If the only area of Belize that you’re familiar with is Ambergris Caye, you'll miss your chance to see the Cayo District – and especially San Ignacio where you couldn’t run out of fun, fascinating and fulfilling activities if you tried. Specifically, these 7 stops are so intriguing; you'll want to get to every one of them.
1. Visit Xunantunich, the Maya ruin. You’ll spend around 20 minutes trekking to the site but it’s worth your effort to see this spectacular ruin, and if you hire a guide who knows lots about the history of the people and the place, it’s worth the price.
2. Tour the Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve to further quench your appetite for all things Pre-Columbian. Small but fascinating, this is a small, quiet place that's close to downtown San Ignacio so you can visit the marketplace, too.
3. Go underground! Maya ruins aren’t limited to stately above-ground cities. People from around the globe come to Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, home to a human skeleton and artifacts that harken back to a lost world where secret ceremonies took place within these chambers.
4. Visit prehistoric creatures that promise not to eat you. The Green Iguana Conservation Project, located in a conservatory beside the San Ignacio Hotel, gets you up close to these scaly critters and if the urge to pet one strikes, don’t hold back. Exhibit occupants are protected by the government so you can’t take one home!
5. Check out the colorful buildings, more birds than you’ve likely ever seen in one place, and relax as you stroll the banks of the Macal River. Make crossing the British-built Hawkesworth Bridge part of your stroll.
6. Tour Barton Creek Cave – not only the largest river cave in Belize but also a popular tourist destination in the Cayo District. Barton Creek contains a wealth of information in understanding caves in Maya culture and the artifacts that were unearthed indicate that the cave was used for a variety of purposes by the Maya including agricultural rituals, possible fertility rites, ritual bloodletting, human sacrifice, and lineage internment.
7. Complete your Maya tour by visiting Caracol, a contender for the best ruins in the world. You won't have to trek into a jungle or river to get there but at 65-square-miles in size, wearing comfy shoes is strongly suggested. You’ll need them.
Where to stay that will house you so close to ruins, they’re literally right next door? Cahal Pech Village Resort. This remarkable property not only gets you up close and personal, but the comparison between these ancient ruins and the modern amenities guests enjoy within this resort’s accommodations are striking.
The resort’s selection of Belize vacation packages includes many of the aforementioned destinations and sites and you won’t have to make a single decision while you stay at the resort because meals and extras are all included. Come for the history. Stay for the Belizean hospitality. You're going to have the time of your life!
Questions about traveling to Belize? Send us an email or call 239- 494- 3281. We will love to help you plan your Belize vacation.
