You don’t really need a vehicle inside the park, but my first choice would still be to rent a 4×4. The drive is gorgeous, the roads are safe and well-paved (until the 6-mile road to the park entrance, that is), and you’d have more flexibility with grocery shopping.

I can’t personally recommend a transfer company; if it were me, I’d just barter with a taxi driver upon arrival at the Belize City airport. You could schedule a return ride at that time or simply ask folks in the park’s visitor center to help you book a ride back out.

Since my trip to Belize, I’ve heard good things about the country’s buses (cheap, relatively timely, don’t require advance reservations). You’d need a bus headed from Belize City to Punta Gorda.

You could 1) get off in Dangriga, do your shopping there, then take a taxi to the park or 2) do your grocery shopping in Belize City, hop the 3.5-hour bus, ask your bus driver to stop at Maya Village, then take a $12.50 US taxi ride the 6 miles in to the park. Inquire of National Transport Services http://bit.ly/5MEs7Q or see this guide to other bus companies in Belize: http://bit.ly/6JVAty

Who could you recommend from the airport to Cockscomb as we are staying in the White House for 5 days inside the park and need to stop at the grocery store. Or since we’re in the park do we need to go ahead and rent a 4 wheel?

Akila, river tubing was one of the great joys of the trip — but I have to say, I didn’t find cave tubing warm at all! (Fun, just not warm — I even wore a light rain jacket ) For me, its perks had more to do with filtered light, ferns, and tiny bats nestled high above my head.