I've been told and heard stories of traveling by bus from Belize through Guatemala or Nicaragua can be dangerous. Should I be worried about my gear? Is is better to hop a puddle jumper and fly over as opposed to taking a bus? I'm trying to plan a dive trip from Belize and hopefully end up in Costa Rica or Panama. Need input from experienced travelers there.
Road Traveling from Belize to Honduras
- Thread starter Shader
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Shader:
Do not worry about your gear. You must have higher priorities than something that is insured or can be re-purchased.
Fly.
Busses do not go from Belize to Roatan. Sooner or later, you're going to have to get on a plane. It would be the same cost. Although some folks take the ferry up from the mainland. The ferry is nice- but getting to it is a fulfillment of your wildest fantasies as asked above.
Fly.
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Roatanman's response might not have made it clear. You really do not want to travel through Guatamala
It'd probably take you an hour to read all of the warngs. Hurricane Mitch washed out a lot of the guerellas landmines, and they have not located them all.
- Violent criminal activity has been a problem in all parts of Guatemala for years, including numerous murders, rapes, and armed assaults against foreigners. The police force is young, inexperienced, and under-funded, and the judicial system is weak, overworked, and inefficient. Criminals, armed with an impressive array of weapons, know that there is little chance they will be caught and punished.
- The number of violent crimes reported by U.S. citizens and other foreigners has increased in recent years. Incidents include, but are not limited to, assault, theft, armed robbery, carjacking, rape, kidnapping, and murder. Criminals generally operate in groups of four or more and are considerably confrontational and violent. Gangs are a growing concern in Guatemala City as well as in rural Guatemala. Gang members are often well armed with sophisticated weaponry and they sometimes use massive amounts of force. Emboldened armed robbers have attacked vehicles on main roads in broad daylight. Travel on rural roads always increases the risk of a criminal roadblock or ambush. Widespread narcotics and alien smuggling activities can make remote areas especially dangerous. Though there is no evidence that Americans are particularly targeted, criminals look for every opportunity to attack, so all travelers should remain constantly vigilant.
- Safety of Public Transportation: Poor
It'd probably take you an hour to read all of the warngs. Hurricane Mitch washed out a lot of the guerellas landmines, and they have not located them all.
please ignore dandy dons response, travelling in honduras,guatemala and else where in CA is fine. you'll find more trouble going around the US then you will in CA. you'll get a lot more out of your trip if you actually meet the local people and no they don't all carry AK47's and look out for easy foreigners to rob. they are some of the best people you'll ever meet with no hang ups.
go out and see some of the country not just hang around westeners(americans) all the time who eventually will ruin everything that was good about the country
go out and see some of the country not just hang around westeners(americans) all the time who eventually will ruin everything that was good about the country
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westy:
Thanks Westy! It's so nice to be corrected by an expert. BTW, why don't you fill out your profile so we can give you full respect.
I did fail to included our State Departments link, where my excerpts came from...
http://travel.state.gov/guatemala.html
Could have sworn I included that link for my source; I can be pretty clumsy with puters. Anyway, there is just no way I would suggest anyone carrying expensive dive equipment and all travel thru that country with the current climate. The ferry sounds like it'd be adventurous enough...? :11:
thanks, don
If your planning on going through Belize City, be careful.
My parents lived on Ambergris Caye for two years and if they had to go to Belize City for anything they hired a driver to spend the day with them.
Most of the countryside seems pretty safe, though I've heard the border to Mexico can be scary.
Have Fun
My parents lived on Ambergris Caye for two years and if they had to go to Belize City for anything they hired a driver to spend the day with them.
Most of the countryside seems pretty safe, though I've heard the border to Mexico can be scary.
Have Fun
Yes, I've heard bad things about Guatemala and plan on probably taking the ferry or fly hopping over to Utila or Roatan. How long is the ferry ride and where does it leave from? What is the cost for one way?
Batfish
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Shader:
Lordy Lordy.
Well, all government state depts. make other countries seem dangerous just to cover their a**ses in case something happens. For the record, I have spent a good 4 months travelling in Guatemala, all very happily, and I carried dive gear one time for a month. Of course if you're a Yank, you'd best avoid all travel as everyone hates you
(just kidding..or am I?). I went from Mexico and Belize several times to Honduras. You can get go via San Ignacio to Tikal (the long way, but worth it), or get a boat from Punta Gorda in the South of Belize to Puerto Barrios (Guatemala) and bus to the Honduran border and over to Copan Ruinas (another worthwhile spot). There may be boats from Puerto Barrios directly into Puerto Cortes, Honduras or if you're lucky direct from Punta Gorda to Puerto Cortes. It's all in the Lonely Planet.From Copan it's a nice long bus ride to La Ceiba, where you can spend a night and get the ferry next day.
Oh, and unless you need luxury and pampering, go to Utila not Roatan
FYI you can fly to roatan with one stop in La ceiba (I think) and the flight leaves direclty from belize international late afternoon, cost is around $200-250 and is operated by Atlantic Airlines they fly twin prop planes and the agent for this airline in belize is TACA Airlines.
The alternative route is long and ardous from belize you would have to make your way to the most southerly part of belize then take a ferry (not what you think) an open boat from Belize to Honduras and then bus it the rest of the way If it were me I would fly saves time meaning more time for divin
Have a great trip and dive safe
Gaz Cooper
The alternative route is long and ardous from belize you would have to make your way to the most southerly part of belize then take a ferry (not what you think) an open boat from Belize to Honduras and then bus it the rest of the way If it were me I would fly saves time meaning more time for divin
Have a great trip and dive safe
Gaz Cooper
Batfish
Contributor
Gaz:
Oh yes, or you could fly! I did that in late 1998 just after hurricane Mitch as getting the bus would have been impossible. Belize City to Ceiba, actually I think it landed at Roatan first, and then Ceiba. Then I got the ferry next morning to Utila. You can also fly there, Utila has a new airport now, better than the scary , very short bumpy strip they had before.
If you're just going for diving, then fly. If you want to see something of these countries, get the bus, be uncomfortable for a couple of days and have an adventure. It's not difficult really, just time consuming. The buses can drive quite fast but stop every 50m to pick up some more chickens, so your average speed ends up something like 15mph
Happy travels and happy diving
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