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Wanderlog staff Updated • updatedApr 10, 2023
How long is the drive from Placencia to San Ignacio?
The direct drive from Placencia to San Ignacio is 117 mi (189 km), and should have a drive time of 3 hrs 50 mins in normal traffic.
If you’re going on a road trip from Placencia to San Ignacio, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way — with top places to visit like Placencia Municipal Pier & Plaza and Belize Fit - Tony's Gym, or the ever-popular Laughing Bird Caye.
The top stops along the way from Placencia to San Ignacio (with short detours) are The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve, and Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM Cave). Other popular stops include Xunantunich Mayan Ruins, Caracol Natural Monument Reservation, and Laughing Bird Caye.
Laughing Bird Caye is a small island situated within a national park, boasting sandy beaches surrounded by palm trees and an impressive coral reef perfect for snorkeling. This location is a popular tourist destination in Belize, where marine life has been protected since 1991. It is well-known for diving and snorkeling among various sea creatures such as big snappers, sea turtles, stingrays and barracudas.
Gorgeous caye with beautiful beaches. And actual laughing birds.
Mike Salter — Google review
Amazing snorkeling experience at Laughing Bird Caye with Go Sea Tours, highly recommend! Our guides were fantastic, super knowledgeable and fun, as well as thoughtful of, and helpful to, our group of mixed ages and abilities.
Kari Evans — Google review
We had a truly lovely day snorkeling here. For our tour we sailed about 30 minutes from Placencia to the small island that is a part of Laughing Bird National Park. The rangers there gave us an overview of the park and the rules and we were off snorkeling. It was beautiful and peaceful and we had a chance to see Brain Coral, Fan Coral, and so much marine life from sea cucumbers to sea urchins. Despite it being the "rainy season" the water was beautiful and the weather could not have been clearer. It was really breathtaking.
Christina — Google review
Great snorkeling at this spot. The park rangers live out here which is incredible because it's so isolated. They also have Coral nurseries and part of the island is a bird sanctuary. The rangers were super nice, inviting and provided some great education about the reefs. You can bring out drinks & food to grill and hang out as long as you want
Eric Love — Google review
Nice caye located about 30 minutes off the coast of Belize. Many local snorkel operators take tours to this caye, known for good snorkeling, and a rest stop for a nice picnic lunch on the beach. They also have (non-flushing) toilets here.
Brent Brown — Google review
Amazing island where you can snorkel and swim around Laughing Bird Caye to see part of the Belize coral reef. Laughing Bird Caye is off the coast of Placencia and is a protected National Park which you can visit during the day.
You can also see the Pelicans fly and dive into the sea.
Very peaceful and a place to spend a day relaxing.
Paul Renner — Google review
Best place we have gone scuba diving. Saw many tropical fish, an eagle ray, sting rays, huge lobsters! I'm sure there is great footage on my GoPro, I haven't looked yet. We went with Go Sea tours, our dive guide Brian was fantastic. I would definitely return for more dives!
the views from the piers there are stunning! Crystal-clear waters, tropical vibes, and a perfect spot to relax and to Enjoy your time in Belize! 🌴🌊😊
Some One — Google review
Unforgettable sunsets. Make sure to grab Tutti Frutti ice cream before the sun goes down!
Yuri Parij — Google review
Nice spot for a swim, close to lots of nice places. The sand is soft, the water is deep in some places. Not too many sharp things in the water either. There is a convenient boardwalk and garbage cans along the way. Watch for jellyfish.
Kris Engel — Google review
A nice view of the water but not much was happening here.
Cynnamon Schreinert — Google review
Great place to spend the day! Nice sand beach ad when the water is rough o the east side around the point is always calm. Many great improvements in the past few months. A boardwalk, benches, shower and cool giant chair for taking pics.
DeeDee Hommel — Google review
Another spot on Pier and Beach. Just spotless.
Daniel Ciccone — Google review
We took the ferry over. Beautiful beaches and friendly people. The prices were reasonable for the souvenirs.
LaRoyce N — Google review
Nice family-oriented place to enjoy the sand and sea! Food, souvenirs, bars, and more close by.
Sabrina LaBord — Google review
Really cool beach with lots of bars and restaurants nearby. Clear water, no seaweed. Love it there.
Nataliya D — Google review
Piles of plastic garbage, homeless, broken bottles, and generally unkept area. Beaches are littered with all sorts of plastic debris…truly disheartening. Time for the town to clean up.
Steve Travis — Google review
4.5
(289)
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4.5
(52)
GJ7P+93G, Placencia Sidewalk, Placencia, Belize
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Belize Fit - Tony's Gym
Permanently closed
Gym
Outdoor Activities
Sports Camps & Clinics
H?ctor Solano — Google review
Therese Young — Google review
4.5
(2)
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5.0
(27)
GJ9J+6CH, GYM LOCATION: Across from Scotia Bank in the Remax building. Up the stairs just past the BTB office., Placencia, Belize
We kept driving by the signs when we were visiting Placencia and decided to call and book a tour. Best thing we could have done on our vacation. The cost was inexpensive and the value, out of this world. The tour was in english and incredibly informative. I now have a much greater appreciation for the bananas that show up at the grocery store. The tour gives information on how it goes from plant all the way through transportation to the store. Having been on many "farm tours" while travelling internationally, this was one of the best. It was delivered at a level suitable for all ages, including children. The banana chips were absolutely delicious.
Virginia Marshall — Google review
Glad we found this gem of a Belizean experience! We learned a lot about the banana industry. The tour was led by a family member who is originally from the US. Great hospitality and depth of knowledge from an international agricultural educator. Highly recommend! And the fried banana chips at the end of the tour are delicious!
Rasmussen — Google review
It says on their FB page that they are closed for tours for the forseeable future :(
Corey Epperson — Google review
The guides were very knowledgeable and hospitable at the same time.
Sheridan Lemoth (Weeble fi di People) — Google review
What was expected to be a boring 2 hour Dangriga-Belize airport transfer turned out to be a fun adventure! Communication with Angel was easy and efficient during the booking process. The ride was safe, comfortable, informative and very enjoyable. Angel is a great conversation partner and very knowledgeable about the history and sightseeing highlights of Belize. I highly recommend!
