Getting to Belize from Cancun, Mexico by ADO Bus

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Good times are waiting for you in Belize.

One of the main hurdles travelers face in finding Belize is knowing where it is. We covered the geography of Belize in a previous post to further aide in our guest’s knowledge of where we’re blogging from at Lower Dover Field Station and Jungle Lodge.

Click Here for the Where is Belize? post.

Luckily most Americans know where Cancun, Mexico is thanks to many drunken spring breaks and its affordability to fly there from most American airports.  Europeans and Canadians also take advantage of skipping American customs by flying directly into Cancun, almost always for a fraction of the price.

Once in Cancun, travelers have a couple of options depending on when their flight arrives. What follows is my best account of how to do the trip based on doing it in both directions about 10 times over the last 3 years.

Customs:
Mexican customs are slightly different than the restrictions fliers face in America.  A simple red light / green light button process occurs to determine if tourist’s bags are to be searched or not.  Not sure what the rate of searches is, but I can assure you that when they do search your bag it is rather extensive.  Make sure to indicate on your form that you are IN TRANSIT to Belize when they ask you where your destination is.

Exiting the Airport:
Once clearing customs, about 50 different taxi drivers are going to ask you if you need a ride.  Politely refuse, and continue walking through the terminal. It is not necessary to change your US money into pesos unless you are planning on staying in Mexico for awhile. The ADO bus ticket counter will take your US dollars and give you change in Pesos. The counter is located to the right of the international terminal about 75 yards, just ask one of the many people trying to sell you a taxi ride… where is the ADO bus is if you get confused.  Everyone speaks english at the airport.

ADO Ticket stand at Cancun Airport

Tickets:
There are 3 options here Cancun shuttle, Playa del Carmen shuttle, or the new ADO direct service to Belize with stops in Corozol and Orange Walk before reaching Belize City.  All of your tickets can be purchased at the airport.

ADO Bus Shuttle from Cancun Airport to Bus Terminal

1. ADO Shuttle leaving to Cancun bus terminal (leaves every 45 mins /1 hour) is the best option for travelers arriving to Cancun early in the morning and carrying a lot of luggage. You’ll also need to take the shuttle if you want to direct option (option 3 below). From the Cancun terminal it is possible to get the most connections south to Chetumal, the Mexican border town with Belize.  Total cost to Chetumal via ADO is about $25 US. Total travel time from the airport, to the Cancun terminal, to Chetumal is about 7 hours.

Cancun Bus Terminal

2. ADO Shuttle to Playa Del Carmen is best for backpackers or travelers with light luggage because the bus terminal is 1 block from the beach allowing for a nice walk. There are also numerous restaurants and shops right there for killing time between connections (leaves every hour from the airport). However, the connecting ADO bus south to Chetumal actually goes to a different terminal than the airport shuttle, so a short taxi to the other ADO bus terminal will be necessary to continue the trip south(negotiate before but should be no more than 20 pesos). Playa Del Carmen is also a good place to stop overnight if travelers are looking to experience a little bit of Mexico, and recommended over Cancun for cost and experience.  Playa is also 1.5 hours south of Cancun so the bus trip is shorter to the border at Chetumal, however the connections south are not as frequent.

ADO Bus

3. There is new ADO bus service that provides direct connections from the Cancun Bus Terminal to Corozol, Orange Walk or Belize City departing once nightly . This is definitely the most direct path to Belize. This bus leaves the Cancun Bus Terminal at 10:30pm and travels overnight, arriving in Belize City when the sun rises at 6am. Make sure your flight arrives later in the afternoon if you plan on taking this trip, otherwise you will be stuck at the bus terminal all day.  The bus arrives in the Belize City bus terminal where you can connect anywhere in the country. The ticket is about $42 USD at current exchange rates. Follow step 1 to get to the Cancun Bus Terminal.

ADO Bus from Cancun Terminal direct to Belize City

Arriving in Chetumal via Cancun or Playa del Carmen:
Exit the terminal and turn left to catch a taxi to the border (La Frontera is how it is referred to by the taxi drivers). This costs about 70 pesos minimum, be sure to agree on a price before you get in the cab, they will try to quote you higher, maybe a price of $20 US. It is also possible to catch a local Belize bus that starts its trip in Chetumal from the new market (Nueva Mercado) bus station about 4 blocks from the ADO station. A taxi ride there should cost about 10 or 20 pesos. This bus goes all the way to Belize City also with local stops in Belize.

