Places / North & Central America / Belize
San Ignacio
Visited in January 2020
At a glance
- Country
- Belize
- Region
- Cayo District
- Population
- 26,151
- Best time to go
- December to April
- Main airport
- None — nearest is Philip S. W. Goldson International (BZE)
- Coordinates
- 17.15°N, 89.07°W
Country visited City visited Still to go Click a pin or country to read more. Zoom with + and −, a double-click or a pinch.
Overview
San Ignacio is a friendly hill town on the Macal River in western Belize, close to the Guatemalan border and surrounded by rainforest, caves and Maya cities.
It is the adventure capital of the country. Days are spent climbing temples, canoeing rivers and wading through underground chambers, and evenings over rice and beans or Guatemalan-style street food on the lively main street. The town is small, but the countryside around it could fill a week.
Things to see
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Photo: Denis Barthel, CC BY-SA 4.0 Xunantunich
A hilltop Maya city reached by a hand-cranked river ferry, with the carved friezes of El Castillo and views into Guatemala.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Denis Barthel, CC BY-SA 4.0 Cahal Pech
A small Maya royal complex of courtyards and plazas on a hill right on the edge of town.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Peter Andersen, CC BY-SA 3.0 Actun Tunichil Muknal
Swim, wade and climb into a sacred cave where Maya ceramics and skeletons lie where they were left over a thousand years ago.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Denis Barthel, CC BY-SA 4.0 Saturday market
The town's big weekly market, piled with tropical fruit, vegetables and snacks from Maya and Mennonite farms.
Things to do
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Photo: Kaldari, CC0 Canoe the Macal River
Paddle upstream past iguanas basking in the trees and kingfishers darting low over the water.
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Photo: Tiago Fioreze, CC BY-SA 3.0 Mountain Pine Ridge and Caracol
A long, rough drive through pine forest and waterfalls leads to Caracol, the largest Maya site in Belize.
Find tours -
Photo: Mundo Maya, CC BY-SA 4.0 Day trip to Tikal
Cross into Guatemala for the towering temples of Tikal, one of the greatest Maya cities, deep in the Petén jungle.
Find tours
Where to stay
Town centre
Guesthouses and small hotels close to restaurants and tour offices, good for budgets.
Hotels in Town centreRiverside jungle lodges
Lodges along the Macal and Mopan rivers offer birdsong, pools and hammocks, a short drive from town.
Hotels in Riverside jungle lodges
Getting around
The town is walkable; tours include transport to the caves and ruins. Taxis and shared colectivos run to the border and nearby villages.
Buses run from Belize City in around two to three hours via Belmopan; private shuttles from the international airport take about two hours.
When to go
December to April is the dry season and best for caves and ruins. Heavy rain from June to November can close the ATM cave after storms.
Plan your trip to San Ignacio
- HotelsBooking.com
- Tours and ticketsGetYourGuide
- FlightsKiwi.com
- Attraction ticketsTiqets
- Airport parking, lounges and transfersHoliday Extras
- Car hireAuto Europe
- Mobile data (eSIM)AiraloCode DAN9406 for money off
- GuidebooksAmazon
Some of these are affiliate links: if you book through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about this.
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.