Jon and Anne's birding travels
Central America border crossings 2010
Information below regarding specific border crossings is based on our own 2010 experience. Some different experiences for other websites are excerpted in italics where relevant.
Some general observations
Mexico to Belize (Aug 2010)
Belize is a relatively easy border crossing. Start by going to the aduana to cancel your car import permit. You can park in the small lot on the left between the customs and immigration buildings. The aduana window does not open until 8:30 AM. Then you can go over to the immigration building to have your passport stamped for exit before driving on through.
As you approach the Belize side of the border, you’ll be stopped by guys at a small hut on the right to have your vehicle fumigated, which cost B10. You may also be approached by people trying to sell you insurance (required in Belize), but you can buy it from the Insurance Corporation of Belize (large white building a few hundred meters down the road) after leaving the border.
Park in the parking lot in front of immigration/customs and enter the building by walking around on the right side. The front counter is immigration, where your passport will be stamped. After immigration has approved your passport, head to the Customs desk located behind the immigration desk to start the paperwork to import your car. The car importation is simple as well. Make sure you have all your original documents (no photocopies were required when we crossed). Your car will be inspected and fruit, vegetables, and meat likely confiscated, if found. Once everything is filled out and the car has been inspected you will receive a car permit slip. Don't lose this document as it must be canceled when exiting Belize. There is no charge for the permit.
We didn’t see any places to change money on the Belize side of the border. There is a small cambio on the Mexican side (left side of the road) just before you reach the border. You may want to change some pesos here so you have them available for the fumigation charge, insurance, etc. until you can get to an ATM. A lot of places in Belize take US$ but markets, campsites, etc. seemed to expect Belizean.
Belize to Guatemala (Aug 2010)
There is only one border crossing point for cars between Belize and Guatemala, at Benque del Carmen/Melchor de Mencos. Park in the lot as you approach the border and enter the right side of the building. At the first counter you will pay the B37.50 per person exit fee. Then proceed to the counter behind to have your passport stamped for exit. Finally, you need to cross over to the left side of the building, which is where folks from Guatemala enter, to cancel the vehicle permit. Go to the Customs desk, which is the one nearest the lot in which you park.
As you approach the Guatemala side you will drive through a fumigation “corridor”. Park on the left immediately after you exit the fumigation area. First, go to the window at the building that was on your right just after you drove through fumigation to pay Q40 for the fumigation. Then proceed to immigration on the right side of the counter in the open area across the road (next to where you parked). Your passport will be stamped and you will pay Q20 per person. You will need to make a copy of the stamped page of your passport for the car import process. You can get a copy at one of the tiendas located beyond the immigration station on the left side of the road. Go to the aduana on the left side of the counter for the vehicle import permit. You will need the original and a copy of your title, passport, and drivers license The aduana will inspect your car, then give you a receipt to take to the Banrural window on the right side of the immigration/customs station. After paying Q40, return to the aduana with proof of payment to receive your vehicle import sticker for the windshield. They will also stamp your passport to indicate that you have imported a vehicle.
You can change either Mexican pesos pr Belize dollars on either side of the border. When we crossed, they were giving Q3.5:B1 on the Belize side and Q3.6:B1 on the Guatemalan side. You will need at least enough Q for the border process, then will be able to find an ATM in Santa Elena (there are several options in the mall on the left as you enter town).
Guatemala to El Salvador (Sept 2010)
We had an easy crossing at Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado (on CA 2). Stop at the Guatemalan immigration/customs building on your left (in the middle of the entry/exit sides of the road). You’ll need to visit the aduana window on the other side of the building (the Guatemalan entry side) to get your vehicle import permit cancelled. We actually left ours open because we wanted to re-enter Guatemala to cross into Honduras from there, rather than at the notoriously bad El Amatillo crossing between El Salvador and Honduras. You will have to visit the aduana even for this, because you need to get your vehicle import permit stamped to indicate your temporary exit. We didn’t know this and were sent back by the El Savaldor aduana agent to get the proper stamp. The Guatemalan aduana needed two copies of our Guatemalan vehicle import permit, vehicle registration or title, passport, and driver’s license to complete the process. I assume the same documents are required here to cancel the permit. There were lots of agents for the truck drivers at the window when we were there. You need to push your way in (within reason) to get your paperwork to the aduana and tell them what you need, or else more agents will keep pushing in front of you and you could be standing there forever. Once the aduana took our paperwork, they completed the process very quickly. There is an immigration window at the far end of the exit side of the building where they’ll check your passport for departure. They asked us if we needed a stamp to indicate we’d cancelled our vehicle import permit, so that may be who gives you the stamp. In any case, be sure to have someone stamp your passport to indicate it’s been cancelled if you’re leaving for good. We weren’t charged anything by the Guatemalans to exit.