Belize Bus

Crossing the Border:
When leaving Mexico by bus or taxi, you will be asked to get out and see a man in a small booth on the right in order to get your passport stamped. He will ask you for 200 pesos as a departure fee. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY THIS FEE! It is a form of corruption openly going on between the border agents, bus companies, and taxis. Just tell him you are IN TRANSIT and give him your customs form from the airport and that is good enough. The bus or taxi will then take you to the Belize border. There you have to take your bags to go through customs again. Most visas are 15 days, unless you ask for 30 days. I have seen busses leave paid customers behind at the border for taking too long, so make sure to hustle at all times to get through. If you took a taxi to the border from Mexico you have to get another taxi on the Belize side to Corozol or catch the Corozol shuttle (short school bus) which runs frequently until 6:30pm every day.

Sea Breeze Hotel in Corozol, Belize

If you make it to Corozol and need a rest from the hectic travel experience stop at the Sea Breeze Hotel. Our friend Gwyn runs one of the the best budget hotels in Belize voted as by the Lonely Planet Guidebook. He will also take you to the bus in the morning to continue on your travel adventure to Lower Dover Field Station and Jungle Lodge.

Toilets at Orange Walk Bus Terminal in Belize

Special Note:
Do not be visibly drunk when trying to board the ADO bus, you will not be allowed to ride.

125 thoughts on “Getting to Belize from Cancun, Mexico by ADO Bus”

  1. Pingback: Getting to Belize from Cancun, Mexico by ADO Bus | Belize in Social Media | Scoop.it

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  6. We travelled on the ADO from Playa to Belize Dec. 16th and returned on Jan 4th 2012, We purchased our return ticket in Playa, had a great trip in Belize and then discovered our return ticket had the wrong time printed on it!! So we thought we were arriving 1/2 before the sceduled departure time just to watch the bus drive away!!! Check the times at the bus station upon arrival or be early about 1 1/2 hours min. They will sell your seats if you are not there!! Belize bus terminal has no computer system. very costly taxi ride to Orange Walk and thank goodness they still had seats!

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      • Hi there, dont mean to interupt, I have a question if anyone has taking a Taxi from Cancun airport to chetmaul ? and how much di it cost you? curious not looking for a cheap way just want a fast way, lol cheers thankyou from BC/CA

      • Maybe expect to pay between 50-150 USD depending on if they driver is trying to get home or not. Not the worst option, but everytime I have done this it happened very late at night between midnight and 3am except the time they didnt let me on for drinking 1 beer in the lobby. It was luck that the driver had just come from Chetumal and was trying to get back for more than nothing…

      • Lol, Excellent thankyou so much for your fast response , you have been funny and helpful..ill remember about the beer..:) cheers from British ,Columbia Canada

    • You can purchase them from the ADO bus website, but I do not think the site is encrypted or secure for sending your credit card…so I would not do that. Honestly, the only ticket you should worry about making sure you get ASAP is the one back to Cancun from Belize City. I believe you can buy tickets up to one week in advance. There is an ADO agent in San Pedro, Corozal, Orange Walk, and at the main bus terminal in Belize City.

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  10. We are considering going this route with a group of 6. We are planning to travel to Orange Walk. About what time would it arrive there? What time does it arrive back to Cancun for return trip – flight would leave at 4:20 pm. Would we need to get there a day ahead to catch that flight?

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    • Just took the trip again. Bus is leaving Cancun Downtown to Belize City at 10:15pm, arriving at Playa del Carmen Bus station #2 at 11:50pm. We made it to Orange Walk before the sun was up, around 5am +/- because I was sleeping. Heading north from Belize City the bus arrives at the Cancun airport at 5/6am… so just sleep on the bus. You can also stop at Playa del Carmen and enjoy the beach+sunrise depending on how many bags you have. Busses leave from Playa to the airport every hour and cost $10usd. My ticket from Playa to Belize City was $39usd.

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  11. Pingback: Cancun to Belize | What's New?

