This post will share everything you need to know to plan an epic trip to San Ignacio Belize, the country’s inland adventure capital!
From getting there and around, where to stay, top things to do in and around town and the best restaurants, we’ve got you covered with all the details you need.
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About San Ignacio Belize
San Ignacio is considered the adventure hub of Belize. This small city is the regional capital of the Cayo District in Western Belize, which is home to the country’s best outdoor attractions and activities.
San Ignacio is actually not the only town in this area. It has a twin town, Santa Elena, which lies on the opposite side of the Macal River, and is connected by the ‘Twin Towns Swing Bridge’, the only suspension bridge in Belize!
You’ll usually only hear about San Ignacio in relation to tourist activities, but a fun fact for you is that it’s actually two towns!
A complete contrast from the Caribbean waters, swaying palm trees and go slow vibes on the cayes, San Ignacio offers jungle, wildlife, waterfalls, caves and some extreme adventure activities.
Its location close to the Guatemalan border makes this a popular stop on the Central America Gringo Trail, with visitors coming from or travelling onto Flores in Guatemala.
The city itself has a buzzing, local feel. It wasn’t created for tourists, so you get a good insight into typical life in Belize. Together San Ignacio and Santa Elena are the biggest commercial hubs of the Cayo District, so they are busy and bustling with locals whether there are tourists here or not!
It’s worth spending some time in and around the city, and there are some fantastic and affordable local restaurants. But the real treasures of San Ignacio are hiding in the jungle all over the Cayo District.
Our experience
We spent three nights exploring San Ignacio and its surroundings by rental car. It was the final stop on our Belize itinerary, before crossing the border into Guatemala.
I’ll admit, it didn’t beat the Hummingbird Highway for us in terms of a Belize jungle experience, but we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the area. It was the first time we met our British friends, Will and Lauren, who we proceeded to follow all over Central America, so that made for a fun few days.
Having a rental car was handy, and it allowed us to do a lot of activities without tours, as the costs can add up pretty quickly if you take up all the great tours on offer!
We were glad to have the contrasting experience of visiting both Caye Caulker and San Ignacio, Belize’s two most popular traveller destinations.
San Ignacio quick facts
- 🚌 How to get there – by bus, private shuttle or rental car from anywhere in the country.
- 🛏️ How long to stay – 3-5 nights, depending on how many tours you would like to take.
- 🗓️ Best time to visit – is during the dry season, which is typically December – April.
👉🏼 BEST Tours in San Ignacio Belize
How to get to San Ignacio Belize
The best, and virtually only way, to get to San Ignacio is by road. There is a small local airport nearby called Maya Flats Airstrip, but for the cost, and the short driving distance to other major destinations around the country, driving is your best bet.
From the west – Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker or Belize City
Most travellers are approaching San Ignacio from the cayes (Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker), or Belize City.
If you’re on the islands, this will involve getting the ferry back to Belize City, before connecting with a shuttle, local bus or rental car to San Ignacio.
If you’re already in Belize City, or just arriving at the airport, obviously you won’t need the ferry, but you can choose any of these land options.
- 🚐 Ferry + shuttle – you’ll first need to take the ferry from your island back to Belize City. Book from Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker. Expect to pay $25 – $30 USD for the ferry.
Once you get to Belize (or if you’re already there), book a shuttle which will (possibly) pick you up from your accommodation, or meet you at the water taxi dock. You’ll share the ride with other travellers, and won’t need to worry about stopping frequently to pick up more passengers. Expect to pay around $25 USD for the shuttle.
- 🚌 Ferry + local bus – for something a bit cheaper, but more time-consuming, you can take a local bus from Belize City to San Ignacio. You’ll need to get yourself to the main bus terminal and wait for a bus to San Ignacio.
The route is usually Belize City – Benque Viejo del Carmen (the town on the Guatemalan border, just past San Ignacio). From Monday – Saturday, these buses should depart approximately every half an hour. Sundays they are less frequent. Just ask any driver or staff at the terminal to point you in the right direction.
If you have the option, opt for an express service, which only stops at designated towns on the route, not on the side of the road if passengers hail the bus. It should cost less than $10 BZD for the ticket, and take around 2 hours to reach San Ignacio.