Antonina Bodak — Google review
sayli ramona velazquez — Google review
My wife and I needed transfer after our Raggamuffin tour that ended in Dangriga. Angel was waiting for us at the dock with a sign and a smile. Although we just needed a quick transfer to Hopkins he was friendly and provided helpful information about the immediate area including some of its history. We learned a lot in a short 20 mins. We also booked Live Belize for a transfer from Hopkins to the Dangriga airport the day of our departure, and Angel was once again punctual. I'd highly recommend Live Belize to anyone needing top rate transportation.
Delightful experience and not to be missed. An easy drive from Placencia.
Excellent coordination and fantastic guides. Beautifully trained, gorgeous horses.
See guinea fowl and sheep, too. We saw the prints in the mud of both a jaguar and tapir on our trail. Swam and skipped rocks in the Sitttee river.
Sid — Google review
Had an awesome time here for our 2nd visit after thoroughly enjoying our first visit one year ago! Our son came with us this time arriving with many anxious concerns and departing with a feeling of connection with his horse and an understanding of basic riding skills. Ken was great again and we toured available areas that weren’t too wet after a heavy morning storm. Michelle was great conversation and showed us a nearby hummingbird nest. We can’t wait to go back and ride another trail!!!
Darren Hartman — Google review
My husband and I had a fantastic day riding through the dense jungle trails and swimming in a river before returning. Michelle the owner was so nice and took time to give us a little history of her ranch. Ken and Reggie were the guides - very knowledgeable about flora and fawns of the area. We saw small tucans, large storks and other beautiful birds. The horses were great, lively but calm mannered. On the whole an awsome day.
Kristyna Warner — Google review
I had the most wonderful time at Outback Trails. They were very responsive when I last minute tried to find a nice trail ride while in Belize. I have ridden a ton so I was able to one of the more challenging trails. The rest of the group, which I did not know, did not confirm, so I ended up on a solo tour, but since that wasn't my fault I wasn't charged extra for it. Ken, my guide, was awesome and showed me all the beauties of their property. What an amazing place!
Wonderful, eager horses too. I rode Akumal who was really sweet and fun. We went up to a really high point and climbed a rickety platform and you could see for miles. I also enjoyed fresh coconut water straight from the coconut, a delicious mango, and orange picked fresh from the trees. Got to see some jaguar paw prints as well.
Definitely recommend this place, Michelle and Ken take really good care of their horses and treat them like family, and you'll feel like family too there. Hope to come back and ride again with you guys!
Emily Batdorff — Google review
Our family wants to share with others just how wonderful this rainforest/river trail-riding experience was. From the first time I reached out to schedule, Michelle was so informative and helpful - especially when we had to revise our plans due to illness. I am so glad we were able to make it work because we had the most perfect morning on the farm. The level of care that these horses are given by their handlers and the knowledge of the wranglers/guides would be nearly impossible to top. They know each and every horse so well and match you to just the right mount. The horses are energetic but so well trained and clearly enjoy their “jobs”…the same can be said for our fabulous guides Ken and Reggie. The beauty of riding through the rainforest to end up at a river where you get the chance to swim and relax for a bit before heading back to the barn - every second of this excursion was well-spent. What it really comes down to though is that these horses and everyone on this gorgeous farm exudes a genuine sense of happiness and positive energy that truly leaves you feeling like you wish your time there wouldn’t end. My only regret is that we visited on our last day of vacation - otherwise our family would’ve booked another day for sure! Get there if you can - you don’t want to miss this ride! — Kate Gardner and family
Kate Gardner — Google review
Amazing time with our family. Ken and Reggie were great with our group of 10 people. There was some nervousness, but their patience was great. Thanks for a great time!! Cannot recommend this place enough!
mike verdoorn — Google review
It was a great morning, Ken the guide was knowledgeable and engaging. Michelle the owner obviously cares for her horses and clients . Great ride for all skill levels.
Dave — Google review
Had a great ride out to a cool jungle pool. The guides were super friendly and knowledgeable and the horses were really well trained and calm.
Raphael Clancy — Google review
The best horseback ride my daughter and I have ever had. It was very engaging and they were so helpful. The connection I had with my horse Juno was something that I won’t forget. Thank you for this experience! I ll never forget.
Betzy Miesen — Google review
What an amazing journey we had at Kendal! Having been riding for many years, this is hands down the best horseback experience we have ever had!
Michelle and Ken just make us feel at home while we got into the deep rainforest uphill visiting waterfalls, swimming into the river with our horses and just enjoying a once in a lifetime experience. So glad to have found this paradise during our holiday in Placencia. Definitely a day to remember forever.
Alvaro Platero Alonso — Google review
I loved my experience, my partner was unable to join at last minute but they still made it happen so that i could go and it was great, my guide (Reggie) was a great companion and had lots of interesting stuff to talk about the local life and the farm! Would definitely recommend anyone to try this out while in the area! Also biked here from hopkins, no problem! Again such a great experience, super professional and extremely friendly!
Franziska Sacha Pöhlmann — Google review
We had an awesome experience with guide Ken. Our family of 5 including 3 kids under 15 were made to feel comfortable but also got to feel the excitement and power of the trotting horses. Beautiful scenery and an unforgettable experience.
Michael Sauer — Google review
Easy reservation. Very friendly owner & riding guide, Ken.
The open, verdant green fields & trails and serenity was well worth it.
What a beautiful way to wrap up our visit to Belize!
After that we went to Ella's Cool Spot in Hopkins, a very cool gem.
This experience with OT set a new bar for horseback riding. Wish we had friends with us. TY, Team OT!
Ya- Ya — Google review
If I could give more than 5 stars I would. I’ve been riding horses for 15+ years and usually avoid tourist trail rides because the horses are not well cared for, or it’s basically a circus pony ride. Michele and Ken take absolutely phenomenal care of their horses, and it shows. It was just my father and I on our trail, and Ken took us on more advanced trails to match our experience. Talking with Ken on the trail was wonderful, and we learned so much about the country. The horses are great and game for anything you want to do. If you have time I wholeheartedly recommend Outback, and will most definitely be back when we return to Belize again!
