# Belize from Mexico.



## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

We're planning our next trip to see son in Queretaro next spring but we like to see other parts of Mexico while we're there. Some friends are going to be Belize and we are wondering about getting to visit with them too. Can you get over the border at Chetumal? Or are there boats from anywhere on the area?
We'd like to head south and have visited Oaxaca, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta as well as other places nearer Mexico City and Queretaro on previous trips. Any other suggestions? We like to vary things, loved Oaxaca for its buildings and culture but would also like some time on the coast-but NOT a resort hotel nor, if possible, on the cruise ship itinerary.


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## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

How about the Veracruz area?


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

cufcgr66 said:


> We're planning our next trip to see son in Queretaro next spring but we like to see other parts of Mexico while we're there. Some friends are going to be Belize and we are wondering about getting to visit with them too. Can you get over the border at Chetumal? Or are there boats from anywhere on the area?
> We'd like to head south and have visited Oaxaca, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta as well as other places nearer Mexico City and Queretaro on previous trips. Any other suggestions? We like to vary things, loved Oaxaca for its buildings and culture but would also like some time on the coast-but NOT a resort hotel nor, if possible, on the cruise ship itinerary.


I once took a motorized canoe from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala to Belize City, Belize. It was a day outting - returned same day. Chetemal looks closer. Belize City was pretty 'wild west' when I was there. Looked like a lot of people who were trying to be forgotten. Don't think I'd bring my wife there. (In fact I know a guy who hid in Belize - on a boat for 2 years - because he squealed to save his own butt. You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you how much money he had in the bank when he passed.)

Looks like there are lots of hits on Google for traveling between Chetemal and Belize City. This one looks good.

http://www.rome2rio.com/s/Chetumal/Belize-City


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

There is a boat from Chetumal but think it only goes to Cayes. I hope Belize City is not your final destination ..... it's a dump. A number of Cayes are nice, some places in the mountains. I've never been south to Placencia


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

Actually, the famous Ambergris Caye in Belize is only an island sepárate de from Mexico's Quiintana Roo state on the Yucatán Península because the ancient Maya constructed a sea going canal from Chetumal Bay to the Caribbean. I would suggest spending your beach and jungle time in Southern Quintana Roo and forget driving into Belize (British Honduras in the old days after the Brits Stole the place from Honduras and Guatemala in order to facilitate their African slave trade among other things) Ater all, parts of Southern Quintana Roo are fascinating and easily traversed over excellent highways and Belizean officials are rumored to be often unpleasant and corrupt.

I would head for Xcalak and Laguna Bacalar and then on to the incredible, isolated Mayan ruins heading east where you will find ruins that are not overrun with tourists.


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

But - " Some friends are going to be Belize and we are wondering about getting to visit with them too."

Xcalak is a VERY isolated place. We enjoyed visiting there but we are avid divers. Xcalak had the largest mosquitoes I have ever seen in my life - and a lot of them. 

OP : if you want a really relaxing vacation off the beaten path look around at the bays just North of Tulum (eg Tanka Tres) - and have your friends from Belize visit you there.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

cufcgr66 said:


> How about the Veracruz area?


Well Veracruz in an interesting city but so is Carcassonne. As memory serves me fine food in both places. Veracruz is a unique tropical city but I would not go there for the beaches and murky brown waters of the Gulf in that región. Some of the least impressive. Beaches in México in my opinión. Veracruz City is one hell of interesting place around its centro plaza with great músic and fun food but is important as a center of drug cartel activity because of its location so avoid creepy characters and they will leave you alone.


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## Meritorious-MasoMenos (Apr 17, 2014)

cufcgr66 said:


> We're planning our next trip to see son in Queretaro next spring but we like to see other parts of Mexico while we're there. Some friends are going to be Belize and we are wondering about getting to visit with them too. Can you get over the border at Chetumal? Or are there boats from anywhere on the area?
> We'd like to head south and have visited Oaxaca, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta as well as other places nearer Mexico City and Queretaro on previous trips. Any other suggestions? We like to vary things, loved Oaxaca for its buildings and culture but would also like some time on the coast-but NOT a resort hotel nor, if possible, on the cruise ship itinerary.


I don't think anyone answered the OP's question. You can drive from Chetumal to Belize City. I don't know about the insurance requirements, which you should check ahead of time so you don't get ripped off by border professionals.

Belize City is an acquired taste, I guess. It's like going back in time to a British colonial city in the 18th century, with two and three story wooden buildings, open sewers in the gutters in the streets. The tourist areas are very modern, however. But as in most tourist areas, they get pretty cynical about foreigners. Folks in Belize City just love Americans, increasingly a rarity in this world. Well, I was single when I went and I had a blast every time. It has that joyous Caribbean culture that's so much fun, no brooding Catholic churches. Belize City is worth driving around an afternoon if the "colonial" aspects put you off.