- 🚙 Ferry + rental car – if you’re considering renting a car in San Ignacio anyway, you can pick one up in Belize City and drive yourself to San Ignacio. This is even more convenient if you’re flying into the airport and heading to San Ignacio straight away. You’ll need to factor in whether you are returning to Belize City to drop off the car, or if you need to organise a one-way rental option leaving the car in San Ignacio for an additional fee. Browse for rental cars in Belize City here.
From the south – Dangriga, Hopkins, Placencia
If you’re coming from anywhere in the south of Belize, you don’t need to backtrack via Belize City. Whether you are taking public buses or driving a rental car, you don’t have to travel via Belize City.
- 🚌 By bus – you first need to get yourself to the city of Dangriga, if you’re not already there. If you’re in Placencia or Hopkins, you could take a direct bus to Dangriga, or any bus to Belize City that goes via Dangriga. From Dangriga, jump on a bus to Belmopan that runs along the Hummingbird Highway. From Belmopan, you can connect with the same Belize City – Benque Viejo del Carmen route as above, getting off at San Ignacio.
- 🚗 By car – if you’re in this region of Belize and don’t already have a car, it’s possible to rent one from a local agency in Dangriga to drive to San Ignacio. There is only one, Dangriga Auto Rentals, which is a locally owned and operated rental agency and feels quite informal compared to the usual chain operators. But we had a great experience renting with them and can recommend their services. (See our Belize itinerary to understand our kind of confusing route). Their prices are inclusive of insurance.
From Guatemala
San Ignacio is a logical first stop in Belize if you’re crossing from Guatemala. It’s right near the town of Flores, and this is the best and easiest jump-off point for getting to San Ignacio.
- 🚐 By shuttle – the easiest way is to book a door-to-door shuttle to take you from Flores to San Ignacio. No changes are required, no constant stopping to cram in passengers, and you’ll get a hand crossing the border. Book your shuttle here, and expect to pay around $20 USD for the trip.
- 🚌 By bus – buses in this part of Guatemala are usually colectivos or minivans. It’s pretty straightforward to get a van from Flores to the border town Melchor de Mencos on the Guatemalan side. You’ll cross the border on foot by yourself, and pick up a taxi or bus to San Ignacio on the other side. This should cost the equivalent of around $5 – $8 USD (in Belize Dollars and Guatemalan Quetzals).
Getting around San Ignacio Belize
The small city of San Ignacio is easy to navigate on foot. It feels a bit disjointed in parts, but most attractions, restaurants and popular accommodation options are less than 2 km (1.2 mi) from each other.
There are local taxis plying the city too, so if it’s hot, you’re tired or have your luggage, they’re never too far away! There is no Uber or ride-share services here, or anywhere in Belize.
However, the best things to do in San Ignacio are deep in the jungle surroundings, and there is some consideration required to work out how to get there.
Local taxis will take you to nearby sights that aren’t located too remote (e.g. Xunantunich, Belize Botanic Gardens etc.). Some of the other activities can only be done with a tour anyway (e.g. cave tubing, ATM Caves etc.), and all agencies include transport from San Ignacio.
To be able to do some self-guided exploration, we recommended renting a car. A 4×4 is ideal, as once you get deeper into the jungle, some of the roads are unpaved and can deteriorate quickly after rain (looking at you Mountain Pine Ridge!).
If you haven’t already driven yourself to San Ignacio with a rental car, you can rent one from several local agencies in town. Rentals start from $65 USD + per day, inclusive of insurance.
Recommended and well-rated agencies include:
Where to stay in San Ignacio
There is a range of accommodations in San Ignacio for all styles and budgets, from social hostels to luxury jungle lodges. There is a cluster of options around the centre of town, but also plenty of options spread out into the jungle if you’re looking for a unique lodging experience in nature.
Where we stayed: Hummingbird Rest
We stayed at Hummingbird Rest during our time in San Ignacio. This fully self-contained cabin was on a gorgeous rainforest-filled property that felt like we were in the middle of the jungle, despite being right in the heart of San Ignacio.
It is about a kilometre (0.6 mi) outside of the centre of town, which was no problem at all for us with a rental car. However it is easily walkable if you don’t have a car, and it’s on a major road with plenty of food options and supermarkets.