Emerson Lane — Google review
Super friendly people. I messaged them the evening before and it was no problem to join on a ride the next morning. I had a wonderful ride through the jungle. The guide was great with a lot of knowledge. I would definitely come back!
This was our first experience to zip line. We were so very impressed with the organization and safety. We were a large group of 10, all first timers. From the time we got off the bus, to the time we left, safety was number one. Every part of the adventure was well explained and safety measures throughly taken, at each step of the way. This was by far, our favorite adventure tour, while visiting Belize.
Gwen Norris — Google review
The sky diving was great. All 7 ziplines were amazing! Francisco and Fernando took excellent care of us. Highly recommend!
DeAngelo Watson — Google review
These reviews on Google are very misleading...on TripAdvisor this same property was rated by 103 people (09.09.19) and they were given over 94 excellent reviews with just a few very good and a few poor. My brother and I decided to go to them even though they had limited number of reviews on Google because they were closer (mainly).
It was an amazing half day of zip lining with William and Johnathan and river tubing with Fred. Be aware we went during their slow season and didn't have a big group it was just me and my brother they had to look after.
All three guys were amazing and very personable. Johnathan was very cool, funny and great and although William was the quiet one of the two he was just as great and he took all the pictures for us as he was zip lining over the canopies with our own cameras (amazing!!!). Zip lining was so fun and they made the experience even better!!! There is no reason to be afraid or scared if you do you'll only be scared until you hit the bottom...HA.
After zipping over the canopy it was time to laze on the river. We drove a little way back down the mountain and made a V turn to tubing with Fred. That was such a peaceful time down the river. Fred worked the hardest to keep me from bouncing wily-nily every where (pick your butt up when going over the rapids as the rocks will hit your butt going over and it may hurt (be forewarned). Either way , we only went over a few rapids on this trip (6 or 7, I think) everything else was slow and lazy, so peaceful...and kinda hot bring a big hat and a waterproof camera or be prepared (like me) to gorilla grip your phone as you go over the rapids and keep it out of the water.
We would definitely return again and again and again. We didn't do the waterfall rappelling (I didn't know about it) but I wish I did and could have done that too. Overall Zip lining and river tubing was just an amazing experience. I didn't see any scarlet macaws on the river but maybe you will.
B Us — Google review
First time going zip lining and loved every single minute of it. William and Peter were the best tour guides. We felt safe, secure and we laughed the entire time. Highly recommend this for anyone looking for an adventure.
I have been wanting to see the Scarlet Macaws at Red Bank for a few years but have never been around South Stann Creek area at the right time of year. This year was different as I visited in February but could not find an organised tour. I managed to get a lift into Red Bank village and asked about the Macaws at a local shop. I was directed to the home of a local guide Mr Celso Sho. On finding the house I was greeted by Celso and invited in for coffee whilst he explained about their conservation and where we could go and see the Macaws. We then set off on foot (as I was unable to ride the offered bicycle). Luckily another couple lookin for the macaws spotted us and asked to join the trip so we used their vehicle for the 1.5 mile journey from the village to the start of the climb to the viewing post. This was a steep climb through the forest taking about 30 minutes to reach the top of a ridge. There are two areas one on either side where the trees have been cleared to alolow views across the valleys. As soon as we arrive we could hear the Macaws calling and soon they started to fly past in pairs. The Macaws at this time were in a large flock of around 60 across the valley feeding on the fruit of the Pole Trees although many more kept flying closer. I spent a couple of hours watching the birds before we descended slowly back to the vehicle. It was a privalage to visit Red Bank to see the Macaws and I can recommend Celso as a guide Tel 652-7317
Peter Briers-Parr — Google review
The best viewing season is from January to March. Every year, more than 100 of scarlet macaws will fly from Chiquibul National Park and gather here feeding. Early morning and late afternoon are the best viewing time. For guided tour, please call Mr. Celso at 652-7317. The nearby Mennonite village of Roseville is also a beautiful and tranquil place to visit and walk around after the birding. You need to wade or take the "zip line" to cross the river, which is a fun ride!
Zao-Wei Yang — Google review
Easy to get to, with high likelihood in-season of sighting macaws
Oz (Sweet Kay Oz) — Google review
Fantastic nature experience! Macaws were stunning.
atenhola — Google review
4.4
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5.0
(6)
San Pablo, Belize
9
White House Cabin Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Hotel
Nature & Parks
Nature & Wildlife Areas
Great place to see critters while sitting on a porch out of the rain.
Bridget Lorenz lemberg — Google review
Right at the entrance of the Park. A great and beautiful place to observe the wild life and natural environment. The rooms are basic but clean. The electricity unfortunately didn't work when we stayed there.
Zao-Wei Yang — Google review
Closed to visitors when we came to the reserve, but a good place to hang out and watch birds at the edge of the jungle. Its right by the entrance to the park.
Damon Tighe — Google review
No water, minimal electricity, some guys things in the lower room. Besides this it is in an amazing area, with a great view.
Stefan Hauge — Google review
4.0
(5)
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4.5
(276)
QHR4+CXV, Maya Centre, Belize
10
Marie Sharp's Fine Foods Limited
Food products supplier
Food & Drink
Company
Food and drink
Other Food & Drink
Saw a sign on the highway and decided to take a detour. 100% recommend the tasting and tour.
Matthew Flores — Google review
Fantastic tour and tasting! If you like hot sauce and jam it's a nice place to taste all the products. Unusual flavors, pack your suitcase to go home :)
Amy ONeill — Google review
The hot sauce and jelly tasting, plus a factory tour, was absolutely fantastic. Make sure to have closed toe shoes in order to go on the factory floor. Prices at the shop were just below what you'd pay at the grocery store. If you bring your own lunch they will sometimes do the hot sauce tasting outside at picnic tables with your own food.
Feel the heat!
David Borgeson — Google review
Love Marie Sharps. Just had belizean heat for the first time and now I’m mad in love with this sauce.
