The Official San Ignacio, Cayo Belize Travel Guide: What to Expect

Belize has a lot to offer to travelers, and the Cayo District in Western Belize is ground zero if you want to make the most of your time here. Guatemala is just a stone’s throw away, but you could stay for months without having to cross over the border to find new things to do.

Cayo used to be the beating heart of the Maya civilization in Belize, and that means that there are still plenty of well-preserved ruins to explore. The same qualities that made Cayo such fertile territory for the Mayas also makes it an ideal location to live, work, and play.

Vast and seemingly endless networks of caves create a fascinating and parallel underworld to what happens on the surface, and these once sacred networks of underground have become popular destinations for spelunking and cave tubing. Aboveground, Cayo is bursting at the seams with hiking trails, dense jungles, and refreshing swimming holes. The low population density and an admirable commitment to ecological preservation contribute to one of the most beautiful and diverse stretches of wilderness in the world.

But the Cayo District isn't all wild frontier. San Ignacio is the beating heart of civilization in the Cayo District, and its population reflect the rich melting pot of cultures that call Belize their home.

Locals will often refer to San Ignacio simply as Cayo. San Ignacio is the launching point for most adventures in the Cayo District, but it's worthy of exploration in its own right - home to a rich diversity of food, history, and culture. And it's an inexpensive town for room and board, so you won't have to worry about breaking your budget just for the opportunity to have comfortable and modern accommodations.

No matter how you choose to make the trip to San Ignacio, chances are you'll be coming from Belize City. The old capital's airport is the main path of entry for international travelers, and it's the only way to fly in to Belize from abroad. But once you arrive in Belize City, you'll have a few options available for reaching the Cayo District.

Public bus is the cheapest option for getting to San Ignacio, and it's a prime opportunity for mixing and mingling with the locals, but the buses can get crowded, and the journey is significantly more time intensive than other options. You'll need to take a taxi from the airport to the terminal, but a one-way ticket to San Ignacio will cost you a modest 10 BZD.

The most direct path from Belize City to San Ignacio is by airplane. You can get a Tropic Air flight from the Belize City Airport to Maya Flats for about $150, and the entire flight just takes about 30 minutes. From the airport, you can reach the heart of San Ignacio via car in just ten minutes. It's easily the quickest way to get situated in the Cayo District.

The advantage of getting to San Ignacio by land is that you get a firsthand view of the beautiful scenery of Belize. Shuttle services from the airport provide a level of convenience you simply won't find in the public bus, and they don't have to cost you a fortune. Belizing.com offers a competitive marketplace you can use to connect with the best shuttle and transfer services in the country.

The most difficult thing you have to worry about in San Ignacio is figuring out how to spend your time. The leisure options are practically limitless, and while that means that there are possibilities for any traveler, the sheer depth of opportunities can be a bit overwhelming. Here are some of the best attractions.

The architectural site known as Xunantunich translates to "Sculpture of Lady", and it's one of the most expansive and well preserved Maya ruins in the world. The highlight is El Castillo, the second tallest manmade structure in Belize.

Another popular archaeological site, Cahal Pech was once the home of an elite Mayan family. It's a site rich with history, as archaeological research indicates that it was a human habitat as far back as 1200 BCE.

The channels in Barton Creek Cave may be imposing, but a tour is anything but. This underground network is eerily quiet, and the canoe ride through its waters is a serene and sobering experience.

In counterpoint to the peacefulness of Barton Creek Cave, zip lining is one of the most thrilling experiences you can have in Belize or anywhere. Calicko Jack's hosts numerous zip lining courses in a full-service resort.

Taking a hike through Mountain Pine Ridge is like engaging in a tasting course for Belize's natural splendor. It offers massive granite boulders, powerful waterfalls, and dense stretches of pine forest.

There's no better way to explore the local color of San Ignacio than a sojourn through the town market. It's a hub of activity for San Ignacio residents, and you'll find everything from local produce to handmade arts and crafts. That market is open 7 days per week, but Saturday is the main day.

It's the place to be on Saturday mornings. The opening hours vary, but you can generally find stall open from about 5am to about 5pm....or early morning to late evening. You will want to schedule a few hours to visit the market.

If the idea of canoeing through the underworld of Belize makes you claustrophobic, the Macal River may be more your speed. The peaceful winding river is a great way to discover the plethora of natural Belizean wildlife firsthand.

A hiking or canoeing tour allows you to get up close and personal with the beasts of Belize, but you don't have to leave the town to meet the country's trademark iguanas. San Ignacio Resort Hotel has made it their mission to keep alive the endangered green iguana, and they host a number of different exhibits and educational programs.

Caracol is a window of ancient civilization hidden away deep in the jungles of the Cayo District. An on-site museum allows you to plunge deep into this aging city's historical importance, but just walking through its abandoned streets is a transcendental experience in its own right.

Belize is a great place to get wet and wild, but you don't have to charter a canoe tour or make a trek out to one of the glorious beaches. Rio on Pools is home to a generous variety of natural pools and waterfalls, and many of the natural basins simulate the experience of a jacuzzi. You'll absolutely want to make time for a waterfall massage.

The hike up to Big Rock Falls isn't an arduous one, but it offers access to one of the most stunning waterfalls in a country known for them. Standing at 150 feet in height, Big Rock Falls spills into a swimming hole that's completely safe and incredibly inviting.

Thousand Foot Falls makes Big Rock seem like a triviality. It's widely believed to be the largest waterfall in the entirety of Central America, but its name is actually a misnomer. No, it's not smaller than it seems. Thousand Foot Falls stands roughly 1,600 feet in height.

The Belizean Blue is one of the most beautiful specimens in the world, but it's not the only variety available at the butterfly farms in and around San Ignacio. Butterflies play an important role in the Belizean ecosystem, and a visit to one of the local farms allows you to observe them more en force and more closely than you can in the wild.

The ruins of Maya cities can give you great context for how residents of Belize's most powerful civilization lived, but Actun Tunichil Muknal can provide a powerful window into how they worshipped and died. Once seen as a passage to the afterlife, the ATM Cave was a site for human ritual sacrifice, and many of the remaining relics and skeletons are still intact.

There are plenty of tour companies that offer hikes through the jungles of the Cayo District, but there's nothing quite like venturing through the landscape on the back of a horse. Whether you're looking to experience to open fields or the vast jungles, a horseback ride can provide you with a unique perspective, and many of them can be combined with other tours so you can pack more adventure into an afternoon.

Tikal Maya Ruins are technically located in Guatemala, but they're no more than a day trip away from San Ignacio proper. Located deep in the Guatemalan jungle, the city of Tikal Maya is one of the largest remnants of Maya civilization still in existence. It's even been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Cayo District is home to miles of rugged frontier, but that doesn't mean that it's bereft of civilization. Much of San Ignacio's prosperity comes from tourism, and they've developed a huge wealth of resorts and amenities as a result. Chaa Creek, Midas, Ka'ana Resort and Spa, Maya Mountain Lodge, and Cahal Pech Village Resort are just a few options available to travelers who want to live in style. If you want to make the most of your journey to Belize, take the time to check out sites like Expedia.com, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor. But don't neglect house sharing sites like Airbnb. You can often get full apartments or houses to rent for a pittance. Regardless of the time of your visit or your individual circumstances, you can find a wide variety of lodgings ranging from budget-class hostels to five-star luxury hotels. Other places to consider for those looking for quality accommodations are Aliana's Villas, Table Rock Jungle Lodge, San Ignacio Resort Hotel, Rolson Hotel, and Gaia Riverlodge.