Water Taxi to a Taxi to a Jeep: Making our Way from San Pedro to the Cayo District, Part One

I have been giddy for the last few weeks…leading up to our two-night stay at the gorgeous Lodge at Chaa Creek in the west part of Belize.  400 acres of magic.  I’m sitting in our gorgeous cabanas right now – Jeff is out in our plunge pool…and I’m just soaking it in.  It is Belize’s 40th Birthday – September 21st is Independence Day in Belize.  And I can’t think of a more beautiful place to enjoy this gorgeous, diverse, always surprising gem of a country.

BUT…before I tell you about my Chaa Creek adventure – let me tell you how we got here.

Well first a pic or two of this amazing resort.

Now…how I got here.  From the island of Ambergris Caye to the mainland and then west.  I’ve done it by bus before (aka “the slow route”) and I love to do it that way but it is most certainly NOT for everyone.  And in this time of COVID precaution, I decided it is not for us.

You can read my:  8 Tips for Traveling by Bus in Belize if you want a feel for it

You can travel via the transportation that the lodge will be glad to set up for you – generally a very comfortable van or truck and a pick-up where ever you like.  And…if you are feeling fancy 😉 , you can fly with Tropic Air Belize right to an airstrip that is just a few miles from the lodge.  It depends if their flight is running…or you might have to charter a plane.  It’s a gorgeous green strip of cattle pasture…

But we decided to do it on our own and rent a car.  Enjoy the drive.  Stop a few times.  And here’s how it went…

Note:  We feel a great deal of guilt leaving the dogs!  Especially when they know the bags are being packed and you get THE LOOK.  Good grief!

But I’m so glad we came here!

Alarm goes off early – we are headed to town for the 7am San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi to Belize City.

A picture on the ride to own.  Pretty morning.

The ride is just about 1.5 hours.

Starting October 1st, the water taxi will be checking vaccination cards for Belizeans/local residents.  (ALL public transportation will be checking)  Now…masks are required and there is no eating on the water taxi.

An employee gave us a very good speech about staying safe and protecting others. About how masking and vaccinations will get us all moving forward.. Warned us to keep our masks fully on at all time.  Bravo!

Easy water taxi ride – uneventful.  We unloaded and grabbed a taxi to our rental car main location in Ladyville (just outside Belize City) – about a 20 minute ride.  I had rented a car with AQ Rentals that shows very low rates online but beware!  When you get there and all is said and done…prices for renting a car are quite pricy.  The $37US as advertised rate heads up closer to $90US a day.

Our ride!  We found out, as soon as we were about 20 minutes away, that the AC works…about 1/2 of the time.

I will not let this break our stride!  Onward…the open roads of Belize!

And I need to leave it there! I am running late…for breakfast and then our check-out and then our ride home.  More tomorrow.

I am soooo sad to leave!

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