Driving to Belize
 

I am looking to drive from Canada to Belize.
Interested in routes travelled, areas to avoid, estimated bribage required, etc...

Are there services that accompany you for hire?

Planning on Early September if anyone interested in a convoy

Thanks
Barry

I have friends who used to drive every year from Calgary to Belize. They did so because they had a very large dog that the airlines refused to fly.

I'm not sure of their route, can find out if you like. They didn't drive at night.

Last trip the husband was taken by police and 'shook down' in a small office for quite some time.

They vowed that would be the last driving trip.

As it happened the dog died, and, they ended up moving to Belize full time, so no need to drive anyway.

there are convoys and route guides and moving services.

http://www.belizeforum.com/belize/

Hi JeanH,

Yes I would like to find out thier route. Where are they living in Belize, we are in Placencia.

Thank you

They live on Ambergris. She's in Canada at the moment, not sure if she has a computer with her.

Hi JeanH,

I'll keep checking back to see once you have a chance to reach her.

Maybe someone else is out there that has made the trip?
Anyone?

Thank you
Barry

Sorry Katzgar, I forgot to thank you for that link you posted. It has a ton of info, I just haven't had the time to go through it yet.

Cheers!
Barry

Hi JanetH,

Any word from your friend on Ambergris?

Thanks
Barry

Sorry for the delay. I forgot to ask her.

Here's what she has to say:

"I would NOT recommend for anyone to drive thru Mexico...really not worth the threat to life and limb. We took the route from Brownsville crossing into Matamoros then to Tampico, Veracruz, Villa Hermosa and down to Chetumal. If they are determined to make the trip , I could provide details. The day after we crossed into Matamoros there was a gunfight...think 80 dead. Not long after a drug cartel threw bodies out of the back of a truck onto the highway in Veracruz...it goes on and on."

Just got another email from my friend. She found the set of directions she'd written for some other people who were heading to Belize. This info is a couple years old now....

When you get to Matamoros (just over the border from Brownsville) stop at Customs to get your insurance ,vehicle permit. and visitor permit..this takes about an hour. take your own pen. There is no 3 day waiting period. Besides a pen, you will need a photocopy of your driver's licence, vehicle registration and passports. You can get the permit for 6 months if you don't tell them you are going to Belize and they think you will be staying in Mexico. Keep the paper part of your permit with you at all times as they will want to see it when you get stopped at checkpoints. This will save you the time and $$ of getting another permit when you enter Mexico again from Belize. Very important to stop at Customs again on your way back into the States to have them remove the permit sticker from your windshield. They will want to see the paper part of your permit too.

We always spend the night in Brownsville in order to get to the border bright and early in the a.m. From Matamoros border crossing, follow the signs for Cuidad Victoria. You will want to be on Highway 101 / 180. which will take you to Tampico. On the outskirts of Tampico there are nice hotels. You should arrive in Tampico about 4 in the afternoon...resist the temptation to go further that day.

Just south of Tampico (probably a mile or 2) you will need to take a right ramp to Tuxpan.....the sign for this right ramp is obscured by a tree so you really have to look for it. Carrying on you will go thru Poza Rica and Xalapa. Just north of Veracruz, take the Cordoba toll road exit. Follow the signs to Villa Hermosa and Escarcega. Lots of hotels in Villa Hermosa and a good spot to stop for the night.

Leave Villa Hermosa on Highway 186 and follow signs to Chetumal. all in all about 2.5 days from Brownsville to Chetumal.

5000 pesos would probably be enough for gas, rooms and tolls and there are ATMS. Stopping for gas at the Pemex stations with an attached OXO convenience store seemed to be the best bet for clean bathrooms. When you stop for the night, stay close to your room . When you get gas, watch the pump.
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We had no trouble at the checkpoints but I don't think they wanted to bother with a slobbery , barking hound. Probably be a good idea to keep valuables out of sight. No talk of bribes but we don't speak Spanish so who knows??

After you cross from Mexico into Belize, they will spray your tires and you will have to go through Belize customs. They will stamp in your passport that you have a vehicle (which has to be taken out of Belize after 120 days for a couple of days). When it comes to that, let us know as we have taken ours to a storage yard just over the border and can give you the info then. We stored our Jeep in Corozal and had it insured through RFG Insurance Belize for Fire and Theft. They will give you an insurance quote online and are good to deal with. They said they only sell 1 year policies but after 6 months would refund the balance..they have done so, no problem.

There are driving directions on Bing Maps and a Mexican road map is useful.

Hello JeanH, can you tell me where you stored your car in Corozal, and the price?

It wasn't me, it was a friend of mine. It's been several years since they did this, they have since moved to Belize full time.

I'll write her and ask if she remembers.