Belize Land Borders

NORTHERN BORDER
(Mexico & Belize)

The Belize–Mexico border is an international border between the countries of Belize and Mexico. It is approximately a hundred and fifty-five miles long, following the course of the Hondo River. This border separates Belize from the Mexican states of Quintana Roo and Campeche. Currently, there are two official crossings at the border, which are international bridges. The main bridge is located between Subteniente Lopez, Quintana Roo, Mexico, and Santa Elena, Corozal District, Belize.

Entering Belize From Mexico

If you’re traveling down the Yucatan peninsular there’s a good chance you are going to want to enter Belize.
When entering Belize, you will need to go through immigration and then onto customs. Unlike on the Mexican side, you need to cross in a vehicle and not on foot. Keep an eye out for cab drivers (green license plate) right after crossing the Hondo River. You can expect to pay about 500 pesos (approx. $25. USD) for a taxi who will drive you to the immigration checkpoint (drop you off), and then wait for you to pass through customs. The taxi can then take you into Corozal, to either catch a bus, or a commuter aircraft flight to Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker.

ENTERING BELIZE FROM MEXICO

LOCAL TAXI - Pay a Belizean taxi to take you across, and then onto your destination.
ADO BUS - Take an ADO bus from Playa del Carmen or Cancun (Mexico) all the way to Belize City.
CHETUMAL FERRY - Catch a ferry from Chetumal to Ambergris Caye, one of Belize’s most popular island destinations. Contact them for departure times.
THUNDERBOLT FERRY - Catch a ferry from Corozal to Ambergris Caye. Leaves Corozal every morning at 7:00am.
LOCAL BUS - Catch a Belizean local bus from "Chetumal’s Nueva Mercado Bus Station" to Corozal over the border.
AIRCRAFT FLIGHT - Take a flight from Chetumal to Ambergris Caye by Tropic Air or Maya Island Air.

TROPIC AIR (9:30am, 1:30pm, 5:00pm - $151.bzd approx.)
Note: Prices will vary, depending on which form of transportation you use. Do your research (so you are not scammed), because some forms of transportation can be more expensive than others.

Flying Into Cancun - Bus to Border

Once you've officially cleared immigration, you will walk cross the pedestrian & vehicle bridge for the Hondo River. This river functions as a natural border between Mexico & Belize.

Getting your passport stamped is fairly routine, although you may find that the Belizean immigration officer will question you as to the purpose of your stay. The bus ride from Corozal to Belize City, will take about over two-hours, but in order to find out the schedule you'd have to inquire in person at the Corozal bus terminal. Bus transits in Belize, tend to be by refurbished school buses, not Greyhound-style coaches.

ENTERING MEXICO BY AIR
When you enter Mexico by air, you should be issued (on the plane) with a form called Forma Migratoria Para Turista, Transmigrante, Visitante Personade Negocios o Visitante Consejero – Internacion Aerea (FMT) (in English: Migratory Form for Foreign Tourist, Transmigrant, Business Visitor or Councilor Visitor – Entrance by Air); fill it out on the plane. If you don’t get a form on the plane, ask for a copy of it. The fee for the FMT is usually included in the cost of the airline ticket, so there is nothing to pay on arrival in Mexico. The FMT allows you to stay a maximum stay of 180 days. When you go through immigration at the airport, the immigration officer will write in the actual number of days you can stay; it will be between 30 and 180 days depending on your nationality. Immigration will keep the top part of the FMT form, and you keep the bottom part with your passport. Keep your airline ticket information that shows you paid for the FMT fee (upon arriving in your airline ticket), you will need to show this to the Mexican Immigrations Officer (proof of payment), when leaving Mexico at the Mexico/Belize border.

LEAVING MEXICO BY BUS OR VEHICLE (To Belize Border)
When you leave Mexico by bus, the bus will stop at a small immigration booth on the Mexican side of the border. Passengers get off, without luggage, and present their passports with FMT to the immigration officer. He will ask (in Spanish) for $100 (Mexican pesos). If you pay, the immigration officer should stamp your part of the FMT form “doble entrada” and put it back in your passport. This stamped FMT will allow you to re-enter Mexico within the allotted time (30 to 180 days) without paying a new re-entry fee. You may choose not to pay the $100 (Mexican pesos), and immigration will keep your part of the form. Then when you re-enter Belize for the second time, you will have to pay a higher fee (something like $280 Mexican pesos) for a new FMT, and the fee for the new FMT isn’t paid at the border, but at a bank.