Obviously they speak English, so there is that. Plenty of tourists on the coasts, but crime is more of a problem than in Mexico.

It's quite a haul from Queretaro and suggestions on Veracruz probably better, but then again, it was a British colony for a long long time, until the 1970s, I think, and still remains much of the atmosphere. Pretty unique.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

We used small passenger plane service twice. Belize City to Dangriga .... and Dangriga to Chan Chich.

Near the beach in some places the sand fleas will eat you alive ..... repellant !!!


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## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

Thank you for all your comments. They have all been very helpful. After reading them all, if we do go to Belize I think we'll fly from Cancun. Mind you, talk of sand flies and mosies is putting me off as they love me and I react badly to bites.

We thought of Veracruz because of the lakes, waterfalls, ruins and nature resrves nearby as well as the city itself but there do seem to be safety issues.

Any other suggestions of places to visit south from Oaxaca?

Merida is also a possibilty and maybe we'll have our snorkelling friends stop over in Mexico rather than us go to Belize.

Thanks again, folks.

Carcassonne is great, Hound Dog, but we like to get away to the sun in February.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

cufcgr66 said:


> Thank you for all your comments. They have all been very helpful. After reading them all, if we do go to Belize I think we'll fly from Cancun. Mind you, talk of sand flies and mosies is putting me off as they love me and I react badly to bites.
> 
> We thought of Veracruz because of the lakes, waterfalls, ruins and nature resrves nearby as well as the city itself but there do seem to be safety issues.
> 
> ...


Since my wife is a native of the Tours área who was raísed in París, I understand the depression that accompanies the February doldroms in most of France. I also lived for quite some time in France where we had the option to retire but we chose the eternal spring of México over either the US or France. People get really depressed in París around February whereas on Dawg's native Alabama Coast, it is a startling and incredible spring that is the best time of the year. Carcassonne is a great town and you are lucky to live there but hillbilly Chiapas suits us fine. Welcome to Mexico.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

cufcgr66 said:


> Thank you for all your comments. They have all been very helpful. After reading them all, if we do go to Belize I think we'll fly from Cancun. Mind you, talk of sand flies and mosies is putting me off as they love me and I react badly to bites.
> 
> We thought of Veracruz because of the lakes, waterfalls, ruins and nature resrves nearby as well as the city itself but there do seem to be safety issues.
> 
> ...


Places to visit south of Oaxaca by which I presume you mean Oaxaca City, tell me what might interest you since this is a complex inquiry. The área south of Oaxaca City is endlessly fascinating and we know it well but this is a huge territory. What is your goal? I would be pleased to discuss this on the forum but in a focused manner.


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## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

Ok. We're looking for a safe city base which is interesting to explore on foot and from which we can take trips to natural and cultural sites. A bit like we thought Veracruz might offer. The base would be better if served by an airport as we tend to use Volaris/ Aeromexico to "hop" around the country. Doesn't matter if it's on a the coast or not. And somewhere that has warm climate in February-hence I mentioned somewhere south of Oaxaca, though I may be wrong about that. We just found Mexico City and even Queretaro a bit cool this February.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Have you considered Guadalajara?


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## cufcgr66 (Mar 12, 2010)

In a word "no" but having looked more closely it really seems to offer a lot of the things we're looking for. A couple of things though: is it safe? (sorry to stereotype) and is it warm in February?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Guadalajara is quite safe and the centro historico is very pedestrian-friendly. There are double decked tourist buses from there to other parts of the city and surrounding areas of interest, like Tlaquepaque and new, modern shopping areas, etc. The airport is convenient for flights to anywhere you might wish. Guadalajara is much more comfortable in February than Mexico City, for example. Nearby Lake Chapala is even more moderate. That said, it is mid-winter, so light jackets and/or sweaters will be beneficial in the evenings. You should not expect rain and days should be sunny.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

You have brought up an interesting point. Climatological factors in México can be difficult to discern but just heading south is not the answer. The nicest climates in the country are to be found in the Guadalajara/Lake Chapala region or Cuernavaca. Oaxaca City also has a generally nice climate. Climate has more to do with altitude and wind flows than simple geographical location. For instance, we live at both Lake Chapala and in the far south Chiapas Highlands. The Chiapas Highlands are culturally far more fascinating in our opinions than the Lake Chapala region but the climate at Lake Chapala is to die for - much nicer than Southern Chiapas. Your decisión.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I bought my one and only space heater the winter I lived near Lake Chapala ..... but really only needed it for a few weeks


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

cufcgr66 said:


> In a word "no" but having looked more closely it really seems to offer a lot of the things we're looking for. A couple of things though: is it safe? (sorry to stereotype) and is it warm in February?


