13 FUN Things to do in San Ignacio, Belize (& Nearby)
Often referred to as Belize’s adventure capital, San Ignacio town is a convenient base for exploring the mainland’s enchanting cave systems, towering Mayan temples, hidden waterfalls, and breezy mountain forests.
Yet, with most of the Cayo District’s attractions secluded in the surrounding jungle, San Ignacio itself often gets overlooked. So, if you’re looking for things to do in San Ignacio, Belize, this article is for you!
Since I have local family in Belize, I’ve spent extensive time in San Ignacio and nearby, and discovered plenty of local hidden gems—chocolate making in downtown San Ignacio, local restaurants serving real Belizean food and the best rum in the world, plus all the must-do jungle adventures and Mayan ruins to see nearby.
Where to Stay in San Ignacio & Nearby:
- 🌿 Falling Leaves Lodge: Beautiful, newer hotel in San Ignacio, right by the Cahal Pech Ruins. Choose a ‘Superior Suite’ to get a gorgeous jacuzzi in your room, or opt for a basic room for an affordable but cute and clean place to stay. The property includes a restaurant and bar, but no pool. Check prices.
- 🛖 Cahal Pech Resort: I stayed here with some friends because of the beautiful views, affordable rates, and proximity to downtown San Ignacio and the Cahal Pech ruins. I felt like it was a mediocre place to stay, and I wrote an honest review of Cahal Pech Resort with more details. Check prices.
- 🌴 Green Valley Inn: Cute treehouses on a lush property with a pool between Belmopan and San Ignacio. This small property has exceptional reviews and is a great budget-friendly place to stay in Belize! Check prices.
- 🌺 Vanilla Hills Resort: Simple, clean jungle bungalows on the outskirts of San Ignacio near Bullet Tree Falls. The property features a pool and is within walking distance from the Mopan River. Check prices.
Also See: Where to Stay in Belize: The Best Resorts in Every Area
Best things to do in San Ignacio & Belize’s Cayo District
1. Climb the temples at Xunantunich
From the top of 130-foot-tall El Castillo you can gaze over the jungle and farmland in both Belize and nearby Guatemala! It’s one of the taller of the Mayan temples you can still climb in Latin America.
Xunantunich Archaeological Site is a 20-minute drive east of downtown San Ignacio, and you get here via a one-minute ride on a hand-cranked ferry across the river! Be sure to bring small change to tip the ferry operator.
If you don’t have a car (or simply prefer to explore the ancient city with a guide), you can join this guided tour with transportation from your hotel in San Ignacio. Or join this Xunantunich jungle pontoon cruise combo tour!
2. See Mayan remains and pottery deep in the ATM Cave
Lots of people travel all the way to Belize for this Indiana-Jones-style adventure! After trekking through dense jungle you swim up a submerged cave until you reach a cathedral room home to infamous Mayan remains and hundreds of other artifacts.
You can only do this with a local guide, and only 125 people are allowed in each day, so it is important to make a reservation in advance. We went with MayaWalk and had an exceptional experience (request Hugh if you can!)
The caving adventure itself was so much fun—swimming upriver and crawling through *optional* squeezes. And we learned an incredible amount about Mayan history, including why caves were believed to be entrances to the Mayan underworld, and the historical context around why Mayans made sacrifices here.
3. Wander through the San Ignacio Market
San Ignacio town is home to Belize’s largest market—which is actually quite small! But despite its size, this little market is so worth visiting, and come hungry!
I still dream of the $1 papusas here—if you haven’t had a papusa before, its a delightful masa cake with a filling of your choice (meat or beans), and topped with tangy curdito, a cabbage slaw with garlic, lime, and thinly sliced habanero.
Also See: The Perfect 10 Day Belize Itinerary: Islands + Jungle
4. Make your own chocolate at AJAW Chocolate
Did you know we have the Mayans to thank for chocolate? Join a walk-in chocolate-making workshop at AJAW in downtown San Ignacio to learn about cacao’s role in the Mayan world, and of course you’ll get to sip freshly ground cacao, too!
AJAW Chocolate’s workshops happen hourly between 9am–6pm Monday through Saturday and cost $20 USD per person. You get to grind your own cacao beans on a 100-year-old volcanic stone slab, and optionally add in chilies, honey, or spices.
5. Take a day trip to Tikal, GUATEMALA
One of the most epic things to do in San Ignacio actually involves leaving Belize for a day. Since San Ignacio is only 25-minutes away from the Guatemala border—and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tikal is on the other side, this day trip is a must!
I’ve visited dozens of Mayan sites across Belize, Mexico, and Guatemala, and Tikal is the most impressive ruins, by a long shot! Back in the day, Tikal was the “Paris” of the Mayan world. The park spans over 220 square miles, with temples taller than those in Belize or Mexico. Temple IV stands 230 feet tall.