Entering El Salvador was also straightforward. A Guatemala official will check your Guatemalan vehicle import permit before you cross the bridge, and an El Salvadoran official will chat with you when you get to the other side. You drive to the right side of the entry/exit building, again in the road median, and park. The immigration window is right there in front of the first parking spaces, where they will check your passport; we were charged $6 each to enter. The aduana office is off the throughway in the middle of the building. They were helpful enough but very slow in processing our paperwork. To be fair, this was made worse by our having to go back to the Guatemalan side, because when we returned to El Salvador it was lunch time and shift change. They will need a copy of all the regular documents, including your cancelled Guatemalan vehicle import permit, plus a copy of the page in your passport with the El Salvador immigration entry stamp; the vehicle import permit does not cost anything. There is a copy window right next to the immigration window that charge 10 cents (US) or one Quetzal per copy. There are also folks right around there who will change your Quetzals to US dollars if you didn’t bring dollars with you.
El Salvador to Guatemala (Sept 2010)
The crossing at Anguiatu (north of Metapan) was easy. You will drive through the El Salvador entry/exit area, with buildings on either side and a roof overhead. The aduana is one of the first windows on your right, where you can get your vehicle permit cancelled. Apparently, you don’t need to visit the immigration window and can drive on to the agent at the bridge. Immediately on the other side of the bridge is the Guatemalan immigration/aduana on your right. The immigration window is right of the doors, on the outside of the building. The aduana is inside, on the left. Even though we had an open vehicle import permit, we needed to provide a copy of the permit, vehicle rego, passport, and license to have it re-activated. But this was very quick, and they didn’t even inspect the vehicle. The whole process of exiting El Salvador and entering Guatemala only took 40 minutes and didn’t cost anything.
Guatemala to Honduras (Sept 2010)
The crossing at El Florida was also very easy and only took us 40 minutes. As you approach the border, you will see a multi-storey building on your right with a shop in the bottom floor. Park in the lot on the right just beyond this. On the other side of the road is a building with multiple windows where you complete the immigration process. Go to window 4 first to exit Guatemala ($3 each - this was a surprise to us, given we weren’t charged anything to exit at Pedro de Alvarado); then proceed to window 2 to get checked into Honduras (US$2 each). You can then go to the Guatemalan aduana building, which is set back a bit form the road, to the left of the immigration building, to cancel your vehicle import permit. You will need to provide a copy of all the relevant paperwork. You will not receive any sort of receipt, but the stamp in your passport will be cancelled. Then you can retrieve your vehicle and drive a little further up the road to the Honduran aduana on the left side. Getting our vehicle import permit was very simple and they didn’t require proof of cancellation of our Guatemalan permit, just one copy of passport, license, title, and registration. It cost US$35 to get the Honduran vehicle import permit.
Honduras to El Salvador/ES to Honduras (based on 99 Days to Panama and a 2006 online account)
The only unpleasant crossing of the fourteen we made was between HONDURAS and EL SALVADOR at El Amatillo. This is a notoriously bad crossing and we were glad we had bypassed it going south. It took four hours. The official charges for immigration, aduana and cuarentena were $11.00.
