Help me with my itinerary please

Hi All, Solo Canadian traveller. Im not lazy, just pulling 12 hours shift from now till I leave for Belize this Saturday, Ive read a few post but still have some questions.
September 13-22. flying in and out of Cancun.
1. is there a bus from Cancun airport or bus station into Belize? and approximate cost? and duration of the ride?
2. I have 8-9 days. I want to do a few days by a beach, and a few days to explore the ruins, for the beach, Caye Culner or Ambergis? looking for a relax, backpackers beach scene
3. for the ruins, if Im only confining my vacation in Belize, (saving Guatemala for another trip) is Ignacio still a good base? and which Belize Ruins are worth seeing?
4. aside from beach and ruins, are there any spectacular, not miss, experience or place Ive missed?

Many many Thanks, love, Peace and good food to all of you.

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I arrive at Cancun at 1 pm.

1. is there a bus from Cancun airport or bus station into Belize? and approximate cost? and duration of the ride?

The bus company, ADO, runs a bus between Cancun City and Belize City. It stops at Cancun airport on the BC to Cancun run, but NOT on the Cancun to BC run, so you will have to get a bus from the airport to either Cancun City bus terminal or Playa del Carmen Alterna bus terminal. Playa del Carmen has two bus terminals, so if you go to the 5th Avenue terminal in Playa, you'll have to change to the bus terminal at 12th & 20th to get the bus to Belize. To further confuse you, sometimes the airport bus will stop at both bus terminals. Here are the details...

In September 2011, the Mexican bus company ADO began two new daily services to Belize City – one from Cancún and one from Mérida. The ADO buses are first class with 44 comfortable seats, video, toilet and air conditioning that seems to have only two settings, off and freeze, so dress warmly. In Belize City, buses use the Belize City bus terminal (commonly known as Novelo’s) located on West Collet Canal. These buses do not go to Chetumal in either direction.

On the Cancún route, stops include Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Corozal and Orange Walk, but passengers are not allowed to use these buses to travel within Belize, for example, to travel from Belize City to Corozal. Passengers can board the bus at Orange Walk or Corozal only if their final destinations are in Mexico. On the Belize City to Cancún run, the bus stops at Cancún airport, but on the Cancún to Belize City run, there is no stop at Cancún airport.

Cancún to Belize City
Departs from Cancún bus terminal daily at 10:15 pm with stops at Playa del Carmen (11:40 pm), Tulum (12:45 am), Corozal and Orange Walk. Arrives in Belize City about 6:30 am.
Fares to BC (Jan 2013): MX$496 from Cancún; MX$460 from Playa; MX$400 from Tulum.
Trip time: 8:10 hours from Cancún.

Belize City to Cancún
Departs from BC bus terminal daily at 7:30 pm with stops at Orange Walk (9:00 pm), Corozal (10:00 pm), Tulum (4:00 am), Playa del Carmen (5:00 am) and Cancún Airport (6:30 am). Arrives at Cancún bus terminal at 7:00 am.
Fares (2012): BZ$55.00 to Tulum; BZ$63.00 to Playa del Carmen; BZ$79.00 to Cancún.

Information & ticket sales in Belize:
Belize City: 636-5256, 669-9683
Orange Walk: 624-8200, 302-2240
Corozal: the MCD Art Shop (opposite bus terminal) opens at 8:30 pm to sell tickets; tel: 663-3014.
If dialing from outside Belize, the country code for Belize is 501.

1. I have 8-9 days. I want to do a few days by a beach, and a few days to explore the ruins, for the beach, Caye Culner or Ambergis? looking for a relax, backpackers beach scene

Caye Caulker is smaller, quieter, more laid-back, and more popular with backpackers. There are a few hostels on the caye.

1. for the ruins, if Im only confining my vacation in Belize, (saving Guatemala for another trip) is Ignacio still a good base? and which Belize Ruins are worth seeing?

San Ignacio is a good base because of the good selection of accommodation, including hostels, for all budgets. The best site in the region is Caracol. Xunantunich and Cahal Pech are smaller but more easily accessible -- no tour guides/companies necessary. Another excellent site worth seeing is Lamanai, but it's not easily accessible from San Ignacio. Maybe you could see it while travelling between CC and San Ignacio. It's a full day trip that includes a trip along a river to get to the site.

1. aside from beach and ruins, are there any spectacular, not miss, experience or place Ive missed?

Maybe the ATM cave or another cave trip. Some people want go to the Blue Hole.

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As long as chatumel and Belize city is not dangerous after dark. I would prefer to boot it all the way to Belize city, spend the night there and next morning, to San Ignacio. That's also provided that I could change currency across the border at around 7pm ish.
Better yet, if there's a direct bus from the border to San Ignacio.
Do you think it's feasible and advisable to do so?

