Experience 2012 in Belize on a Private Mayan Ruin at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge

View from Tikal - Experience 2012 in Maya heartland

The Mayan calendar has been criticized lately due to a recent discovery at the Comalcalco Maya site validating the December 21, 2012 date inscription for the second time. This finding was close in proximity to the first original December 21, 2012 date inscription at the Tortuguero Mayan site in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco, Mexico.  Mexico has chosen to not release more information publicly at this time, only letting people know that another instance of the December 2012 date exists.

Map of Mayan empire

The reality is, very little is known about Maya culture, or 2012, because the Spanish burned nearly all of the Mayan literature when they arrived in Mexico seeking gold. What is known, is that the Mayans had mastery of the stars which surpassed the Europeans own grasp many years later when Galileo discovered Earth’s position in the Solar System. Meanwhile, the Mayans literally worshipped Venus and plotted its course to form a highly accurate calendar which charted the alignment of the earth, solar system, and the Milky Way galaxy over a 26,000 year period! In fact, Mayan astrologers even planned the building of ceremonial buildings and temples in perfect alignment with the equinoxes and solstices for ritual and farming purposes.

Solstice marker at Tikal

Belize is often ignored in the Maya conversation, and especially on Mayan maps. Belize actually sits right in the middle of the ancient Mayan empire that once existed long before Columbus voyaged across the Atlantic.  This makes Belize the perfect, centralized location, to participate in December 2012 festivities.  About two weeks is all you need to visit Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala on the same trip, all while getting the full Mayan experience during the Mayan 2012 celebration.

Xunantunich main temple in Belize

It is possible to fly into Cancun from anywhere in the world, often for a cheaper price than Belize. You can visit the famous Chitzen Itza and Tulum ruins, plus swim in cenote pools on 2 different day tours by ADO bus from Cancun.  The Lamani site (take the boat for the adventure in getting there) and Altun Ha Maya site of northern Belize are also nicely excavated. Altun Ha was the site where the largest ever Maya jade mask was unearthed, however this piece is currently held at the national museum in Belize City, not on-site.

Once you make it to western Belize, stay at Lower Dover Field Station and Jungle Lodge for the most intimate jungle mayan adventure and experience. We are located only 3/4 mile from the highway so its easy to reach us by bus!  If you stay in the bunkhouse, it is literally built into the side of a temple…

Excavation of Mayan wall at Lower Dover Field Station and Jungle Lodge

Lower Dover’s ruins sit hidden by 100 jungle acres of private property along the Belize River between Big and Little Barton creeks. The jungle lodge property has been owned for 25 years but only has recently been turned into a hotel to share our amazing location on a Mayan site core with everyone. Only recently discovered, Lower Dover is believed to be a Mayan ceremonial center which overlooked the entire Belize River Valley housing settlement at Barton Ramie. Lower Dover was missed by Harvard archaeologists Willey and Gifford during their 1950’s-70’s excavation of Barton Ramie, located just a stones throw away, on the other side of the Belize River, at present day Spanish Lookout.  Because of the scale of past work done, and the close proximity of the sites, Lower Dover is sure to change views of the Mayan history in western Belize.

Mayan doorway entrance at Lower Dover Field Station and Jungle Lodge

Current archaeology work is being headed by the director of Belize archaeology Dr. Jamie Awe and the Belize Valley Area Reconnoissance Project (BVAR). During the months of June and July the Lower Dover Jungle Lodge closes to the public and becomes a field station and scientific research facility to accommodate university students. We look forward to discovering many new developments about this key piece of the Mayan puzzle during the following years.

Dr. Jamie Awe and 2011 BVAR field school at Lower Dover Field Station

When travelers stay at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge, they will enjoy close proximity to many must see Mayan tourist sites. Full day tours to ATM Cave, Barton Creek cave canoeing, Caracol, Cahal Pech, Xunantunich, and more are booked and arranged free of cost. Notably, a National Geographic book Sacred Places of a Lifetime recently voted ATM cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal or Cave of the Stone Sepulcher) as the #1 most sacred cave in the world to visit! I thought I heard that Jesus was buried in a cave or something like that…until its found we are still on top!

ATM Cave opening Belize

An amazing Mayan burial is found in ATM cave that has withstood the test of time in order to crystalize a Mayan skull into photo perfection. This is an absolute must tour, but be aware that because of the delicate nature of the Mayan ceramics and burials located in ATM cave, limited numbers of tourists are allowed through every day. It is advised that tours are arranged in advance when travel dates are known to ensure your tour spot, especially when planning on traveling during or on December 21, 2012.

Swimming into ATM CAVE Belize Adventure

ATM Cave Maya Pottery Remains - Belize

ATM cave trips pick you up at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge last and drop you off first on trips from San Ignacio area hotels, another plus to staying here!

ATM Cave Mayan Skull - Lower Dover Jungle Lodge Tours

After seeing everything Mayan that Belize has to offer, continue heading west to Tikal near Flores, Guatemala. It is possible to take an amazing 1 day tour of Tikal from Lower Dover Jungle Lodge or any other western Belize hotel, however, stopping and spending a night in Flores allows travelers to take their time. It is best to enter the TIkal Mayan site during the morning and evening hours when the tropical sun does not blast you, and tour groups are not crowding the main sights.

View from the top of Tikal Maya Ruins in Guatemala

Temple at Tikal Guatemala - Day Tours from Lower Dover Jungle Lodge

Tikal Mayan Royal Courtyard

Regular bus shuttle service to the park runs daily from Flores to Tikal. Travelers will also save a bit of money by traveling by bus to Flores from Belize instead of taking an organized tour. This is only really advised for seasoned travelers and/or those fluent in Spanish.

Spend the night in Flores, Guatemala

Swimming in Flores, Guatemala

Let the fiesta begin in 2012 Mayan Adventures await - Flores, Guatemala

From Flores, Guatemala it is possible to bus back to Belize the same way, or (preferred for time purposes) fly to Belize City where you either keep flying to Caye Caulker or San Pedro / Ambergris Caye. If traveling by bus, a connection is made with a water taxi in Belize City to take travelers to the Cayes. It is now possible to get back to Cancun by taking a water taxi to Chetumal, Mexico or by going back to Belize City and connecting back to Cancun with the new nightly direct ADO bus service from Belize City to the Cancun Airport.  The Thunderbolt water taxi also runs once daily to Corozal from San Pedro, where you can connect with the ADO bus north to Cancun.

Getting to Belize from Cancun, Mexico by ADO Bus

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.