  14. BEWARE!!!! MEXICANS CONNING OTHER CITIZENS CROSSING THE BOARDER TO BELIZE
    My family is from Belize; I have a US & Belize passport! I traveled on ADO in December 2011 to Belize. At the Mexican border into Belize, the little man in the window attempted to charge me money to cross the border (approximately $10 USD). I refused to pay and was allowed into Belize. I recently came back to Belize through Mexico (June 12, 2012) and the little man in the window at the Mexican border charged the entire bus $26.00 USD each. No matter what I said, they still took our money. THIS IS A CON!!!!!! But, at the early hour of the morning, what can you do! WHAT WE CAN DO is begin blogging, twittering, face-booking and telling news stations that this CON is occurring and effecting not only US citizens but ALL those traveling into Belize via Mexico! I am in the process of contacting DATELINE investigative reporting. There is nothing that can be done locally, we need to SPREAD the WORD!!!!! Please pass this message on so we can stop this harassment by the Mexicans!!! It is NOT legal. If anything, request a receipt!
    ADO Operations Manager: Luis Perez

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  15. Have you done the reverse journey? I have a 9am flight from Cancun and read the bus from Belize city (direct leaving daily at 7.30pm?) does stop at Cancun airport before Cancun bus terminal and arrives around 6am…if this is true it saves me spending the night in Cancun (been there already) so if you could confirm that’d be great. Thanks.

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  16. has anyone ever got to the bus station in mexico to go to belize & it was full.,…my family (3 of us) are landing tues afternoon (13:00) and we want to catch that night bus – any recomendations of making sure we catch that bus – I have read above that prebook online is not secure – should i go direct to bus station and wait hang around?? i will have just been on a 10 hour flight from manchester so the idea of waiting in a bus terminal for hours isn’t appealing can i go theere book the tickets (if avaible ) and then put our bags in a locker and head to the beach for a few hours get some snacks for the the ride and return later??? help the more advice the better…. thank you in advance….

    Reply ↓

    • You can purchase your tickets to Belize directly from ADO Bus stand in the Airport as soon as you exit customs. We recommend going to playa del carmern terminal from the airport if you have extra time to wait. There is a secure baggage storage, and the beach is a few block from the station, its also much easier to walk around than cancun is.

      Reply ↓

      • thats cool – thank you – do you know …are there still some people stopping us at the border and taking $$’s if yes how much do i need?? i want to be prepared! annoying though it is – i need to get to belize- thank you… I have lots of questions but that is one of the more important ones :-) oh and will i need to pay this silly charge both ways… sorry if i am asking too much or if you haven’t beenon this trip lately – thanks for the above informations VERY helpful

      • Just don’t pay at the Mexican side of the border when coming into belize… Just flat out say IN TRANSIT to the guy acting like a border agent. As long as you are adiment he will let you go. When you leave Belize everyone must pay 37.50?? BZE which goes towards land conservation efforts within the country.

      • Sorry I have loads of questions now from talking with the wife – will it cost any more to do this and … how much is the journey? (USD preferably) and and and!!!… what time will we be collected from playa del carmen??

        last question its a 3 part question!… ( no promises though!) what currency am i best taking should I take GBP to belize or change in the UK??
        – how do i pay for the tickets I would prefer to pay by credit card so i have a few mexican pasos left over – can i pay by credit care??

      • Its about 40USD from Cancun to Belize City direct. Bus leaves in the evening around 1030/11pm and arrives in the early morning at the Belize City bus terminal around 5am/6am. Remember to board at the proper bus terminal in Playa, the one further from the beach than the main terminal you arrive at from the airport shuttle.

        I do everything with USD in Mexico, and they will give change in USD when possible. ADO will give you a true conversion 12/13-1 where as street vendors will give 10-1. OXXO convience stores located near all the bus stations will also give you the true conversion rate on USD. So change your pounds to dollars because the dollars are used freely 1USD=2BZE in Belize.

      • Its $25 US at the border. You’re best to change your money to USD as its accepted in Belize. The bus ticket is roughly $50USD including the transfer from playa. Im not sure if you can pay with a credit card. The bus leaves playa around midnight.

  18. We will be doing the trip from Cancun to Chetumal in January 2013. I really appreciated all the information you gave in your blog. I tried to figure out how much it would be, but can’t figure if they quoting in Pesos or US $. Their schedule for January is not out yet, but if I look at the same trip for next month as an example, the cost is $304.00. Can you throw some light on this for me.