The cabin had a fully equipped kitchen, which was open-air, just screened off for insects. The highlight of the cabin was the outdoor patio area, with a couch, dining table, and a hammock to laze in overlooking the garden. There is a hummingbird feeder, and we thoroughly enjoyed having our morning coffee and watching the adorable birds zoom in and out.
The bed was comfy, the shower was hot with fantastic pressure (a rarity) and the WiFi was good! The owners Peter and Jenny were so lovely. They lived on the property with their doggies, and there was another cabin available for rent too, the Iguana Roost.
If you’re looking for something private and self-contained, Hummingbird Rest is a great option.
Other accommodation options in town
BUDGET 💰
- The Old House Hostel – a backpacker favourite, Old House Hostel is located right in the centre of San Ignacio, in a gorgeous colonial-style house with a big, wraparound balcony. They have both private and dorm rooms, a well-equipped kitchen and plenty of places to hang out including hammocks on the balcony and a downstairs bar that has live music nights. There is a friendly, social vibe and everyone who stays here loves it!
- $ – $13 USD + per night check prices Hostelworld
- Yellow Belly Backpackers – the other, highest-rated hostel in San Ignacio is located a short distance out of the centre of town, near Cahal Pech ruins. They offer free bicycle rentals to make accessing town easy, so there are really no issues with the location. The communal spaces around the hostel are gorgeous and colourful, with plenty of hammocks, and places to work and relax. They have private and dorm rooms.
- $ – $13 USD + per night check prices Hostelworld | Booking
MID-RANGE 💰💰
- Maya Mountain Lodge – this gorgeous option just sneaks into the boundaries of San Ignacio. It is a less than 2 km (1.2 mi) walk from the lodge to the heart of town, so even if you don’t have a rental car, you could absolutely still get around on foot. The property is in the jungle with plenty of lush greenery, and there is an outdoor pool. All the rooms are fully self-contained with private bathrooms, equipped kitchens and some kind of outdoor space to relax on. Enjoy a jungle vibe, but also the ease of access to town.
- Falling Leaves Lodge – this gorgeous lodge is in a fantastic location, just behind the Cahal Pech ruins. The town is within easy reach, but you’ll feel like you’re nestled in the jungle. The rooms are very luxurious, excellent value for money, and feel very spacious with natural decor. The property has a pool, restaurant and spa on-site.
HIGH END 💰💰💰
- Ka’ana Resort & Spa – this is another option that just sneaks into the boundary of the town. It’s not quite in the centre, but it’s also not too far out, so you can have a jungle lodge experience but also be within very easy reach of town. Ka’ana is a complete luxury, with stunning, tropical amenities. The rooms look like Balinese villas! The service is exceptional, the on-site restaurant and bar are delicious and the pool is a haven from the heat.
- San Ignacio Resort Hotel – this high-end resort has the best of both worlds – a central location in town, but a slice of jungle on the property. We visited the hotel for their on-site Green Iguana Conservation Centre and got to have a little look around the lobby and communal areas. The pool and outdoor dining area were gorgeous, and the rooms look light and bright, with contemporary furnishes and all the amenities for a comfortable stay.
Jungle lodges
A very popular style of accommodation in San Ignacio is to stay in a jungle lodge. These options are usually high-end, with a high price tag. They are situated in a remote location in the heart of the jungle, with all amenities (restaurant, tour booking, transport etc.) usually provided by the hotel.
If you choose this option, you sacrifice the flexibility of being close to San Ignacio town, but you will have a unique nature experience and a luxury stay in a beautiful location. Lodges are sprawled all around the Cayo District, varying distances from town.
You’ll be able to do many activities, like jungle hikes, birdwatching, canoeing or tubing and spotting wildlife right from your accommodation, so you don’t necessarily need to cram your itinerary with as many tours.
Some of the best lodges include:
- The Lodge at Chaa Creek – located on the banks of the Macal River, Chaa Creek is everything a jungle lodge should be. The property is full of activities, with canoeing, miles of jungle trails, bird, butterfly and wildlife watching, night tours and more. The whole family will have a good time here, and the amenities, rooms and staff are all top-notch.