We chose to cross the border ourselves and drive the 2 hours to Tikal in our own rental car. It saved us a lot of money but was incredibly confusing at times (even though we thought we were properly prepared with the right rental car paperwork). The easier way to visit Tikal from San Ignacio is to take this guided tour with roundtrip transport, a smoother border crossing, and a guided tour of the massive archaeological site.
6. Waterfalls, caves and cool breezes in Mountain Pine Ridge
30 minutes away from San Ignacio you’ll find some of Belize’s best hidden gems—the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. At a higher elevation, its always cooler up here, but still warm enough to enjoy swimming beneath waterfalls and venture into the gigantic Rio Frio Cave.
I have a full article on the best things to do in Mountain Pine Ridge, but here’s a quick overview:
- Swim in the hundreds of little pools at Rio on Pools
- Walk through 98-foot-tall Rio Frio Cave
- Swim at Big Rock Falls
- Sip cocktials (or mocktails) while overlooking waterfalls at Gaia Riverlodge
- Watch hummingbird and learn about butterflies at Green Hills Butterfly Ranch
- Drive up to the Caracol Mayan ruins
You’ll need a high-clearance 4WD vehicle to explore most of these spots on your own (we were in a Ford F150 and almost got stuck in the mud…!) OR book this guided day trip from San Ignacio if you don’t want to worry about driving.
7. Eat Belizean food and sip the best rum in the world at Ko-Ox Han Nah
Usually I wouldn’t categorize a restaurant as a ‘thing to do’ but seeing as we went to Ko-Ox Han Nah almost every day during our week in San Ignacio, I couldn’t leave this one out!
Ko-Ox Han Nah serves authentic Belizean food (as someone who has family in Belize) and one barrel rum—which is truly the best rum you’ll ever taste! Their corn and flour tortillas are made fresh in house, and they source local produce, yet its quite a down-to-earth and inexpensive place to eat for Belize.
8. Spot toucans & monkeys
We were surprised when we ran into beautiful toucans (and later monkeys) right in San Ignacio town! Mayan ruins in the early morning are usually a good spot to see wildlife like toucans and monkeys—in San Ignacio town you can go to Cahal Pech or nearby Xunantunich.
But we ended up seeing toucans at an unexpected place—a hotel! We were at San Ignacio Resort Hotel to visit their Green Iguana Conservation Project (another thing to do in San Igancio) and saw a colorful toucan in the trees beside the pool.
9. Drive the Hummingbird Highway
The lush jungle Hummingbird Highway begins just under an hour away from San Ignacio in Belmopan, winding through the Maya Mountains. There are secluded waterfalls, cave tubing adventures, and even a cenote along the way—plus hot sauce and chocolate tasting.
I have a full article on the best things to do the Hummingbird Highway, but here’s a quick overview:
- Swim beneath Billy Barquedier Waterfall
- Go cave tubing at St. Herman’s Cave and swim at the inland blue hole
- Taste local chocolate at Lamanai Chocolate Co.
- Taste all 16 flavors of Belize’s most famous hot sauce at Marie Sharp’s Factory
10. Visit Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve
If you have a free hour or so in San Ignacio, head straight to Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve! It’s located within the town limits, directly across the street from Cahal Pech Resort (where we stayed on one of our visits).
These small but impressive ruins of a Mayan town features 34 structures, including temples, plazas, two Mayan ball courts, and residential buildings. It costs $5 USD ($10 BZD) to visit and can be explored in 30 minutes or less. I think its very worth visiting if you have time—each Mayan site has a completely different feel!
11. Walk over the Macal River
The Macal River weaves through San Ignacio, separating the town from nearby Santa Elena town. There’s large metal bridge over the river to walk along, and it can be a good place to spot wildlife!
We explored the part of the Macal River near the market and downtown San Ignacio, which made for a lovely walk combined with the downtown area!
12. Go on a jungle river cruise
One of the things I’ve added to my Belize bucket list is this jungle pontoon cruise that takes you deep into the Maya Mountains via the river, up to three different secluded waterfalls where you can swim in tropical paradise!
It’s a full day experience with lunch and water included, and roundtrip transportation from San Ignacio hotels. Many of the reviewers say it was the highlight of their Belize trip—which is what makes me want to try it out next time I’m visiting family in Belize!
13. Go cave tubing
Cave tubing is one of the most unique things to do in Belize—both adventurous and relaxing, you drift through submerged jungle caves on an inner tube, only illuminated by your headlamp! Gaze up at the stalactites that hang like chandeliers.
As you can imagine, you can only go cave tubing with a certified local guide. You can either drive over to St. Herman’s Cave to go cave tubing with a guide (but be sure to make a reservation here), or book an all-inclusive tour like this one that includes roundtrip transportation from San Ignacio.
