The Best Things To Do In San Ignacio Belize

Filled with adventure and ancient Mayan history, San Ignacio is a small town that will have a big impact on you when you come to Belize. Although most people spend just a few nights in San Ignacio, we spent seven nights and were surprised by how many activities there were to choose from. So, in this travel guide, we will cover some of the best things to do in San Ignacio Belize, so you can plan the best trip possible!

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How to Get to San Ignacio Belize

San Ignacio is on the western side of Belize and is very close to the Guatemalan border. You can get to San Ignacio by taking the bus from Belize City. Buses leave every 30 minutes and are around $12 Belize dollars or $6 USD per person. Buses do get crowded and don’t have air conditioning, but they are a very affordable and reliable way to get around Belize.

Click here to see the current bus schedules in Belize.

If you prefer, you can also rent a car to go to San Ignacio. Cars are good for avoiding sweating in the hot Belizean sun. However, we are happy to report that a car is not necessary to have a great time in San Ignacio.

Things to Do in San Ignacio Belize

Now, the most popular thing to do in San Ignacio is to take one of the many tours available because these tours are a great way to experience the beautiful nature and the fascinating ancient sites that surround San Ignacio. Tours are also beneficial because many of the sites are down secluded, bumpy roads that require 4-wheel drive. Add to the fact that there’s no cell service in these secluded sites, and you will see why it’s best to go with a guide for safety reasons.

Want to see what these tours are like? Check our our full video here!

Although San Ignacio tours are quite pricey, I do believe they are worth it as you learn and see much more than you would on your own. However, if you are traveling on a tight budget, our list also includes some more affordable options below as well.

#1 Actun Tunichil Muknal Tour (ATM Tour)

If you want an unforgettable adventure, you should take a tour through the ATM Cave also known as Actun Tunichil Mukal. This tour is expensive ranging from $100-$125 USD, but it is worth every penny as you get to swim, slide, and climb through a sacred cave where the Mayans once did their ritual sacrifices.

Be prepared to wade through a river and swim through the entrance of the cave. Once inside, you will hike through the cave, squeeze between rocks, and climb up boulders to get to the Mayans’ ritual sites.

Because this tour is so active, you will need both hands to swim and climb, and you are not allowed to bring any type of electronics or cameras. Even waterproof GoPros are not allowed because the tour guides are thinking of your safety first.

Inside the cave, you will see Mayan ceremonial sites that date back about 1700 years and learn how the Mayas went from sacrificing food to eventually sacrificing people to bring rain and a prosperous crop. However, when their prayers went unanswered and the drought worsened, the Mayan gave up these rituals, gave up their pyramid cities, and dispersed across Central America living in smaller villages instead of big cities.

The tour was informative, fascinating, and an adventure unlike any other. However, this tour is not for everyone. There were uneven rocks and rocks with sharp edges. In a few places, we had to squeeze through tight passageways, so if you are claustrophobic in any way, you should avoid this tour. Also, the cave is quite dark and is only illuminated by headlamps, so if you are scared of the dark, then this tour may not be for you. Lastly, this tour involves some swimming. It’s very short distances, but if you do not know how to swim, then this tour may not be for you.

Another consideration is clothing. Just be sure to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting wet. Because the cave is a sacred site, bikinis are not allowed. You will have to swim in your activewear clothing. It’s a lot to consider, but it’s definitely worth it for a unique adventure that you won’t experience anywhere else in the world.

If you are interested in doing this tour for yourself, check out one of the options below.

#2 The Caracol Tour

Another popular tour to take is to Caracol. This Mayan site has a pyramid that at 150 meters is the tallest structure in Belize. However, this archaeological park is quite difficult to get to. To get there you must drive two hours down a very bumpy and secluded road, which is why it’s recommended that you visit Caracol with a tour guide. After experiencing the long and challenging road myself, I would agree that for safety, you shouldn’t try this journey independently.

We booked our tour with Maya Walk Tours and had a great experience. The tour also included lunch and stops at the Rio Frio Cave and at Big Rock Waterfalls which really added a lot to the tour.

This tour is a bit pricy starting at around $125 per person, but you can click here to see current prices and tour options.

We really enjoyed our tour of Caracol, and can highly recommend it. However, if you are on a tight budget, you might want to skip this expensive tour as there are other Mayan sites that are much easier to access, cost less money to visit, and are just as amazing.

#3 The Rio Frio Cave

Rio Frio Cave has a massive 60-foot high entrance that is impressive to see. Inside, you will see some stalagmites and a small river that runs through the cave. The cave still feels raw and untouched, so it makes a nice, quick stop on your way to Caracol.

It is possible to drive yourself to Rio Frio Cave, just make sure that your vehicle is a high clearance truck or SUV with 4-wheel drive because the road is quite bad going here. You definitely cannot make this drive in a sedan. Also, make sure you have offline maps available as there is no cell service in this area.

#3 Big Rock Waterfalls

The Big Rock Waterfall is simply magnificent to see and so refreshing to swim in! The stairs going down to the falls are uneven and quite slippery. Plus, the rock bed leading to the waterfall is also quite slippery so please go slow and exercise caution as you make your way to the waterfall. It is worth the effort to see and hear the power of this waterfall and see the beautiful scenery that surrounds it.

It is possible to swim here, just be aware of the currents as they are quite strong.

It is also possible to drive yourself here, but getting lost is a real concern so make sure that you have a good offline map available.

