stotz

I think we finally ironed our trip out to Belize.
Arrive Friday to Belize Intl Airport and get a driver/bus/shuttle (need help with this) to San Ignacio. Pick up rental car in San Ignacio (Matus Car Rental- any comments?), drive to Hidden Valley Inn for four nights. Drop car back in San Ignacio, get ride/ guide (suggestions on good guides) to Tikal, spend the night, get hotel to give ride to Flores Airport and fly back to Belize Intl. Airport, catch flight to Ambergris for four nights.

How do I get from Belize Intl to San Ignacio? I checked with Duplooy's shuttle and they said it isn't running. I don't want to take a bus that stops too much along the way. 3 people with one suitcase each.

hopefulist

Sounds like a great plan, though I've personally never been tempted to rent a car in Central America. I'm really fond of the regular old buses but, if I recall correctly, you're arriving fairly late in the day.

For shuttles you could try
William Hofman [email protected] or
Raul Marchand [email protected] .
They've both been recommended to me and have provided really helpful responses to my inquiries but I have not used them personally.

You could look into Maya Walk and Pacz Tours for a guided trip to Tikal, but it's not hard (and likely much cheaper) to pull it together yourself.
http://www.pacztours.net/
http://www.mayawalk.com/

Have you asked Hidden Valley about shuttles and Tikal trips?

Have a wonderful trip and please tell us all about it when you get home. Happy trails!

sylvia3

why not get the car in Belize City, at the airport? Pretty easy drive to SI, then you have it to get back to the airport (cheaper than flying from Guatemala), where you'll shuttle to Ambergris. Much easier than wasting time trying to arrange all that transport! (The trip to Tikal can be done easily from SI; then you can stop by the zoo on the way back to the airport in BC!)

stotz

We felt it was a waste of time to spend 5 hours on the road just to drop a rental car off. I was told it was about 2 hours to get back from Tikal to the border and then another 3 hours to get to airport. Plus, the last flights to Ambergris leave BZE at about 5:30 pm so I didn't want to take any chances that we'd miss that flight. Cutting a day off the cost of the car rental helped our decision too.

hickatee

You could try Steve Perera at www.buy-belize.com for vehicle rental with a shuttle from the international airport, and arrange for a return in San Ignacio.

shillmac

You mention that you aren't fond of the public bus system, but that is exactly what we've chosen to do, having always found it an interesting way to travel. The thing that did it for us was finding out that Chaa Creek was going to charge $135 plus 10% tax (read $150!) to pick us up and another $150 to take us back. We're doing Ambergris first, so decided to give the public buses a try. It may take us an hour or hour and a half longer to get there, but figured it would be worth it. We'll still need to take a taxi from San I. to Chaa Creek. Good luck!

shillmac

I forgot to mention that Tropic Air is flying us to and from BZE to Ambergris. On the return, we asked to fly into municipal instead. Not only did it save us a decent chunk of money, but the bus station is very close to municipal. We found that out quite by accident, as none of the hotels have offered much advice in the way of transportation.

I think it was jeanH, maybe, who enlightened us.

hopefulist

Shillmac - If you're referring to my post you misread - I AM fond of the buses - great way to travel in Belize imo.

stotz

We booked an SUV from Matus Car rental in San Ignacio for $67.50 per day and they have a driver who is picking us up at the airport for $62.50 and taking us to our rental car. Not a bad deal, considering there are three of us. Buses are ok-- have had to use them before in other countries, but I like having my own wheels. Shillmac, you were helpful when we planned our trip to Costa Rica a couple of years back. Do you hang out in Central America pretty regularly? I've mainly spent time in Europe so C.A. is a new region for us to explore, except for one trip to Costa Rica and one trip to Merida, Mexico.

shillmac

No, no, hopefulist, I "know" you--you have the same travel attitude we do; I can tell! I was referring to Stotz's original post at the top, stating that they didn't want to take the buses that stop all the time. The stopping is a bit of a drawback as it does eat up time, but as long as it doesn't eat up too MUCH time, we, too, find riding the buses an enjoyable experience.

And stotz, it might be worth a try!

shillmac

Stotz, we have "hung out" in Costa Rica a lot. Our upcoming venture into Belize (a surprise for my husband as he won't know our destination until we show up at the gate) will be a thrill for us as it will be something new. We hope to eventually explore a lot more of CA from a CR base!

We have not traveled in Europe, but that is something I hope to do one day with my daughter. DH isn't so interested. We have truly fallen in love with Latin America, the culture, the nature, and have found a strong comfort zone there---you know, sort of a comfort zone within your "out of the comfort zone" mentality!

Hopefulist is the CA expert in all areas other than Costa Rica. She's got me HUGELY interested in Guatemala. We have also started a yearly mission trip in the Puebla area of Mexico, working up in the mountains (Indian village) on a construction and medical clinic project. DH works construction and I translate in the dental office and sometimes act as dental assistant. We absolutely thrive on these types of experiences.

It's a rich culture, and the interaction with people who have little but are fountains of joy has been so rewarding.

hopefulist

Thanks for your kind words, shillmac. Glad to hear you're interested in Guatemala now, too. In CA I've only visited Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala, but we love them so much we keep going back over and over. I'm interested in visiting other Latin American countries but just haven't broken free of the favorites yet.

stotz

Shillmac, Since you love Latin America, when you do get over to Europe, go to Spain, especially Southern Spain. Warm, friendly with an Arabic/ Moors history which makes it exotic and beautiful.

motmot

Yep--first on my list, you might know!

hopefulist, do you have a home in Guatemala? Get one, and we can do an exchange!

We're working on it. . and hoping it can and will happen soon.

hopefulist

Nope, no home in Guatemala. We're 4-5 years out from retirement and talk about spending part of the year in CA; no plans yet. We'd have to find a place with great local fishing.

shillmac

Same for us--thinking half the year, and not all in one chunk. We're 3 years out. Probably should go 4-5, but hopefully we won't. Still, I love my job and the kids, so know it won't be easy to give it up as anxious as I am to spend more time in CR. If the school would just let me get away more often, I wouldn't have to live there part time!

My husband hunts during the Nov-Dec. season, so that keeps us home at that time and tied to our community and a small piece of land (with good hunting) that he inherited from his grandmother. And, of course, fishing too!

Cattail

shillmac, what's this about a dental office? And Jim in construction? Have we been THAT out of touch? I should have known we'd be thinking Belize at the very same time?

shillmac

Didn't I tell you about that last year? It was awesome! And gruesome, in the dental office. Lots of problems, naturally. Lots of extractions. Many of them little kids. Brave little souls, let me tell you.

And Jim worked outside adding on a laundry room (cement block work).

We are going back in late July. Jacie is going with us as a pharmacist. Looking forward to that!

Like I told you, great minds. . .