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Exploring | Where to Eat | Where to Stay | Sports and the Outdoors | Shopping

23 miles (37 km) southwest of Belmopan.

When you see the Hawksworth Bridge, built in 1949 and the only public suspension bridge in Belize, you’ll know you’ve arrived at San Ignacio, the hub of the Cayo district. San Ignacio, with its twin town Santa Elena just to the east, is an excellent base for exploring western Belize. Nearby are three Mayan ruins, as well as national parks and a cluster of butterfly farms.

With its well-preserved wooden structures, San Ignacio is a Belizean town where you might want to linger. Evenings are comfortable and usually mosquito-free, and the colonial-era streets are lined with funky bars and restaurants. It’s worth coming at sunset to listen to the eerily beautiful sounds of the grackles, the iridescent black birds that seem to like the town.

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Getting Here and Around

San Ignacio is less than two hours by car on the Western Highway from Belize City. Coming into San Ignacio is a little confusing. As you go through the “twin town” of Santa Elena and head into San Ignacio, you’ll see the Hawksworth Bridge straight ahead. The bridge is one way coming from the west but this is not well marked; those coming from the east and unfamiliar with the area often try to drive across the bridge the wrong way. A sign noting a detour has been erected, directing vehicles to another bridge.

To keep from running afoul of traffic rules, turn right before the Hawksworth Bridge, following the detour to what is called the “lower bridge” or “low lying bridge.” Cross this and follow Savannah Avenue around the sports stadium and, if you’re lucky, you’ll soon end up back on Price Highway just to the west of San Ignacio. Alternatively, after you cross the river, you can turn left and follow Savannah Avenue past the new Cayo Welcome Center to central San Ignacio. A part of Burns Avenue, the main street in town, is now closed to vehicles and has been turned into a small pedestrian mall. From San Ignacio, the George Price Highway continues on about 9 miles (15 km) to the Guatemala border. This stretch is locally known as the Benque Road.

Timing

San Ignacio and the jungle lodges around it are used by many visitors to explore western Belize, which easily takes a week or more if you want to see it all.

Safety and Precautions

On several occasions in the past decade, armed bandits from nearby Guatemala robbed tourists around San Ignacio. At this writing, the U.S. Embassy had issued a warning about highway banditry on unpaved roads near the Guatemala border, and trips to Caracol may be made only in convoys accompanied by Belize Defence Forces soldiers. Ask locally about any recent incidents before starting road trips to remote areas. However, most visitors say they feel quite safe. As a visitor, you’re unlikely to encounter any problems.

Exploring

Top Attractions

Most tours to Actun Tunichil Muknal leave from San Ignacio, although this amazing cave is actually near Belmopan.

FAMILY | Fodor’s Choice | Belize Botanic Gardens.
The life’s work of Ken duPlooy, an ornithologist who died in 2001, the personable Judy duPlooy, and their family, is the 45-acre Belize Botanic Gardens. It’s an extensive collection of hundreds of trees, plants, and flowers from all over Central America. Enlightening tours of the gardens, set on a bank of the Macal River at duPlooy’s Jungle Lodge, are given by local guides who can tell you the names of the plants in Maya, Spanish, and English as well as explain their varied medicinal uses. An orchid house holds the duPlooys’ collection of more than 100 orchid species, and there also is a palm exhibit. The gardens and duPlooy’s Lodge in general offer great birding. On some days duPlooy’s runs shuttles from San Ignacio. The BZ$70 per person fee (minimum two persons) from San Ignacio includes the round-trip shuttle and admission. Call for information and schedule. A day at the gardens, including shuttle, guided tour, and lunch is BZ$100 per person. A taxi from San Ignacio will likely cost at least BZ$50–$60 one-way. The Botanic Gardens also runs gardening programs for Belize residents and internship and volunteer programs. | Chial Rd. | From San Ignacio, head 4¾ miles (7½ km) west on Benque Rd., turn left on the unpaved Chial Rd. and go about 5 miles (8 km) to duPlooy’s Jungle Lodge | 834/4800 | www.belizebotanic.org | BZ$15 self-guided tour; BZ$30 guided tour | Daily 7–4; guided tours daily 7–3.

Cayo Welcome Center.
Opened in mid-2013, the Cayo Welcome Center is the largest and most appealing tourism information center in the country. According to the Belize Tourism Board, the BZ$4 million Welcome Center was established in San Ignacio because Cayo’s archeological sites and rainforest jungle lodges are getting increasing numbers of visitors. Besides friendly staff who provide information on tours, lodging, restaurants, and sightseeing, the Center has exhibits of Mayan artifacts found buried under San Ignacio’s Burns Avenue, along with contemporary art and cultural displays. Buses on the George Price Highway route drop off and pick up passengers in a waiting area adjoining the center, and those arriving by car can park in a secure lot next door (BZ$2 fee for two hours). Food stalls and an upscale restaurant, Fuego, are in the Center complex, and there is easy access to the pedestrian-only section of Burns Avenue, with its tour guide offices, restaurants, bars, banks, shops, and hotels. The Cayo Welcome Center also functions as a community center, with free movies and musical concerts by local bands some nights. | Savannah St., across from the market | 623/3918, 800/624–0686 Belize Tourism Board | www.travelbelize.org.