Passengers re-board the bus, proceed across the bridge over the Hondo River and stop at Belize Customs & Immigration. Passengers (with their luggage this time) go into the Belize immigration building. There are no fees when entering Belize, and you get a tourist card that should be kept with your passport until you leave Belize. After clearing immigration and customs, re-board the bus.

ADO Bus Cancun to Chetumel

ADO phone number: 1-55-5784-4652 | WEBSITE: https://www.busbud.com/en/bus-company/ado

Travel with ADO - Autobuses de Oriente (ADO) is one of the largest bus companies in the world, operating in Mexico. ADO operates a large fleet of buses, running first-class and executive-class buses offering reclining seats, extra legroom, on board toilet, A/C, individual screens, and power outlets.
Traveling with ADO also means traveling with a peace of mind. All of ADO's tickets are exchangeable up to 1 hour before your original departure time. ADO offers you the flexibility of changing plans last minute.
Busbud has been an authorized seller of ADO bus tickets since 2018. Busbud helps you compare, find, and book cheap ADO bus tickets - at no additional cost! You can easily compare all schedules and ticket prices on Busbud. For your next trip, choose the bus and book on Busbud. It's simple, fast, cheap, and environmentally friendly!
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TO BOOK TICKETS
https://www.busbud.com/en/bus-company/ado

Tips For Crossing the Border From Mexico Into Belize

Stay in Chetumal the night before you plan to cross the border.
Catch a taxi to the border (Frontera Belice - Centre of Town), this really should cost you no more than 150 Mexican pesos.
The taxi driver will stop near the Mexican immigration desk where you need to present your passport.
There is NO tourist tax for leaving Mexico. Whatever the guy in the immigration booth tells you, simply state that you were told there is no tax required for leaving Mexico.
Refuse to go along with his little scam. He will flip the FMM over and point to where it says $294, saying “You need to pay this to me.” DO NOT DO THIS. The to re-enter the Mexico and that your FMM was included in the airfare.
He will say “Can I see your airline ticket?” SAY YOU DON’T HAVE IT ANY MORE. I suspect he would just point at it and say that doesn’t show you’ve paid the fee. The border guard finally gave up when I said “I flew into Cancun by American Airways and the cost of this slip was included in the airfare. I don’t want to re-enter Mexico”. But not before he smoked his cigarette ruefully and pretended to fiddle around with some paperwork.
After you pass through Mexican immigration (cross the bridge), and follow the main road (stay to the right) around the fenced area.
Walk for a short distance and you will come to the Belize immigration hall, at the Belize Northern Border.
Enter the immigration hall, stand in the line and get your passport stamped.
Don’t forget that Belize time is different to Mexican time, as Belize does not observe Day Light Saving Time. Ask your immigration officer how much a taxi will be from the border to the Corozal bus station.
After getting your passport stamped you will go through customs.
After customs you can take a taxi (for two), to the Corozal bus station for small fee. Always ask what the fare will be prior to getting into the vehicle.
At Corozal bus station there’s a food and drink stands. The food stands take both Mexican pecos & Belize Dollars. So this is a great way to use up any leftover Mexican pecos that you have. Be sure to purchase a few bottles of water to take along for your bus ride.
Corozal has a bus going South, about every 30 minutes.

Bus Transportation From Corozal

Aircraft Transportation From Corozal

Tropic Air to San Pedro

Maya Island Air to San Pedro

Boat From Chetumel (Mexico) to San Pedro

PHONE: 52-983-832-1648 | ADDRESS: Centro, 77000 Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Contact Information
Phone (Chetumal): 52-983-832-1648
info@belizewatertaxi.com
Terminal Maritima Internacional Filiberto Sabido Padilla
Trip Duration: 2 hr 30 mins

Chetumal – Terminal Maritima Internacional
Enjoy the blaring music and take a tour through the streets of Chetumal. Just an hour and a half away from San Pedro Town is Chetumal, a major trading center and the capital city of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Chetumal offers first-world shopping with its Plaza Las Americas mall, warehouse shopping, a first-run movie theater, and bustling markets.
Visitors can also take advantage of Chetumal’s proximity to the beautiful Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Cancun just a five hour drive or bus ride away.
Trip Duration: 2 hr 30 mins

Thunderbolt Boat Ferry Corozal to San Pedro

Phone: (501) 628-8590 | Email: thunderbolttravels@yahoo.com

https://www.facebook.com/Thunderbolt-Water-Taxi-532625906

When coming across the border from Mexico into Belize, we recommend spending the night in Corozal. The boat ferry to San Pedro leaves early, every morning at 7:00a.m. and most people miss this ferry crossing the border later in the day. The morning that you will be traveling to San Pedro, you'll want to be at the ferry terminal by 6:30, to purchase your tickets.