As long as chatumel and Belize city is not dangerous after dark. I would prefer to boot it all the way...

Did you mean Belize City or Cancun?? I'd say Cancun is reasonably safe at night. I've always found Chetumal to be very safe at night. Belize City is a place you really don't want to be at night. I wouldn't even suggest staying overnight there.

If you land at Cancun around 1pm, go immediately to the bus terminal in Cancun and buy your ticket. Then store your luggage and do something until the bus leaves at night. Actually, my preference would be to get the airport bus to Playa del Carmen (5th Avenue bus terminal), buy the bus ticket to Belize (some staff speak English), store my luggage at the bus terminal (storage area is upstairs; or carry your luggage with you) and then do something in Playa (better place to be than Cancun). Playa is very safe at night. You might even decide to stay there for a night, but decide before you buy the bus ticket.

The ADO bus arrives at BC around 6 to 7 in the morning, so you have plenty of time to get a water taxi to Caye Caulker or a bus to San Ignacio (now I'm confused about your plans?). Nothing to see or do in Belize City.

I've only crossed the Belize?Mexico border during the day and there have always been money changers around the Belize Immigration building. I don't know if they will be there at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. If you have a plastic card, go to an ATM in Belize City, Caye Caulker or San Ignacio.

There is a direct bus from Corozal to San Ignacio, but it leaves Corozal at 3 or 3:30 in the morning. I don't think the ADO bus will arrive early enough for you to get the bus to San Ignacio. I thought you were going to Caye Caulker first?? If you arrive at Corozal before 3am (unlikely) you could get off and get the bus (old school bus) to San Ignacio. My preference would be to stay on the ADO bus (more comfortable) all the way to Belize City. The ADO bus arrives at the same bus terminal where you change to a bus to San Ignacio.

That's also provided that I could change currency across the border at around 7pm ish.

Which border? Mexico/Belize or Belize/Guatemala?
In either case, money changers should still be hanging around at 7pm.

First off, you guys are AAAAmazing! thank you.
I will follow your suggestion to go to go to playa after landing in Cancun, buy my over night bus ticket to Belize city.
Arrive BC in the morning then continuing on to San Ignacio right away.
I decided that I prefer the jungle and the ruins over the beaches, that's why San Ignacio First, I will follow your recommended sites and stay 3-4 days. then to Caulker for 3 days of chill time. then take the same bus route back to Cancun airport
some more questions please
1. is there a toilet in the bus?
2. is it the same bus terminal in Belize city for me to trasfer?
3. is it fairly easy to walk around San Ignacio and Culkner and find budget accomodation or should I prebook?
4. on the way back from Caulker to BC, then To Cuncun Airport; I would prefer to take the overnight bus, arriving at Cancun airport at 7am and take my flight a few hours later at 1240PM. are the bus reliable and prompt or am I taking a major risk and should overnight at Playa the night before my flight?

Thank you again :)

Sorry I miss the bus in to let from your earlier posting.

1. is it the same bus terminal in Belize city for me to trasfer?

Yes, the ADO buses uses the same terminal as the Belizean buses, but the express buses to Guatemala use the water taxi terminal.

1. is it fairly easy to walk around San Ignacio and Culkner and find budget accomodation or should I prebook?

Yes. Both are small and easily walkable. September is a low month for tourism -- I wouldn't reserve in advance. The exception might be Yuma's House Hostel on CC which always seems to be full.

1. on the way back from Caulker to BC, then To Cuncun Airport; I would prefer to take the overnight bus, arriving at Cancun airport at 7am and take my flight a few hours later at 1240PM. are the bus reliable and prompt or am I taking a major risk and should overnight at Playa the night before my flight?

In my experience, ADO buses have always been reliable and prompt. I have heard of buses running late -- very rare, but I'd prefer to overnight closer to Cancun.

I would scratch San Ignacio and visit Lamanai instead as it is right on your way as you pass by Orange Walk on the bus. This will save you time since you don't have a lot of it to spend in Belize. Take the bus from the airport to Playa Del Carmen. They leave every half hour or so. From Playa get a bus to Tulum. After a long plane ride you will really appreciate spending a couple of nights in Tulum as there are great beaches, cenotes and a great ruin at Coba. These are things you won't find in Belize. Take an early morning bus from Tulum to the Chetumal Bus Station and from there taxi to the other bus station for the Belize Bus. Cross the border on the Belize bus and get off at the second stop in Orange Walk. Spend a night there and the next morning take the all day trip to Lamanai. It is spectacular. The next morning get back on the Belize bus and go to Belize City. From there you can water taxi and be on Caye Caulker by noon. Spend several days there and instead of busing it back to Mexico, take the boat, the San Pedro Express all the way back to Chetumal. It is a great 90 minute ride and saves you from going back to BC and the long bus ride.