Worth Noting

FAMILY | Cahal Pech.
Just at the western edge of San Ignacio, on a tall hill, is a small, intriguing Mayan site, the unfortunately named Cahal Pech (“Place of the Ticks”). You probably won’t be bothered by ticks now, however. It was occupied from around 1200 BC to around AD 900. At its peak, in AD 600, Cahal Pech was a medium-size settlement of perhaps 10,000 people with some three dozen structures huddled around seven plazas. It’s thought that it functioned as a guard post, watching over the nearby confluence of the Mopan and Macal rivers. It may be somewhat less compelling than the area’s other ruins, but it’s no less mysterious, given that these structures mark the presence of a civilization we know so little about. Look for answers at the small visitor center and museum. | Cahal Pech Hill | 822/2016 Belize Institute of Archeology | www.nichbelize.org | BZ$10 | Daily 8–5.

FAMILY | Chaa Creek Natural History Centre & Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm.
The Natural History Centre at The Lodge at Chaa Creek has a small library and lots of displays on everything from butterflies to snakes (pickled in jars). Outside is a screened-in Blue Morpho butterfly-breeding center. If you haven’t encountered Blue Morphos in the wild, you can see them up close here and even peer at their slumbering pupae, which resemble jade earrings. Once you’re inside the double doors, the electric blue beauties, which look boringly brown when their wings are closed, flit about or remain perfectly still, sometimes on your shoulder or head, and open and close their wings to a rhythm akin to inhaling and exhaling. Tours are led by a team of naturalists. You can combine a visit here with one to the Rainforest Medicine Trail. | The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Chial Rd. | 834/4010 | www.chaacreek.com | BZ$10 self-guided tour; BZ$20 combined with self-guided Rainforest Medicine Trail tour; all free to Chaa Creek guests | Daily 9–4.

El Pilar.
El Pilar, near the border of Belize and Guatemala, is still being excavated under the direction of Anabel Ford, a professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and the MesoAmerican Research Center. El Pilar is three times larger than Xunantunich, but because it’s at the end of a 7-mile (12 km) rough dirt road, it gets only a few hundred visitors a year. Excavations of Mayan ruins have traditionally concentrated on public buildings, but at El Pilar the emphasis has been on reconstructing domestic architecture—everything from houses to gardens with crops used by the Maya. El Pilar, occupied from 800 BC to AD 1000, at its peak may have had a population of 20,000. Several well-marked trails take you around the site. Because the structures haven’t been stripped of vegetation, you may feel like you’re walking through a series of shady orchards. TIP Don’t forget binoculars: In the 5,000-acre nature reserve there’s terrific bird-watching. Behind the main plaza, a lookout grants a spectacular view across the jungle to El Pilar’s sister city, Pilar Poniente, on the Guatemalan border. There is a visitor center, the Be Pukte Cultural Center of Amigos de El Pilar, in Bullet Tree Falls (usually open daily 9–5), where you can get information on the site and pay the admission fee. Note that several incidents of robbery have occurred at or near El Pilar. You may want to visit this site on a tour, available from several tour operators in San Ignacio including duPlooy’s and Crystal Paradise/Birding in Paradise. | 7 miles (12 km) northwest of Bullet Tree Falls, off Bullet Tree Rd. | Bullet Tree Falls | Take the Bullet Tree Road in San Ignacio to Bullet Tree Falls. In Bullet Tree Falls, just before the bridge over the Mopan River on the left you will see the Be Pukte Cultural Center of the Amigos de El Pilar. To go on to El Pilar, cross the Mopan River Bridge and you will see signs to the El Pilar Road. | 822/2106 NICH Institute of Archeology in Belmopan | www.nichbelize.org | BZ$10 | Daily 8–5.

FAMILY | Rainforest Medicine Trail.
The Rainforest Medicine Trail at The Lodge at Chaa Creek, originally developed by natural medicine guru Rosita Arvigo, gives you a quick introduction to traditional Mayan medicine. The trail takes you on a short, self-guided walk through the rain forest, giving you a chance to study the symbiotic nature of its plant life. Learn about the healing properties of such indigenous plants as red gumbo-limbo and see some endangered medicinal plants. The shop here sells Mayan medicinal products like Belly Be Good and Flu Away. | The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Chial Rd. | 834/4010 Chaa Creek front desk | www.chaacreek.com | BZ$10 self-guided tour; BZ$20 guided tour. BZ$20 for self-guided tour including Natural History Centre and Blue Morpho Breeding Center; all free to Chaa Creek guests | Daily 9–4.

San Ignacio Market.
On Saturday morning, San Ignacio Market comes alive with farmers selling local fruits and vegetables. Vendors also hawk crafts, clothing, and household goods. Some vendors show up on other days as well, but Saturday has by far the largest market. A smaller vegetable and fruit market is open weekdays near Burns Avenue, closer to town. | Savannah St., across from soccer stadium | Sat. 6 am–noon; other days limited number of vendors 6 am–noon.

