12/23 - 12/26/2003
This trip I was "stuck" in Chetumal for multiple days without real reason or need. The idea was to ferry into and out of Belize for a Reef diving trip to San Pedro. This idea is without merit and will waste your time.
Unfortunately, the city of Chetumal functions as a "Trap" to keep tourists in without great ways in or out of the city itself. Don't stay here. Fly instead directly into Belize City. Your ticket might cost more -- but you will appreciate the time and money saved.
This is especially true prior and following Christmas.
12/22 - stayed with the nice family in a Chetumal borderline ghetto area (their house was ok, nothing special). Chetumal has many Taxis. However don't let them charge you more than 25 pesos per ride. They often ask for twice that or more.
12/23 - attempted to Ferry out at 10AM. No tickets (must book in advance). Waited until 1530 Ferry with another operator to get out. Well after dark before I was in San Pedro. 2 hr ferry - uneventful. While waiting the several hours, I walked around the Marina area of Chetumal -- lackluster & uninspiring.
Uneventful ferry ride to San Pedro once all of the preliminaries (Customs, Immigration, etc) were attended to. Way to much down time vs. the transit time of 2 hrs. More overhead time than transit time.
San Pedro is "sleepy" and impoverished. Walked around, and ate at the Carumba restaurant -- pricey, see below
Checked into the Sun & Reef Hotel in downtown San Pedro. A bit noisy, but was clean. A fellow traveler also stayed there.
12/24 - In the morning awoke early and hitched a cart ride to the North of Ambergris Caye.
Locals were exceptionally friendly and I received 2 rides. One of the rides turned out to be a relative of someone working at the dive shop! Dove with Chino after a refresher course. White Sands is Recommended if you make it to this part of the island. (6 mi North of San Pedro.)
Dove Mexico Rocks and Outer Reef.
Outer Reef memorable due to depth obtained>
12/25 - Awoke early, dove with "Ambergris Divers" who were adequate.
Bring your own water. They were low on water and amenities. Enjoyed the brief snorkel towards the end. No need really for scuba in the Hol Chan area -- quite shallow.
I found a Kayak rental for $20USD for 3 hours. Kayaked to the reef and enjoyed the snorkel. Good, not great.
12/26- Awoke Early to leave the island. Arrived Chetumal Bus Station (ADO) at 1220PM after showing up for the ferry at 7AM this morning. Woefully inefficient (5:30 for a 2:00 transit).
As I type, I must wait for the 1630PM bus out of Chetumal despite arriving 1220PM to this station. No busses to Cancun on Boxing Day despite hourly departures. 1 hour to wait in the ticket line.
No access to online booking for ADO. Hours delay.
Won't make Cancun until 12/27 1:00am if lucky. 7 hrs on the bus.
Where to eat? -- there is a Subway in the Chetumal station -- $10USD for a footlong + bottled water. Hopelessly overpriced. Stuck in station with other stranded, straggling passengers.
12/27 Midday flight via United to SFO. 6 hr flight. Given the 1AM arrival, then taxi to hotel, I will be fortunate to have 7 hrs sleep to awake and restart the bag-drag.
Factors which make Chetumal untenable as a Belize transit point.
- Mexico Tourist Tax. They tax you out and they tax you in. Twice in my case.
- $39 via United Ticket inbound to Cancun.
- $47 via San Pedro Ferry, charged in Chetumal
- Long waits to enter and exit Belize (see Few Ferries below)
- Belize departure tax of $20 USD.
- Few Ferries, long delays, very inefficient transit, always full.
- Ferry is $80/way 1400-1500 pesos.
- 2 hrs from Chetumal -> San Pedro is manageable, but double or triple this time with customs, immigration and tremendous overhead. It is these factors which lead the operator to request passengers to arrive 2 hrs before departure.
- Should a ferry be as complex as an international flight?
- By the time you make it into San Pedro, you will be confronted by very high prices, 2X US prices due to the island-tax of goods/services/everything. I had seafood for $130USD/person in one case with tip compounding this amount further.
- Easy to get BZD - don't overdo it. You can withdraw from your credit card with a $1.50 USD fee.
- MXD also easy to obtain. 17 MXD/USD
