SAN IGNACIO, BELIZE

15 miles from the Guatemalan border, San Ignacio is a small, laid-back town in Western Belize. It serves as a marvelous home base for visiting the region’s Mayan ruins and expansive cave systems! San Ignacio is also smack dab in the middle of Flores, Guatemala and the Caribbean making it a great place to stop off for a few days when traveling between the two!

Attractions:

  • Xunantunich: There are many tours in town that cost upwards of $60 USD but you can visit these lovely ruins for $7 USD on your own! Hop on a bus towards Benque and ask the driver to let you off at San Jose Succotz. The bus ride is 15 minutes and costs $2 BZD ($1 USD); buses run hourly on the half hour. From San Jose Succotz, take the free, hand-operated river ferry across the Mopan River. The walk from here to the visitor’s center is just over 1 mile (2km) and admission to the park is $10 BZD ($5 USD). I spent 3-4 hours admiring the Mayan architecture; amazingly, some of the structures date back to the 7th Century AD! The return trip to town is just as simple. The bus heading towards San Ignacio picks up in San Jose Succotz hourly (at the top of the hour).

  • ATM Tour: The Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave tour is a favorite amongst backpackers! From San Ignacio, the caves are 90 minutes by bus and 45 minutes on foot through the Belizean jungle. Your guide will lead you by way of tunnels past crystalline stalagmites, Mayan relics, and the famous skeleton of the “Crystal Maiden”! Be prepared to get very wet; there are points in which you travel through water up to your waist! The 8-hour tour costs $95 USD (lunch, headlamp, and life vest are provided).

  • San Ignacio Market: This market is open daily from 5:00am-6:00pm and is located here. Saturday is the best day to visit!

  • Cahal Pech: Admittedly, these ruins do not have the same grandeur as Xunantunich but they are closer to town, less crowded, and have a more natural feel. A taxi ride from San Ignacio is 10 minutes and costs $6 BZD ($3 USD). The entrance fee is an additional $10 BZD ($5 USD).

  • Monkey Falls: This small waterfall and swimming area is 15 minutes by taxi from town. This should cost no more than $15 BZD ($7.50 USD) and there is no entrance fee upon arrival to the falls.

  • Barton Creek Cave: A less strenuous, more cost-effective, and shorter alternative to the ATM tour. You should be able to find tours in town starting at $50 USD.

  • Other attractions include: Green Iguana Conservation Project, Falcon Field Park, and Belize Raptor Center.

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Accommodation:

  • Bella’s Backpacker’s: Located 5 minutes from the bus station in the center of town, this hostel has a great common space and balcony overlooking San Ignacio. They have many tour options and the staff are super friendly!

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Transportation:

Direct shuttle buses offer transit routes to many destinations across all of Central America. For shuttle bus travel within Belize, book through Belizing. For options to other countries, book through Gekko Trails Explorer.

San Ignacio’s main bus station is located across the street from the Cayo Welcome Center; all buses below leave from here. Tickets must be purchased in-person at the bus station.

  • Flores, Guatemala is 2.5 hours by bus and taxi from San Ignacio and costs $8 USD. The first bus from San Ignacio to Benque is 15 minutes and costs $1 USD (buses run every thirty minutes). From Benque, take a taxi to Melchor de Mencos (the border town); this taxi ride is 5 minutes and costs $3 USD. You can also walk this distance given it’s only 4km (2.5 miles). After crossing the border, get on the next bus heading to Flores. The bus ride is 2 hours and costs $4 USD.

    • You can also take a 3-hour shuttle bus from San Ignacio to Flores for $30 USD via Gekko Trails Explorer.

    • There is a $20 USD ($40 BZD) departure fee for Belize but there is no entrance fee for Guatemala.

  • Caye Caulker is 3.5 hours by bus, taxi, and ferry from San Ignacio and costs $24.50 USD. The bus from San Ignacio to Belize City is 2.5 hours and costs $3.50 USD. From the Belize City bus station, take a taxi to the dock (5 minutes; $3 USD). The ferry from Belize City to Caye Caulker is 45 minutes and costs $18 USD.

  • Tulum, Mexico is 12-13 hours by bus (indirect; via Belize City and Chetumal) from San Ignacio and costs $26.50 USD. The first bus from San Ignacio to Belize City is 2.5 hours and costs $3.50 USD; buses leave every two hours. From Belize City, the bus to Chetumal, Mexico is 5.5 hours and costs $8 USD; buses leave every thirty minutes. From Chetumal, the bus to Tulum is 3.5 hours and costs $15 USD; buses run this route hourly from 9:00am-6:00pm.

    • There is a $20 USD ($40 BZD) departure fee for Belize and a $25 USD (500 Mexican Pesos) entrance fee for Mexico if your stay is longer than one week.

  • Mérida, Mexico is 14-15 hours by bus (indirect; via Belize City and Chetumal) from San Ignacio and costs $31.50 USD. The first bus from San Ignacio to Belize City is 2.5 hours and costs $3.50 USD; buses leave every two hours. From Belize City, the bus to Chetumal, Mexico is 5.5 hours and costs $8 USD; buses leave every thirty minutes. From Chetumal, the bus to Mérida is 6 hours and costs $20 USD; buses leave three times daily at 1:30pm, 5:00pm, and 11:00pm.

    • There is a $20 USD ($40 BZD) departure fee for Belize and a $25 USD (500 Mexican Pesos) entrance fee for Mexico if your stay is longer than one week.

The closest airport to San Ignacio is Belize City International Airport (BZE or Philip S.W. Goldson), which is 110km (68 miles) northeast. From BZE, take a 20-minute taxi to the Belize City bus station for $25 USD ($50 BZD). From here, the 2.5-hour bus ride costs $3.50 USD.