Spanish Lookout.
The hilltop community of Spanish Lookout, population 2,500, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the George Price Highway, is one of the centers of Belize’s 11,000-strong Mennonite community, of which nearly 3,000 are in Cayo District. The easiest access to Spanish Lookout is via the paved Route 30 at Mile 57½ of the Price Highway. The village’s blond-haired, blue-eyed residents may seem out of place in this tropical country, but they’re responsible for much of the construction, manufacturing, and agriculture in Belize. They built many of Belize’s resorts, and most of the chickens, eggs, cheese, and milk you’ll consume during your stay come from their farms. Many of the small wooden houses that you see all over Belize are Mennonite pre-fabs built in Spanish Lookout. In conservative communities, women dress in cotton frocks and head scarves, and the men don straw hats, suspenders, and dark trousers. Some still travel in horse-drawn buggies, though most Mennonites around Spanish Lookout have embraced pickup trucks and modern farming equipment. The cafés and small shopping centers in Spanish Lookout offer a unique opportunity to mingle with these sometimes world-wary people, but they don’t appreciate being gawked at or photographed any more than you do. Stores in Spanish Lookout are modern and well-stocked, the farms wouldn’t look out of place in the U.S. Midwest, and many of the roads are paved (the Mennonites do their own road paving). Oil in commercial quantities was discovered in Spanish Lookout in 2005, and several wells now pump several thousand barrels of black gold daily. | Spanish Lookout.

FAMILY | Tropical Wings.
Besides thoughtful displays on the Cayo flora and fauna, Tropical Wings, a little nature center, raises about 20 species of butterfly including the Blue Morpho, Owl, Giant Swallowtail, and Monarch varieties. The facility, at The Trek Stop, also has a small restaurant and gift shop, along with cabins. | Mile 71.5, George Price Hwy. (aka Benque Rd.), 6 miles (10 km) west of San Ignacio | San José Succotz | 823/2265 | www.thetrekstop.com/tropwings.htm | BZ$6 adults, BZ$3 children 12 and under | Daily 9–5.

Where to Eat

Besides the restaurants listed here, most of the jungle lodges in the Cayo have their own restaurants. Those at Table Rock Lodge, Mystic River Lodge, The Lodge at Chaa Creek, and duPlooy’s Lodge are especially good. Nearer town, the restaurants at Ka’ana Boutique Resort and San Ignacio Resort Hotel also are noteworthy. On the other end of the price scale, street vendors set up barbecue grills and food stalls on the Price Highway just east of the Hawksworth Bridge in Santa Elena, and you can get big plates of food for little money.

Erva’s.
LATIN AMERICAN | Nothing fancy here, just downhome Belizean dishes at moderate prices, and that’s exactly why it’s popular. Go for the traditional beans and rice dishes or Belizean escabeche (onion soup with chicken and lime); the ceviche is good, too. If you’re in the mood for something else, you can get a pizza or fish. The waiters are extra-friendly. It’s a couple of blocks off the main drag, so it’s quieter and more relaxing here, whether you dine on the veranda or inside in the homey dining room. | Average main: BZ$16 | 4 Far West St. | 824/2821 | Closed Sun.

Flayva’s Bar & Grill.
LATIN AMERICAN | Generous portions of Belizean dishes are what Flayva’s (the local way of saying “flavors”) is known for, and it’s also the name of the owner’s pet parrot. On the pedestrian-only section of Burns Avenue, with some seating outside, Flayva has good traditional breakfasts (served all day) with fryjacks and big breakfast burritos. At lunch and dinner we suggest the shrimp dishes, such as curried shrimp or mango shrimp. Occasionally service can be slow. There’s a DJ some nights. | Average main: BZ$16 | 22 Burns St. | San Ignacio | 804/804–2267 | www.flayvasbarandgrill.com.

Fodor’s Choice | Fuego Bar & Grill.
LATIN AMERICAN | Inside the Cayo Welcome Center, Fuego Bar & Grill is the most upscale and attractive restaurant in downtown San Ignacio. With its farm-to-table philosophy, Fuego—which was opened by Ian Lizerraga of Ka’ana Resort—uses produce and meats from the San Ignacio market across the street and from local farms. Chef Jesse Mas creates intriguing combinations such as grilled pork chops glazed with coffee and molasses, served with plantains and green beans. The drinks are interesting, too, such as a chocolate martini and beer with cucumber juice, lime, and salt on the rim. You’ll need reservations on weekend nights. A photo gallery highlights local foods. There’s outdoor dining and live music some nights. | Average main: BZ$25 | Cayo Welcome Center, near Savannah St. | 824/3663 | No lunch. Closed Sun. and Mon.

FAMILY | Hode’s Place Bar & Grill.
LATIN AMERICAN | Popular for cold beers, karaoke, and billiards, Hodes is often the busiest place in town. It has a large shaded patio next to a citrus grove, and with swings, slides, and an ice-cream bar (cones BZ$2), Hode’s is bigger than it looks from the outside. They serve good food in large portions at moderate prices. The Belizean escabeche (onion and chicken soup with lime juice) is terrific, and the fried chicken with french fries is some of the best in Cayo. | Average main: BZ$14 | Savannah St., across from sports stadium | 804/2522.

Fodor’s Choice | Ko-Ox Han-Nah.
ECLECTIC | From the Maya language Ko-Ox Han-Nah roughly translates to “let’s go eat.” It’s far from fancy—you eat on simple tables in what is essentially a large open-front building on busy Burns Avenue—but service is cheerful, and the food is inexpensive and well-prepared. Much of the food is raised on the farm of the Zimbabwe-born owner. In addition to the usual Belizean beans-and-rice dishes, Ko-Ox Han-Nah serves fusion food influenced by Mexican, Southeast Asian, and North and South Indian cooking, with salads, sandwiches, burritos, Burmese dishes, Cambodian and Korean chicken dishes, and Indian lamb curries. | Average main: BZ$16 | 5 Burns Ave. | 824/3014.