James Humphreys — Google review
Had a short tour of the production plant with an overview of the history behind the company. Loved the taste testing afterwards, it's a hot sauce that actually has flavor no matter how strong the sting 😉
Dave Carson — Google review
Even though we arrived an hour after they closed, I still give 5 stars because this was a pilgrimage to the greatest hot sauce in the world. Just off the main road. Didn't get to go inside, bummer, but still big appreciation for their product and to see where it all started.
Chris Wixson — Google review
We are just leaving and had a wonderful experience! The tasting was so good we learnt a lot about our favourite hot sauce and seeing how it’s made was fascinating staff and very friendly and nice.
John Stark — Google review
It was a great tour and tasting. However, they are charging 'white man prices' in the shop. Local convienience stores sell their products 40% cheaper! So thanks for ripping me off Marie Sharp. I wish belize would have a one price for all, we dont charge black people double in our country, must be a garifuna extra take thing which shines so badly on belize.
G B — Google review
Taking the tour of the facility was so cool! And the sauce and jelly tasting was an added perk! Love Marie’s!
Lindsay Henderson — Google review
We enjoyed our tour and sampling!
Lauren Robey — Google review
If you want to do a proper tour you need to wear full clothing covering all your skin so as not to contaminate their magical sauces. The tour is $10 BZD each. We were wearing shorts and t-shirts so could not do it. We showed up randomly and not in a tour group and they were friendly and set up a tasting station to try all the wines, jams and hot sauces. Then we went to the shop at the headquarters and bought tons of different gifts and sauces for ourselves. Legend has it that Marie Sharp is sometimes there. If you love hot sauce and especially their great sauce go check it out and feel free to just show up. It's surrounded by habanero and orange orchards.
martin cieszewski — Google review
We did the tasting only because we didn't have long sleeves and closed toed shoes which is needed for the tour. Everything was so good! The jams, jelly's and sauces...such delicious variety! A must do if you're in the area. Note do NOT take the "Coastal Highway" from Belize City it is not paved. Take hummingbird highway.
Old Belize is a tourist attraction that showcases local history through a museum and offers dining options, including the Smokey Mermaid Restaurant and Bar. The highlight of the park is its 90-ft. waterslide which ends in a beach lagoon. Visitors can choose to explore the shops in new town or experience street food in old town, but for those seeking an exquisite dining experience, Celebrity Restaurant comes highly recommended.
Beautiful location outside Belize City. Working marina, restaurant, museum showing history of Belize (we had a cute train engineer named Cisco!), Kukumba Beach water park with 80 ft slide into saltwater lagoon. Views of cruise ships adorn the horizon. Nice gift shop with reasonable prices. Staff very friendly & helpful. It was so nice to watch the large boats (cruise tenders) port pilot boat, and many huge beautiful yachts come & go. Loved it! The Woods family are great hosts. Don't miss it! Definitely going back.
Jacqueline Bailey — Google review
Kind of a tourist trap that our business brought us to on our Best Of Belize City sightseeing motor coach tour.
There's a little train ride that shows some of the history of the area but other than that, it's dubiously priced trinkets and a bar with some food. We bought there nonetheless because we wanted to assist the local economy.
Be on the lookout for iguanas here - we spotted some whoppers!
Zachary W. — Google review
Water was lovely. We went on a Tuesday after the rain and had it to ourselves. Pretty clean. Food is really pricey so we didn't get any. Tried the panty dropper drink, very tasty. Would definitely go back.
A M — Google review
Old Belize was a great spot to relax and get some sun. The bar had great service and a variety of food to choose from. Staff was friendly and there is a gift shop to get mementos.👍😉
Saiyida Ridgeway — Google review
I always love to Belize but this time I decided just to hang out on their man-made beach with the locals and just have a good time. And I was surprisingly amazed at how much of a great time and a beautiful area was talk about the best hospitality
Asia Tucker — Google review
Fun Entertainment Center/Natural Pool for the Whole Family! Good Locally-Made Food too! 👍😃😁😁
Bradley A Bonato — Google review
Kukumba Beach is a wonderful swimming destination. There are plenty of lifeguards stationed throughout the beach to ensure the safety of all visitors
Jorge McField — Google review
They don't allow you to bring in your own food or water but other than that, it's quite nice🙂
Exodus Tillett — Google review
The place is beautiful and better than how it used to be back in the days. It’s not too pricey either. Could work on the food production a little. On another note, the water is salty and might burn if water goes through the nose. Other than that, a great place to spend the day with the family. Don’t forget to bring your snacks!
Sharene Méndez — Google review
Very nice place to enjoy with the family, the areas are very nice and clean... water is clean and the music is good.
Staff at the palapa Bar are always super friendly. There is a snack area or the restaurant where to eat. So definitely give it a go!
Hoggustina — Google review
We stopped by here to kill some time before our flight back to the States. It has food places, a water park, goft shops and a small train ride. It was nice to just relax and eat lunch. There were also many iguanas just roaming the property.
Spacey J. — Google review
Had a fantastic time. Highly recommend this place. Authentic Belizean food. Fun water activities
Ernie Sanchez — Google review
We visited during a cruise via carnival. We left port and outside port area a taxi guy recommended this place Now the taxis barter with them on cost because some charge way too much. So we got taken here for our time in Belize. Kukumba beach was nice we all had a great time. Music,food,drinks, water, and activities what else could you want? The drinks were great and we tried the nachos with the Belize sauce totally recommend.
There are ladies there that offer services like hair braiding and massage. They seemed really nice I just wasn’t interested but that is available there. Everything was price well and the mixed drinks were tasty. If you are in Belize stop here for a good time. We paid 15 each to get in which was cheap.
Jennifer G — Google review
4.3
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3.0
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5.5 miles George Price Highway, George Price Highway, Belize
Bugs climbed into our beds, sinks, and shoes! The multiple openings in the room allow bugs to climb in. That ruined our experience along with three other families. Otherwise the staff was really good, it was a big resort, and the food was nice!! But the bugs, and insects really ruined the experience.