El Salvador into Honduras was the worst border crossing ever! The chaotic mess was unbelievable. We are a little stubborn (and don’t want to spend more money) to hire a guide, especially not for what we can do ourselves. El Amatillo would be the only exception, though, if we were to do it again. We walked into the customs building to deal with the car first. Then we went to some kind of window across the street, where a receipt for $30 got typed out. For this we had to pay $10! We were supposed to pay the $30 in the bank, in Lempira’s, so we found a money changer to buy Lempira’s with our dollars. In the bank we dealt with paying this receipt for the car paperwork. Now we had to wait for the inspection guy. I waited for more than 30 minutes...the inspector showed up and put a stamp on the car form. I went to another building, for another stamp. They needed Mark’s passport, so I walked back to get him. We then went back to the other building. The stamp the first official had put in Mark’s passport was all wet and unreadable, so this guy didn’t know what to do. Getting a new stamp was impossible, since that page number of the passport was mentioned on the car papers, and we didn’t want to start all over again. He signed it anyway. Last stop, was the copy machine in another “office”. We needed two copies of all our documents, to be left in Honduras. To really get on our way, though, we had to pass another four check-points, to show documents, hand in copies and answer questions. The points were manned by either border police, military, police, tourist police. On our third stop, the officer claimed we needed to have reflectors (a white/red strip) on our camper. We sensed he wanted money and were not going to give in. We discussed with him for a while, pointing out other cars without reflectors, showing him our lights worked and were also reflective, saying we didn’t see a store selling those strips yet, since we just got into the country. The man had taken Mark’s license, so we were powerless. I didn’t give in and he took me to his car, where a huge gun and another guy were waiting. Nothing more really got said, the man sat down in the car, holding the license. All of a sudden, he got out again, handed me the license, didn’t say a word anymore, and we drove off. In our side mirrors, we saw the police officers clean up the cones and get ready to leave. It was 12 pm. Saved by the lunch hour!
Sept 2010 Note: We met a group travelling south at the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border and they indicated they also had a terrible time at El Amatillo. They were a party of two adults, their two daughters (about 12 and 15 years old), and two dogs. It doesn’t seem like their situation could have been too complicated, but they said it took them almost 24 hours to get through everything and there was no obvious reason for it! Maybe it’s just a case of getting the wrong person(s) at the wrong time, and sometimes it is as smooth as in other countries.
Honduras to Nicaragua (Sept 2010)
The crossing at Las Manos was pretty straightforward, but it took a bit longer than some of the previous ones. As you approach the border, you’ll see a building on the left with multiple walk-up windows (about 100 meters past the Puma station on the right). You can get your Honduran vehicle import permit cancelled at the aduana, which occupies the windows on the left side. They will take your permit and cancel the stamp in your passport. There is an immigration office at the right end of the window, but we were told to go ahead and proceed to the Nicaraguan side.
As we approached the Nicaraguan side, we were told to park and check in at a small white building on the left, just as the road widens to the left. They looked at our passports, gave us the entry forms, and asked about the vehicle. From there, we were shown the aduana office, which is further up on the left (where the ornamental plants and awning start). The permit didn’t cost anything and was produced fairly quickly, with no vehicle inspection. Then we proceeded to the immigration windows at the farthest end of the building. The left window is for Honduras, so you need to go to it first. They will need you passport and US$3 each. The Nicaraguan side will need your passport, US$12 each, and your completed tourist form. Finally, you’ll need to buy insurance, which is mandatory. We bought it for US$12 from an agent back near where we originally parked and were given our tourist forms.
Honduras to Nicaragua (based on 2006 online account)
We checked into Nicaragua at Guasaule for $7 each and the car got in for free. We had to run back and forward between buildings, offices, copy machine and bank for more than an hour. The car got one month and we had whatever was left on our CA4 visa. We decided to buy car insurance for the month, not knowing what this meant, as always, but refused to pay the municipality fee. The road into the country was very poor, literally and figuratively. We had to drive through craters in the road and poor kids hoped to get food, water or money for filling some of the potholes. After one hour or so, the road luckily improved!
Nicaragua to Costa Rica (Sept 2010)
The Penas Blancas crossing went well, considering we had read some negative descriptions of it. There are some extra steps, but it’s relatively straightforward. We were stopped as we first approached the border to pay a municipal exit fee (US$1 per person) at a small building on the right - make sure you get a receipt. Proceed to the large complex of buildings on your left and drive around the far side to the parking lot and bus unloading area. Your vehicle permit can be cancelled at the Aduana window in the large building. Then proceed to the exit window at Customs, which is on the far side of the small building in the middle of the parking lot to pay your exit fee (US$2 per person).
