some people love it...
//www.ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/quick.html#busses

I think its fun, if you aren't in a hurry! There are 2 different classes of transportation, express and regular service. The express ticket will cost about $15, U.S. The express service will take you about 5 hours to get to Chetumal, where you will change busses and the Batty Brothers bus can take you into Belize. Busses from Cancun leave about every hour, but I'm not sure what their nighttime schedule is. ADO is the most popular bus line. However, the first bus from Chetumal into Belize doesn't leave until 10 a.m. That ticket will cost only a few dollars. Make sure you exchange enough money in Cancun for the return trip because the bus terminal i Cehtumal only takes pesos, and if the exchange is closed you're at the mercy of the gift shop. You can take a flight from Corozal to Ambergis Caye, and not have to go all the way into Belize City. It will be a fete to get all these different company schedules working though. You might end up with a "layover" in Chetumal or Corozal. If you end up stuck in Chetumal overnight, we stayed at the Ucum, for $10 a night and a $3 cab ride. Clean and quiet, its around the corner from the more expensive Holiday Inn, and down the street from the Mayan Museum. We ate from the food carts also, with no problems. The flight from Corozal was $24 U.S., and it shaves about 3 hours off your travel time. If you go all the way into Belize City you can take a water taxi to San Pedro from the marine terminal for about $12.50 U.S. Not being familiar with the downtown Belize City area I would recommend taking a cab for $4, from the bus terminal to the Marine terminal. If you ever get stuck in Belize City and are looking for budget accomodations, try the Seaside Guest House. Its run by the Friends (a Quaker Organization), you can stay in a dorm-style room for $8 a night or have a private room for $12 (I think) a night. All rooms share the baths.

Buses depart out of Belize City for most of the major towns (Corozal, Orange Walk, San Ignacio, Belmopan, Dangriga, Punta Gorda) and border towns in Mexico and Guatemala.

Battys: (501) 02 74924
Novelos: (501) 02 77372
Venus: (501) 02 73354
Z-Line: (501) 05 22211 (operates out of Dangriga)
You can also get a taxi to drive you if you want to do a little sightseeing along the way. ..about a 7 hr drive straight thru ... not sure on the cost but probably 5 times that of the bus. You can also make your own arrangements on arrival with the licensed taxis which vary in standard from superb sedans to a vehicle that would not look out of place on a banger race track - after the race! Agree on the price before you depart and check whether they are quoting US or Belize dollars.


[This message has been edited by Marty (edited 09-18-2000).]