Getting and going Placencia
Punta Gorda >> Placencia
From Punta Gorda, the bus station is out of the customs office and one block to your right, although you can pick it up pretty much anywhere in town. For $4.50usd ($9BZE) you can get to Independence. It takes about two hours.
The bus is run by the James Line and is an old school bus — final destination Belize City. To go all the way to Belize city, it will cost $11usd ($22BZE). This same bus can drop you anywhere along the highway in between, as well (Dangriga, Belmopan, etc.)
Once you are in Independence you have two options: bus or boat.
The boat will cost you $5usd ($10BZE) and it takes about 12 minutes. There will be a pickup truck waiting at the bus terminal in Independence to take you to the Hokey Pokey Water Taxi for free.
You can also catch the bus to Placencia along the street in Independence, Ritchie’s Line (normally a blue and purple school bus).
Placencia >> Cockscomb // Dangriga // Belmopan // Belize City
To get out of Placencia, just go to the main street and catch the bus at either 5:45am, 7am or 12:45pm. To get to Cockscomb Basin from Placencia it will cost $2.50usd ($5BZE) and it takes just under two hours.
This same bus will take you all the way to Belize city and anywhere in between, if your destination is farther north.
To arrive at Cockscomb Basin you tell the driver you’ll be going to Maya Center. Once you arrive at Maya Center there is a 6 mile road to the park visitor center, campgrounds and trail heads.
There are two options here — a $20-25usd taxi or walking with a bit of luck. The walk is long and a bit hilly, challenging with luggage. But you can sometimes get lucky and catch a ride with a car or tour bus heading your direction. For the best odds, you should plan on arriving in the morning when people/groups are arriving rather than afternoon when most people will be leaving the park.
To exit, buses run past Maya Center about every hour. You can hang around the visitor center anytime before 4:30 and try to catch a ride out. The park closes at 4:30 and there are generally employees leaving in a truck at that time — a good bet on hopping in the bed and getting to the bus stop in time for the 5pm bus. The end destinations to choose from are either Belize City to the north or Placencia to the south.
Take me to SLEEPING: PLACENCIA
Take me back to PLACENCIA // Take me back to BELIZE // Take me HOME