Guadalajara is noticeably warmer than Querétaro or Mexico City in February. The respective elevations are: Gdl - 1500 m; Qro - 2000 m; Cd Mex - 2200 m. The difference in altitude makes a world of difference in low temperatures in January and February. And also some difference in high temperatures in May and June.

As far as safety goes, I live in the center of Guadalajara, about a kilometer from the Catedral. I come home alone late at night on foot and see others, couples and individuals, both men and women, doing the same thing. In nine years here the only problem I have had was a house burglary once. There are no guarantees about safety, but I find Guadalajara to be like any American city. There are a few neighborhoods I would be careful with at night. Most are fine.


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

We are all different people. I'm going to guess and say I'm a few years younger than most of you. For me it has always been natural beauty over man-made (even if it is old). We all seem to find a place to settle down and then take some sort of 'pride' in it. We tend to like it even more over time because we experiment with what is available and fall into a routine of sorts.

We chose Cuernavaca because of the climate and accessibility to Mexico City. It also has a lot of the things we would have missed if we had chosen to live elsewhere in Mexico. But 'culturally' what is there - Cortes' palace (which we have never been inside) or the Borda Garden (which my wife and I walked in about a half hour waiting for a friend for lunch). I could recommend Cuernavaca as a place to live - but maybe not to visit.

For someone visiting Mexico for 1-2 weeks (let's say) - isn't visiting Queretaro pretty much like visiting Guadalajara ? Seemed that way to me - but we spend weekends in different places. Taxco was nice but 2 days/1 night was enough time to spend there. Puebla was unique in some ways but 3 days/2 nights was enough time there. Chiapis looks nice, never been, but I spent time on the Guatemalan side of that border. I've got a feeling that a Chiapis vacation would be a driving vacation. Drive from place to place taking in as much natural beauty as we could.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

chuck846 said:


> We are all different people. I'm going to guess and say I'm a few years younger than most of you. For me it has always been natural beauty over man-made (even if it is old). We all seem to find a place to settle down and then take some sort of 'pride' in it. We tend to like it even more over time because we experiment with what is available and fall into a routine of sorts.
> 
> We chose Cuernavaca because of the climate and accessibility to Mexico City. It also has a lot of the things we would have missed if we had chosen to live elsewhere in Mexico. But 'culturally' what is there - Cortes' palace (which we have never been inside) or the Borda Garden (which my wife and I walked in about a half hour waiting for a friend for lunch). I could recommend Cuernavaca as a place to live - but maybe not to visit.
> 
> For someone visiting Mexico for 1-2 weeks (let's say) - isn't visiting Queretaro pretty much like visiting Guadalajara ? Seemed that way to me - but we spend weekends in different places. Taxco was nice but 2 days/1 night was enough time to spend there. Puebla was unique in some ways but 3 days/2 nights was enough time there. Chiapis looks nice, never been, but I spent time on the Guatemalan side of that border. I've got a feeling that a Chiapis vacation would be a driving vacation. Drive from place to place taking in as much natural beauty as we could.


I would guess that I am older than many of you, but I am not sure it has much effect on anything. I am more active now than I was 20, 30, or 40 years ago, mainly because I have more time.

I agree totally that there is a difference between places one might want to visit and places one might want to live. I like living in cities for the convenience and access to things and transportation, but spend at least one day a week and most of my vacations in the countryside. I have no doubt that there are many who prefer to live in smaller places but like to visit cities for the museums and cultural offerings.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

If you go to Oaxaca you can go to Chiapas and or Guatemala. The low land are warm..the highlands in Chiapas are cool to cold..you can have glorious day and you can have fog and rain and cold..it varies every year but the jungle area should be nice. Antigua Guatemala and Lake Atitlan also have a nice climate and they are a 350 peso ride (9 or 10H) from San Cristobal de las Casas. go to Oaxaca in February you can go to Chiapas 

By the way the night and morning in the highlands in Oaxaca are also cold but the days are usually dru and sunny.


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## chuck846 (Jan 15, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> I would guess that I am older than many of you, but I am not sure it has much effect on anything. I am more active now than I was 20, 30, or 40 years ago, mainly because I have more time.


I guess my point was something like - we ARE slowing down but we are still young enough to go diving, horseback riding, kayaking, climbing etc when we travel. The difference now is it takes a day or two to get over it.

And to be honest - I seem to have had a lot more free time when I worked 40+ hours a week. I've never done as much house and garden work as I do now.


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