Hi all!!!!!!!!

I will be landing in Belize City at about 11:14, have to stow my luggage at the Embassy Hotel and can be ready to head to Tikal by car/bus hopefully by 12:00.

OR

I can take the flight to Flores at 3:00 and then drive an hour (?) to Tikal.

Which would get me there sooner. I would love to be able to explore the park for an hour or two before it gets pitch black. What do you think?

Thanks!!!!!!!!

I would fly, its at LEAST 5 hours by road from Belize City to Flores. YOU MIGHT END UP ON THE ROAD AFTER DARK. Its not any cheaper to rent a car/pay for gas than it is to fly. You can also get a one way flight to Flores and then take a tourist shuttle back to Belize City. The shuttle bus is only $20 U.S. from Flores to Belize City.

Thanks for the advice. We are driving straight to Tikal though...wouldn't that be 4 hours? Isn't Tikal an hour from Flores?

If you drive 70mph from Belize City to the border.....and you know your way through Guatemala ..no hang ups at the border.......4 hours.

Fly. Things take a lot longer than you would think looking at a map. Nothing ever goes as planned in Belize. "Stress" if you try to push it. "Better than you would have expected" if you relax and take it as it comes.

I assume you know most car rental companies will not let their vehicels cross into Guat and those that will do not offer insurance while you are there. There is a reason for this!

Are you able to spend the night in San Ignacio? Proceed in the morning?

yes and thanks NYgal. Someone else had that idea.I think that is what I will do. How long would it take by bus to get to SI? What about Tikal to Bellmopan? any estimates?

Bus to SI is about 2 1/2 hours. It's been a cuople of years, but I think about four hours from Tikal to Belmopan.