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    • Reggie,

      The ADO website is in Pesos. Its roughly about $50USD with the shuttle ride from the airport to get to Cancun to Belize City. I think its about $30USD for the bus to Chetumal. The scheduling most likely won’t change much, and you’ll be able to buy your tickets at the Cancun Airport, they accept USD and pesos. I wouldn’t recommend buying online as the website does not use a secure connection when transmitting bank information.

      Reply ↓

      • Thank you so much for the information. I will then plan to buy my bus ticket to Chatumal at the airport. We will be arriving in Cancun late so are planning to spend the night in Cancun near the bus depot so that we can either walk to it or take a short taxi ride and the same on our way back on Feb 28th.

    • No, the bus takes you to the Belize Bus Station. You can take a taxi from there to any where in the city, or you can catch a connecting bus to other parts of the country. If you are heading to islands, just take a taxi to the seaport. It’s not recommended to walk around the bus station, as it is not the best neighborhood.

      Reply ↓

      • Fantastic advice……The difference between taking a taxi to the airport or directly to Dangriga…….price/time?

    • Seems as if ADO runs service all the time through Chetumal, not sure about the Belize route. My guess is there will be plenty of demand so I don’t see why not. In fact buses north from Belize in August were selling out at 5pm because people were buying their tickets ahead of time on the cayes… a wise tip if you know your travel dates!

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  21. Wonderful info. I’m leaving soon for Orange Walk City – does the bus from Playa stop there or will I need to go to Chetumal and then take a taxi to Orange Walk? I have reservations to stay in Playa on Sunday night (Sept 2) and would like to leave early Monday morning for Orange Walk.

    Reply ↓

    • Stops in orange walk about 4/430am on the overnight bus… do not take the overnight bus if anyone plans on going to corozal 3/330am is way to early to hang around nothing is open. Playa bus leaves arond 11:15pm and is still very cold!!

      Reply ↓

      • I went through Hotwire, I think, and booked one night in a small hotel called Playa Suites in Play del Carmen – $38US. I loved it – might not work for everyone. I had the “penthouse” – top floor – but no elevator! Had one full bed and 2 twins, a shower with a floor-to-ceiling louvered window! Up s spiral staircase from there is a nice rooftop patio. The room had A/C, but it didn’t work very well. Very nice desk clerk who helped carry my luggage up – and down the next morning.

      • I’m trying to find a hotel close to the Bus Depot in either Cancun or Playa del Carmen for one night in January and another in March 2013. I checked Playa Suites, but the prices are over $225.00 per night. Are you sure you paid only $38.00 for your room?

        If anybody can suggest other hotel close to the either Bus Depot, I’d really appreciate it.

        Thanks

      • Another note – the Soberanis Hotel in Cancun also has a section that’s a hostel. I know it’s cheaper even than the $38 I paid for a room. You might want to check that out.

      • Also in downtown Cancun I know it is possible to get cheaper. Not tourist Cancun on the strip, but where the ADO bus drops your off from the airport. Most places are within 2 or 3 blocks, in a pinch ask a taxi at the ADO and let him know what you want to pay within 2 or 3 blocks.

      • Yes – I’m sure I paid $38US – otherwise I wouldn’t have stayed there! And on my way back, I stayed in Cancun at the Soberanis Hotel (downtown) – also $38US. Also booked through Hotwire. This one was very nice, with an attached restaurant.

  23. We are a couple from Switzerland and wanted to know if it is dangerous to drive from Cancun to Belize by bus? someone made a bad experience with drug gangs?

    Do you think we will have problems at the customs as we are swiss citiziens?

    thanks a lot!

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  24. Great information! I am taking me first trip to Belize, and it will also be my first time in Mexico as a type 1 diabetic. Have you seen anyone get hassled about carrying needles,etc?

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    • Since drugs are decriminalized in Mexico I would think that would be the last place you would be hassled! In all seriousness I believe it is a non issue. You will be lucky if the Belizean customs agent is awake when you cross the border.

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    • I have had mixed results recently. The man at the border seems to still be running the scam. If you really are in transit then there is no problem. However, if you have been in Mexico for more than a week??? I think you have to pay. The conflict is with the taxes paid in the airline ticket. Therefore if you can provide a receipt of your airline ticket you should have no problem…should.

