Hopkins to Caye Caulker Transportation Advice
 

Hi, everyone! I've had wonderful luck contacting William, recommended on Fodor's, for transport to Chaa Creek and to Hopkins. He gets back promptly, is willing for us to share the expense if other people sign on for the same trip.

My question is: It appears as though there are buses that run from Hopkins to Caye Caulker. Is this practicle, as opposed to returning to Belize City and ferrying out, or flying?

To get to the mainland from Caye Caulker you will have to take water taxi or fly over. Once you are there then you can bus to Hopkins.

I'm puzzled, because the Toucan Trail Belize website talks about a bus from Belize City to Darangia, and another from there to Hopkins. I'm assuming that it runs in the the opposite direction as well. Is this faulty information ??

It's doable but might not be practical. The buses from Hopkins to Dangriga are few and far between. From Dangriga you ride to Belmopan (a more common run), then switch to a bus marked Belize City. From the BC bus station you could taxi to the dock (or walk, about 10 minutes) and ferry across or taxi to one of the airports (the Municipal would be cheaper) and fly there.

In other words, there's no way to bus from Hopkins to Caye Caulker. The roads between lead to/from Belize City and you have to ferry or fly from there since Caulker is an island (a caye).

You could take a cab to Dangriga, and from there either catch a bus heading north of fly to the Municipal airstrip in Belize City.

Once in Belize City, either fly or take the water taxi to Caulker.

When we were on that route last spring, coming from Placencia, we changed buses right outside Dangriga, didn't have to change again in Belmopan.

O.K., things are becoming clearer; I read SOMEWHERE recently that there was a direct bus, which was not at all what I'd been hearing up'til then, and really didn't make any sense! Thanks for confirming the original information!

How does cab/bus/ferry compare money-wise and time-wise vs. cab/fly, or cab/bus/fly? Is there a direct flight from Dangriga to Hopkins that you know of?

No flights to Hopkins. The cab from Hopkins to Dangriga is apt to cost ~$50, bus a few dollars, ferry ~$15 maybe - it's in my 2009 travelogue. You can look up the flight costs at the sites below. Happy trails!
www.mayaregional.com
www.tropicair.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

As usual, great information! Thanks, hope, jean and taco!

Flights from the municipal airport seem to be almost half of from the regular airport. Is there a reason for this?

I've always been told the reason fares are so much cheaper at Municipal is because of taxes at the international airport. Sometimes when you fly out of Muni, you end up stopping at BZE to pick up passengers....

I'd guess Jean's right about the taxes, plus it's less convenient in many situations and they can get folks to pay more for the privilege of connecting with international flights; I've never flown in or out of there because we've only flown to connect to our flights home.

That makes sense. Do you feel it necessary to change money, or are US dollars widely accepted?

They're accepted but you'll get your change in Belize dollars.

Thanks. I hadn't realized that cab-fare from Hopkins-Dangriga was so steep, but gas is probably quite expensive on the islands.

We paid that much for 5 of us in 2003 and it seemed to be the going rate for a double in 2009. It was quite a shock planning transportation for our family group (up to 9 a few times) last summer. In 2003 we took buses almost exclusively but in 2009 we stayed a few places that weren't well served by buses, especially when we wanted them, and relied a bit more on private shuttles. I've been spoiled by the really cheap and widely available tourist shuttles and colectivos in Guatemala. Gas is expensive in Belize, though we're not talking islands. ;)

Yes, you were a large group :)! Where is your next adventure; as I recall,you're leading a group somewhere? I love reading your travel-logs!

I haven't completely decided whether to shuttle or bus from D'Nest to Chaa Creek, and from there to Hopkins. I'm hoping that William will get some other passengers so we can share rides. I do think that we'll ferry/taxi the Caye Caulker end of the trip, especially since we're catching a red-eye home on the last morning, which gives us plenty of time to make it to the airport.

The 2009 Belize trip was confusing on paper but a blast in real life. I'd spent 2-3 weeks in Guatemala with a group in tow (15, mostly educators) and headed to Belize where my husband and his brother's family of 5 (kids 12, 14, and 17) arrived within minutes of each other on different flights. We spent most of the 1st week adventuring with them, then headed to Hopkins Village and picked up our daughter and her husband enroute. The next week we spent on Glover's with them while the BIL's family did their own thing, then sent them off on their own while we recombined with the BIL's family on Caulker for 4 nights; the last night our daughter and her husband showed up, too, and stayed a few extra nights. A great time was had by all!

Last summer Mike and I had ~2 weeks in the Yucatán and my group trip was the next ~2 weeks in/around San Cristóbal de las Casas, México; when the group flew home I headed to Guatemala for a week.

Next year I'm not doing the group thing, 1st time since 2006. Mike and I are splitting a month between the Guatemala highlands and Roatán - can't wait!! I'll be heading to Guatemala every summer until a retire and then - who knows? - we may end up there part of each year. We've started a nonprofit on Lake Atitlán, very close to my heart: www.becaproject.org

Happy trails! Can't wait to hear all about your trip!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

Have a great trip cattail! Looking forward to hearing all about it. ;-). Hey, where did you end up choosing to stay on Caye Caulker? I'm still thinking about staying there.

Hey, thank, hip! We're staying at Sea Dreams,near the split. A bit expensive for Caye Caulker, but not terribly so.