Crossing the international border from Guatemala to Belize is a breeze so long as you don’t miss a few key steps. This is how I immigrated successfully.
Several important ruins of the ancient Maya civilization are cloaked in the dense jungle of Guatemala’s Petén Basin and Belize’s western Cayo District. In order to see them all, you must cross the international border at least once. Here’s how I immigrated on foot back into Belize after exploring Tikal National Park in Guatemala:
1. Cross the Mopan River walking east toward Belize
If you decided to pay for a cab ride from Tikal, the lakeside city of Flores, or somewhere between, this step will be done for you; the cabbie will drive across the Mopan River and drop you at the Guatemalan immigration offices. I arrived via public bus, so I had a short walk east from the bus terminal at the border city of Melchor de Mencos.
The bus driver was kind enough to walk me to the bridge, but it’s not difficult to find your bearings once you arrive at the terminal. Walk through the fence and take a left; Western Highway, which is the main artery through Melchor de Mencos, is easily visible. After you reach the road, go right down the sidewalk and cross the bridge that spans the Mopan River.
2. Get your passport stamped by Guatemalan immigration
Once you finish crossing the bridge, start looking to your right; the office for Guatemalan immigration (Spanish: inmigración) will be along the brief row of buildings as you approach the border. Walk through the door, immediately head to your left, and hand your passport to an immigration official at the departure window.
The process to formally exit Guatemala only took me seconds. To describe the tone and tenor of the border office, one of the two immigration officials at the counter was taking a nap. After your passport is stamped and returned, proceed out the exit doors at the opposite side of the office. You are about to enter no man’s land.
3. Walk across the border to Belizean immigration
Once you walk out of the exit door at the Guatemalan immigration office, follow the covered walkway straight and then left. You will see vehicle checkpoints to your right. Walk by them and continue past the automobile disinfectant stations. This is the area between the Guatemalan and Belizean borders, a veritable no man’s land.
After passing the disinfectant stations, look for another covered walkway (shown in the left of the above photo) marked in the British vernacular “All passengers must alight and enter.” This leads to the arrival lane for Belizean immigration.
4. Fill out Belize’s immigration/customs form
Walk through the door of the arrival lane, and the first of two windows containing border control officials will be a short distance away along the left wall. Here you will be required to complete an immigration/customs form, which is the first step for anyone entering the country. The form asks basic questions (i.e., name, address, passport number, countries visited in the past 30 days, and intended address in Belize) and shouldn’t take long for you to fill out.
5. Get your passport stamped by Belizean immigration
After you have completed your immigration/customs form, hand it to the Belizean border agent at the first window. The form will be quickly inspected. Once approved, you will proceed down the lane to the second window near the exit door. Hand the official your passport to have it stamped, retrieve it, and walk out the door into Belize.
6. Exchange your currency to Belizean dollars
Once you have cleared immigration, take a few minutes to exchange your Guatemalan quetzals (GTQ) to Belizean dollars (BZD). Money changers will be huddled under a small stand of trees near the immigration office. If he happens to be working, look for an older gentleman wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap. His name is Raul, and he will give you a fair exchange rate for GTQ and Mexican pesos to BZD. If you already have U.S. dollars (USD), you’re in luck; American currency is accepted throughout Belize at a fixed and favorable 1:2 exchange ratio.
Water rushes through the mammoth chamber of the Rio Frio Cave in Belize’s Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Preserve. The jungle cavern is south of San Ignacio. Click the icon in the lower righthand corner of the player to expand the video.
7. Read my guides for San Ignacio or traveling to the Belize City airport
Whether your next stop is the nearby jungle town of San Ignacio or the more distant Belize City airport, I have tips to help you along your way. Read my travel guide “A Backpacker’s Guide to San Ignacio, Belize” to learn where I toured, ate, and stayed in Belize’s adventure travel hub. Check out my other guide “How to Get to the Belize City Airport from the Guatemalan Border” if you are trying to reach Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport on the coast.
Related Content
– Click to view my high-resolution photo collection featuring images from San Ignacio, Belize.
– Click to read my feature article “Tikal: The Day the King Died” about how Mesoamerica’s most mysterious metropolis altered the course of Maya civilization on one fateful day.
– Click to read my travel guide “How to Take a Self-Guided Tour of Xunantunich” for tips on visiting the ancient Maya ruins near San Ignacio.