Departs Corozal: The “Thunderbolt” departs Corozal daily (Municipal Pier) at 7:00 am.
Departs San Pedro: The "Thunderbolt" departs San Pedro (International Ferry Terminal - back side of the island by soccer field) at 3:00 pm.

Present Schedule (Trip Duration) 2 hours
Departs: Corozal to San Pedro 7:00am (arrives 9:00am)
Departs: Sarteneja to San Pedro 7:30am
Departs: San Pedro to Corozal 3:00pm (arrives 5:00pm)

The cost from Corozal to San Pedro (adult) is $52. one way & $104. round trip (Belize currency). Please purchase your ticket at the pier before departure.

"Thunderbolt" Boat Ferry from Corozal and San Pedro.

Mundo Maya Travels

PHONE: (501) 223-2844 | EMAIL: mundomayatravels@yahoo.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Mundo.Maya.Travels | WEBSITE: http://www.travelmundomaya.com/

Guatemala to Flores (To Visit Tikal)
San Pedro Boat Express at 10:00a.m. Arrives Belize City at 11:30a.m. Remain at boat terminal, bus will pick you up at the entrance at 1:00p.m., going to Guatemala border. Once through customs and immigration, you will switch buses (same company), and continue on to Flores. It's about 2.5 hours from Belize City to Flores. Does not include time to get through border checkpoints. You will arrive in Flores about 5:00p.m.
Approximate cost is $44.USD, per seat.

FOR CURRENT UP-TO-DATE SCHEDULES CONTACT
Gabriel Cal: (501) 607-9415
EMAIL: mundomayatravels@yahoo.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Mundo.Maya.Travels
WEBSITE: http://www.travelmundomaya.com/

Within Belize

Guatemala

WESTERN BORDER
(Guatemala & Belize)

There is one main highway crossing of the border, at Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District, Belize and Melchor de Mencos, Peten, Guatemala, where Guatemala Highway CA-13 meets the George Price (Western) Highway, connecting to Belize City and Belmopan. About four kilometres south of this crossing is the village of Arenal, which has homes on both sides of the border, and a football field directly on the border. From the Guatemala side, there is just a footbridge to a road into Melchor de Mencos; the Belize side has a road connecting to Benque Viejo.

Belize City to Melchor de Mencos - Western Border (Belize & Guatemala)

Leaving Guatemala By Vehicle

There is a new bridge to cross the Mopan River (built in January 2012). Vehicles pay a small toll to cross (about $5. USD), depending on the size of the vehicle.

Most Belizeans and expats leave their vehicles on the Belize their side of the border and either walk into Melchor de Mencos or catch a taxi – about U.S. $3. You can find taxis and mini vans at the market area next to the park to return to Belize or take you further inland to Tikal or Flores.

LEAVING GUATEMALA BY BUS OR VEHICLE
(Belize Border)
Crossing the border between Belize and Guatemala was easy. It helps if you stay in San Ignacio for a day or two, as this allows you to rest up and get through the border early in the morning, this allows you time to get to your destination in Guatemala in a decent amount of time.

BY TAXI - A Belize taxi will be able to take your right up to the custom offices, for about $5. Belize dollars (or $2.50 USD). This maybe the easiest, fastest and cheapest border crossing you may ever experience.

DEPARTURE TAX - There is a departure tax of $37.50 bz per person. You pay your departure tax at the cashier's window. You thenbring the receipt back to the immigration official and they will stamp your passport.

CROSSING WITH A VEHICLE - After you have received the stamp in your passport from the immigration officer, you then go around the building to customs, so they can stamp your vehicle. Belize customs agents will put a stamp in your passport for the vehicle. Be sure to have the paperwork they asked you to keep at the initial Mexico Belize border crossing handy. The official will go out to the vehicle to verify that the paperwork for the vehicle is for the same vehicle.

Guatemala Border Crossing

Guatemala Border Crossing
After clearing the vehicle through customs, you will need to pass through a fumigation stand, as they fumigate the vehicle. This will cost around $17Q.
Drive ahead and park to the right so you can enter the covered plaza area. Your first step here is to head to the right for migration to receive your passport stamp to enter the country. Simple and straightforward process.
After you get a stamp, you’ll continue to the customs booth to the right. Here you will have to provide a copy of your passport with the Guatemala entrance stamp, a copy of the vehicle registration, and you’ll need to show the originals of each.