Arjun Bharadhwaj — Google review
Owner is nice, food is good, and price is okay. When we went there were a lot of mosquitos which made standing being uncomfortable. A nice central location, the mosquitos were everywhere in Belize.
Keone Kreis — Google review
Very peaceful, quiet and serene neighbourhood. Relocating here should definitely be one to consider
Protected area with jungle trails, caves, the Blue Hole natural swimming pool & a visitor center.
Fun little national park for some exploring and hiking. The cave was gorgeous.
Jordan Foss (JT) — Google review
St. Herman’s National Park is incredible.
The nature trail has a difficult and easy option. The blue hole is about 500 steps down into the jungle with stunning water that is so refreshing to swim in. The caves are incredible as well.
It is definitely worth spending time at and soaking in God’s glory and the beauty of the jungle of Belize. Amazing!
Christie McVeigh — Google review
Love this park. Well-maintained trails & bathroom, nice little museum, caving, & a beautiful spot to take a cool dip. The staff is very friendly & knowledgeable too. Great stopover on the Hummingbird, especially if it hasn't been raining much (the Blue Hole is bluer!)
Oz (Sweet Kay Oz) — Google review
Best to visit on a weekday when it's not busy. The water is so clear, it's unreal how clear it is.
Y — Google review
Beautiful spot. Almost romantic!
Daniel Ciccone — Google review
Very beautiful with lots of birds. Swimming in the blue hole is an incredible experience. But make sure to take a mosquito repellent with you. You can borrow a flashlight there for 5$ Belize.
David Höglinger — Google review
We did the guided cave tubing and it was a blast. Relaxing and such a different experience. Then we swam in the Blue Hole. It was paradise. Bring goggles to see down into the deep part.
Kristina Nickel — Google review
This was a fun stop on our way from San Ignacio to Placencia. $8BZE per person. The water is probably 75°. However, if you're not there to swim it's probably not worth it. We swam for about an hour in a heavy rainstorm. Swam with a turtle and explored the cavern just downstream from the main cenote.
The site has bathrooms and changing rooms. Would have hiked one of several jungle trails from the parking lot but didn't have time.
Would recommend for kids and adults!
Sarina Collins — Google review
Beautiful and refreshingly cool water!
Mandi Boykin — Google review
So glad we stopped by! Heading east we check out the caves first after. Short hike, we'll worth renting head torches if you have time to properly explore. The blue hole itself just down the road is really invigorating, nice clean water and fun to dive down into the cave.
Nick Brooks — Google review
Amazing time at crystal Cave highly recommend but you need some level of fitness and not be claustrophobic. It wasn't hard but it took us three hours of climbing, crawling and scrambling. 100% recommend!
Stacey Armstrong — Google review
We hiked to the cave and through the cave. It was a beautiful hike. The cave was neat. We then went over to the blue hole for a swim. It was very pretty and fun to swim in.
Sam Kroesen — Google review
Beautiful , it's surrounded by nature hikes and even caves . Water is a bit cold but in hot days it's simply perfect to refresh your self . Definitely recommend not to go when it's raining or has been raining, reason being is that the water isn't blue as you would expect, because it gets brown or a muddy color but definitely you must visit if you can it's a great place to have nice quality time with family and friends.
Jashua Navas — Google review
Did the crystal cave (mountain cow cave) and it was quite spectacular once getting to the wonderland region of the cave. Don't make my mistake of using up all the batteries on your action camera before getting there! It is about a 1 hour hike up the mountain, then you go into the crystal cave which is slippery with mud and you have to carefully watch your step as you navigate the cave. Not for the faint of heart, you will have to squeeze through some tight areas and a fall could easily cause severe injury. Also make sure you apply bug spray before hiking the mountain and after returning to the mouth of the cave. The mosquitos are insane here, I got more than 60 bites, which is the only reason why I am not giving this attraction 5/5.
Tony Lim — Google review
Definitely worth it. Swimming in the blue lagoon and doing the différents track was amazing. Advice look up monkeys are there, hawker monkeys.
Limestone cave in a national park with a stream, mineral formations & steps built by Mayans.
Great spot. Nice jungle hikes. The first 200m inside the cave are more than enough to get an impression. Flashlights required, it’s pitch black 100 meters in…
Jeroen Berghuis — Google review
A short walk through a hot, steamy jungle, and some steps to go up and over and you are into the cave. The entrance fee to just walk a few hundred feet into the cave is cheap but the experience is underwhelming. The options is to go cave rafting through the caves but the price skyrockets immensely. All in all, it's an average cave with an average experience.
Wong Family — Google review
At Herman’s cave and Blue Hole national park are a great place to visit. It is 1 ticket for the 2 costing 10 BZD. You can only go so far in the cave without a guide. We only realised this when we got there as no one informed us.
Becca Marsh — Google review
A great, short, adventure experience in Belize.
A beautiful large cave, with a short walk to the entrance. Bring your flash light or head torch.
If you have more time, the the full guided tour is also worth doing.
Andy Vause — Google review
About a mile hike inside an amazing, and still forming cave eco system. As expected, incredibly humid and warm, please bring plenty of water. Your clothes, should will get muddy. Part of the fun. There are a lot of stalagmites in the cave, along a river (so be careful). The formations on the roof and sides are inspiring (bring the brightest flash light you can afford, but also in some parts turn off all the lights and let the darkness and salience envelope you). You phone in Night Shot mode should be able to take good pictures.
Mini Rag — Google review
Amazing cave formations and a great hike with a guide!
The cave is very hot and humid and can be quite slick, so footwear with good grip is recommended.
Madeline Roberts — Google review
Really cool cave that has flowing water inside! We hiked pretty far back into the cave to the point where you could not see a thing, total darkness! It was awesome! We saw fruit bats, wolf spiders, scorpion spiders and leaf cutter ants. The mosquitos weren’t bad inside of the cave, but they were pretty thick in the jungle just outside the cave, so don’t forget your spray! 😊👍
Patrick Prentice — Google review
St. Herman's Cave is quite astonishing on its own. It may not be the most adventurous cave sites in Belize, but it holds a significant amount of history, and houses many diverse ecosystems within it's vicinity. The most obvious features are the topography of the area, the limestone formation has overthrow many of the other rock formations. Nonetheless, the area is much cooler from the outside regions, and there is a small river that flows through the cave, which accommodates for various types of species. Definatley, you will have a wonderful time here at St. Herman's Cave, it is not just a national park, but rather a national treasure for Belize.
