OK, it works...here's my questions. I'm flying into Cancun from Minneapolis, taking the combi down to Playa for the night, then taking the Premier bus to Chetumal for the night, then taking the Novolo bus across the border to Corozol to the airport and hopping over to San Pedro. This can be an interesting 2/3 day trip, and pretty cheap also. Can anyone add to this experience.

Bob it sounds like a great trip and now you've given me some ideas. I've been to Playa del Carmen twice and another place just south of there once, over the years. Only gone as far south as Tulum so I can't help but....

We get these really cheap package deals to Mexico from Philly. We went back in Oct $600 per person included RT airfare, 7 nights hotel and meals and drinks, even a stocked minibar was included. Recently saw one as low as $399 4 or 7 days! Hotel must be a dump but....

Well you got me thinking. Cheap transpo to Playa. Use it as a base of operations for a few days. Hit Coz for day diving trip. Abandon return airfare. Bus down to Belize city. Hang. Hop to AC. One way tix back to Philly.

Sounds to me like you've got a great plan cooking. Good Luck.

From MPLS on charters to CUN, I've been on a lot of them for 200.00RT or less..from CUN to Playa on combi is 10.00, then to Chetumal on express bus 4/-4 1/2 hour is 16.00. I've been thru Chetumal before, but never hung out for a while, so one night there is cool. Then bus to Corozol is not much, to fly over and back is like 70.00, then reverse it.
So, for 300.00/400.00 bucks the whole thing, and it is an interesting trip, and the hopper over and back is a blast.
Last time there (10 years ago plus) we took the bus to Belize City and flew over on Tropic Air....Long bus ride from border to Belize City and I don't care for Belize City, but from Corozol it's faster, funner, better!!

One option to consider is that now you have ferries making the run from Corozal Town to San Pedro. Thunderbolt runs in the afternoon, Lady Lowe in the early morning. Fares are US$20 or less one-way. It's about a 90 minute trip by water.

--Lan Sluder

Thanx Lan, That's something to consider if the timing is right. If a guy missed the flight either way, there's always the ferry.
Great time to read or nap also!
Keep all the info coming, a guy can save a lot of time and money with firsthand info.
Thanx again...Bob

Last year me and a buddy did the exact same thing...flew to cancun, 2 nights in Playa, Mexican bus to Chetumal, Belize bus to Corozal, fly Tropic Air to AC. Here's a tip...when you get on the Belize bus in Chetumal, after it takes you across the border, ask the driver to drop you off at the airstrip outside of Corozal. The bus will drop you off on the side of the road and all you have to do is walk up the road about a block to the airstrip. From there you're in San Pedro in less than an hour (depending on when you can catch the flight).

Hope this helps. yat

Bob4Scuba/Lan/Yat/ et al... Need more info, re : your last posts...the tax man has me figureing out how Im going to get to San Pedro Town and pay him also..Your posts of Cancun/bus/ferries/ taxies has raised my hopes of getting there in May... If you would,,I can be contacted at [email protected] or at [email protected] .... Im not familure with some of the towns in Mex.or Bz that you were taklking about and the buses that run tween them, or the ferry, where does it depart from...also I assume there is a customs office in S.P to clear you into the country...Damn guys ,this sounds like an adventure,Belikins for all if I can ( with your help) make it down there in May..

Wasatch...most of us northerners can fly to Cancun pretty cheap and they have frequent trips....From MPLS, there are 5/6 charters weekly. I've been on many last minute deals for like 99.00 RT. From the airport (which is always expensive to drive out of, it costs about 15.00 a head to the hotel zone), so I just avoid Cancun, you can catch a combi (a van) to Playa del Carmen. It's about 45 min. south. Cooler town...lots a nice hotels in the 30/50 dollar range, and it's closer to the border. Then go to the main bus station in Playa (5th Ave) easy to find, and catch the premier bus to Chetumal (at the border with Belize, also the capital of Quintana Roo state) it's a industrial/port city, not much in the way of a vacation city, but interesting anyway.
that trip is cheap, easy, and a lot to see on the way down. About 4 hours. From there you can either go across the border on the novolo bus or spend the night there to check it out. The bus will wait for all to clear customs. Note: ten years ago crossing border we all had to get out of the bus to push start it because it stalled right in the border gates and blocked all traffic...really cool to see a bunch of folks pushing a bus to jump start it!
Then go to Corozol
town and either fly over or take the ferry.
Get a map of the Yucatan and check out these places....very hard to get lost being there is really only one road south out of Cancun (307)and the public transportation is really good and all are friendly and helpful. It's an easy way to get to Belize, because most cities don't fly there..yet most do go to CUN. If you're in a hurry, you don't have to spend the night in Playa. You can just get the bus upon arrival, my quess is there's one every hour south. But Playa is really neat, and I would recommend stopping over for the night. Planning on doing "The Shuffle" mid-March, depending on stuff up here...last minute is always the best.
By the way....Does anyone know or remember the Sands Hotel, in San Pedro...I'm sure it's still there, only under a differant name, thanx.....Bob

Hey very nice information, thanks.

Yes, the Sands Hotel is still standing right there in the middle of town, but I have noted on my trips, it appears to be vacant all the time. What is the story on that property. Appears to have been a cool place at one time.

Bob4Scuba.....thanks a bunch dude,,,Ill start researching that route ASAP...Man Ive got to get out of this snow,,,although the ice fishing has been good this year,but I still need a warmer climate and a bunch of R&R,,( R&R being Rum&Rum)...Later..DUDE