Mr. Greedy’s Pizzeria.
PIZZA | In the heart of downtown in the pedestrian mall, Mr. Greedy’s is the best place in Cayo for pizza by the slice or whole. Enjoy the pizza or some decent Buffalo wings and subs on their covered, street-side deck. In the afternoons, a cheap happy hour (BZ$2 rum and cokes) draws a crowd. Mr. Greedy’s is open for breakfast, but there’s better fare at lunch or dinner . There’s free Wi-Fi, too. | Average main: BZ$16 | 39 Burns Ave., across from Venus Hotel | 804/4688.

Sanny’s Grill.
LATIN AMERICAN | With sizzling spices, this restaurant transforms basics like chicken or pork chops beyond standard fare. Try the pork chops in brandy-mustard sauce, the coconut chicken, or the grilled fish with coriander. Eat in the casual dining room or out on the covered deck, with views through the vines and flowers. In a residential area off Benque Road, the place can be hard to find, especially after dark. Consider taking a taxi. | Average main: BZ$24 | Pelican Ln., heading west of San Ignacio on Benque Rd., look for sign on right | 824/2988 | No lunch.

Serendib.
INDIAN | What’s a Sri Lankan restaurant doing here? The original Ceylonese owner and his wife came to Belize with the British Army, and like many other squadies (enlisted men), decided to stay on and open a business. Over the years, the menu here has migrated more to Belizean, Chinese, and American dishes such as rice and beans, burgers, grilled fish, and fried chicken. The new owners are a Belizean-American couple, but you can still get authentic Sri Lankan curries (you choose the heat level) and a choice of teas. The conversion of part of Burns Avenue to a pedestrian mall has given Serendib an appealing location, and there’s outdoor dining in a patio out back. | Average main: BZ$20 | 27 Burns Ave. | 824/2302 | Closed Sun.

Where to Stay

San Ignacio

Hotels in downtown San Ignacio are all budget to moderate spots. On the western edge of town, with hotels such as the San Ignacio Resort Hotel and Ka’ana, lodgings become more upscale. The lodges along the Mopan River, a dark jade–colored river that winds into Belize from Guatemala, tend to be in the budget to moderate range. Most lodges on the Macal River, such as The Lodge at Chaa Creek and duPlooy’s Lodge, are upmarket, though there are some exceptions. A number of lodges, including Mystic River, Inn the Bush, Table Rock, and Mariposa have opened on the Cristo Rey Road en route to the Mountain Pine Ridge, most with access to the Macal River.

Aguada Hotel & Restaurant.
HOTEL | Frugal travelers jump at the opportunity to stay in this tidy, attractive, and inexpensive hotel with air-conditioned rooms and saltwater swimming pool in Santa Elena, the low-key town adjoining San Ignacio. Aguada became so popular that the owners, a Belizean-American couple, added more rooms overlooking the pool, and additional rooms behind the pool. The original budget rooms (starting at around BZ$90 including tax) have A/C but no TVs. Deluxe rooms with A/C, cable TV and mini-fridges are only BZ$126 double. There’s an indoor restaurant and an open-air thatch palapa bar with Belizean dishes and American standards like burgers (closed on Wednesday). Pros: clean, inexpensive rooms with air-conditioning; one of the few budget hotels with a pool. Cons: location is a bus or short taxi ride away from downtown San Ignacio; traffic near the hotel may increase when the new San Ignacio bridge opens. | Rooms from: BZ$90 | La Loma Luz, Off George Price Hwy. across from La Loma Luz hospital | Santa Elena | 804/3609 | www.aguadabelize.com | 25 rooms.

Cahal Pech Village Resort.
RESORT | Once you make it up the steep hill, you’ll enjoy the best views in Cayo at this hotel at the western edge of San Ignacio, near the Cahal Pech Mayan site. Local owners Daniel and Miriam Silva opened the hotel in 1994 and have been expanding and improving it ever since. The most-recent additions are new cottages and suites and a gorgeous two-level swimming pool, watched over by a giant statue of a pterodactyl. You have a choice here of thatch cabañas or rooms, all air-conditioned and with cable TV. Year-round rates start at about BZ$180 including tax and service, but the nicer cottages with screened porch are around BZ$270. The restaurant serves Belizean and American fare (such as grilled fish, pork chops, spaghetti, and steaks) in an open-air space with views of the town and valley below. You’ll pay around BZ$24 for dinner, not including drinks, tax, or tip. Cahal Pech offers a variety of tours and multiday packages. This hotel is often heavily booked even off-season. Pros: great views; enticing pool; good value. Cons: some rooms and cabanas are a bit dowdy and need upgrading; limestone dirt road up to hotel is very steep, especially if you’re walking. | Rooms from: BZ$180 | 1 mile (2 km) west of town, off George Price Hwy., Cahal Pech Rd., Cahal Pech Hill | 824/3740, 239/494–3281 U.S. number | www.cahalpech.com | 16 rooms, 6 suites, 25 cabanas | No meals.

Casa Blanca Guest House.
HOTEL | Though it’s in the center of San Ignacio, on bustling Burns Avenue, this small hotel is an oasis of peace and one of Belize’s top budget choices. The rooms, with cool white walls, mahogany trim, and locally made wood furniture, are a step above typical budget lodging. You can prepare yourself snacks or full meals in the shared kitchen, and you’re within walking distance of a dozen or more restaurants. Basic rooms with fans start at BZ$40 plus tax, but you’ll probably want to spring for the better rooms with air-conditioning (BZ$100 plus tax). Casa Blanca is often fully booked, even off-season. Pros: central downtown location; extremely clean, appealing rooms; good value. Cons: limited parking nearby. | Rooms from: BZ$45 | 10 Burns Ave. | 824/2080 | www.casablancaguesthouse.com | 9 rooms | No meals.

