As I was preparing for this trip, it was impossible to find information from transportation companies about getting from Mexico to Belize. I had to search travel blogs. I wanted to add my experience because it can be done. I think bus companies go in and out of business in Mexico and Belize. Also, the taxi companies are constantly fighting the bus companies, so things change.
Because I was in Mexico City, I took a plane on Aviacsa airline from Mexico City to Chetumal, Mexico. Aviacsa went out of business 4 days after my flight, but there are other airlines and nice ADO busses that can get you to Chetumal. Here is a website that lists cheap airlines: http://www.attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines/latinamerica/#map. Chetumal is a very small town with a small airline. When I landed, I asked the taxi stand where I could get a bus to Belize City. I had read on the web: http://www.larpman.com/transportpages/buspages/busouth.html. Make sure you ask for an AIRCONDITIONED or EXPRESS bus and go to the main bus terminal (which I did not do). Otherwise, they will send you to the mercado where there will be a line of chicken busses (old school busses) and one will leave for Belize City every half an hour or so (see picture). The chicken bus cost me $6 us. I understand that if I had gone to the main terminal, there were about 3 air-conditioned, express busses a day that go to Belize City for $8 us. Sigh... The express will take between 2-3 hours. The chicken bus takes 5-6 because they stop at every driveway. Oh well, I got there and it was an adventure.
Once I got to Belize City, I stayed the night. I think if you took the morning express, you could make it further into Belize in one day. In Belize City, I took a plane on Tropic Air for $43 us to Dangriga. There is another airline, Maya Island Air, that is a little more expensive. You can fly out of the International airport (more expensive) or the municipal one. It may save you money to spend more on the flight if you have a connecting flight from the International as taxis to and from the 2 airports are about $25 us.
Once in Dangriga, go to the bus terminal and there is a chicken bus that runs at least twice every day between Hopkins (and other smaller towns) for about $5 us. The Hopkins bus leaves at 10 ish and 5pm ish for the 40 minute trip to Hopkins.
To get to Tobacco Caye, take the morning bus from Hopkins to Dangriga. Walk north to the Riverside Cafe and get a water taxi for about $35 bz (Belize dollars) to Tobacco Caye. They leave every so often depending on how many people are waiting. It's best to go in the morning because more people will be there (hence cheaper for you) and the weather will be much better (hence calmer seas).
Getting back to the US:
I went back by way of Cancun because I got a cheap AirTran flight to Atlanta. You can take express busses from Belize City to Cancun, but Maya Island Air had a brand new flight from Belize City to Cancun for $199 us. I had my fill of chicken busses. Then AirTran from Cancun to Atlanta was about $135. I think, if I'd chosen to take busses, I could have done it through ADO in about 2 days.
Hope this helps!
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