#letsguide
Chief Witz — Google review
We drove over from the Blue Hole after taking a dip since the entry fee for the Blue Hole covered St. Herman's Cave. Since we already paid for one, we figured we might as well do the other. It was well worth it since it's a fun little experience. We had already done the ATM Cave previously and were looking for more caves to go into. St. Herman's Cave allows unguided tours up to a certain distance and then you'll have to turn back. We went in there by ourselves with only our cellphone lights to guide us. It was definitely pretty fun walking as far as we could, turning off our lights to be in complete darkness, then walking out and slowly seeing the entrance to the cave as a tiny speck of light up ahead.
We did this excursion through our Carnival cruise and it was amazing! The cave tubing was very cool. We saw bats and our guide was very knowledgeable about the history and culture of the area. My family was kind of nervous about the walk but it wasn’t bad at all! Shady all the way through and the trail was smooth.
Kiarra Dawkins — Google review
Did this excursion with my daughters and my parents. Amazing time! Hilly, rocky path threw the rainforest. If you have mobility issues. This would be a challenge. Tubing was amazing experience.
All of the staff are very friendly!
Would definitely return and do again!
MadCityAssassins gaming — Google review
We had a GREAT day on a Celebrity cruise excursion. We zip-lined, floated through a cave in a river, and rode an ATV(?) through the rain forest. Lunch was included. Strenuous climb to start ziplining and a long walk carrying your tube to start floating, so not recommended for elderly.
Alvero was a WONDERFUL Guide!
Stan Shinko — Google review
Pedro our guide and Pedro bus driver(not the same person) were great. We booked an excursion through Carnival and they did not disappoint. Pedro(guide) was insightful, engaging, and fun. Alma at the site was a great cave guide, had a great sense of humor while also maintaining our group safety in the Cave. Bus was air conditioned which helped as May is the hottest month of the year in Belize. The water to quote Pedro is "shockingly refreshing" and the cave, Mayan history, and beautiful formations were well worth the ride and cost. Lunch was included and the gift shop had some unique items, and the bar was great as well. Definitely try the Coco Loco or if you don't drink alcohol try a Coke(made with Belizean Sugar Cane).
Brant Preas — Google review
My family had an incredible experience cave tubing and zip lining. The staff were incredibly professional and we always felt safe and well taken care of. Keith, our guide was very knowledgeable about Belizean and Mayan history as well as the plants and animals in the rain forest.
Danielle Hopkins — Google review
Had an absolutely oustanding cave tubing and ziplining adventure with Chukka back in March. The guide Captain Kirk did an incredible job explaining the vast knowledge he had about the area, caves and plants which made the trip very enjoyable. We had chicken, rice and beans for lunch which was one of the most amazing dishes I had in my stay in Belize.
The only issues I had with the company was the booking process which was taken care of. Additionally, there were no photos of us taken by a photographer which was stated on their website... Luckily I did bring my iPod in a waterproof case or we wouldn't have had any photos of that portion of our trip.
Holly Tates — Google review
We were allowed to climb to the top of one of the buildings. It was a nice excursion from the cruise ship. The weather was perfect for us in April.
Steve Stotts — Google review
Big Bruce did an incredible job keeping us entertained the whole trip! We went and did ziplining and cave tubing. I wish it could have been longer stay. But the food they provided and the experience was very fun! The "hike" wasn't bad at all. And the cave swimming was electrifying and super refreshing! Would definitely recommend!
Steven Cardenaz — Google review
We went there on an excursion while on a cruise. We went zip-lining and we also floater through the Crystal Caves. It was all beautiful!
Pamela Clancy — Google review
Had a great time here! Our tour lead Kirk did an amazing job of educating and entertaining us the whole time we were together!
Skragg — Google review
The tubing cave tour was well worth the money for the shore excursion! It was absolutely beautiful!
Amber Paul — Google review
We took this as a cruise package, and really enjoy it.
Chukka has its own Parking and the walk to the water is short, with the equivalent of 3 floors to climb, and the trails are easy.
Our guide was Alvaro and he was very knowledgeable and fun.
The cruise package lasts only about one hour in the water, but was a lot of fun and recommended.
Water is cold, but not bad.
Marco Brambilla — Google review
We did the ATV, Zipline, and cave tubing while in Honduras. It was an all day exursion booked through our cruise ship. The adventure park is a little over an hour drive from the port. We had a great time.
Leha Worley — Google review
We had a great experience with the cave tubing and zip lining. The drive out was fun Lenny gave us lots of information and made us laugh so we enjoyed the ride there. Lunch was also included. Thank you so much for a wonderful day!
Christi Walker — Google review
The Ride there was very entertaining. Denise was great and very informative. Zipping was sooooo much fun and the caves were amazing. I hope I get to visit there again.
Araceli Hinojos — Google review
It's quite a distance from the cruise port, but we really enjoyed the 3 tours. We went ziplining, rode Atvs, and tubed through the caves. You had to buy a locker to store your belongings, and rent or buy water shoes. They did provide a meal and punch, but no water during the excursion, highly advise to bring your own stuff.
We did this excursion through our Carnival cruise and it was amazing! The cave tubing was very cool. We saw bats and our guide was very knowledgeable about the history and culture of the area. My family was kind of nervous about the walk but it wasn’t bad at all! Shady all the way through and the trail was smooth.
Kiarra Dawkins — Google review
Did this excursion with my daughters and my parents. Amazing time! Hilly, rocky path threw the rainforest. If you have mobility issues. This would be a challenge. Tubing was amazing experience.
All of the staff are very friendly!
Would definitely return and do again!
MadCityAssassins gaming — Google review
We had a GREAT day on a Celebrity cruise excursion. We zip-lined, floated through a cave in a river, and rode an ATV(?) through the rain forest. Lunch was included. Strenuous climb to start ziplining and a long walk carrying your tube to start floating, so not recommended for elderly.