Hotel El Pilar.
HOTEL | Hotel El Pilar near Bullet Tree Falls is a no-frills lodging choice for those who are looking to save money while enjoying some amenities like cable TV and air-conditioning. This small, recently constructed two-story motel has simple but spic ‘n’ span rooms. It’s a little away from things, so to get back and forth to San Ignacio or Bullet Tree village, unless you have a car, you’d need to take a taxi or flag down a colectivo. Pros: clean, modern motel with cable TV and a/c. Cons: no restaurant or bar; not near the action. | Rooms from: BZ$75 | Bullet Tree Rd. | Bullet Tree Falls | 824/3059 | 19 rooms.

Martha’s Guesthouse and Restaurant.
B&B/INN | With clean rooms, a good restaurant, handy laundry, and convenient tours, Martha’s provides just about everything you need right in the heart of downtown San Ignacio. The regular rooms, some with shared bath, have white walls and polished wood floors, but for a little more you can get a larger room with cable TV, refrigerator, and balcony. The First Lady Suite (BZ$190 plus 9% hotel tax) might be worth the climb up to the fourth floor, as it’s large enough for a family, has a kitchenette, and a huge veranda with views of the hills. An annex called the Inn at Martha’s about a block away adds six rooms. The original location can be noisy, due to traffic and barking dogs; the annex is quieter. Martha’s Restaurant, with local art on the walls and a sweet garden patio, is open every day, serving pizza, sirloin steak, and local dishes such as chaya tamales (chaya is a type of spinach-like greens grown around Cayo). However, rates do not include meals - if you want breakfast, it’s an extra BZ$15 per person. The laudromat will do your laundry for BZ$14 a load. Pros: handy downtown location. Cons: can be noisy; rates are higher than most other downtown hotels. | Rooms from: BZ$153 | 10 West St. | 804/3647 | www.marthasbelize.com | 16 rooms, 7 with shared baths, 1 suite | No meals.

Fodor’s Choice | San Ignacio Resort Hotel.
RESORT | Queen Elizabeth II once stayed at this highly elegant, comfortable resort with rooms that have verandas facing a lovely hillside. Choose from balcony, deluxe, and “regal” rooms. The Running W Restaurant specializes in steak from the owners’ Running W ranch (go with the filet; the sirloin is a little chewy), and the Stork Bar is one of the best places in town to get a drink. Birding and other excursions can be arranged by the staff. There’s an iguana hatchery on the property, where you can hold adult and baby iguanas and learn about them (tour is BZ$18). The hotel has a nice tennis court and swimming pool, and next door is a small casino, a branch of the Princess casinos in Belize City and Corozal, packed with video poker machines, one-armed bandits, and a few live tables. Pros: safe, comfortable choice at the edge of town; good restaurant and bar. Cons: a little pricey for what you get. | Rooms from: BZ$435 | 18 Buena Vista Rd. | 824/2034, 855/488–2624 in U.S. and Canada | www.sanignaciobelize.com | 24 rooms, 2 suites | No meals.

Windy Hill Resort.
RESORT | The cabanas at this lodge on the George Price Highway about 2 miles (3 km) west of San Ignacio all have private verandas and are perched on a low hill across the landscaped grounds. Furnishings are custom-made from local hardwoods, and decorations include handwoven Guatemalan rugs. You can lounge around the swimming pool and enjoy the views across the valley. The resort is on 100 acres at the edge of San Ignacio, right beside the highway. It runs many tours to Tikal, Caracol, and other destinations. Rates start at BZ$220 double year-round for a room with fan or BZ$296 for an air-conditioned cottage, including tax. Dinner is BZ$46 not including tax or service. All-inclusive packages with meals, tours, and transfers are available. Pros: handy roadside location; offers many tours; pleasant cabins on hillside. Cons: not a jungle lodge; meals somewhat pricey. | Rooms from: BZ$220 | 1 mile (1½ km) west of San Ignacio, George Price Hwy. (aka Benque Rd.) | 824/2017, 800/946–3995 in U.S. and Canada | www.windyhillresort.com | 16 cabanas and 9 rooms | Multiple meal plans.

Along the Mopan River

FAMILY | Clarissa Falls Resort.
RESORT | The low gurgle of nearby Mopan River rapids is the first and last sound of the day at Clarissa Falls Resort. Warm and friendly owner Chena Galvez and her family have spent their lives on a cattle ranch here, on a rolling 800-acre expanse of grassy pasture. Over the years Chena and family have built a small colony of homey thatch cabañas (around BZ$150 double). If you’re on a tight budget, there’s camping (BZ$15 per person) and, for students only, rooms in a bunkhouse and three meals daily for BZ$90. The open-air restaurant serves tasty Mestizo dishes at modest prices. You can tube on the river or play Frisbee golf on the 5-hole course. A half-day horseback ride is BZ$80 - BZ$100. A shuttle to and from the international airport near Belize City is available for BZ$250 one-way for up to four persons. Pros: quiet, pastoral riverside setting; good food; you’ll want to hug the owner. Cons: resort is on a ranch and not in a true jungle setting. | Rooms from: BZ$150 | Mile 70, George Price Hwy. (aka Benque Hwy.), 5½ miles (9 km) west of San Ignacio | San Ignacio | 824/3916 | 11 cabanas, 1 bunkhouse with 10 beds, camping | No meals.