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    • Crossing into Belize at the border at Chetumal – I tried saying I was in transit – they told me I couldn’t have my passport back unless I paid. So I paid.

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  26. We have to take the bus from Cancun to Chetumal. The information you provide about the bus is very helpful. I tried to book our ticket ahead of time since we will be travelling on January 3rd and I’m worried that with the New Year holiday we won’t get a place on the bus. I found out that our credit card will is not accepted on the ADO on-line booking side. Apparently their bank can’t validate international credit cards.
    – Have anybody else had this same experience?
    – Do we have to pay cash upon booking our bus fare at the Cancun airport upon our arrival?
    – Is there a chance that we will not get on the 10:30 am Cancun bus to Chetumal?

    Thanks!

    Reply ↓

    • Online booking not possible. You can pay cash at the airport. Also possible to buy the ADO tickets from Belize City bus terminal and from San Pedro or Caye Caulker. I believe it is only possible to pay for a return ticket a week in advance??perhaps less. Lots of service both ways between Cancun and Chetumal, sometimes 3 buses an hour.

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  27. going to ambergis caye 2-06-2012 to ramon;s is there a way ti get there from cancun by bus and about how much in us dollars and how long ride and how many times a day leave there. ythanks

    Reply ↓

      • How long is the bus ride from Cancun to chetumal? Is it possible to get a 8:00 am bus? How much is the taxi to the water taxi and the water taxi to San Pedro? What time could you expect to arrive in San Pedro if you leave Cancun at 8:00 am?

  28. Just to confirm… If we fly into Cancun & want to make the most direct transit to Belize City do we buy tickets at the Cancun airport for a transfer to the bus station & ticket to Belize? Once in Belize City is the bus terminal/stop close to airport so we can take an island hopper to Placencia?

    Reply ↓

  30. Pingback: Airfare Sale! Spend 12/12/12 and December 21, 2012 with the Maya in Mexico, Belize, or Guatemala | Lower Dover Field Journal

  31. My boyfriend and I are traveling from Cancul to Tulum and then into Belize. I am interested in seeing Mayan ruins and need advice on where to stop, stay, etc if possible. Also, are there any buses that take you near the ruins or can you recommend where to stop to easily access them? I am especially interested in seeing Tikal. Thanks so much fo the help!

    Reply ↓

    • The ADO bus company in Mexcio has busses going to all major mayan sites. There are also Ruins in Tulum. You need to decide which sites you want to see, there are many to chose from. Playa del Carem is a nicer place to stay than Cancun if you plan on spending a night or two before you head to Tulum. It is about 45 minutes ride from Cancun, and Tulum is about 45 minutes from Playa. As for you places to stay, it depends on your budget, but a quick search on the internet can assist you there. We can arrange tours to Tikal from Lower Dover if you chose to stay here, and also other popular sites like ATM cave, and Caracol. Check out our lodge website at lowerdoverbelize.com.

      Reply ↓

    • It depends on your time and budget. A car allows you the freedom to go to places when you want. Cars are available in Cancun that can be taken into to Belize, you need to buy extra insurance, and again for Guatemala. Some car companies do not let you take cars into Guatemala.

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      • Hello there… do you happen to know which car rental companies allow this? I’ve inquired with Economy & Alamo but have yet to find a company & we REALLY want to come to Belize!!! Any help would be much appreciated & thank you!

  33. My GF and are flying into Cancun 1/15/13. We are planning on taking the shuttle to Playa and then a bus to Tulum. From Tulum we are planning on the “direct” ado bus to BZE City, then local BZE bus on to San Ignacio.

    Couple of questions>

    1- Do buses from Playa to Tulum leave from the place the shuttle takes you or another terminal? Any idea how often they run?

    2- Can I buy the Tulum to BZE city tickets in the airport as stated above for Playa?

    3- Do the local BZE buses in BZE city going to San Ignacio leave from the same terminal the ADO buses will drop us off at?
    Thanks in advance

    Reply ↓

    • Everything can be purchased one time ahead of traveling, but ADO will not do refunds so be sure to get on the bus you buy a ticket for.

      Bus terminal for ADO is same as Belize buses to BENQUE if you are going to San Ignacio. To stop at Lower Dover in Unitedville its 7 or 8 BZE bus fare, but be sure to be taking the local bus from Belmopan not the express.

