How to Cross the Mexico-Belize Border on Foot: Chetumal to Caye Caulker
I’m writing this blog post specifically about crossing the Mexico-Belize border because we found it surprisingly stressful to figure out how to do it. There wasn’t much detailed information online, and yet the process turned out to be straightforward—long, but easy!
After spending an amazing week in Mexico with friends, we planned to continue our journey to Belize. We ended our Mexico trip in Tulum, a town halfway down the Yucatan Peninsula and relatively close to the Belize border. Flying initially seemed like an option, but it involved backtracking to Cancun, paying for flights (and luggage fees) to Belize City, and then making another long trip to reach the islands. Surely, we thought, there had to be a simpler and more affordable way to cross into Belize without flying.
Summary of Border Crossing Mexico to Belize
Tulum → Chetumal - ADO bus
Chetumal → Mexican/Belize Border - taxi
Mexican/Belize Border → Corozal - taxi
Corozal → San Pedro/Caye Caulker - ferry / water taxi
Estimated Total Travel Time:Â Approximately 10 hours
This straightforward route ensures a smooth journey while avoiding the need for flights, making it both cost-effective and manageable for travelers.
How to get from Tulum to Chetumal via Bus
When planning our journey online, we discovered that an overnight bus from Tulum (Mexico) to Corozal (Belize) used to run, but unfortunately, it was discontinued before COVID. The staff at the ADO bus station in Tulum confirmed this during our visit one evening. While it made sense due to different countries' vaccine and testing requirements, it was still disappointing. The closest we could get was to Chetumal, a city in Mexico near the Belize border. We decided to buy tickets for the bus to Chetumal, hoping the rest of the journey would be manageable.
Since we weren’t sure how long the border crossing would take—or if we’d even make it across—we opted for the first ADO bus out of Tulum the next morning.
We arrived at the ADO bus station about 30 minutes before departure to grab food, drinks, and confirm our route. The journey to Chetumal took approximately 4 hours, and we quickly learned that the bus only stops for a few minutes at each station, so bringing snacks and drinks was essential. The ticket cost us £16 (20 USD), and we were pleasantly surprised by the experience.
To clarify, this is a coach bus, not a local bus, with assigned seating, onboard toilets, and even a movie (in Spanish). The seats were padded, comfortable, and far superior to airplane seats, making the ride smooth and relaxing.
Bus times and prices can be found here: ADO BUS TIMETABLE
How to Cross the Mexican Border to Belize
After a 4-hour bus ride from Tulum, we arrived in Chetumal, where we were immediately approached by several taxi drivers. They are familiar with travelers heading to the border, but it’s important to agree on a price before getting in to avoid being overcharged. We paid around $20 USD for what was a relatively short 5-minute drive to the border. While the price seemed steep, we were eager to make it across.
At the border, the taxi driver waited while we filled out Mexican immigration forms and then proceeded to meet with a border control officer. Here, we had to pay a departure fee of approximately $35 USD. The officer also asked for the immigration card we were issued when entering Mexico (the one torn off and given at the airport). Unfortunately, I had misplaced mine, which resulted in an additional $50 USD fee to get my passport stamped. Whether or not this extra fee was entirely legitimate remains unclear, but I paid it to ensure we could continue our journey without issue.
Once our passports were stamped, the taxi driver drove us to the Belize border. After saying goodbye to our driver, we collected our bags and went through Belize immigration. The process here was straightforward, and after clearing immigration, we took a taxi to Corozal, where ferries to the Belizean islands like San Pedro and Caye Caulker depart.
How to Take the Ferry from Corozal to San Pedro/Caye Caulker
The ferry from Corozal to San Pedro departs daily at 3 PM, with a stop in Sarteneja. Our ultimate destination was Caye Caulker, and while the ferry sometimes goes directly, on the day we traveled, it didn’t. Instead, we had to stop at San Pedro before continuing.
A single ferry ticket from Corozal to San Pedro costs 80 BZD (40 USD), and the journey takes approximately 1.5 hours. Arriving in San Pedro at around 5 PM, we realized we had missed the last daily ferry to Caye Caulker, which meant staying overnight in San Pedro.
If you’re planning this route, double-check the ferry schedule to avoid unexpected layovers, and consider booking accommodations in advance if there’s a chance you might need to stay in San Pedro overnight.
Belize Water Taxi Times: Water Taxi Schedule