Fodor’s Choice | Ka’ana Boutique Resort and Spa.
RESORT | Ka’ana brings a welcome level of luxury to San Ignacio with tranquil gardens, a wine cellar, and spacious rooms outfitted with 500-count cotton sheets, iPod docks, high-end toiletries, and flat-screen TVs. Spendy prices explain the perks - standard rooms start at BZ$550 for a double. A casita suite with king bed is BZ$750. The infinity swimming pool with waterfall uses a saltwater filtration system, avoiding harsh chemicals. The poolside spa offers massage and skin and body treatments. Ka’ana also has two villas with private pools. La Ceiba restaurant is beautifully done, serving vegetables from the resort’s own organic garden. Try the Belikin Stout-braised short ribs (BZ$56 plus 22.5% service and tax). Pros: terrifically comfortable beds; convivial staff; luxury amenities; good bar and restaurant. Cons: not a true jungle lodge; pricey. | Rooms from: BZ$550 | Mile 69¼, George Price Hwy. (aka Benque Rd.) | San Ignacio | 824/3350, 305/735–2553 U.S. number | www.kaanabelize.com | 5 rooms, 8 suites, 2 villas | No meals.

Mahogany Hall Boutique Resort.
RESORT | An upmarket alternative to fancy jungle lodges is this resort in, of all places, Bullet Tree Falls, on the banks of the Mopan River. The eight rooms and suites in a three-story colonial-style mansion have polished hardwood floors, high ceilings, four-poster beds, lots of rich wood trim, and luxury furnishings. If you can, upgrade to one of the suites, which are stunning. You can dine indoors with a view of the pool or on the veranda overlooking the river. Pros: gorgeous suites; lovely views of the Mopan River; super comfortable beds. Cons: somewhat unusual location—neither a jungle lodge nor in-town hotel; room rates have a 5% “administrative fee.” | Rooms from: BZ$372 | Paslow Falls Rd. | Bullet Tree Falls | 884/4047 | www.mahoganyhallbelize.com | 3 rooms and 5 suites | No meals.

Parrot Nest.
HOTEL | If ever since you were a kid you’ve wanted to sleep in a tree house by a river, this is your chance. Parrot Nest is a budget lodge at a shady spot beside the Mopan River in Bullet Tree Falls, about three miles (5 km) from San Ignacio. It has two tree houses each for just BZ$98 double, plus tax, along with seven other rustic cabañas, the most expensive of which is BZ$130. This is not a luxury joint, so some of the accommodations have shared bathrooms. There’s good birding on the grounds, and the lodge provides inner tubes free so you can float down the river. If you choose to eat at the lodge, breakfast is BZ$14 and dinner is BZ$25. The lodge offers a free shuttle to San Ignacio in the morning, returning to the lodge in the late afternoon. Pros: rustic but cute cabanas and tree houses; good value; helpful, friendly owners. Cons: you’re not really in the jungle here; cabanas are small. | Rooms from: BZ$107 | Off Bullet Tree Rd., on Mopan River | Bullet Tree Falls | 820/4058 | www.parrot-nest.com | 2 tree houses, 7 cabanas, some with shared baths | No meals.

Along the Macal River

Black Rock River Lodge.
RESORT | Some 800 feet above limestone cliffs and the Macal River gorge, Black Rock has one of the most beautiful settings of any lodge in the country. The well-shaded cabins have stone floors and custom-made hardwood furniture and views across Black Rock canyon. Eco-conscious management runs the lodge on hydro and solar power. Room rates are reasonable, starting at around BZ$230 including tax. However, since you’re a 35-minute drive (about BZ$70 or more by taxi) from San Ignacio, partly on a narrow, single-lane dirt trail, by necessity you’ll probably take all your meals here (three meals a day here run around BZ$115 per person including tax and service) and do most tours with the lodge. Tours tend to be more expensive here than if booked in San Ignacio. Pros: remote, beautiful setting; eco-conscious management. Cons: you’re stuck here for somewhat pricey meals and tours unless you have a four-wheel drive vehicle. | Rooms from: BZ$229 | On Macal River, 13 miles (22 km) upriver from San Ignacio | San Ignacio | 834/4038 | www.blackrocklodge.com | 13 cabins | No meals.

FAMILY | duPlooy’s Lodge.
RESORT | High above a bend in the Macal River called Big Eddy is this remarkable, relaxing lodge whose grounds include the 45-acre Belize Botanic GardensFrom your vantage point 30 feet above the forest floor on the covered deck and canopied walkway, you’ll see iguanas sunning in the trees. Perhaps you’ll do a little bird-watching while comfortably sipping a beer. You can swim and dive off the rocks from the sandy river beach below. Jungle Lodge rooms are the least expensive option, at BZ$464 including tax, service, and continental breakfast. Bungalows are filled with hardwood furnishings. The two-story La Casita (BZ$833 including tax and service), which sleeps up to 8, has wraparound porches, king-size beds, whirlpool bath, refrigerator, and great views. The River House has family suites. The food is excellent, and there’s always a vegetarian option. duPlooy’s offers horseback riding and a full range of tours. The lodge’s road transfers from Belize City are somewhat pricey - BZ$700 round-trip for one to four people, plus 12.5% tax. However, the new air service to Maya Flats airstrip by Tropic Air makes getting here m Pros: variety of lodging choices; excellent food; botanic gardens on-site; first-rate birding; eco-conscious management. Cons: costs for meals, transfers, and tours add up. | Rooms from: BZ$464 | Chial Rd. | San Ignacio | From San Ignacio head 4¾ miles (7½ km) west on George Price Hwy (also called Benque Rd.), turn left on Chial Rd., and go about 5 miles (8 km) to duPlooy’s | 824/3101, 512/243–5285 U.S. number | www.duplooys.com | 3 houses, 4 cabins, 3 suites, 11 rooms | Breakfast.

