What are the best things to do in San Ignacio, this city which is the heart and soul of the Cayo district in the west of Belize?
Founded in the 1800s and today counting about 20,000 inhabitants, San Ignacio is a small town located in the west of Belize, near the border of the Guatemala in the heart of the tropical jungle. In San Ignacio you can visit sumptuous natural sites, Mayan sites and especially enjoy the local rhythm of Belize.
What to do and see in San Ignacio?
Photo credit: Flickr – John Wilson
The region of San Ignacio is located in the heart of the Mayan world, and many preserved remains and temples will be discovered during your trip. Among the best known, Mayan city of Caracol , which was discovered in the 1930s and offers beautiful Mayan pyramids to admire. This is the largest Mayan site in Belize, which is visiting the day.
If you prefer nature activities, San Ignacio is also an excellent destination, as it is known for its impressive caves. ATM cave, or Actun Tunichil Muknal , is only accessible after a walk in the middle of the jungle about 1 hour. We then access a cave where it is possible to swim and climb the walls to discover cavities filled with stalactites. The Barton Creek Cave is also a tourist site that impresses travellers with its huge stalactites and stalagmites. Note that you need to be a minimum athletic to discover these sites!
Photo credit: Flickr – Bernard DUPONT
In the entire region of San Ignacio, it is also possible to admire the local fauna with organized excursions: indeed, it is possible to observe iguanas, toucans and other coatis in the surrounding forets of San Ignacio! Close to the centre, the botanical garden is also a pleasant walk with family to walk without hiking!
How to get to San Ignacio?
San Ignacio is a small town in the jungle and a little isolated. However, to reach San Ignacio, several routes are available to you: if you arrive directly from the Belize City airport, shuttles to the Guatemalan border will easily stop you in San Ignacio, and it will take about 2h30 to go. If you arrive from Guatemala, especially from Tikal to the North, have 3 good hours (including the border crossing) to reach San Ignacio. There are daily departures from these two destinations.
Where to sleep in San Ignacio?
The hotel offer is not yet very developed in the region, but you will find some 20 hotels in San Ignacio and around. You can compare prices for hotels in San Ignacio on this Compare hotels .
As far as standing is concerned, it is possible to book guesthouses less than 20 euros per night as beautiful lodges located in the jungle, if you prefer a slightly higher standing. We find cheap hostels like hotels over 100 euros per night. In all cases, San Ignacio presents one of the highlights of a trip to Belize, not to be missed under any pretext!
Main photo credit: Flickr – Liam Kearney
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