They will then print out a bill for 160q, take that and go over to the bank window and pay. Then you’ll bring back the stamped half of your receipt to customs to receive your paperwork and a sticker for the windshield.

Then you can hop in your vehicle and continue down the road where you’ll encounter a barricaded or gated road where you can talk to the officials and show them your paperwork. If everything is in order, they will open the barricade to let you pass through.

From the border crossing to the town of El Remate (which is where we wanted to go before the Tikal Ruins) takes about one-hour driving. But since we did this crossing so late in the afternoon, it was about to turn dark and we just decided to stay in the town of Melchor de Mencos, right on the other side of the border.

The town of Melchor de Mencos is certainly nothing to write home about, but it makes for an easy stop either before or after a border crossing. If you're looking for a bite to eat in Melchor de Mencos, there is a little restaurant named: "La Morenita El Centro", it's pretty good. You can get a big meal for about $25.Q ($3. USD).

Again, this was a pretty simple and straightforward border crossing that posed no serious challenges. Our time in Guatemala was one of the absolute highlights of the entire drive through Central America, so I hope you enjoy it too!

Crossing Into Guatemala
As soon as our passports were stamped we exited the Belize immigration office into the unknown. A minivan driver approached us the moment we walked out and quoted us GTQ 50 each to reach our intended destination of El Remate.

The minivan driver then assigns us an escort to walk to the Guatemala immigration building and back. We quickly had a change of hearth after realizing how easy this border crossing was. The Guatemala immigration was barely 50 meters away. Google maps indicated a bus terminal right after the border too. And so we inform our escort that we would instead find our own way rather than joining them. The dude was not very happy, but we insisted not joining them. We realized we had made an impulsive decision accepting their offer without checking other options. After all, it was only 10am in the morning…we had all the time to take a look around, find other transport options and plan our journey. Crossing the border into Guatemala was then SUPER smooth. There was no queue, there was no fee to pay and in no time we were across.

Anyways, Central America introduced us to it’s forex services
We exchanged a small amount of money for GTQ7 per USD1 and off we walked the streets of Melchor de Mencos’ town.

Just Past the Belize Border (Into Guatemala)
After crossing the border (from Belize into Guatemala), we had to walk over a bridge, which lead us to our first Guatemala’s town.

Western Belize - Guatemala Border

Western Belize – Melchor De Mencos At Guatemala Border
Most traffic between Guatemala and Belize is in the west, five miles from the last major population center Benque Viejo del Carmen. The Belize customs and immigration offices are about 200 yards from a bridge that crosses the Mopan River into the Guatemalan municipality called Melchor de Mencos, Peten.

Between the Guatemala border outpost and the actual bridge is an area of about 5 acres called "No Man's Land". This is Guatemala territory and several bars, restaurants, taxi stands and shops line this area. This area is popular with Belizean locals (who cross over to Guatemalan), to tank up on Mexican & American beers (which is much cheaper), than local Belizean beers.

The town of Melchor de Mencos, Peten is a rapidly growing municipality, the town is expanding at a rapid pace. There are numerous bars and a sprawling market in the downtown area. Prices of goods are generally about 25 % cheaper compared to Belize and many Belizeans and tourists go across daily to get bargains, eat or just pass the time. Some Belizeans and expats resident in Belize own property in Melchor de Mencos, primarily as a weekend or vacation retreat, and to take advantage of reasonable prices on anything from food, fuel to telephone and internet access.

There are (3) banks which can be found in Melchor, the largest being the Banco De Desarollo Rural BANRURAL. The largest super market is government subsidized and offers most every consumer need, from canned and packaged goods, to beer, processed meats, clothing and basic medications. The supermarket is located right next to the central park and opposite the sprawling market. Both the supermarket and market are open on weekends to service locals and the throngs of Belizeans that travel to Melchor in search of bargains.

There are many small shops and souvenir stalls that cater to the tourists, mostly concentrated on the Calle del Comercio. The main bus lines Linia Dorada and Fuente Del Norte have their terminal right at the Melchor Border and mini buses and several taxis are conveniently located in the same area just before and after the main bridge linking Belize and Guatemala. Other mini and tourist buses are located at the Central Park where travelers can get a quick meal from several comedores (small restaurants) in the area and food stall vendors. Of note is that the attractive tourist destination of Rio Dulce, Livingston Guatemala, so loved by cruisers and international boaters is also accessible from Belize’s western border by road.