Fodor’s Choice | The Lodge at Chaa Creek.
B&B/INN | This was the first true jungle lodge in the Cayo, and owners Mick and Lucy Fleming (he’s from England, she’s from the U.S.) have spent three decades polishing The Lodge at Chaa Creek to a fine, rich patina, while adding new features like a gorgeous bi-level swimming pool and appealing tree house Jacuzzi suites. To start, the gracefully landscaped grounds, surrounded by 365 acres of rolling hills above the Macal River, are magnificent. On the grounds are the Rainforest Medicine Trail, Natural History Centre, butterfly farm, horse stables, Maya organic farm, and one of the best spas in Belize. There’s a friendly and highly competent staff of around 100. The whitewashed cottages with thatch roofs and custom-made furnishings are both simple and elegant, but not inexpensive. Ten percent of accommodations revenue goes to environmental and social programs. For cost-conscious travelers there’s the Macal River Camp, with small A-frame rooms on raised wooden platforms, and the bargain rate gives you full access to all lodge facilities. At the lodge itself, dinner is a special event, starting with cocktails in the bar and perhaps ending with brandy and Cuban cigar under the soaring thatch palapa. Chaa Creek’s tours, although not cheap, are among the country’s finest, and horseback riding is available. New air service to Maya Flats airstrip by Tropic Air makes getting here much easier. Pros: stunningly landscaped grounds; excellent staff and service; lovely cabanas and suites; gorgeous pool; green and socially conscious owners. Cons: lodging and meal prices, except at the safari camp, may strain your budget. | Rooms from: BZ$798 | Chial Rd. | San Ignacio | From San Ignacio go 4¾ miles (7½ km) west on Benque Rd., aka George Price Hwy., turn left on Chial Rd. and go about 4½ miles (7 km). Follow signs to Chaa Creek | 824/2037 local reservations, 877/709–8708 | www.chaacreek.com | 14 rooms in duplex cottages, 6 suites, 4 villas, 10 casitas, 1 2-bedroom suite | Breakfast.

Sports and the Outdoors

San Ignacio is the center for touring in western Belize. Just walk along busy Burns Avenue and you’ll see signs for all kinds of tours and find the offices of several tour operators. Individual tour guides, who by law must be Belizean citizens and be licensed by the government, may work for tour operators, for a lodge or hotel, or they may freelance on their own. Some hang out at restaurants in town, especially those on busy Burns Avenue, and post notices at bulletin boards in downtown hotels and restaurants. PACZ Tours and others have offices downtown. You can compare prices and sign up for the next day’s tours. Obviously, the more layers of costs involved, the higher the price for you, but on the other hand larger operators and hotel tour companies have more resources, and they have their long-term reputations to protect, so they may be more reliable. Tours from lodges usually are more costly than if booked with an independent tour operator. Also, some lodges try to sell packages of tours rather than individual ones.

Most jungle lodges offer a full range of day trips, using either their own guides or working with independent guides and tour companies. The largest lodge-affiliated tour operations are Chaa Creek Expeditions and Windy Hill Tour Company, but Crystal Paradise, duPlooy’s, Maya Mountain, Cahal Pech Village, San Ignacio Resort Hotel, and other hotels and lodges also do many tours and trips.

If you have a rental car, you can visit all of the Mayan sites in the Cayo on your own, along with other attractions such as the butterfly farms, the Belize Botanic Gardens, Rainforest Medicine Trail, and many of the attractions in the Mountain Pine Ridge. However, for most caving tours, notably Actun Tunichil Muknal, you’ll need a guide, and for canoe and kayak trips, you’ll need drop-off and pickup. Local guides also are critical for nature hikes and birding trips, as many of these guides have remarkable local knowledge and ability to spot things you probably wouldn’t see otherwise.

Birding

The area around San Ignacio is good for birding because it contains such a variety of habitats—river valleys, foothills, lagoons, agricultural areas, and broadleaf jungle—each of which attracts different types of birds. For example, Aguacate Lagoon near Spanish Lookout attracts waterbirds such as night herons, neotropic cormorants, and whistling ducks. Open land and pastures are good for spotting laughing falcons, vermillion flycatchers, eastern meadowlarks, and white-tailed kites.

There’s good birding on the grounds of most of the lodges along the Mopan and Macal rivers, including Chaa Creek, duPlooy’s, Crystal Paradise, and Clarissa Falls. In addition, local guides and tour companies run birding trips.

Paradise Expeditions.
Paradise Expeditions, based in Cayo and connected with Crystal Paradise Lodge, has five- to eleven-night birding trips to various parts of Belize, starting at BZ$2,500 per person for a five-night, six-day birding trip in Central Belize, and ranging up to around BZ$3,000 per person for an 11-night expedition. | Crystal Paradise, Cristo Rey Rd. (P. O. Box 106) | 610/5593 | info@birdinginbelize.com | www.birdinginbelize.com.

