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We will be staying in Caye Caulker for 2 weeks and would like to take a trip over to Tikal. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best (safest and reliable) way to get there and back? Costs? Is it worth doing a "tour" or is it just as easy to do on your own?

If you have more time than money, I believe its less expensive to do it on your own. Take the water taxi to Belize City (20 bzd one way) and you can pick up a bus right at the Marine Terminal ($20 U.S.) that will take you straight thru to Flores. From Flores you can arrange a tour and transportation from any local company. The total time will probably be 1 day, each way for travel and 1 day for the ruins, total travel time 3 days. Add to the cost 2 nights in a hotel, but you would be spending money on a hotel on Caye Caulker anyway. If you have more money than time, you can do it in a day using Tropic Air or Maya Island Air. I would check out their website for current pricing.

Is there a website where I can get additional information on what bus to take and their schedule, leaving and returning? Are they air conditioned? Safe? Reliable? Also, I looked at the Maya Island Air website for flights over to Flores from Belize City. Do you know if the prices quoted are in US or BZ dollars?

Have you thought about beginning your trip in Guatemala and making your way to Caye Caulker? Here is a great website to visit: www.wildguatemala.com
These guys are great. I have gone on several trips with them. They do trips to Tikal and make custom itineraries.

We rented a car in Belize City and drove to San Ignacia and stayed at San Ignacio Inn or Hotel--nice nice local place with pool and bar and restaurant--then forked over the $120.00 us and had a van take us (2 adults and 2 teens) to Tikal---first time I had wavered from my hippy travel of the past--it was well worth it--nice guy with lots of local info--and when we got to Tikal a guide there was included--and we all learned so much...and then...ahhhhh-when oour long day was done...we were driven home and that was great, too (after a few Guatamalen beers)

Grapes, how did you get the information on the van ride & guide? From the hotel you stayed at in San Ignacio? Were Tikal entrance fees also included? How about exit/entrance fees going to and from Guatemala? How long did it take you to get to Tikal from San Ignacio?

When you get off the water taxi go to the little shack across from the Sands resturant, it has tour signs. You will pay about $25 US for a one way to Flores or about $5 us more for Tikal, from Belize City. The bus leaves from the water taxi shed. I suggest that you stay the night in Flores and take the first (5 am) bus to Tikal. The return is the same and you can bargin with hotels in Flores for a free round trip to Tikal if you stay with them. We stayed in a wonderful lakeside hotel with pool for about $14 us. It is worth staying in Tikal for a day if not three or more to see this magnificent meso-american city!!. Tikal Inn and the Jaguar Inn are the best at the site! You can buy your ticket back to Belize City from the Hotels ( same price as going) and catch the water taxi to the Caye. It's really easy! As some wrote in, better to experience things first hand than plan too much.
The bus you take to Guatamala is not the sleek one you see in the ads but you really don't want one of those.
Carpe Diem!