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Town in Cayo, Belize
Photo: Laslovarga, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
San Ignacio is a small town in the Cayo region of Belize, with around 25,000 citizens. San Ignacio, or Cayo as it is called, is on the Macal river, and makes a good and affordable base for exploration of the stunning regions around it, with plenty of day trips to be taken and several decent tour guides willing to take you. It is on the CA13 highway, 15 km from the border to Guatemala.
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The main attraction in the town. Cahal Pech is a smallish set of Mayan ruins that were abandoned around 800-900 AD. There is an indoor museum displaying artifacts, a site plan, and information on the ruins in a regional context. There are, allegedly, guided tours, but these are unneeded, as the site is easy to traverse. The entire site should take 1-2 hours at most for a thorough exploration. Once at the ruins, the site is fairly flat, but Cahal Pech is at the top of the hill overlooking San Ignacio. The walk uphill to it from the main town is quite exhausting and is difficult even from the San Ignacio Resort Hotel on the hill. If you have any disability, or are in poor physical condition, you will want to drive.
Visit the Iguana Conservation Project and the interpretive Medicinal Jungle Trail at the San Ignacio Hotel. Ranked as one of the best family excursions in San Ignacio.
This is the only suspended road bridge in Belize and connects the twin cities. It was built in 1949 and named after the then-governor. It's a one direction bridge going towards Santa Elena – traffic to San Ignacio goes along the Wooden Bridge further north.
About 20 minutes walk from downtown along Branch Mouth Road. The confluence of the rivers Macal and Mopan, forming the Belize river. In addition to the natural attraction, there's the low-hanging Hammock Bridge (not for people who're afraid of heights), and a small park with a picnic area and a beach.
See 30 different butterfly species in a large flight area, as well as local birds and plants.
Follow the Old Benque Road towards the border and then turn left on the Chial Road, drive for 5 km past the airport, and turn left at the fork to get to Chaa Creek. Here you can find two interesting lodging options (see Sleep below), the Rainforest Medicine Trail and the Chaa Creek Natural History Center & Butterfly Farm.
Drive as above, but turn right at the fork. This will take you to a botanical garden with a walking path of about 3 km. Here you can also find an interesting lodge (see Sleep below).
Maya Ruins
Wear good shoes, bring water and plan to spend about 3-4 hours. There is a free hand-cranked ferry in Succotz over the Mopan River. From there you can easily walk the 1 mi (mostly uphill) to the site. As of Oct 2025, the main Visitor Center near the entrance is closed indefinitely. There's a small Education Center (with a few info boards) and a small Visitor Center (displaying stelae) further up the hill, adjacent to the ruins.
Different jungle, cave and archaeological site tours.
Also tours to Tikal.
formerly called K'in Winik Jungle Tours
Also night tours in the jungle to the Pine Ridge Reserve including Caracol.
Cave and all-terrain vehicle tours.
Explore the nature on horseback.
Tours to explore nature and archaeological sites.
Family-owned tour company offering tours to ATM cave, Tikal, Caracol, Xunantunich, and other local sights and attractions. Even in the slow season, they seem to successfully offer multiple tours per day to different locations, with great guides and very competitive prices.
Vivian's Coffee and Ice Cream shop is great. Their coffee smoothies are always great to cool one off. Good ice cream too. All the local students go there, which is a good sign.
Mincho's is the fast food place of San Ignacio. They are only open for breakfast and lunch. They have all the Belizean fast food: tacos, burritos, salbutes, panades, and garnaches. They have the best fresh juice in San Ignacio, and it's only $1 per glass.
A small breakfast café on a side street. Many different breakfast options, most including scrambled eggs, delicious and cheap.
From the lamb quesadillas to the lamb curry to the omelettes, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all covered here. They raise almost all of their own animals at their farm.
Great for kids of all ages. Includes video games, air hockey, pool tables, playground (in a small orchard), jukebox, and a small casino. Try the burritos: they are big and cheap.
One of the best Chinese restaurants in San Ignacio. Menu including: delicious fried chicken (what they are known for) ranging from $5 and above, fried rice, chao-mein, chop-suey, and kun-pao.
Guesthouse and restaurant. A varied menu and good pizzas.
Quite possibly the only Sri Lankan restaurant in Belize. Has an interesting guestbook.
Upscale restaurant at not so upscale prices. Fish, seafood, steak, pizzas and pasta and delicious cakes for dessert. Nice location next to a park with the tables on a veranda on the second floor.
Many of the ex-pats start at Remo's because of the great conversation and stories provided by the owner – he can tell you stories that even locals don't know. It's in Bullet Tree Falls, 3 miles from downtown – the first building on the right as you enter Bullet Tree Falls.
Multi-levelled edifice with a tree growing right through it, a roof-top terrace and a hammock-room tree house overlooking the town and surrounding jungle. With plenty of couches, comfy chairs and hammocks to relax in. Great French pressed coffee.