Canoeing and Kayaking

The Cayo’s rivers, especially the Mopan and Macal, make it an excellent place for canoeing and kayaking. Most of the larger resorts, like Chaa Creek and duPlooy’s, have canoes or inflatable kayaks. Generally you put in the Macal and paddle and float down to the Hawksworth Bridge at San Ignacio, a trip that takes two or three hours depending on your starting point. You’ll pay about BZ$50 per person for canoe rental and pickup. You’ll see iguanas and birdlife on the banks, and if you dip in for a swim, don’t be surprised if tiny (toothless) fish school around you to figure out whether you’re food.

Do exercise caution. You won’t believe how fast the rivers, especially the Macal, can rise after a heavy rain. Following rains in the Mountain Pine Ridge, it can reach a dangerous flood stage in just a few minutes. Also, in the past there have been a few rare incidents of visitors in canoes being stopped and robbed on the Macal. Watch weather forecasts, and ask locally about safety on the rivers.

River Rat.
River Rat arranges canoeing and kayaking trips, both for beginners and experienced river runners, as well as tours to Caracol, ATM, El Pilar, and elsewhere. | 628/6033 | www.riverratbelize.com.

Caving

Over the millennia, as dozens of swift-flowing rivers bored through the soft limestone, the Maya Mountains became pitted with miles of caves. The Maya used them as burial sites, and, according to one theory, as subterranean waterways that linked the Cayo with communities as far north as the Yucatán. Previously, the caves fell into a 1,000-year slumber, disturbed only by the nightly flutter of bats. In recent years, the caves have been rediscovered by spelunkers.

Caves Branch Adventure Co. & Jungle Camp.
First on the scene was Ian Anderson of Caves Branch Adventure Co. & Jungle Camp. He and his friendly staff of trained guides run exhilarating adventure-theme caving, tubing, and hiking trips from an upscale jungle camp just south of Belmopan. They also run day and overnight kayaking trips in the Cayo District. | 12 miles (19½ km) south of Belmopan, Mile 42½, Hummingbird Hwy. | Belmopan | 610/3451, 866/357–2698 | www.cavesbranch.com.

PACZ Tours.
Arguably the best Actun Tunichil Muknal tour operator, PACZ has been operated by Emilo Awe since 1998, with help by Bob Jones, formerly of Eva’s, and about eight tour guides. The ATM tour costs around BZ$220 from downtown San Ignacio—including lunch and ATM admission, if you book directly with PACZ. Your hotel or lodge can arrange an ATM or other caving trip but may add an additional fee. | 30 Burns Ave. | 824/0536 | www.pacztours.net.

Hiking

Most of the lodges have hiking trails. Black Rock River Lodge, Chaa Creek, Maya Mountain, Crystal Paradise, and duPlooy’s all have especially good areas for hiking. If you want even more wide-open spaces, head to the Mountain Pine Ridge, which offers hundreds of miles of hiking trails, mostly old logging roads. For more adventurous hikes and overnight treks, you’ll want to go with a guide.

Maya Guide Adventures.
Marcos Cucul and son Francis, who run Maya Guide Adventures, are Ket’chi Mayans who are trained in cave and wilderness rescue. They can take you on overnight caving and kayaking trips, or guide you in Elijio Panti National Park, with trips starting at BZ$700 per person (minimum two persons). For the Maya Guide Adventures trips you must be physically fit. | Yaxche Jungle Camp | Belmopan | 600/3116 | www.mayaguide.bz.

Horseback Riding

The Lodge at Chaa Creek.
The Lodge at Chaa Creek has a stable of riding horses. Two- to three-hour guided horseback trips, with morning or afternoon options, cost BZ$90 per person, plus 12.5% tax. Rides cover about 5 miles (8 km). A horseback tour to Chaa Creek’s Maya organic farm also is BZ$90. | Chial Rd. | 824/2037, 877/709–8708 in U.S. and Canada | www.chaacreek.com.

Mountain Equestrian Trails.
When it comes to horseback-riding adventures, whether on the old logging roads of the Mountain Pine Ridge or on trails in the Slate Creek Preserve, the local experts are found at Mountain Equestrian Trails. Full-day rides range from BZ$166 to BZ$180. Five-night riding packages including accommodations are BZ$4,880 double in-season. | Mile 8, Mountain Pine Ridge Rd., aka Georgeville Rd. | 669/1124, 800/838–3918 | www.metbelize.com.

Shopping

Arts & Crafts of Central America.
In town, Arts & Crafts of Central America has a small selection of quality crafts at competitive prices. | 24 Burns Ave. | 824/3734.

Celina’s Superstore.
The friendliest little grocery in Cayo is Celina’s Superstore, which has almost anything you’ll need, including groceries, picnic supplies, toiletries, snacks, booze, and more. | 43 Burns Ave. | 824/2247.

Orange Gifts.
Orange Gifts has one of the best selections of Belizean and Guatemalan crafts in Belize. It has an especially good selection of wood items from tropical hardwoods, including bowls, small pieces of furniture, and carvings. There’s also a small restaurant and guesthouse here. | Mile 60, George Price Hwy., east of San Ignacio | 824/3296 | www.orangegifts.com.

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