After a wonderful week on Caye Caulker, it was time to leave the Belizean island and travel onward to Bacalar, Mexico.
While shuttle services were available, they were quite expensive at $50 USD. Having enjoyed the rewarding and budget-friendly experience of using public transportation a few times previously in Central America, I decided to attempt the journey to Bacalar via local buses and collectivos, despite the lack of readily available information. Here's how I navigated the trip:
Caye Caulker to Belize City – $21USD – 1 hour
I caught the 6.30AM San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi to Belize City. The cost is $21USD for a one-way ticket if needed. True to local expectations, the boat arrived late, but once we departed, the journey was swift, and we reached Belize City around 7:40 AM.
Belize City to Corozl – 12 Belize Dollars ($6 USD) – 2.5 hours
From the port, I took the short walk to the bus station. Some people take a taxi to the bus station but the felt very safe in the morning. Luckily, a bus to Corazol, the town nearest the Mexican border accessible by public transportation, was waiting when I arrived in the bus station. The 12 Belizean ($6 USD) bus departed at 8.15AM and arrived in Corozal a couple of hours later. Tickets are bought from the conductor on the bus.
Corozal to Santa Elena (Mexican border) - 4 Belizean Dollars ($2 USD) – 30 mins
On the bus to Corozal, I luckily met a couple of Belizeans who were heading to Chetumal for a few days. When we got off the bus, a collectivo was waiting at the roundabout, and we all hopped on together. The driver took us through the older border crossing at Santa Elena. Initially, he tried to leave without waiting for us to get our Belizean exit stamps, but the local guys persuaded him to wait and then continue on to the Mexican border.
Santa Elena to Chetumal - 20 pesos ($1 USD) – 30 mins
After completing the usual border formalities, I had made it into Mexico. Just outside the immigration office, a white collectivo (shared taxi van) to Chetumal was sat waiting. . It's worth noting that these collectivos stop running at 6 PM (Mexico is one hour ahead of Belize), so aim to arrive before then to avoid the need for a more expensive private taxi.
Chetumal to Bacalar – 50 Pesos (2.50USD) – 1 hour
When boarding the collectivo from Santa Elena, inform the driver of your intention to travel to Bacalar, and they will drop you off at the appropriate location to catch the next collectivo. These shared vans run regularly, providing a relatively quick, inexpensive, and authentic local transportation option for reaching Bacalar. It took 1 hour and cost 50MXP.
Summary
All in all, the journey from Caye Caulker to Bacalar took approximately 6 hours and cost only $10.50 USD from Belize City onward, significantly cheaper than the $50 USD shuttle option. While not drastically longer in travel time, the public transportation route offered a far more adventurous and culturally immersive experience. Happy travels!