How to get arround in Yucatan & Belize???

[Kiterobert]

Anybody out there who can tell me if it is possible to buy a car in mexico as a foreigner (europe, austria), drive it legally and insure it???
What about passing the boarder to Belize with that car than??? maybe also to Guatemala...
I 'm planning to leave to somewhere where it's windy and warm in 2 weeks for 3 month training and still haven't been able to made up my mind... My spanish is also not very well...
Is there a better way to get arround between different spots (from holbox or isla blanca down to caye caulker or maybe further) My problem also is i didn't made any reservation and don't wanna make any reservation for a room. I think it's quit hard to walk arround with my 7 kite and 3 board quiver to find a room
Any informatiion would be great!!!
Robert

[mede]

hi,

insurance in mexico: required, thus possible , not cheap, probably cheapest is bajabound.com

belize: forget this country all together, it's just not worth it, mexico is soooooooo much better in all aspects.

guatemala down to costa rica: forget about insurance, nobody will cover you, better be prudent (it's an absolutely great trip, though

costa rica: very cheap required insurance (was something around 15 usd for 3 month back in 2004 , you get it at the border

to cross the border at honduras/nicaragua & nicaragua/costa rica: get a local kid, pay him 5 or 10 bucks AFTER he brought you over the border. its really worth it, you save time, effort & money

regards

mede

[Kiterobert]

Thanks for ur fast reply!
Is it also possible to register a bought car on my name than? Is Cancun a good place to buy a car?
What do u mean with get a local kid??? How can they help to get above the boarder (I'm just 24 and european so nobody will think that i'm the father... Isn't the risk higher that they think i'm trying to do something wrong with that kid bringing it outa the country???)
Just found kitespots for belize and mexico... is there a site or a link to a topic with kitespots further south???
Robert

[mede]

hi robert

i dont know about buying a car in mexico, we shipped ours to costa rica from europe (hamburg), and then drove it up to canada.
try and pm some mexican locals on the forum, e.g., andres_santacruz , he can probably answer the question.

what i mean with "get a local kid" : there are many of them waiting at the border to help you with the burocratic procedures.
so no need to pose as their father , they are just know all the officers, and know in what order to go from one post to the next, what paper to get first etc.
the point i was making is that a lot of foreigners think they are just begging and refuse to hire them, but that's not true, they really can help you (e.g., some other tourists needed almost a full day at the border to nicaragua to get accross, while it took us not even 2 hours with the help of one kid.


regards

mede

[CozumelTom]

Robert,

Some of the info you are getting is great, but you might want to talk to a local. Suggest you get a hold of Adrian at http://www.cozumelkiteboarding.com if you are coming to the Yucatan. Another guy you might want to contact is Dan Withington. Dan ownes a car and scooter rental on Cozumel. try him at: dan@cozumelhomes.com. The best option may be for you to buy a car and put it in Dan's (or another local's) name and have him insure it for you. You drive it until you are done and then Dan may buy it from you when you leave (paperwork already in his name, no problems). He has a rental fleet of VW beetles he has turned into Dune Buggies and really cool Baja Buggies. Big tires, turbo charges, intercooler...they rock. This is just an idea and I am not sure if Dan would go for it, but worth a try. You may also get a good deal on a long term rental if you pay cash. I have been going to the Yucatan for 20 years. If you want consistent riding in all wind directions, check out Cozumel.
Tom
http://www.cozumeltom.com

[samflis]

I live in cancun 20 minutes to isla blanca, contact ikaruskiteboarding.com the main kite shop in quintana roo state , we all know each other here, the owners live at puerto morelos maybe you can rent a room there while you look for a car, and many kiters will give rydes to kites spots until you get a car, also you can try in belize to buy one , its four hour bus ride to the boarder dont bring your kites there, look for a car buy it and then come back to mexico, also you can live in playa del carmen, maybe from the airport you can go to the store and they can keep your stuff for some hours or a day until you get settled down.
the wind is not so strong her only in north winds we got 29 knots last week but this week its around 13 to 15 and not all day long and hurry up the warmer it gets the less wind we get, forget quintanarroo state after may until october, maybe yucatan state in summer with termal winds in the after noon
hope you get any thing from this see you here
samflis

[Kiterobert]

Hi! thx for ur help!

Heard it' s very expensive to buy insurance for a car in mexico! So i guess i'll leave some kitestuff at home and travel with public transport...

I already booked my flight! I'll arrive on the 1st of march in the afternoon from Amsterdam! Really looking forward to go kiting in Spots like cancun, isla Blanca, Cozumel, holbox, etc...

I'll have to find cheap places to stay which r not far from the kitespots... I would also rather give the money to a poor family than to a huge company! Do u guys think it's possible to find a family which is willing to rent a room for me? ( Some friends told me there 's a lot of really poor people in mexico. I don't have much money at all but i thought i might can help a little too...)

After staying for a month for surfing i might find somebody who can store my surf equipment while i would like to travel down through Belize and Guatemala with my Backback only...

I think i'll take one board (Brunotti custom made 130x40cm) and 4 or 5 Best Yarga and Yarga pro with me (7m the smallest and 17m the biggest) Do u think thats allright for mexico in march? i 've 65 kg.

So everybody who sees an young AUSTRIAN KITER on a BRUNOTTI BOARD and BEST YARGA kites ---- I 'm all by myself and would like to get to know u guys...

Robert


(by the way: do i need a short wetsuit? is my neoprene shirt enough?)