4. OTHER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

Taxi

Taxis in Belize usually don’t have any markings (although this seems to be changing), and I haven’t yet seen one with a meter. They can be identified by a green license plate that displays, in white, the letter “D” followed by four digits. Most are sedan type cars with a maximum capacity of 4 passengers, but there are some van type vehicles with seating for up to about 9 passengers. The standard fare for short trips in most cities and towns is BZ$5.00 to $7.00 per taxi (not per passenger). Fares for longer distances are sometimes negotiable.

Taxi License Plate

In some towns, there are also shared taxi vans (sometimes called colectivos in other countries) that provide transportation to smaller villages. These vans usually wait near bus terminals, and don’t depart until they are nearly full. Fares depend on distance, and are cheaper than taxi fares.

Shared taxi van – this one can can carry 6 passengers.

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Water Taxi

A water taxi is a boat, with seating for up to about 80 passengers, providing transportation across water. Water taxi trips are sometimes cancelled in rough conditions.

1. Water taxi services between Belize City, Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye (see websites for schedules & fares).

a) Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association
http://www.cayecaulkerwatertaxi.com

b) San Pedro Water Jets Express
http://www.sanpedrowatertaxi.com/index.html

The abovementioned services operate from the Caye Caulker Water Taxi terminal on North Front Street beside the Swing Bridge in Belize City. The schedules on each website currently show the combined schedules of the two services.

c) San Pedro – Belize Express Water Taxi
http://www.belizewatertaxi.com/#!home/mainPage
SP-Belize Express operates from the Brown Sugar Market at 111 North Front Street, a few hundred metres from the CCWT terminal.

d) Topic Ferry
http://www.tropicferry.com/
Tropic Ferry appears to be more of a private shuttle service that has to be arranged in advance. Passengers are met at the airport, driven in a private a/c shuttle vehicle to the boat (a 3 minute drive to a marina located across the highway from the airport), and transported directly to destinations on Ambergris Caye. The price is higher than a public water taxi.

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2. Water taxi service between Corozal and Ambergris Caye
The “Thunderbolt” water taxi departs from Corozal daily at 7.00 am, and departs from San Pedro daily at 3:00 pm. However, try to confirm if the boat is operating. I’ve observed that on some Sundays, it hasn’t made the trip, and departures have been cancelled in the low tourist season. Tickets are purchased at the pier before departure. The water taxi will stop in Sarteneja on request.
Cost: BZ$45 one way; BZ$85 return.
Duration: 2 hours.

Thunderbolt Water Taxi

Fares (click on image to enlarge)

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3. Water taxi service between Independence and Placencia.
The “Hokey Pokey” departs from Independence (Kingfisher Landing) daily at 6:30 am, 7:30 am, 8 am, 11 am, 12:00, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm (except Sunday) and 5:30 pm (except Sunday). It departs from Placencia (MnM Hardware/Fuel Dock) at 6:45 am, 7:45 am, 10 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm & 6 pm (except Sunday). Try to confirm those time before travelling.
Telephone number for information: 523-2376 (Owner), 606-1501 or 601-8897.
www.aguallos.com/hokeypokey

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4. Water taxi providing service for Ambergris Caye:
Coastal Xpress Water Taxi: http://www.coastalxpress.com
Tel: 226-2007, 226-3007
Also offers cargo deliveries and private charters

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5. Water taxi service in Stann Creek
Happy Go Luckie Tours in Hopkins offers water taxi service from Hopkins to Dangriga (BZ$50), Tobacco Caye (BZ$50), Placencia (BZ$100) and other destinations (those prices seem to be per passenger based on groups of 3 to 6 passengers). It’s not a regular schedule; passengers must prearrange trips.
http://www.hgltours.com/

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Flight

Here are the links to the two Belizean airlines, a private charter company, and a helicopter service:
a) Maya Island Air, http://www.mayaislandair.com/
b) Tropic Air, http://www.tropicair.com/
c) Javier’s Flying Service, http://www.javiersflyingservice.com/
d) Astrum Helicopters, http://www.astrumhelicopters.com/

Here are the links to two airlines operating in Central America:
a) TACA Airlines (has flights to Belize), http://www.taca.com/
b) Copa Airlines (no flights to Belize), http://www.copaair.com

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Car Rental

This site has a list of car rental companies and some information about driving in Belize:
http://belizeretirement.org/travel-rentals.shtml

That is an old list and if some information is out of date, current information can be found under Automobile Renting in the Yellow Pages of the online Belize telephone directory (BTL’s e-Directory):
http://www.belizetelemedia.net/

Driving in Belize
All the main highways are paved, two-lane and well signposted (visitors might disagree about the signposting). A four-wheel drive vehicle is not necessary unless you plan to get way off the highways. Insurance is mandatory. If entering from a neighbouring country, insurance can be purchased at the border during office hours. Current gasoline prices are in the Updates section above. If coming from Mexico or Guatemala, it might be a good idea to fill up before entering Belize.