#4 Ajaw Chocolate

Learn the traditional way that the Mayas prepared chocolate at Ajaw Chocolate. Here, you can book a chocolate-making and chocolate-tasting tour where you get to grind fermented and dried cacao beans in the same traditional way that the Maya did a thousand years ago.

You will learn how the Maya used a chocolate drink for special occasions and ceremonies. They even valued the cacao bean so much that they used it as currency. It was truly a fun and informative tour that we highly recommend!

Click here for the latest tour times and prices.

#5 Cahal Pech

Caha Pech is a Mayan site that is just a 20-minute walk from the city center and has an interesting museum exhibit and amazing pyramids to explore. This Mayan complex is a bit smaller than Caracol as it housed only 10,000 to 20,000 people.

We loved seeing what has been exposed at the Cahal Pech. As you walk through the complex, you will see the king’s bed chamber and even some traces of the red paint that they used to paint the king’s courtyard. Over time, most of the red paint has eroded away, but from the traces left behind, you can almost imagine what these rooms would have looked like when they were covered with paint and stucco. Cahal Pech is truly a place where you can see history unfold right before your eyes

#6 Green Iguana Conservatory

If you have time definitely stop by the Green Iguana Conservation Project. Kendra and I had a great visit here! We were able to learn more about the iguanas as well as learn about this conservation project. The green iguana is a threatened species in Belize, so the Green Iguana Conservation Project has a program to breed and release iguanas in hopes of increasing their numbers in the wild.

If you can believe it, it is customary to hunt and eat these green iguanas in Belize. That’s why this organization hopes to raise awareness about them and only releases them into protected areas where they can not be hunted.

On this tour, you can meet, hold, and feed the green iguanas. Tours last an hour and start at $11.25 USD per person, but please check here for the latest tour times and prices.

#7 Xunantunich

Xunantunich is one of the most impressive Mayan sites in San Ignacio, so you don’t want to miss it! Here, you will see the elaborate architecture and the beautiful designs on the exterior walls. The best part is climbing to the top of the castillo (castle) to see the amazing view of the surrounding landscape. The castillo and its amazing view are the best part of Xunantunich and should not be missed!

To get there, you can take the bus from city center toward Benque. Just ask the driver or the conductor to let you off at Xunantunich and they will help you get off at the right place. The bus ride takes about 15 minutes and bus tickets are currently $2.25 Belize dollars per person. That’s about $1.13 USD.

Once there, you will have to take a crank ferry across the river. This ferry is free, but you can tip the operators if you enjoyed the short, but interesting trip. After the ferry, you have to hike one mile up the hill to the archaeological site. It took us about 20 minutes walking to reach Xunantunich. We did get a bit out of breath, but it was good exercise and very cost-effective.

You can also drive yourself if you have a car. The road is paved and easy to navigate in any type of vehicle. You could also take a taxi there to avoid the 20-minute walk. One driver quoted us a price of $40 roundtrip to Xunantunich, but I’m sure they are open to negotiation.

Park entrance fees are currently $10 Belize dollars or about $5 USD, and there is a small museum exhibit there that gives great information about what the Mayan civilization was like a thousand years ago.

This was one of our favorite Mayan sites and gets our highest recommendation!

#8 Barton Creek Cave Reserve

On this half-day tour, you will canoe through a remote cave in the San Ignacio, Cayo region seeing another Mayan ceremonial site as well as beautiful cave formations.

Now, we did not personally take this tour, but this was our tour guide’s favorite activity so we thought we should include it here as a possibility. This might be a good option for those who don’t want to swim and climb through the ATM cave, but still would like a Mayan cave experience.

If you are interested, check here for the latest tour times and prices.

Where to Eat in San Ignacio Belize

In addition to some great sights, San Ignacio Belize also has some great places to eat. Our top three recommendations are below!

Guava Limb Cafe was our favorite restaurant in San Ignacio. We tried their drinks, appetizers, and main dishes and they were all so unique and loaded with flavor. Plus, their garden and decor are lovely. You’ll love this restaurant!
Tandoor Restaurant is right on the main strip on Burns Avenue and has very flavorful Indian food. We loved their curries! Plus, they have a nice view of the town square.
Ko-Ox Han Nah is a delicious but affordable restaurant that offers traditional Belizean favorites as while as international food like burritos and burgers. We ate here often because of the great prices and there are plenty of vegetarian options as well.

Where to Stay in San Ignacio Belize

We recommend staying as close to the city center as possible. This way you will have easy access to all the restaurants and amenities of town. We stayed at the Rainforest Haven Inn and had a good experience there. Plus, we loved how it was just footsteps away from the city center so we could easily catch a bus, taxi, or go to a restaurant with ease.

For a more upscale place to stay in San Ignacio, you could try the San Ignacio Resort Hotel. We went inside this place to take the green iguana tour and were really impressed by how nice it was.

Final Thoughts on San Ignacio Belize

When we went to San Ignacio Belize, we really didn’t know what to expect. We took a chance and took some of the most expensive tours we’ve ever taken, and we were not disappointed. Each tour felt like an adventure and we really got to see and learn so much while on them. If you love adventure and are interested in taking a deep dive into the Mayan civilization, you will love your time in San Ignacio, Belize! It’s a fascinating place filled with so much mystery and intrigue around every corner!

Now that you know about San Ignacio, click to learn even more about the destinations below!

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