Alvero was a WONDERFUL Guide!
Stan Shinko — Google review
Pedro our guide and Pedro bus driver(not the same person) were great. We booked an excursion through Carnival and they did not disappoint. Pedro(guide) was insightful, engaging, and fun. Alma at the site was a great cave guide, had a great sense of humor while also maintaining our group safety in the Cave. Bus was air conditioned which helped as May is the hottest month of the year in Belize. The water to quote Pedro is "shockingly refreshing" and the cave, Mayan history, and beautiful formations were well worth the ride and cost. Lunch was included and the gift shop had some unique items, and the bar was great as well. Definitely try the Coco Loco or if you don't drink alcohol try a Coke(made with Belizean Sugar Cane).
Brant Preas — Google review
My family had an incredible experience cave tubing and zip lining. The staff were incredibly professional and we always felt safe and well taken care of. Keith, our guide was very knowledgeable about Belizean and Mayan history as well as the plants and animals in the rain forest.
Danielle Hopkins — Google review
Had an absolutely oustanding cave tubing and ziplining adventure with Chukka back in March. The guide Captain Kirk did an incredible job explaining the vast knowledge he had about the area, caves and plants which made the trip very enjoyable. We had chicken, rice and beans for lunch which was one of the most amazing dishes I had in my stay in Belize.
The only issues I had with the company was the booking process which was taken care of. Additionally, there were no photos of us taken by a photographer which was stated on their website... Luckily I did bring my iPod in a waterproof case or we wouldn't have had any photos of that portion of our trip.
Holly Tates — Google review
We were allowed to climb to the top of one of the buildings. It was a nice excursion from the cruise ship. The weather was perfect for us in April.
Steve Stotts — Google review
Big Bruce did an incredible job keeping us entertained the whole trip! We went and did ziplining and cave tubing. I wish it could have been longer stay. But the food they provided and the experience was very fun! The "hike" wasn't bad at all. And the cave swimming was electrifying and super refreshing! Would definitely recommend!
Steven Cardenaz — Google review
We went there on an excursion while on a cruise. We went zip-lining and we also floater through the Crystal Caves. It was all beautiful!
Pamela Clancy — Google review
Had a great time here! Our tour lead Kirk did an amazing job of educating and entertaining us the whole time we were together!
Skragg — Google review
The tubing cave tour was well worth the money for the shore excursion! It was absolutely beautiful!
Amber Paul — Google review
We took this as a cruise package, and really enjoy it.
Chukka has its own Parking and the walk to the water is short, with the equivalent of 3 floors to climb, and the trails are easy.
Our guide was Alvaro and he was very knowledgeable and fun.
The cruise package lasts only about one hour in the water, but was a lot of fun and recommended.
Water is cold, but not bad.
Marco Brambilla — Google review
We did the ATV, Zipline, and cave tubing while in Honduras. It was an all day exursion booked through our cruise ship. The adventure park is a little over an hour drive from the port. We had a great time.
Leha Worley — Google review
We had a great experience with the cave tubing and zip lining. The drive out was fun Lenny gave us lots of information and made us laugh so we enjoyed the ride there. Lunch was also included. Thank you so much for a wonderful day!
Christi Walker — Google review
The Ride there was very entertaining. Denise was great and very informative. Zipping was sooooo much fun and the caves were amazing. I hope I get to visit there again.
Araceli Hinojos — Google review
It's quite a distance from the cruise port, but we really enjoyed the 3 tours. We went ziplining, rode Atvs, and tubed through the caves. You had to buy a locker to store your belongings, and rent or buy water shoes. They did provide a meal and punch, but no water during the excursion, highly advise to bring your own stuff.
Large outdoor adventure park & resort providing kayaking, birding & horseback-riding tours.
Beautiful Eco Park ! We came here on a carnival Cruise excursion and it was amazing! My only problem was not enough time here we were not ready to go. The pools are big and very clean i loved the kid pool for smaller children . My older children and myself loved the waterfall and the slide. The buffet was great chicken, potato salad,rice and beans, and Sweet plantains. They also serve some jucie that was very refreshing. Our guide Darren was very informative and funny he made the bus ride worth it. I hate that I forget our waitress name but she was also amazing took time to explain the food how they make it and even shaved us some fresh coconut to try. We will definitely be back again on our next trip to Belize. Thank you to all the wonderful people who work so hard to make our vacation special my family and i are very grateful to you all!!
Mrs.Jackson 1028 — Google review
Pool was great. Ambience great. Food needs lots of improvement. Monkeys came close by and kept us entertained for a bit. Don't bring your own snacks, they're not allowed inside the premises.
Fanny Herstig Tut — Google review
Whoever is managing this place needs to up their game, I asked for 3 things on their menu and they did not have, something as simple a shrimp ceviche is unacceptable, there's a shrimp farm maybe 2 miles away from them. Not having local rum is another no no....the waitress is still nice, I'm glad that hasn't changed. The walkway definitely needs upkeep,the pool was dirty and we're talking at 11am I believe they open at 10,which means no upkeep. I was very disappointed and unfortunately that will not be our go to spot anymore, if I'll pay good money best I pay good money for a good place and bacab has become mediocre 😔
Cris Vaccaro — Google review
A beautiful hidden gem, perfect for swimming. It's especially nice for small children with the large kiddie pool. The food is delicious as well.
Crystal Steinhauer — Google review
This is a great place for nature lovers and for those who like to see Mayan ruins. Not recommended for those who have a walking disability, lots of rocky areas and stairs. .
Bonnie Patterson — Google review
Perfect getaway for the entire family. The pool is simply amazing, both the kids and adults had a blast. Did someone say pool day?
Queen K — Google review
This place provided a wonderful experience when we visited Belize. We did the mountain bike tour through the jungle. Heard and was able to see the monkeys and stork nest. Humongous termite nests and trees. We were served a delicious authentic meal and drinks afterward. The host was awesome and very informative on the ride there, during, and on the ride back about the country and her own experiences. Highly recommend...
