Getting to Belize is fairly straightforward. Unlike Brasil, you can just show up! There is no visa necessary, prior to arrival in Belize. Just purchase your plane ticket and go!
Just Get me There!
The major international airport is in Belize City (BZE), and then if you choose to fly to other destinations within Belize, you can do so from here, or from the municipal airport (TZA), which is a taxi-ride away. There are two airline carriers (Tropic Air and Maya Island Air) that operate within Belize and the surrounding region, such as Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. So if you have some time for your vacation, and want to do the most and venture outside of Belize, you can do so, fairly easily and quickly.
Just Get me There!
The major international airport is in Belize City (BZE), and then if you choose to fly to other destinations within Belize, you can do so from here, or from the municipal airport (TZA), which is a taxi-ride away. There are two airline carriers (Tropic Air and Maya Island Air) that operate within Belize and the surrounding region, such as Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. So if you have some time for your vacation, and want to do the most and venture outside of Belize, you can do so, fairly easily and quickly.
Scenic Route, Please!
There is a more creative/adventurous way to get to Belize, and you can opt for this method if: 1) you have the time, 2) are so inclined, or 3) want to save a little money. It involves a plane, two busses, and local flavor!
I came across this method on the internet, years ago, from someone else who was also interested in a cost-effective arrival to Belize. Previously, when searching for plane tickets to Belize, the cost of the ticket rivaled plane tickets to Europe, or maybe only $100 shy! I didn’t like this, especially considering the proximity of Belize to the U.S., so I opted to save a bit of money, and make the trip a little more interesting, in the process.
In a nutshell, you fly to Cancun (CUN), then take a bus down to the border of Belize, then take another bus into Belize. Yes, the trip is longer – it adds at least 5 hours to your trip, but it is comfortable, and if you choose not to sleep, you can see the landscape on your way down, or make conversation with the person next to you. You can save a couple hundred dollars with this route, because flying to Cancun is usually very affordable, all year round. In some cases it’s cheaper than flying to other cities in the U.S.! I would lament this when I had to get a ticket from Detroit to Houston… I would think: "I could've gone to Cancun, instead!" But I digress…
I have done both methods, and enjoy both. My decision to opt-in or out of an option would usually be based on the amount of time I had for my overall trip. The less time I had, I’d fly directly to Belize City. The more time I had, I would make a journey of it, and spend a couple days in Mexico, as well! It really just depends on your objective.
Bus to Belize, General Steps:
Please note: In steps 2-4 you are in Mexico, so you need Mexican Pesos, and can get them from the bank ATM at the Airport. This should not be an issue, particularly if you plan to spend a few days exploring the Yucatán of Mexico. In step 5 and beyond, you can use either Belizean Dollars, or U.S.Dollars. Belizean dollars are always $2 BZD to $1 USD. So try to have some US Cash handy, since there is no ATM in Mexico that will dispense BZD or USD.
There is a more creative/adventurous way to get to Belize, and you can opt for this method if: 1) you have the time, 2) are so inclined, or 3) want to save a little money. It involves a plane, two busses, and local flavor!
I came across this method on the internet, years ago, from someone else who was also interested in a cost-effective arrival to Belize. Previously, when searching for plane tickets to Belize, the cost of the ticket rivaled plane tickets to Europe, or maybe only $100 shy! I didn’t like this, especially considering the proximity of Belize to the U.S., so I opted to save a bit of money, and make the trip a little more interesting, in the process.
In a nutshell, you fly to Cancun (CUN), then take a bus down to the border of Belize, then take another bus into Belize. Yes, the trip is longer – it adds at least 5 hours to your trip, but it is comfortable, and if you choose not to sleep, you can see the landscape on your way down, or make conversation with the person next to you. You can save a couple hundred dollars with this route, because flying to Cancun is usually very affordable, all year round. In some cases it’s cheaper than flying to other cities in the U.S.! I would lament this when I had to get a ticket from Detroit to Houston… I would think: "I could've gone to Cancun, instead!" But I digress…
I have done both methods, and enjoy both. My decision to opt-in or out of an option would usually be based on the amount of time I had for my overall trip. The less time I had, I’d fly directly to Belize City. The more time I had, I would make a journey of it, and spend a couple days in Mexico, as well! It really just depends on your objective.
Bus to Belize, General Steps:
- Fly to Cancun, Mexico (CUN) ($450 – $550 USD)
- Go to the ADO bus terminal (pronounced “Ah-Day-Oh”), and buy your ticket to Chetumal, Mexico (The border city to Corozal, Belize) ($20 - $35 USD).
(ADO is one of the major bus companies that services all of Mexico (like a Greyhound, but with clean toilets). The buses are comfortable, clean, and efficient, so be on time! You can also purchase tickets online.) - Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride to Chetumal, Mexico.
- Once at the Chetumal bus terminal, go out and take a local taxi to the market where the Belizean busses will take you into Belize. ($4 USD)
The title of this location escapes me, but you can say to the taxi driver: “El punto de los autobuses para Belice, por favor.” and they will take you there. It is a common area, so they know how to arrive.
(This is where it gets fun, because this is not a bus terminal, per se, where you go inside of a building, purchase a ticket, and wait for your bus. It’s more like an open market/parking lot where the busses come, and you purchase your spot from the driver.. Oh wait, you don’t actually purchase anything at this point, you just confirm that it’s going to where you want to go, and you get on the bus! You pay, after the bus is well on it’s way… Fun, right? - Wait for the busses to arrive, if they are not already there, and confirm one makes the stop you want to make, the price, and time to arrive (if you like), and board the bus. (There are several bus companies, but the prices are generally the same, and so are the busses.)
- Take the bus into Belize! ($12 BZD ($6 USD) to Belize City)
Please note: In steps 2-4 you are in Mexico, so you need Mexican Pesos, and can get them from the bank ATM at the Airport. This should not be an issue, particularly if you plan to spend a few days exploring the Yucatán of Mexico. In step 5 and beyond, you can use either Belizean Dollars, or U.S.Dollars. Belizean dollars are always $2 BZD to $1 USD. So try to have some US Cash handy, since there is no ATM in Mexico that will dispense BZD or USD.
For more ideas and useful tips, click on the images, below!
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