San Ignacio (Belize)

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 located 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 located on the CA13 highway 15 kilometres from the border to Guatemala.

Understand
San Ignacio is renowned for its close proximity to Belize's famous Maya ruins, and is a hub for outdoor activities such as caving, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and Belize being a small country the Caribbean beaches aren't far away. It is one of the last towns in Belize before entering Guatemala, where many visitors go to visit the Tikal Maya ruins. The population is mostly of Mayan and mestizo origin, but there's also a small Lebanese and bigger Chinese community in town, visible through their local businesses. Opposite the Macal River across the Hawksworth Bridge is Santa Elena, formerly a separate town that has grown together even administratively. Together they're known as "the Twin Towns" and with around 26,000 inhabitants form the second most populous urban area in Belize.

The area has been inhabited since around 1200 BCE, and until the 9th century CE a town named Cahal Pech was located about one kilometre south of present-day San Ignacio. It was abandoned, and a new town named Tipú was established by the Mayas 9 km further south along the river. The Spanish showed up in the 16th century, together with some unsuccessful attempts to convert the natives to Christianity. They established a town by the name of El Cayo where present-day San Ignacio is, named so because it was a European "island" in the middle of the Mayan kingdom. The Spanish were driven out by the natives in 1638 and El Cayo was abandoned, though they would return in 1707, backed by military force, and in turn forced the Mayans west into Guatemala. The name of the town was first noted as San Ignacio on a map from 1787. But they did not undertake much else in the region, instead British lumberjacks settled in the area which would eventually become British. In 1930 the highway from Belize City was finished, making it possible to get there from the coast in just a day. The "La Ruta Maya" canoe race still reminds of the days before the highway where the only way in was the Macal River.

These days few trees are cut down, and agriculture is the main activity in town. Being on the road between Belize City and Guatemala and surrounded by sights means that also tourists have found their way to San Ignacio. Tourist infrastructure has sprung up and there are eateries and lodging in all price classes.

By car
San Ignacio is easily reachable by car. The Western Highway is the best road in the country and is fully paved and free of pot-holes. There are several gas stations along the route so you have no worries there. Once you reach the sister-city of San Ignacio - Santa Elena - be aware that there are two bridges and each is a one way bridge. You have to make a right turn, if you are heading west, and run downhill to cross the bridge into San Ignacio. Locals apparently know tourists will miss this turn and are quite aware to signal you that you have made a mistake if you try to go the wrong way.

You leave San Ignacio across the Hawksworth Bridge which is the only suspension bridge in Belize. This is also a one-way bridge to leave town, unless the low lying bridge is closed.



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. As of 2019, a bus from Belize City to San Ignacio costs BZ$9 (Belizean dollars). Buses run to Dangriga on the coast in about 3 hours. In the other direction, buses run to the Guatemalan border quite close by, with connections to Flores and Tikal. Bus services are either "regular", which means they stop anywhere along the road to pick up and let off passengers, or "express", with only scheduled stops in major towns. The website Belmopanonline keeps an up-to-date schedule of bus lines in Belize.

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. See Belize City for a list which includes addresses and phone numbers of the shuttle companies as many of them are based in San Ignacio.


 * Belize Ground Shuttle offers daily shared shuttle service to and from San Ignacio and the International Airport, Belize City, Placencia, Hopkins, and Dangriga. They have a fleet of brand new vans for safety and comfort. Great for groups.


 * Ron's Belize Shuttle specializes in private shuttle service offering door to door service between any destination in Belize.


 * BZ Belize Shuttle  has an outstanding recorder of transporting you to and from your destination on-time. Your Belize Shuttle Driver is Denfield Gomez, known locally as Denny, maintain an impeccable driving recorder when it comes to shuttling you to or from your destination.


 * Teddy Bear Shuttle and taxi service is safe and reliable, you can find him just behind the Belize Bank in the centre of San Ignacio Town.