As you approach the Costa Rica border you need to stop at the small building on the left, where the road forks to pay the fumigation fee (US$5). Carry on down the small hill to the right to be fumigated. Proceed to the immigration building on your left - you can park right in front of the entrance. First you should enter the building and go to an immigration entry window in the room on the left at the far side of the building. After they stamp your passport (there is no entry fee), you can purchase the mandatory insurance at the counter in the room just right of the copy services area (this was the first door on your left as you entered the building). The insurance costs about US$15. Then get a copy of the insurance document and the page in your passport with the entry stamp.
Next, go to the Aduana window at the building across the road from immigration. Here they will collect all copies of the relevant paperwork, review originals, and have you fill out a vehicle import form. The agent will give you a stapled stack of all these papers which you need to take to another Aduana window to get the actual permit. Drive on down the road and take the fork to the right. There should be a small blue Aduana sign at the fork and lots of trucks parked in the area. Carry on until you reach the large building on your left. Park at the far end and go to the windows under the overhanging roof at the end of the building. Here they will take the documents and issue your permit, which you will need to show to the agent at the kiosk further down the road before you officially enter the country.
Costa Rica to Panama (Dec 2010)
We crossed at Paso Canoas on the Pacific side with no real difficulties, but entering Panama was a little more complicated than previous crossings. Leaving Costa Rica is very easy and costs nothing. Watch for the rather small Costa Rica migracion/aduana building on your left as you approach the busy part of Paso Canoas. If you reach the busy market area and cross street with the multi-storey building further ahead, you’ve gone too far. You need to fill out an exit form before you get to the migracion salida window. The aduana window is in the same area, to your left if you are facing the migracion windows.
To enter Panama, pull forward to the right side of the large building just past the market are. The migracion windows are at the far half of the structure, behind the central round bit. Someone should approach you in line with a sticker for your passport (US$1 each). There was no form to fill in and no additional cost at the window. The aduana window is back in the near section of the building (behind you, if you’re at imigracion). First, you will need to buy the mandatory insurance (apparently a new thing, as we hadn’t read about this elsewhere). You can do so at a window directly across the street from where the aduana window is (the first “shop” on the left side of the narrow walkway with shops on each side). It cost US$15 for one month. At the aduana, you’ll need all the regular copies (including one of the insurance); there is no charge. After the aduana issues the permit, take it into the base of the round park of the building between aduana and migracion. Someone should be there to stamp the back of the permit. Then go to the window on the street-side at the far end of the building (past migracion) to pay for the fumigation; it cost us US$3. Finally, find an aduana agent to inspect your vehicle and fill in the stamp on the back of your permit. This is very important, as there is a control station several kms down the road where they will check your permit, inlcuding the stamp.
Costa Rica to Panama (based on 99 Days to Panama)
Crossing at Sixaola on the Caribbean side didn’t cost anything and went smooth. The bridge across the Sixaola River was built for banana trains fifty years ago. To cross over you must drive up onto an embankment with your wheels straddling the tracks. As you cross the bridge you can look down and see the brown water of the river through the ties. There was no one regulating the flow of traffic so it is a matter of luck as to who crosses first and in which direction. It might get the adrenalin rushing, but 3 loaded eighteen-wheelers crossed safely behind us. We got fumigated in Panama for $1. Mark had to pay $5 for his tourist card, as an American, but I, as a Belgian, got in for free! The immigration woman spoke English. The car got one month one and we three months to visit the country.
Image copyright notice
All images on this website are subject to copyright (© Jon King, unless otherwise stated). If you wish to use them, whether commercially or non-commercially, please inform Jon by email.
Images appearing on calyptura.com can be used free of charge by individuals and non-profit organisations for strictly non-commercial use. They can be linked or copied to other websites, or downloaded to personal computers. The only exception to this policy concerns non-commercial use of images by any individual or organisation promoting trade in captive birds, or any other activity deemed detrimental to wild birds and their habitats. This use is not permitted.
All other commercial use of images is unauthorized. If you would like to use images for any commercial purpose (i.e. publication in books, magazines, commercial websites, advertisements etc.), or if you are seeking higher resolution scans, slide duplicates or prints, please contact Jon by email.
Jon and Anne's birding travels