That’s right! I just returned from an epic 2023 road trip from Antigua, Guatemala to Caye Caulker, Belize, spending 4 lovely days on the islands. I have a lot of knowledge to share. What I did right and what I wish I had done differently. This is an amazing international travel adventure and I highly recommend it!
My husband and I drove together straight through in our own car with our teen daughter. We had an amazing time and are already planning our return trip to Caye Caulker, Belize in which we are considering staying a month on the island. That is how much we enjoyed ourselves.
The Basic Paperwork
When you are preparing to leave Antigua Guatemala you want to make sure you have a few important things in order. We live in Antigua, Guatemala so for others passing through it may be a little different as far as owning the car and the car paperwork that is required to cross the border into Belize. Also keep in mind you will need to pay an exit fee to leave Belize, about US $20 per person.
- Valid Passports (your passport must be valid for another six months before you depart for international travel)
My daughter and I used our US Passports and my husband traveled with his Guatmala Passport.
You need to have the car in your name and the car documents in your name. Our car is in my husband’s name. For the car documents you will need:
- Car Circulation
- Your Drivers License
- Valid Registration
- Tags Paid Up To Date
We were traveling with our teen daughter who is a minor. She is 15 and to travel with a minor there are some additional requirements that may or may not arise when crossing the border. Basically, the border agents want to be sure the child belongs to you and isn’t being trafficked. I would recommend always having these when crossing the border with a minor.
- Birth Certificate of The Minor
- Valid Passport of The Minor
- Both parents need to be present or you need to have a court document that states full custody or a notarized document from the not-present parent that gives permission for the minor to leave the country.
We traveled with a document that states that I have full custody and also her birth certificate. This time I wasn’t questioned or asked for this information entering Belize or on the return trip back to Guatemala but I am always asked for these documents when entering Mexico so it is good practice to always have them when traveling internationally with a minor.
Once you cross into Belize you need to stop at the small houses right outside the border on the way out to purchase car insurance. Belize requires car insurance and it doesn’t cost much for a week of coverage, about $25. Belize does have insurance checkpoints and if you do not have it your car will be towed and you will be arrested. So, make sure to get it!
Packing Tips
Pack light! You will be going on a water taxi to the island once you arrive in Belize City and you will want to pack light so you’re not lugging around a lot of crap. For our party of three, we packed two roll away carry-on suitcases and that is it and we probably still overpacked. Less is more. Here were my essentials,
- SUNSCREEN
- Hair Ties
- Flowy Beach Dress
- Swimsuit
- Water Snorkel Goggles
- Shorts
- Tank Top
I also packed a pair of jeans for each of us and none of us used them. There were no mosquitoes so we didn’t use the bug spray I packed either. They do not let you cross the border with any food so don’t pack food items. I also packed my computer which I did not use once. The wifi in our condo was terrible but decent at some of the restaurants. We really didn’t need anything other than what is listed above. Also, they do rent out goggles but we like to bring our own to save money.
The Road Trip
Get your car checked over to make sure your car is in good working order for a lengthy road trip. I would not want to deal with car trouble on this road trip because the travel area is pretty remote. Make sure you have water in your car for drinking and make sure you have a spare tire and equipment to change a tire.
The trip on Waze says it is about 13 and a half hour drive to Belize City. However, it isn’t completely accurate and the drive is more like 15 hours. Plus you need to factor in 2 to 3 hours to cross the border and probably a stop for food. We decided not to stop overnight and we had two drivers to share the drive time.
When deciding what time to leave consider the water taxi times. The last taxi leaves Belize City for Caye Caulker at 4:30pm and there aren’t anymore after that to the island. You also need to buy tickets and park your car so the very latest you want to arrive at the water taxi is 4pm. We arrived in the nick of time.
I do not think this was the best idea! If you are two people that love driving and driving for 6 straight hours at a time doesn’t bother you at all then you can do it but for me, I’m not a lover of driving and this drive exhausted me. I would recommend three drivers if you are going to drive straight through without stopping overnight otherwise I recommend stopping overnight. I wished we had stopped overnight instead of driving straight through.
With stops and the time it took to cross the border, it took us about 19 hours. We left at 11pm at night and we arrived in Belize City to the water taxi at about 4pm the next day. Once you arrive at the water taxi you still have a 45-minute boat ride ahead of you to get to the island.
The Route
We took this route which worked out very well for us.
The drive takes you through Guatemala City and onto a windy mountainous highway with multiple lanes. that lasts several hours after that your traveling through small communities with the occasional speed bump.
There is a point about 3 hours from the Belize border while still in Guatemala where the road forks on this route. One pathway is paved and the other is a dirt road. Google Maps and Waze will guide you to the dirt road which is the wrong way. Do not take the dirt road, go the other direction.