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  34. Hi,
    Headed to Belize via Tulum. Planning to catch the overnight bus, my understanding is we would need to head back up to Playa to catch it… Our end goal is to reach Lower Dover. As we already have a reservation for nights to stay, does it make sense to book the bus in advance? Are the online reservations trustworthy?

    Thanks

    Reply ↓

    • The ADO bus stops in Tulum as well, you will be able to catch it from the bus station there. The last time we tried to book the bus online the site was unsecure when entering credit card information, so it is at your discretion whether or not you want to book online, also it is in Spanish. If you are spending a few nights nights in Tulum then you should have no problem getting a ticket, you can also purchase your ticket at the airport when you land.

      Reply ↓

  35. I really appreciate all of your information regarding travelling by bus from Belize to Mexico. Could you give me a detailed explanation on taking the bus from Belize Airport to Playa del Carmen. We will taking a commuter plane from Placencia to Belize City on Mar 8th and need to be in Playa on the 9th. Can our bus trip be done in one day or should we spend the night in Corozal? Thank you.

    Reply ↓

    • You will be fine. You can take the bus to corozal and from there catch a bus or taxi to Chetumal Mx, ADO bus station, There in Chetumal you can catch one of the many ADO buses to playa del carmen.
      PS. try getting to corozal as early as possible. or you will have to take a taxi into mexico. about $35,00 US.

      Reply ↓

    • I wouldn’t go back to belize city. Just jump on the bus North to corozal. enjoy the stops on your way to corozal, about 3 hours take a taxi or bus to ADO bus station in Chetumal. from there you can get anywhere ,, Buses run on the hour all day. Enjoy

      Reply ↓

  37. I’m leaving in two days for Cancun from Canada and hoping to use the ADO to Belize City. As luck would have it, the weather is looking terrible so we were thinking of doing the Guatemala portion of our trip first. I was wondering if there was a reputable bus from Belize City to Antigua? If so how long would that take?

    Cheers

    Reply ↓

    • I would not look into the weatherman’s prediction too much…Possible to take San Juan? bus company from Belize City water taxi station directly to Flores. From there you can make connections throughout Guatemala. However you pass over all of Western Belize and Lower Dover if you take that bus…such a foolish thing to miss!

      Reply ↓

    • Tikal is about 3-4 hours max from Lower Dover by public transportation dyi. Its maybe 2.5-3.5 by arranged 1 day tour arriving back in Belize at our jungle lodge at night. The departure tax when leaving Belize is $37.50BZE and it is $20 Quetzals to enter Guatemala. Collectivos leave Melchor to Flores frequently and cost $30 Quetzals. When going to Tikal or El Ramate it is necessary to switch busses at “El Cruce” if traveling on a collectivo (15 passenger van) from Melchor. I believe the cost is $150 Quetzals to enter Tikal. I was also able to recently rent a taxi from Melchor for $60USD and go to Flores first, find a room, drop off my bags, and then get dropped off at Tikal (maybe 4-5 hours).

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  39. Hi, I’m traveling to Belize in July and I have to head to Play del Carmen for a wedding at the end of my trip. The last night I will be staying on Ambergris Caye. Would you suggest taking a water taxi to the border or heading back to the mainland to catch a bus?

    Reply ↓

    • The Water Taxi can take you either to Belize City, or at the Border at Chetemal. From Belize City you can take an overnight bus direct to playa, or if you choose to go to Chetemal, then you will have to catch a bus during the day and ride it for most of the day. It all depends on your time.

      Reply ↓

  40. Pingback: Cheap Vacation in Belize – AdventureTravel by Bus from Caye Caulker to Western Belize | Lower Dover Field Journal

  41. i like the boarder comment. this is my 12th time traveling threw the mex/belize boarder and they hassle me every time for the 200 pesos on the way down. its annoying at best and i stand there and wait till the dumb ass stamps my passport.its best to be first in line so you hold everyone up then he will give up eventually because he has to get other people threw lol

    Reply ↓

    • Evening bus leaves belize city tickets start being sold at 530pm at the bus terminal or can be purchased on the cayes up to 3 days in advance from an ADO agent. Bus departs at 7 or 730pm to arrive in Playa at 3 or 4 am! People are still up partying when you arrive so its also kinda fun to see all the drunk people

      Reply ↓

  43. Great post – really helpful!
    Three of us will be going from Cancun to San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) – If we get the bus to Chetumal followed by water taxi to San Pedro – will there be any issue with immigration or is that sorted at the dock of Chetumal?
    Heading to Guatemala shortly after so will it be best to get the water taxi to Belize City and find the bus terminal?