- 🏩 Booking via Booking.com | Expedia
- Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge – a slightly more rustic but authentic jungle experience, Sweet Songs has a collection of palm-thatched bungalows nestled in dense rainforest. Their activities and tours will keep you busy exploring, but their infinity pool, restaurant and bar are ready and waiting when you want to relax.
- 🏩 Booking via Booking.com | Expedia
- Blancaneaux Lodge – located inside the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, right near the famous Big Rock Falls. They have palm-thatched perched atop the river, and you can fall asleep to the sound of gentle waterfalls. The staff, amenities and activities on offer are exceptional, your every need will be met here.
- 🏩 Booking via Booking.com | Expedia
- Gaia Riverlodge – another option inside Mountain Pine Ridge, Gaia is perched above its own private waterfall. The palm-thatched cottages are simple but sophisticated, and their on-site restaurant shakes up some delicious cocktails and tasty meals, albeit a bit pricey.
- 🏩 Booking via Booking.com | Expedia
- Table Rock Lodge – rated an impressive 9.9/10 from previous guests, I don’t know if anything else needs to be said about Table Rock Lodge. Designed to blend seamlessly with its surroundings, rooms are made of wood, natural stone and palm-thatched rooves, with decor to match. Set on the Macal River, there is plenty of activities to keep you busy, and the on-site restaurant has amazing food with changing specials each day.
- 🏩 Booking via Booking.com | Expedia
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Things to do in San Ignacio
There are SO many things to do in and around San Ignacio. I’ve got an entire post dedicated to the 19 best things to do in San Ignacio which I’d highly recommend checking out.
As a little sneak peek, here are some of the top things to do, in town and the surrounding jungle:
- ☠️ Venture into the ATM Cave – the best tour in the country, walking, swimming, climbing and jumping deep inside the dark cave, with sacred Maya artefacts and skeletal remains
- 🍩 Go cave tubing – a uniquely Belizean activity, cave tubing involves (you guessed it!) floating through a river inside a cave on an inflatable tube. A really fun experience.
- 🌲 Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve – a completely different landscape, Mountain Pine Ridge is full of pine trees and rocky granite outcrops. Make sure you visit Rio Frio Cave, Rio On Pools and Big Rock Falls.
- 🦎 Visit the Green Iguana Conservation Project – and learn more about these crazy critters and the work being done to preserve and increase their populations.
- 🌈 Explore San Ignacio – wander down Burns Street, look for colourful murals, check out the two bridges over the Macal River, and check out the local market (best on Saturdays).
- 🛕 Visit an ancient Maya city – Cahal Pech is the closest but smallest, located in town. Xunantunich is not too far away, but super impressive and possible to climb one of its temples, El Castillo. Caracol is hidden deep inside the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, you need a car or tour to get there, or you can cross the border to Guatemala for the day to visit Tikal, one of the grandest cities of the Maya empire.
👉🏼 Get all the details on the 19 best things to do in San Ignacio
Restaurants in San Ignacio
There are some fantastic restaurants in San Ignacio, serving up both local and international cuisine. The prices of food and drink are much cheaper here than on the cayes, which was a welcome relief for our Belize budget!
Here are some of our favourite spots in San Ignacio:
- 🥘 Ko’ox Han Nah – meaning ‘let’s go eat’ in Mayan, this Belizean restaurant is a highlight for many in San Ignacio. Serving mostly local-style meals, they have a range of Indian-style curries too, which are delicious. They source their dairy, eggs, vegetables and lamb from local farms so you can be sure everything is the freshest, highest quality. We can highly recommend the vegetarian curry.
- 🍛 Cenaida’s Belizean Food– a local restaurant serving up typical Belizean food, at affordable prices with large serves. Most of the mains are your choice of protein and flavour, served with rice, beans and salads. We tried the coconut fish and coconut chicken and the sauce was creamy and delicious. It was one of the cheapest and most filling meals we had, at just $14 BZD for a main.
- 🌮 Lola’s Restaurant – located a short distance outside the centre of town, on a hill with a beautiful view. Lola’s is right by the Cahal Pech ruins so we would recommend combining the two. They do a variety of cuisines well, from Belizean, Mexican, American and Italian. We had the tacos, which although not the cheapest, were nice.