The Philip Goldson Highway (formerly called the Northern Highway) is the main highway from Belize City to Orange Walk, Corozal and the northern border. The maximum speed limit is 50 mph (80 kph).

The George Price Highway (formerly called the Western Highway) is the highway from Belize City to Belmopan, San Ignacio, Benque and the western border. The maximum speed limit is 50 mph (80 kph).

The Burrell Boom Road is a highway that connects the Philip Goldson Highway to the George Price Highway. It’s often used as a shorter route to go from the airport to Cayo District.

The Hummingbird Highway is the main highway from Belmopan to Dangriga. The maximum speed limit is 50 mph (80 kph), but with many curves and some one-lane bridges, it’s not safe to drive the maximum speed limit on much of this highway. If driving to Dangriga, this is the best route because it’s very scenic.

The Southern Highway is the highway from the Dangriga turn-off to Punta Gorda. The maximum speed limit is 50 mph (80 kph). There has been some roadwork in recent years, but I think it’s completed now, and the highway is sometimes blocked due to flooding at the Kendall Bridge. The road to Placencia is now paved. The road to Hopkins is unpaved.

Maps will show another road, the Coastal Highway, that runs from the George Price Highway (about halfway between Belmopan & Belize City) to the Hummingbird Highway near Dangriga. It’s not really a highway — it’s a gravel road through the bush, and there’s nothing to see except trees and dust, and nowhere to stop (no gas available). If travelling from Belize City to Dangriga, this is a shorter distance, but the road is not paved so you won’t be able to drive as fast as on the highway. The Coastal Highway is also used by large trucks that are sometimes reluctant to give way, and the road may be impassable in very wet conditions. If you plan to use this road, try to confirm the condition first. Some rental companies will not allow vehicles on the road. I would not recommend going via that road.

Some general safety tips…
On the highways, be aware of unmarked speed bumps near towns and villages. In wet conditions, the pavement can get extremely slippery due to the type of paving material. Be aware of pedestrians and cyclists walking & riding ON THE HIGHWAY, not on the shoulder. Be careful of that especially at night because lights and reflectors are seldom used. And there are some bad drivers in Belize — watch out for speeding buses. If driving at night, take more care because road lighting is poor (non-existent). The highways have white posts that act as mile markers.

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Transfer Service

A good option for travelling to some destinations is a transfer service. Here are some companies that offer a transfer/shuttle service:

a) Belize VIP Transfer Service, http://www.belizetransfers.com

b) George & Esther Moralez Travel Service,
http://www.gettransfers.com

c) Gibson’s Tours and Transfers,
http://www.gibsonstoursandtransfers.com/index.html

d) William’s Belize Shuttle,
http://www.parrot-nest.com/belize_shuttle.html

e) Discounted Belize Shuttles and Tours,
http://discountedbelizeshuttlesandtours.com/index.html

Some of the tour companies in San Ignacio can provide a transfer service:
f) Cayo Adventure Tours, http://www.cayoadventure.com/
g) Mayawalk Tours, http://mayawalk.com/
h) Pacz Tours, http://www.pacztours.net/

Another transfer service that had a bad review on TripAdvisor a year or two ago:
i) Belize Shuttles and Transfers,
http://www.belizeshuttlesandtransfers.com/

One more that I haven’t seen advertised recently: ABC Shuttle

Advantages of a transfer service:
– pick up from almost anywhere, even Cancun airport
– transport directly to destination
– make stops along the way for food, toilets, sightseeing
– comfort; the ones I’ve seen have new looking vans with a/c
– easy; no waiting for buses or negotiating with taxi drivers
– the drivers I’ve seen are courteous and professional
– assistance with the border/immigration procedures
– safety; I’ve never heard of any negative incidents

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Cruise Ship

Here are links to cruise ship schedules. These are included as information for visitors who want to avoid tourist destinations on the days when cruise ships are here:

http://ports.cruisett.com/schedule/Belize/62-Belize_City/January_2013/

http://www.cruiseportinsider.com/belize.html#.UQBYTfK8559

http://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-belize-city-belize.html

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