« BELIZE • Discover Belize • San Ignacio

Discover Magical San Ignacio

San Ignacio is a charming town located in the heart of Belize's often visited green and hilly, western Cayo District--home of Mayan sites and caves amid a lush interior of mountains, rivers, pine forests, waterfalls and citrus plants. One of Belize's crown jewels of tourism, San Ignacio is popular with locals and tourists alike for its hip, laid back village feel, its picturesque landscape, a Latin vibe, cheap and authentic eateries and a wide variety of accommodation options.

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» Actun Tunichil Muknal

The Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Stone Sepulchre) is the most well known cave in Cayo and the most popular tour just outside of San Ignacio: the entire experience is an Indiana Jones type of adventure, where you'll wonder if you will make it in and back out. Reaching the best parts of the once sacrificial cave requires hiking through a rainforest for an hour and a half, crossing three rivers on foot, swimming through parts of the cave and even going up a narrow ladder to reach the deeper, darker chambers …

» Altun Ha

Altun Ha is the site of the ruins of an ancient Mayan city, and covers about 5mi (8km) squared. The central area of the site has over 500 historic structures to visit, mostly built during Maya Classic era (200-900 AD). Take a step into history at this extraordinary site, and examine the way the 10,000 inhabitants lived in the area. The site is divided into two main clusters, Plaza A and Plaza B, each with its own special attractions. Plaza A features the mysterious Temple of the Green Tomb …

» Barton Creek Cave

A unique site among all the Mayan caves in Belize is Barton Creek, a tall river cave that was once used for sacrificial purposes and can be explored only by canoe. The striking features of this site and the adrenaline of touring it are the low stalactite, so low you will have to occasionally bend back into the canoe to avoid getting struck. Over seven miles long, the ride to the very end is well worth it, if seldom done by tour guides, with sightings early on of Mayan ceramics high up on ledges, including human bones and a child's skull …

» Big Rock Falls (Rio on Pools)

Big Rock Falls is a large waterfall located in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve that attracts a number of visitors who enjoy swimming and cliff jumping. Part of the Vaca Plateau, the falls can be reached via a short, but somewhat difficult, 15-minute hike. The trek is pretty much straight down and includes a fairly steep section with a not so sturdy railing and a rope to hold on to and aid in the climb down. Once at the water level, you must walk over slippery, uneven slabs of granite rock. The deep emerald pools are perfect for swimming or cliff jumping …

» Blue Hole National Park

Belize's Blue Hole National Park (officially St Herman's Blue Hole National Park) sits near the capital city of Belmopan and is home to two cave systems (Crystal and St. Herman's), along with nature trails and the jungle pool that gives rise to the park's official name. The caves are the main attractions in the park, with the cave and hole connected by an underground stream. The Blue Hole pool was formed by an underground limestone cave that collapsed, creating the sapphire blue pool at the bottom of the cenote. Visitors also typically visit Crystal Cave …

» Caracol

Caracol is the single largest archeological site in Belize, and one of the biggest Mayan structures in the world. Discovered in 1938 by loggers, the Classic Period complex covers over 30mi (48km) squared of land, including over 35,000 structures, five plazas, and some of the most beautiful jungle in Central America. Occupied as early as 1200 BC, dozens of hieroglyphic texts have been discovered in the ancient city, carved into altars, walls, facades, capstones, and ball-court-markers …

» Crystal Cave (Mountain Cow Cave)

Crystal Cave, also known as Mountain Cow Cave, is located within the Blue Hole National Park near Belmopan, Belize's capital city. To get to Crystal Cave, you may have to start with a moderately challenging, 50-minute hike through lush rain forest and steep terrain. Depending on your entrance point, you then descend by rope for 15 feet to drop into the mouth of the cave. Ancient Mayans believed this to be the domain of their gods, earning it the name of Xibalba. Mayans said this is the portal between the tangible human world and the invisible world of the gods …

» Green Iguana Conservation Project

There are few animals more iconic to the Caribbean than the lazy green iguana. Equal parts fearsome, fascinating, and cute, the iguana is a camouflaged symbol for wilderness, wildlife, and beauty. Unfortunately, development, hunting, and loss of habitat have caused the number of green iguanas to slowly and steadily decline. In an effort to raise the public's awareness about the reptile's importance, the Green Iguana Conservation Project was started at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel back in 1996 …

» Lamanai

Meaning "submerged crocodile" in Yucatan Mayan, Lamanai is perhaps the most fascinating of all of Mayan sites in Belize if only because it is not yet completely uncovered. See history in the making as you visiting the excavation site, and prepare yourself for amazement when you realize that the hill you're looking at is actually a temple, still buried underground. The temples you do get see, however, are equally incredible. Rising all the way from the jungle floor to above the canopy, …

» Macal River

Running through the beautiful Chiquibul Rainforest, the Macal River is one of the most diverse ecological areas in Belize. Being home to more than a dozen endangered species included the jaguar, the tapir, the scarlet macaw, and the black howler monkey, the Macal River Valley is heaven to any nature lover. Some sites along the river worth visiting include Cahal Pech, an ancient Mayan city, the Belize Botanic Gardens, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, and the city of San Ignacio …

» Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Established as a reserve in 1944, the over 100,000-acre Mountain Pine Ridge is easily the most breathtaking scenery in all of the Cayo District, if not Belize. The Chiquibul Road will lead you through pine forests, waterfalls, cascading water pools over granite boulders and the Maya Mountains in the distance - it's a sight to be seen. Touring the area can be done from San Ignacio by car, as there is no public transportation out this way …

» Tikal Ruins

Located in El Peten, Tikal is the crown jewel of Mayan ruins in Guatemala. Though it has many of the same beautiful temples as its well-known counterparts in Mexico, Tikal stands apart because of its location deep in the jungle. Trekking like Indiana Jones is not necessary, but the jungle setting is evident as you walk under a thick canopy to explore the plazas, pyramids, and temples of Tikal. Settled around 700 BC, Tikal flourished during the Classic Period, between 200 and 900 AD …

» Xunantunich

Overlooking the beautiful Mopan River from a stunning hilltop, the ruins at Xunantunich are some of the most visited Mayan sites in the world. Located in the Cayo region, Xunantunich, which means "stone woman" in Mayan, dates back to the Classic Era, about 200-900 AD. The complex is made up of 6 groups and about 25 different temples and palaces, and is dominated by the astonishing El Castillo, which stands 40m (130ft) tall …

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