Mister Bee, Greggo, and others, help!
I've finally read up and came up with a list of sites to see and things to do.
After all the postings about bus from Cancun, I was able to get a cheap fare all the way to Belize city. (hopefully, the Cuncun info could help others). I fly into Belize city September 13 (this Saturday) arriving 2:30pm. flying back from Belize city on the 23.
I plan to spend half of the time in San Ignacio, and half in Caye Caulker
upon arrival, i plan to take the first available bus to San Ignacio. and make it my base to see Xunantunich, Caracol, possibly El Pilar and Actun Tunichil Caves
1. the lonely planet is not very clear on ways to get to Xunantunich and Caracol independently through local busses. is that even a possibility?
2. If I have to book a tour, is there one that does both?
3 is Actun Tunichil muknal redundant if Im really pumped about Nohoch che'en caves?

second part of my trip would be chilling at caye Caulker.
4. is Caye Caulker a good base for Altun ha, Lamanai and Nohoch che'en cave? or do you recommend staying a night or two in another town central to do those sites, before heading to Caye Caulker to chill on the beach?

Once again, you guys rock!!! many thanks from Toronto.

1. From San Ignacio, get on a bus going to Benque. Ask the driver or conductor to let you off at San Jose Succotz at the road to Xunantunich. Cross the river on the ferry, and then walk about 1.5 km to the site. I don't know of any public buses to Caracol.

2. I wouldn't book a tour to Xunantunich -- go on your own. For Caracol, try Pacz Tours in San Ignacio, or go to the Cayo Welcome Centre for tourist information.

3. I wouldn't call CC a good base for those site. You can get to the sites from CC, but Lamanai is definitely a full day trip from CC. A night in Orange Walk Town might be the best idea.

Dude, you have about 8 days, spend 3 in San Ignacio, 2 at Tikal, screw Lamanai and spend the rest on Caulker.
You'd be silly to get to SI and not travel a couple hours to Tikal.

Hi Again,
It's good that you are flying into Belize then but you still only have a little time. I would follow Joe's advice and head straight for San Ignacio, spend a night there and choose one day trip for the next day. Spend another night and then head over the border to Tikal. It really is pretty easy. Spend a night or two at Tikal right in the park. Make sure you visit the ruins before sunrise. Then get up early like about 6 AM and catch the bus that will take you all the way across the border to the marine terminal in BC and spend your remaining days on Caye Caulker. You can even spend your last night there and still have time to make your plane the next day. This is a tried and proven way to get the most out of the time that you have. Oh, Travel light and on travel days always leave early in the morning so you will be settled before it gets dark. Have Fun! Greg

I would do just as Greg suggests, choosing the ATM cave trip for the first full day and adding a visit to Yaxha to your time in Guatemala. Have a great trip, whatever you decide!

Anyone know approximately what time the Cancun-BC bus arrives in Orange Walk? Would it be like 3:30am or something? Hmm wondering how safe i is to be around that area when its dark...planning on using Orange Walk to get to Lamanai, any suggestions? Don't really want to be in Orange Walk any longer than necessary. Thanks in advance

With the exception of Caye Caulker there is nothing of interest to me in Belize but it seems that I read about a water-taxi from Chetumal to Caye Caulker, saves the ordeal of going through BC on the way with the plus of bypassing the disgustingly filthy Orange Walk.

Then from Caye Caulker take the water-taxi to BC then a shuttle to San Ignacio.

Perhaps some of the Belize lovers can fill you in on that option?

Thanks for the suggestion. I know Tulum and Tikal would be amazing but I'm saving Yucatan and Guatemala for another trip. Don't like mixing countries. That's just part of my OCD.
I'm still debating if I should stay in orange walk for a night or two as a base for Lamanai and cave tubing.

Anyone know approximately what time the Cancun-BC bus arrives in Orange Walk?

Should be around 5:00 am +/- 30 minutes.
I wouldn't want to wandering around town at that hour.

Does that ADO bus from Cancun even stop to let off passengers? I would not advise getting into Orange Walk at night. If you are not doing a day trip from let's say Crooked Tree, it is OK to get a room in Orange Walk. I would not walk around too much at night unless you have an escort. Jungle River Tours will pick you up at your hotel in the morning, do the 35 mile river trip stopping along the way, give you a hot lunch at Lamanai and provide a knowledgeable tour guide for around $40US. It is an all day trip and a good one. I stayed at a cheap hotel for 2 nights. Lots of hustlers around but what else is new.