- ☕️ The Shack Café – the café scene in San Ignacio isn’t anything to write home about, and the coffee from The Shack is not the greatest coffee ever. But the café has a really cute garden area out the back, and strong WiFi to work for a few hours. We didn’t eat here, but the menu had some options that sounded delicious! The name has recently changed from The Spot to The Shack.
- 🍸 Booze & Branches – we stumbled across this spot outside of town by chance as we were exploring the outskirts of San Ignacio. It’s a really beautiful outdoor bar, set in a lovely garden under a towering tree. They serve delicious cocktails, American-style bar snacks, and a changing roster of special main meals.
- 🍔 D’Stock Burgers – if you need a burger fix, D’Stock is good, cheap and right in the centre of town. They also do an all-day American breakfast, with all the classic options like pancakes, eggs, and waffles with all kinds of crazy toppings.
- 🍗 Hode’s Place – considered one of the cheapest restaurants in town, Hode’s serves up a whole range of cuisines. Local rice and beans, burritos, burgers, sandwiches, pizza and pasta. You won’t find prices much cheaper than this, for restaurant-quality food in a nice setting with outdoor seating.
- 🥩 Cucina 1904 – sadly we didn’t have time to try this spot, but I couldn’t leave it off the list. Every time we walked around town, we noticed their gorgeous garden lit up at night with fairy lights. They have a fantastic cocktail list and the drinks look amazing. Food is on the pricier side, so it’s probably best for a special meal. They have quite fancy options like steak, ceviche and pasta.
- 🍳 Pop’s – if you’re looking for a cheap and tasty breakfast spot that opens early before tour pickups, head to Pop’s. This local icon dishes up a good range of breakfast options, both local and American. Try the chaya pockets, a local type of spinach, cooked in an omelette inside a fry jack!
- 🍝 Guava Limb – this is the most popular restaurant in town for a romantic/higher-end meal. Set in lovely tropical gardens, Guava Limb has a range of different dishes on offer, and does them all well! Our favourites were the shrimp fettuccine, blackened fish and sriracha coconut shrimp!
📍 All these restaurants are pinned on our custom Belize Google Map
How long to stay
There is so much to see and do both in San Ignacio and in the natural areas surrounding the city. Anywhere from 3 – 5 nights would easily be filled.
It’s important to note that many of these attractions can only be visited on expensive tours. So how long to stay in San Ignacio really depends on your budget.
We spent 3 nights in the city, which we felt was enough. There was still plenty to do, and we could have easily filled a few more days, but we didn’t have the budget to do any more tours.
Is San Ignacio Belize safe?
Yes, San Ignacio felt very safe. We felt completely comfortable everywhere we visited in Belize, San Ignacio was no exception.
Being a more local/rural city, there were a few colourful characters around town, but we never felt threatened, uncomfortable or unsafe. Even wandering around at night having dinner and drinks.
Take all the usual safety precautions and you’ll have no problems in San Ignacio.
⚠️ Read more about safety in Belize
Best time to visit
The best time to visit San Ignacio is in Belize’s dry season, which runs from December – April.
In the winter months of December and January, it can get quite chilly in the mornings and evenings in San Ignacio, but the days are still sunny and warm.
The wet season usually starts in May until October/November. It doesn’t rain the entire time but do keep in mind that heavy rain can have a big impact on activities. If you happen to visit during or after storms or heavy rains, roads can be impassable, river levels rise in caves so they are inaccessible, and waterfalls too strong for swimming.
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Is San Ignacio Belize worth visiting?
Yes, I think San Ignacio is definitely worth visiting! The town certainly earns its reputation as the adventure capital of Belize, and you can honestly do any kind of thrilling jungle activity you could imagine here.
Staying in a jungle lodge or nature-focused accommodation is an amazing experience, and spotting the birds and wildlife around the region is really special, and offers a contrasting experience to the cayes.
We felt like San Ignacio gave us a greater glimpse into life in Belize, as the town is not purely for tourism, it’s a real local hub. San Ignacio was a great way to end our time in Belize and the perfect jump-off point for neighbouring Guatemala.
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