Many backpackers stay here. A block from downtown, it has many rooms upstairs.
The common area is basic but spacious, water refills and a fridge to store some of your food for the road and/or beers. There is a small terrace leading into the rooms which was great for sitting and relaxing.
Another small hostel a few minutes' walk from downtown.
Offers apartments for groups and single/double rooms.
They have nice little cabins encapsulated on their property.
Clean rooms and nice beds, free WiFi and a very helpful and supportive owner. Family run, nice atmosphere in a park-like setting. A few hundreds meter to walk off the centre of the town.
Guesthouse with shared kitchenette and air-conditioning (extra charge).
A small 20-room colonial-style mansion nestled on the banks of the Mopan River in Bullet Tree Falls.
Located in the heart of San Ignacio Town, offers a spacious room with almost all the amenities of most top resorts in the area.
It's on the most predominant Mayan hillside in San Ignacio, and next to the Cahal Pech ruins. This resort offers guests an amazing view of San Ignacio and surrounding local sites. The hotel has three pools and a jacuzzi, when it is working. Lately, they have had complaints due to substandard bedding, but the view is still the best, by far, in San Ignacio. Great for families.
A lovely place on beautiful grounds, impeccably clean rooms with air-conditioning, a pool, and very helpful staff. Cute little extras like fresh sprigs of herbs on bathroom towels. Quite pricey by Belizean standards, at US$114/per night for two queen beds. The occasional wall of cinder block or slightly frayed rug shows this hotel is not quite up to the standards the price would imply, but they're close.
Midas Belize
You can sleep in a treehouse in a 100 ft tall Guanacaste tree. The lodge is surrounded on three sides by the Mopan River since it's on a peninsula. Parrots, iguanas, agouti and otters are all able to be seen on the grounds. The cabanas are in a huge garden, which, though lush and exotic, is virtually mosquito free. The Parrot's Nest is in Bullet Tree Falls, which is just a couple of miles from downtown San Ignacio, so you don't have to endure the city noise and lights.
Another great place to stay 10 minutes from downtown San Ignacio, on the banks of the Mopan River. The cozy thatched cabanas are tucked among lush palm trees, with a remote jungle feel to it! Enjoy freshly prepared local Belizean dishes. Tours and activities included trip to Tikal, horseback riding and explore nearby Mayan ruins, cave or river tubing. Pick-up or drop off at Belize International Airport can all be arranged.
Chaa Creek is the best resort in Central America, bar none. Totally eco-friendly, and they have hundreds of acres. They are on the Macal River, and do canoe rides, biking, and horseback riding. Located 30 minutes from downtown. You can choose to stay at an expensive and luxurious cabin, or at the Macal River Camp, which has casitas and is geared towards those who prefer the outdoors. The Macal Camp is US$55/person/night and includes breakfast, dinner, hot showers, toilets, and excellent service.
Ka'ana is out of the town of San Ignacio, in a valley nestled among the Maya Mountains of Belize’s Cayo District and surrounded by lush tropical gardens. They have a nice infinity pool and a great restaurant. A definite treat for the high-end traveller.
The lodge sits 40-acre property in the Maya heartland of Belize and is known for romantic getaways, Jungle to Beach Vacation Packages, adventure family vacations, detox, and wellness retreats. This beautiful eco-lodge offers a full bar and restaurant, meal options, and a personalized dining experience for all your desires. Choose among our luxury Cabanas and suites, or even stay in our Deluxe Treehouse Cabana- perfect for a family or a small group.
Begin your day with the sounds of the jungle coming to life, and take an early morning nature hike to explore the flora and fauna or sit at our bird watching tower to see many tropical birds . Mariposa is a perfect getaway for anyone who wishes to be surrounded by nature, peace and serenity.
They have a huge selection of great gifts and souvenirs.
A large supermarket.
A large supermarket with lower prices.
All three banks' ATMs take Mastercard.
In the market hall you can buy veggies and other everyday products every day of the week. Much more is available on Saturday, the market day, when people from around the region meet here to trade in goods and produce. Great for shopping and people-watching alike.
Clean, well-lit, modern supermarket that shares a building with a chicken restaurant (enter on Branch Mouth Road for the supermarket part).
By bus
2nd class buses (no air conditioning or "trunk" for suitcases) run frequently from Belize City; the trip is usually less than 2½ hours, in spite of numerous stops.
By shuttle
Shuttles can pick you up at the airport, or most any other spot, and transfer you much quicker and with much more ease since they are door to door.
By plane
San Iglacio has a small landing strip named Mayan Flats.
By taxi
If you do need a ride, taxis are available near the bus drop-off and along Savannah Street.
By car
One can also rent a car locally with or without a driver. There are a few car rental agencies in town.
By bus
There are public buses with service to nearby resorts for only BZ$1 per person.
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