 * William's Belize Shuttle has shuttle services from Philip Goldson International Airport, Belize City, Placencia and Hopkins Village.

By plane
San Iglacio has a small landing strip named. Tropic Air offers flights to San Ignacio from several other locations in Belize, including Belize City, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and Goldson International Airport in Ladyville. Flights are operated by small planes flying at a quite low altitude (around 1000 m) giving passengers nice views of the landscape during flight.

By foot
The roads in town are quite walkable, and traffic is light. Most everything is within a 5-minute walk from downtown. There is really no reason to drive. The town is foot-scaled so walking is your best bet for getting about and really experiencing the town.

By taxi
If you do need a ride, taxis are available near the bus drop-off and along Savannah Street. Shared taxis ("collectivos") to the nearby village of Bullet Tree Falls are available on Wyatt Street off Burns Avenue.

By car
One can also rent a car locally with or without a driver. There are a few car rental agencies in town.


 * Premium Rentals in Santa Elena offers small SUV's and large passenger vans.
 * Matus Car Rental and Western Auto Rental are also options.

By bus
There are public buses with service to nearby resorts for only BZ$1 per person. This offers a great way to get into town, but if you expect to stay late remember you may have to take a taxi back, and they can get increasingly more expensive later into the night.

See
Sights outside town are commonly visited by tour.

In town








Outside town










Do
Activities generally mean exploring the nature around town and in the region - independently or as part of a tour. There are shorter nature trails, longer trekking trails and getting to and around the archaeological sites also usually entail trekking. These sites and caves are partially in the same state as when they were rediscovered with comparatively little tourist infrastructure (and tourists) so getting there is a bit of an adventure. Many resorts rent bicycles both for riding on roads and in the terrain, and one business offers horse tours. There are also canoes and kayaks for rent to see the nature from the river. Animal watching is possible at the resorts outside towns or in the nature reserves and gardens.

Tour companies
Many tour companies in San Ignacio, Pacz Tours and KaWiil Tours being the best for safety and quality per outside evaluators, run tours to a wide variety of interesting caves, ruins, rivers, and jungle trails.

It's a good idea to read reviews for other tour companies before booking because some of them have treated guests poorly.

Most of these are day trips, leaving early in the morning and returning the same afternoon. Not all tours are available on any given day. Most tour companies require a certain minimum number of registrations before they'll make the run. Checking in the night before for which tours are available the next day is often the best option.



Buy
There are some shops along Burns Avenue, and each Saturday is market day.





Eat
San Ignacio is one of the more tourist-friendly towns in Belize, with a variety of restaurants keeping longer hours than in many other towns. There are a wide variety of restaurants, and many have both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.

Budget




In addition to the restaurants you can also find streetside vendors serving up burritos, tacos, stews and the like.

Mid-range






Splurge

 * Running W Steakhouse at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel (see sleep)



Drink
There are a few options in town, and occasionally also parties at the riverside. Apparently the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the San Ignacio's drinking scene hard with many place having closed down.



Sleep


San Ignacio is the biggest town close to Guatemala, from where many tourists enter and exit Belize. Therefore the city has quite a few accommodations relative to its size and attractions.

Mid-range






Splurge






Stay safe
At nighttime, especially for longer distances, you should move around in groups or take a taxi.

Connect



 * The post office is on Hudson street near Waight's Avenue.


 * The operator Digicell has 4G coverage in San Ignacio and much of the surroundings. There are also a couple of Internet cafés in town.

Go next



 * Belmopan - the capital of Belize is a good jumping-off point for other destinations. from San Ignacio to Belmopan is 42 km, and takes one hour in a bus.


 * Hopkins is 140 km from San Ignacio to Hopkins. A bus via Belmopan takes three hours.







Guatemala

 * Tikal - across the border is the world heritage site of Tikal, together with Chichen Itza one of the most famous Maya sites with ruins dating back to 6th century BC.