaint from anybody. Around $75.

Have a good time mon! Summer business is picking up this week and all next week, which is a surprise to me. Still got spare beds though.

Falconview Tourist Backpackes Adventure Hostel
Cayo West ADVENTURE HEADQUARTERS

http://folkmusic.fl.tripod.com/adventuresinbelize

#5
I would think so!

I was just referring to the fact that AforAntharium said that flights were more convenient to El Salvador than the other countries. If your ultimately goal is going to Guatemala, you would have to weight the convenience of flying to El Salvador and then having the expense for moving to Guate... so I was trying to convey what the expense was...

Thanks so much everyone for the help! Since it seems like the roads are OK, I booked tickets to Belize City since the flights available allowed me the most time in the area and most convenient to what I wanted to do (although it does mean staying overnight in Texas :( ). Sounds like there are lots of exciting things to do, thanks for the ideas.