[Aztlan] Belize to Tikal??

[mayaman at bellsouth.net]

Hello, Ed,

So much depends on how much time you have and how much money you plan on spending. Beyond the attraction of the islands and reefs, there lots of Maya history to explore in Belize. If you start from Belize City, there are 3 directions to go. The Northern Highway with sites like Cerros, Cuello, Lamanai and Altun Ha; the Southern Highway along the coast, to Lubantunn, and Ni Li Punit; or the Western Highway to the Cayo District and Mountain Pine Ridge. The town of San Ignacio (Cayo) is usually the area that most folks make their "base of operations", especially if you are wanting to enter Guatemala and see Tikal.

I suggest Googling Hotels in Cayo and start from there. Most hotels will arrange to pick you up at the Belize airport and bring you out to where all the action is. Around Cayo, there are lots of Maya sites to see, like Caracol, Xunantunich, Cahal Pech and El Pilar. There's also great caving nowadays, with a couple caves that you can wade (swim) or tube through. From there alot depends on if you plan on using public transport from the border to enter Guatemala to reach Flores or Tikal or if you go with a pre-arranged transport from your hotel in Cayo. Convi vans can be arranged to pick you up at your hotel and take you all the way to Tikal (through the border too). Most all the hotels offer to plan your trip to Tikal for you. Also the site of Yaxha is along the way, not far off the road to Flores, before you turn to the north to go to Tikal. This road has been known as the "Bandito Highway", but things have calmed down in recent years. Not to worry. It is really nice if you can arra
nge to stay in Tikal for 1 or 2 nights. And I think you can still arrange "special permission" to go back into the main plaza and Temple 3 of the site for sunset and a couple hours more. I love walking trails at night. A night in the island city of Flores is great too if you have the time.

If your flight out of Belize is in the afternoon, you can still stay in Cayo on your last night and make it to the airport without having to spend the night in Belize City. I'll be taking a group of about 12 folks to Tikal by way of Belize at the end of July of this year. It is really a nice area to visit. Years ago, I lived in Soccutz village, which is near the western border, right where the ferry crossing to Xunantunich is. Tubing or kayaking in the river is something to consider also.

Jim Reed