After crossing the border you enter San Ignacio, a cute community in Belize with a gorgeous river. Don’t forget to purchase car insurance at the border before going on. Without car insurance, you will be arrested and your car will be towed. After that, the road to Belize City becomes very remote and there aren’t many gas stations so fill up your tank before crossing the border.
Arriving in Belize City
Our phones Tigo and Claro did not work in Belize we relied on google maps which do allow you to see the maps without the internet but does not allow you to put in a location. You have to go a little old school and find your way yourself using the map but it did allow us to see where we were and it tracked us on the map.
It was very easy to get to Belize City we did struggle to find where the water taxi was after arriving in Belize City. We did stop and ask for directions and people kept mentioning go to the bridge. I located a bridge on the map and we went that direction and sure enough the water taxis are directly to the right after crossing the bridge.
The bridge is called The Swing Bridge and the Water Taxi we used was The Caribbean Sprinter.
Once you arrive at the water taxi you will go inside and pay for your water taxi trip. I recommend purchasing the 2-way ticket because it is cheaper. Then on your return trip, you just present your receipt to get your return tickets. You also will want to check your bags. Don’t forget anything like phone chargers and such out of the car because you won’t be coming back until you leave the island! Don’t leave any valuables in your car.
You pay for overnight parking at the water taxi place. Cars are not allowed on Caye Caulker and you leave your car in secure parking that the water taxi provides for a fee for the duration of your trip on the island. The fee was not much I think I paid $40 for 3 nights. You then embark on the water taxi. It is a 45-minute ride in a covered jet boat to the island of Cay Caulker.
You have to go to the island to enjoy Belize the mainland isn’t it. The mainland is underwhelming. The island is where you are going to have a really good time.
The boat ride was uneventful. I had never been on a boat in the ocean prior to this experience so that was fun. We did embark on a day that was windy and the conditions weren’t great which made the ride very choppy. If I were 80 years old I definitely would have broken a hip. It was rough. I do recommend sitting in the back of the boat for the best experience. On our return trip though the weather was much nicer and the ride was much smoother so conditions matter.
Arriving on Caye Caulker
Once you get off the boat taxi don’t forget your bags.
They have no cars on the island, they get around by golf cart. They do have golf cart taxis on the island. There are also a lot of personally owned golf carts being driven around the island so not every golf cart is a taxi and the ones that are a taxi will say taxi in the front of the golf cart. If you can’t find one you can go to any nearby tourist stop and ask them to call you one.
Where to Stay
We stayed at Popeyes Condos which was right next to the water taxi place so we walked to our hotel stay and checked in. Our stay for three people in a studio condo with air conditioning, a mini fridge, one queen bed, one pull-out mini futon, a balcony, and a stovetop that did not work was $289 US dollars for 3 nights. I did feel like the price was a little high for the accommodations but it was in a very good location right on the water and very cheap in comparison to other places at under$100 a night.
Overall our stay was very nice. The bed was comfy and the a/c was a must! Our stovetop did not work but we didn’t cook anyways.
Here are some other places that seemed nice that were contenders for us when I was booking our stay.
Iguana Reef Inn
This is where the sting ray come to the beach which is such a cool experience although you do not have to be a guest to enjoy that special experience. The rooms range from $190 to over $500 for a night. It is in a good location, has a small beach area, and has a/c.
Bella’s Backpackers Hostel
Photo by, Bella’s Backpacking Hostel
A charming beach hostel for those pinching a penny. Reserve anything from cabins to rooms to dorm-style bunks. The prices range from $17 for a shared dorm to $50 for a private room with a/c. The only downside is they do not have a swimming pool on site.
Things To Do In Caye Caulker
There are so many fun things to experience on the island and the number one thing that I would recommend is a snorkeling trip!
I would also highly recommend going about 4pm to Iguana Reef Hotel to see the giant sting ray on the beach. The hotel feeds them at dusk so the wild sting ray show up there at specific times and it is really amazing! Plus it is also completely FREE. It was one of the highlights of our trip.
The island doesn’t have your typical white-sanded beaches perfect for swimming that you would find in Costa Rica. The highlight of Belize is definitely the vibe, the food, the snorkeling, and the ocean life.
There are many white-sanded beaches but there are boat docks and a lot of seaweed and I didn’t see any people swimming in these areas. While we were there we didn’t experience any super nice beaches for swimming but we certainly could have missed one. If you know of one please share in the comments for our next trip!
What I Would Have Done Differently
- Packed lighter.
- Found The Water Taxi on the map before leaving Guatemala.
- We stumbled on the giant sting ray at The Iguana Reef Hotel and I wish I would have planned that better and been there a little earlier.
- I think next time I would like to stay at the Iguana Reef Hotel.
- I would not have driven straight through with only two drivers.
I Chug My Wine 