Norm
Major towns have hotels with secure parking. Another reason I end
my driving in the afternoon; to make sure I can find a place before
dark. Prices have increased since my 2001 trip, or maybe it's
because my wife was with me and is a bit more discriminating than
me. Gas stations are often a good source of info. Tell them what you
will settle for and your price range. I've had good leads this way.
Be advised that a Motel down here is usually a 'love nest' and
you'll pay for a short block of time, say, 4 or 6 hours. Most of the
places we stayed were in the thirty to forty dollar a night range.
We only stayed in places with secure parking.
You should be able to make it through Guatemala in a day. No
insurance requirement. Our last trip took us a couple days due to a
major bridge being washed out from the hurricane and a long detour
into the highlands. If for some reason you get a late start, get a
place for the night then an early start to get through Guatemala
City as early as possible.
I recomment not getting in a rush. Too many drivers seem like
they're real late for an appointment, you'll need all your wits to
keep out of harms way.
The roads from the Honduras/Guatemala border to La Entrada, Copan
are in poor shape, lots of pot holes and drivers all over the road
dodging them. Drive careful. Enjoy your trip.
--- In travel-to-honduras.....com, Brillante7774
wrote:
>
> WOW!!! what great instructions.. I thought 2 days to get thru
Mexico but, of course, I had no idea. Did you stay in regular
hotels/motels at night? Any problem with stuff in your car, etc.
How many days thru Guatamala?
>
> szscott wrote: --- In travel-to-
honduras.....com, Brillante7774
> wrote:
> >
> > If anyone has driven.. or someone is going to drive from the
U.S. to
> La Ceiba, I am VERY interested in the details. How long it took
from
> the northern border of Mexico to the exit point. route taken,
stops
> along the way. Also, any problems with the corrupt police in
Mexico.
> Any problems with bandits? After leaving Mexico, what route taken,
fees
> paid all along the way. I am only interested in precise
information
> from individual(s) who have made or will be making the trip. Norm
> >
> > -----------
> Norm
> I have driven to Honduras twice. Once from El Paso in 2001
using the
> central route and last October driving the west coast as far as
> Acapulca, then cut north and utilized the freeways from Cuernavaca
to
> Tapachula.
> The first trip I had a van loaded with household goods, a
generator,
> solar panel, etc. I paid a couple hundred dollars at the Mexican
border
> and a couple hundred to get through Guatemala. This was due to my
> having a lot of 'stuff'. The trip went well enough, no problems
other
> than trying to get through Guatemala City. Solved that by flagging
down
> a cab and having him lead me through. $2 well spent. I avoided
Mexico
> city by driving just south through a national park and wound up at
> Cuernavaca. I took this drive by myself and never felt any threat
to my
> safety. I stayed on the main roads and didn't drive at night. I
usually
> started before dawn and drove till about 4pm, fueled up, got a
room and
> a decent meal before dark.
> The last trip I made with my wife. We started in Yuma, crossed
the
> border south of town and followed the border east until it
intersected
> with the road south to Guaymas. I believe the fee was 30-35
dollars
> payable at a Mexican bank. The guys doing the paperwork were
helpful
> and polite. I speak Spanish but they eventually broke into English
> which was excellent. Get Mexican car insurance before you cross
the
> border. We were stopped a couple times in the north; no problem.
Paper
> check, peek in the trunk. Stayed on the main road, some were toll
some
> weren't. Toll roads were good, the non toll roads had speed bumps
> entering every town. Tired of the coast highway by Acapulco so
took the
> toll road to Cuernavaca then Puebla and eventually Tuxtla,
Chiapas. You
> probably won't be told this but the place to turn in your
paperwork is
> a few miles BEFORE you get to Tapachula. Get there between 9-4.
Have
> photocopies of everything.
> Fees weren't much going into Guatemala, maybe $20-$30. I had a
full
> trunk and the back seat was loaded but nothing like the trip in
the
> full van.
> This time I made it through Guatemala City on my own, sort of.
I got
> good instructions at a gas station and later got confirmation from
a
> cab driver. You'll climb some hills into the city. Eventually
there
> will be a McDonalds on the left and a few minutes later another
> McDonalds on the right. Just after the latter McD's take the exit
to
> the right. This road passes over the road you were on. You want to
go
> left on this road. We went to the right then found a place to turn
> around. Maybe there is a way to turn left but I missed it. Now
stay on
> that road. You'll have your doubts but stay on that road.
Eventually,
> (maybe 15 min.)you'll come to a city park and be able to see that
a
> couple blocks further the street ends. Go left maybe ten blocks
and
> you'll intersect a major 4 lane street. Go right and this will
lead you
> out of the city to Honduras.
> Entering Honduras is no problem unless you are importing a car.
> Local professionals know the ropes but I don't. They'll tax you
plenty,
> make you wait most of the day and ask for a 'fee' on top of it. If
the
> car in entering as temporary, then you'll pay maybe $20 and be
through
> in an hour or two.
> We took our time on this trip, our 15th anniversary and the
roads
> were out in southern Mexico due to the hurricane. We were in
Chiapas
> when we got word that the road was passable to Guatemala so then
made a
> dash for the border. We probably only drove 8 hours per day and
our
> route was not as direct as say, the central route. From Yuma to
Santa
> Rosa, Copan took us, I believe, 9 days. I think 6-7 days would be
about
> right, normally.
> I found the police to be very polite in Mexico. Don't find
yourself
> in a situation that gives them the opportunity to be otherwise.
> Buy a good map from a gas station in Mexico as soon you can.
> Hope this helps.
> Steve
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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