renting a car in belize and driving around?

[itzelm]

Has anyone done this? If yes, need suggestions on what to consider, etc.

[Mekamax]

Check first on Belize and security - may be ok but it was bad when I went a few years ago - at least in Belize City itself... I'll be interested in the responses you get. Debbie

[Bob7]

Has anyone done this? If yes, need suggestions on what to consider, etc.

We looked into renting too, to get out of Belize city and see the hiking parks and caves and maybe the zoo along the Western Hwy, about an hour drive each way. I got a route out of confusing Belize City from a local, so many one way streets. Handiest car rental is Crystal Auto Rental, they have a branch right at the Tourism Village where the ship tenders drop us off. I think their web site is: http://www.crystal-belize.com, about $75 for a decent 4x4. Split 4 ways that's a lot cheaper than ship tours at $50-100 each :-(( Others like Budget offer to come and get you, but nice not to waste time and get going as soon as possible. What sights were you interested in?

-Bob

[Mekamax]

I got this off of www.slickrock.com/belize website:

 

Rental cars: We recommend Budget Rent-a-Car and Crystal Auto Rental. Rental cars allow you to stop along the way without having to deal with storing your luggage. Budget offers a country wide one-way rental service, plus they rent cell phones. Both have offices at the airport and in Belize City, allowing you to pick up and drop off from either place. Both of them will also drop off/pick up at any location in Belize City. Both provide maps and Crystal will throw in the use of an ice chest. Crystal will also let you take their vehicles across the border to Tikal. A 4-5 passenger 4x4 (Suzuki Vitara) will run between $80-$90USD/day. Check out their websites for specific rates. Crystal knocks off 10% if you pay in U.S. cash or Traveler's checks.

[itzelm]

Bob,

Thanks for the info. I was mainly interested in going over to the zoo, a beach and just driving around to get a good feel for the place. My husband will be diving and I will be babysitting our 16 month old daughter. I thought driving a car would be best. Of course, I would have to call the rental company to see if they have baby car seats.

 

Hum, you said 4 X 4? Does this mean the streets are in bad shape? I was hoping to rent a sedan.

 

Was safety an issue? I am not too concerned because I could pass as a local. I am from a Central American country myself and speak Spanish.

 

Thanks

[Bob7]

Hey Zelm, the zoo is easy, perhaps a 30-40 minute drive out Western Hwy, which is in pretty good shape, recently improved. Second best reataurant on the island near there, called Cheers. I didn't see may sedans for rent, Crystal has Escorts and the rest are Chevy Trackers, Suzuki Vitaras and that sort of thing, same with the other renters, I think b/c the lesser roads are not as good as the main highways. But a Chevy Tracker doesn't seem more expensive than a sedan would be, priced at $73-78. The Escort was $58, but kind of weenie. If you use a credit card offering free CDW insurance then you don't have to pay for that, often $15-20/day extra.

If you decide to rent you need a good street map to get our of town, I can look up a link for a good one I've got here somewhere, let me know, and I can give you the route to the Western Hwy.

 

About security, Lan Sulder of the huge Belize First web site has a long chronicle of events on every topic, and says there have been 2 cases of tourists being robbed on the road in the last few years, apparently by bandits from Guatamala over the border, so that seems safer than where most of us live now :-)) And he discusses security in Belize City, along the line of don't get yourself in stupid situations, just like anywhere, some punks here and there, particularly in the poorer sections of town. Hey with yer Central American heritage, sounds like if you put on a cool Columbian guerilla outfit they'd leave you totally alone. Jeez, do ya mind if we drive along behind you? I'll dress like Rambo. Hell, let's get Hummers! Arrrrriva!

-Bob