Hi there,
My husband and I are planning a trip to Guatemala and Belize in October. We will be in Guatemala first and our last stop in Guatemala will be Tikal before travelling over the border to Belize and more specifically to San Ignacio/Mountain Pine Ridge- Can you tell me if I can get transportation to San Ignacio from Tikal (Flores probably) easily enough???

We will have 7 nights in Belize and plan to spend three nights in the Cayo district- considering Hidden Valley Inn for accommodation (it sounds lovely on their web site.. does anyone know if it is??)and four nights relaxing at the beach.

We are not big into watersports but we like nice beaches and are really after relaxation and a little romance but with some activity and nice restaurants, a little bit of nightlife but nothing crazy etc.. After weighing things up, I think I am set on Placenia. We would like to stay somewhere really nice and are considering Inn at Robert's Grove or Turtle Inn (both possibly too pricey- but a girl can dream eh???).I still have no idea how we will travel between Cayo and Placenia.Not keen on driving.Can anyone help with this? Also am I missing out on the main attraction of belize by not going to Ambergris Caye???

Lastly, is it madness to be travelling to Belize in October- ie will the weather be terrible??? Too late really as I am determined to go and have flights booked but am curious to know what I should expect!
All your comments would be appreciated.
Thanks
Gwen

Lots of mini vans and a few shuttle buses from Flores to the border and cross to San Ignacio town. You'll need another transfer from town to HVI, which is lovely. Unique property on 7200 acres, 7 private waterfalls, wildlife, great staff and mgmt. RG or TI are both top notch inns in Placencia, which is a great beach destination for people who want more than just lying on a beach. 3.5 hrs scenic drive between HVI and Placencia, about 250.00 plus tax. Weahter is usually pleasant in Oct, but it is hurricane season, so get insurance, just in case.

You are not missing many attractions by skipping AC. Don't get me wrong, AC is great, but the majority of "attractions" require a boat ride back to the mainland (except Hol Chan Preserve for snorkeling - one of the best spots IMHO, but you are not into watersports). Plancencia is a bit less populated and has less nightlife - but nightlife can certainly be found. If you want to consider less expensive in Placencia and are OK with VERY private check out Mariposa. Two mini-suites on a beautiful stretch of beach. You can still walk to several resorts for dinner (or take a short cab ride), but you will have the place to yourself and maybe one other couple.

The drive from Cayo to Placencia is lovely. Highly recommend getting a tour company transfer, as Katie suggested. If you prefer to fly you will still have to drive to Belize City and fly from there. Not much cheaper.

We loved Placencia....we stayed at Kitty's Place, but it is not a resort type of facilty. But we really liked it. We rented bikes and rode to town...very nice. Also, there is a very small village called Sein Bight (sp?)....if you stop there visit Lola's...she is a local artist, very nice woman and wonder local art. Tell her Steve and Ken from Seattle said hello.

BTW....we used Katie Valk as our travel agent. I noticed that she replied to this posting. I want to put in a plug for her. She did an excellent job helping us arrange our trip to Belize.

Thanks so much for your help. You have put my mind at ease and I am definite about Placencia now. I will do some research on the accommodation front and will look up Lola's while I am there. Thanks again!!!
Gwen

Hi Gwen,

My sister and I spent a week in Placencia at the beginning of our 5 month trip through Central & South America. It is definitely a unique place, and if you are looking for beaches in Belize, Placencia is considered the best. We stayed at "Baineann O´Sage Cabanas," and I believe the name may have now changed to "Jack´s Place". The cabanas are beautiful, and we were able to get a great rate, so if you are looking for something a little different from the resorts, check it out. Placencia, in my opinion, is geared toured the traveler, not necessarily the tourist (one of the reasons we chose to visit Placencia over Ambergris). It is a wonderful place to meet locals. If you aren´t interested in water sports, I wouldn´t worry about missing out on Ambergris.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Megan

p.s. Flores is really nice!

Thanks Megan.I am really reassured now about Placencia. I will look into Jack's place. One more thing.. any ideas about a good place to stay in Flores or close to Tikal??
Getting excited about the trip now!! only four weeks to go!!! And still so much to arrange!!

Can anyone tell me the situation with vaccinations for Belize and Guatemala. I will be spending a few days inland in Belize? Are malaria tablets required??

Go on the CDC website and look up Belize and Guatemala. They list all the recommended vaccines. For Belize, none were mandatory but who wants to take a chance! Also, you may need boosters of "childhood" vaccinations. Don't delay because I think you have to start the malaria medicine a week before you go.

Cailin - hope this isn't too late for you. I'm headed to Belize in about 2 weeks, and spoke with my doctor and a travel clinic about vaccinations. Both recommended being current on your tetanus booster and if you've never had one, Hepatitis A. I also am in the process of taking typhoid pills (last longer than the shot) and next week am starting Malaria prophylaxis - both were again recommended by both doctors. It may be overkill since we probably won't be eating anything that's not prepared by our resort (in the Hopkins area of Belize), but it is our honeymoon, so I'm not taking any chances! The typhoid pills (vivotif) is taken every other day - for 4 pills. It can't be taken with the Malaria pills so you need to start that early enough if you are planning to take it. Malaria pills (chloroquine) must be taken 1 week prior, during, and 4 weeks after your trip. (6 pills total).
Hope that helps!