I take an early morning water taxi from Caye Caulker to San Pedro, then the earliest flight (8:30 I think?) from San Pedro to Corozal (150 bzd round trip). When I arrive in Corozal, I never use a cab at the airstrip (they will try to rip you off), I walk out to the main road, and can usually get a cab to take me across the border to the main bus terminal in Chetumal, for about $20 U.S. I catch the first class express but up to Playa ($14.00 each way) and am there by 4 p.m. usually. This trip I didn't fly there, I took the bus all the way, and it was cheap torture. I left on the 7:30 a.m. boat to Belize City, took the 9 a.m. express bus up to Chetumal ($7 U.S.) then 20 minutes later an express bus left for Playa and I arrived at 7 p.m. Flying from San Pedro to Corozal and cabbing it over the border took about 3 hours off the trip. If I lived in San Pedro I would just fly always, but because I'm on the next island over and have to add a water taxi ride to the trip, I thought I try it totally by bus this time, and in my opinion, it wasnt worth the few bucks I saved.
I usually stay at Casa TOucan, which is about 2 blocks down and 2 blocks over from the main bus terminal. Its only $25 U.S. a night. Very clean and secure, private bath, ceiling fan and desk in the room, plus a pool (which I never swim in) There is a nice restaurant right on site, although, you are steps away from everything.

Henry and Mark from Menzies Travel and Tours (422 2725 or 3414) work from the Corozal airstrip and have always been excellent to us. US$30 for two of us to wherever in Chetumal, and they will pick you up if you're coming the other way. We don't speak Spanish and they always help us through immigration and customs which I have seen first hand helps financially and time wise. They will also collect goods for you from Chetumal/Playa/Cancun when going & bring them back to Belize and put them on the plane for collection in San Pedro, for anyone interested.

playa del carmen is a hopping place, with that throbbing busy mexico feel. the vibe is completely different from any place in belize. when i crossed the border on the bus from playa del carmen to belize the first time, i immediately sensed the change in atmosphere and had a sense of relief. i would have to be in the mood for PDC to go again and i tend to be more in a mood for the belizean atmosphere, it seems.

that said, in some ways i like PDC. there are lots of cute shops, restaurants, bars and hotels with very arty, well-planned, clever decors. conversely, there is also that high pressure trinket shop feel, with guys badgering you to shop as you pass, and a different kind of music blasting from every doorway in clamourous competition. that's the mexico i know from youthful trips to tijuana. bleh. the beaches can be beautiful or wasted, depending on your perspective. i was not much impressed with my cozumel and PDC area snorkeling excursions in comparison to places i have been in belize, hawaii and australia.

the nice, inexpensive place i have always stayed is hotel maya bric on the main drag. it's about $25 a night in low season, with a security gate & guard at night, parking lot if you have a car, garden, pool and communal lounging area. it's right next to a smoothie and waffle shop. it must be in every german guide book printed because sometimes i am the only person from the us staying there.

the disgorging of cruise ship passengers is a real menace and i shudder to imagine the eventual impact cruise ships will have on belize.
i have friends who moved to PDC and opened a launderette that serves mostly local residents. i'd go back to PDC to visit them but i'd hate to trade time in belize away to do so.

gogo

mobunny, Playa is sweet!!!!! We just relocated here actually, we spent 8 months in Ambergris Caye in Tres Cocos, came here for a week and fell in love with the place, the people and the lifestyle.

It so nice to be able to go to beaches again, real beaches and you can't beat the food, drinks and the prices. 5th is really nice but if you go a little farther north you end up in the Italian section, you eat as if you are in italy and we know italy!

You feel like you are on an island but yet you can drive 30 minutes and you have all the conveniences of a big city. (Cancun is 30 minutes away)

We love it here and plan to stay!

Gosh, it's always interesting to see that folks have such different opinions.

To me, Playa just keeps getting busier and more touristy and Americanized (like all of the Mayan Riveria) but I see that some people, such as Belize Water who as I recall came to Belize from the Cayman Islands, would like the buzz and the greater variety.

I do always like the Mexican vibes, but with all the cruise ships, boutique hotels and U.S. franchises before long Playa won't have any of those.

--Lan Sluder

There's an ass for every saddle.

Some saddles require bigger ones-I for one would prefer the invisible and hidden Chismera to go anywhere far away from here,IMO that would be a good start.

Seems Pedro needs a very large saddle!