    Final question isn’t travel orientated but you seem to know the area – do you know of any good centres to do a PADI course in San Pedro?

    Reply ↓

    • we specialize in the jungle of western belize because that is where our hotel is. i have never done the boat trip. immigration is pretty standard however, just remember that when you are leaving belize everyone pays 37.50BZE. possible to take direct bus from water terminal to flores but then again you acutally miss Belize completely if all you see is San Pedro. that place does not represent the country as a whole one bit…

      Reply ↓

  44. Hey! Can you fly into Cancun on a one way ticket if you plan to travel around central america? Can you buy the Ado bus ticket online from Mexico to Belize as proof of your exit from Mexico? Thanks
    p.s. I am Canadian

    Reply ↓

    • one way no problem from the states maybe more expensive from canada… ado bus ticket purchases online are not secured so not sure I would do that. better to buy your ticket at the airport when you arrive. many many busses leaving cancun regularly almost like train service in canada

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  45. Just made our reservations for Oct. We are flying into cancun, arriving at 1pm & would like to go to corozal for a day by ADO bus. What’s the best way to do that.

    Reply ↓

    • First take the airport ado shuttle to cancun downtown bus terminal. From there it is possible to catch frequent service on ADO to Chetumal. Do not take the overnight service to Corozal and Belize City because it arrives at about 3am up north and everything is closed. You will be arriving after dark so you will need to take a taxi at the Chetumal bus terminal to Corozal…15 miles or so. Alsö remember to let the hotel know you will be coming late. Hopefully you can catch a 4pm bus arriving Chetumal around 10pm. Might be best to get some food in Mexico before you cross.

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  46. leaving Cancun Dec 10th 8 :00AM. If I’m in Belize city,when should I take the Ado bus?and also does that bus take me all the way to the cancun airport?

    Reply ↓

    • Leave belize city the evening before Dec 9, but make sure you have already purchased a ticket which can be done in advance because you will be in trouble if the bus is sold out. ADO from Belize arrives at the Cancun airport at about 5am.

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      • Thnx LDFS.You have a truly great forum for people who need information in regards to getting to Belize.Keep up the good work.It is truly appreciated.

  49. i will be traveling to belize in jan next year for studies,but due to travel routes,i want to take the ado buses at the cancun airport to belize, though i have a six months mexican visa but my student visa to belize has expired,can i get my visa stamped at the boarder in chetumal before getting to belize.what is the advice for me,i am from nigeria

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  50. In Jan 2014 going to San Pedro Ambergris Caye,Belise by ADO Bus,from Playa Del Carmen. We would like to take the ferry to San Pedro from Chetemal, instead of going to Belize City. We will be leaving for U.S. from Belize City 10 days later. Do you advise doing this or are there going to be problems with customs?

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  51. Hi! Im thinking of visiting a friend in Belize this weekend who is in Caye Caulker.
    I would take the bus friday night to get to Belize city around 6am and wait for the first boat (I think at 8am??) to Caye Caulker. I am in Cancun for 1 week now (I want to spend 6 months here for work), Do I need to pay a fee?? Or can I just say that I am in transit, too?
    For the way back, the time of departure is 7.30pm?
    Do you know if I can get the ADO return bus somewhere in Cancun? (the office I asked for told me they didn’t give me the ticket for the way back.
    Do you think 2 days worth it?

    Thank you so much! Hope you can help me.

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  53. Hi,

    I am flying into Cancun in late May for 6 days. I want to go to Belize but was wondering if you think it would be worth doing 1-2 nights in Tulum or Playa Del Carmen and then moving on to Belize for the rest of the trip?

    Unfortunately my flight arrives to Cancun at 10:35pm so it is unlikely that I can get the night bus to Belize straight away.

    My concern is “wasting” time traveling between Belize and Cancun when I only have 6 days.

    Any advice would be great.

    thanks!

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