Day 395 - Crossing Borders: Journeying from Mexico to Belize

Suhashini L

Jan 31, 20242 min read

Updated: Mar 4, 2024

Day 395 (31 Jan 2024) - Bacalar, Mexico to Belize City, Belize. Belize is my 33rd country of destination on this solo bike world tour.

DAY 395 (31 JAN 2024) – After spending 36 days in Mexico, it was time for me to head to my 33rd country of visit, Belize. In the morning I left Bacalar, Mexico for a 4 hour (194.9 km) ride to Belize City, Belize. The Belize-Mexican border was just 31 kilometres from Bacalar.

The customs and immigration checking on the Mexican side of the border was an easy process.

The officers were very friendly. They checked my motorbike chassis number and went through the relevant documentations. They also refunded USD 400 (RM 1878) from the total of USD 450 (RM 2112), which I had paid for the “Temporary Import Permit” (TIP) certificate during my entry into Mexico last month.

The no man’s land between Mexico and Belize is about 2 kilometres long and it is mandatory to travel by vehicle – no walking allowed.

At the Belize side of the border, I paid B$ 6 (RM 14) to get a “Temporary Import Permit” (TIP) for my motorbike. The TIP form shall be returned to the customs and immigration when I exit the country.

I also paid the “Foreign Vehicles Border Processing Fee” at a cost of B$ 15 (RM 34). Since insurance was mandatory in Belize, I purchased one for a 7-day coverage at a cost of B$ 29 (RM 68). About 2 kilometres through my journey in Belize, a policeman stopped me to inspect the insurance sticker on my motorbike.

My BMW Navigator 6 was not displaying the Belize routes since the country map was not programmed in the SD Card. So, I had to go with Plan B – Google Maps, which worked effectively!

I stayed 2 nights at a standard 8-bed mixed dorm ensuite in Belize City, at a price of USD 33 (RM 156) per night. The capital city of Belize is Belmopan. Sugarcane and tourism are among the country's main source of income. 1 B$ = RM 2.34. Belize has a tropical climate and it was really hot during the day at a temperature of 28~30 C.