Davie Maan (dsnypa) — Google review
Did not get a chance to taste the food because everything was sold out
The pool was very nice. The chlorine also irritated my skin. This only affected me which is why I am not too harsh with my review.
Jay Novelo — Google review
We had a Wonderful day at Bacab Evo Park with cajaking and some Hours in the pool. Our guida Paula was very versed About the nature of belize. We enjoyed it a lot.
The Belize Zoo, established in 1983, serves as a sanctuary for native animals that are orphaned or have been rehabilitated. Unlike traditional zoos which operate as maximum-security prisons for wildlife, the Belize Zoo provides natural habitats to its many rare species such as tapirs, coatimundi and pumas along with other exotic animals.
Excellent experience, very friendly staff. It wasn't to busy when we're there, the majority of animals there are rescue ones, I think this is something amazing, well done to everyone who works at this Zoo, they do a very good job, the place is very clean and the animals are very look after. All are so happy to assist you if you need, its free wifi around the place.
Restaurant its a good option for a bite after the walk. The place is small but had a very good variety of animals.
Hoggustina Hoop — Google review
We really enjoyed our visit to the Belize Zoo!
It was our first day in Belize, journeying from the Airport to San Ignacio, and what a way to begin our adventure. You can clearly tell that the people of the zoo truly care about their animals from everything from the enclosures to their sweet signs.
It is a great way to get a taste of Belizean wildlife as all of the animals have been found within Belize and being rehabilitated.
Highly recommend!
Megan Swilley — Google review
The animals are well looked after here. They have huge enclosures and are given the opportunity to have some privacy from people. The staff at the zoo were also really informative and friendly. If you want to do something extra special you can volunteer to look after the animals giving you the opportunity to get up close and personal with them. I think this is probably the best zoo I've been to where the welfare of the animal is first and foremost. I highly recommend visiting this zoo.
Vanessa B — Google review
The zoo was wonderful. It's like stepping into the jungle, without the risks. It's well worth paying extra to arrange the guided tour. The guide knows all the animal's favorite hiding places and where you can get the best views of them. He made sure we got to see everything. He also had a lot of insights to the animal's history and behaviors. I would absolutely do it again. I recommend bringing water, as the only place to get any is at the souvenir and restraunt area at the end. Also wear sturdy shoes as there is a lot of walking and a few uneven paths.
Samantha Coty — Google review
We LOVED it. All the animals are being rehabilitated, which is so great. Unlike other zoos, this setting truly is jungle. Down to the bugs (wear bug spray). There are amazing animals all around. Of course you'll love the leopard, toucan, and the snakes. But you'll be surprised and delighted be the other birds, like the Harpy Eagle, and the ocelots (listen to them grunt!), Owls (they'll hoot), and the pelicans (flapping to their wings like crazy in the water). Do take the time to read the signs, they are both funny and informative.
Mini Rag — Google review
A very cool little zoo. We went from opening time til about noon. We got to see the tapirs eat. We paid for a meet and greet with one of the jaguar and it was 1000% worth it. It was awesome being able to read about each animal's story and how the zoo rescued them. The signs were also funny as heck.
Loan Chung (Pikaloan) — Google review
If this is on your way somewhere it’s a nice stop; but I would not go out of your way. It’s $15 USD per person. $5 for kids under 12.
It’s more of a refugee center than a normal zoo. Your admission goes towards feeding the animals which is nice. A few jaguars, lots of birds and lots of tapirs. Bring so much bug spray. There’s a gift shop that’s a bit overpriced and a small cafe with ice cream and drinks that are very affordable. Clean bathrooms.
Alessandra Camargo — Google review
Small zoo showcasing native Belize fauna in naturalistic settings. Needs better signage. Good food and drink. Has a gift shop.
Glen Jacobsen — Google review
We had a lovely morning at the zoo. It is packed with animals. It is much better if you get there for feeding time (10am-11am for us) as a lot of the animals are easier to see when they are being fed. We had lunch there. They have a good variety of local foods and cold drinks. Bring big spray as the zoo is like walking through a rainforest.
Matthew Henderson — Google review
This zoo is so cool, we came here to check out all the local wildlife and it did not disappoint, the gift shop is great, they've got a refreshments area and the zoo itself is built around the animals in their natural habitats. There's plenty of experiences to feed the animals and some get up close and personal. I had a great time and can't wait to go back.
Isabel Mastrangelo — Google review
We stayed in a pond house and did the night time tour. Amazing doesn’t even describe the whole experience. The night tour was 100% worth it. Everyone was so knowledgeable. It was great to hear the history of the zoo and of all the animals we saw. A definite must do when in Belize!
Christina Biggs — Google review
Quite nice. Bring your water and cool wet towels. In addition to the animals, we loved the zoos down to earth and witty signage that made you laugh 😃! Can you find the "kitty kitty " in the photos with green foliage??
Thomas Reeber — Google review
Delightful! We loved that all the animals are rescued, not stolen from the wild, and you can often get great views of them. The clever signage explains more about each animal and how it came to the zoo. We were glad we had a guided tour; our guide was able to find and point out the shy animals, and he knew his way around the zoo's winding paths.
Linnea Crowther — Google review
Small but nice zoo for rescued animals. Paths between enclosures are well laid out, lush and beautiful to walk through. Staff are all very friendly and helpful. There's a restaurant and gift store on site. We didn't do a tour or animal encounter but there are some available. We spent about an hour here but it was hot and we were using the location as a rest stop
Donella Held — Google review
They call this the best little zoo. It really is. The animal habitats were very nice and represented their environment well. It was great seeing animals that I had never seen before.
Spacey J. — Google review
The Belize Zoo has always been an amazing place to visit ..even more so for young minds. Our children had a great time, and after a great walk about the grounds , the little restaurant serves affordable and delicious foods.
Absolutely worth the drive to see the animals of Belize .
stanley gideon — Google review
The zoo is absolutely incredible! Such an amazing origin story! You get to see animals all native to Belize, all of them are there because they were rescued and unable to be returned to the wild, so they get to live happy healthy lives and represent their species and bring awareness to the detrimental effects of deforestation and poaching.
The zoo was easy to get to on the local bus system, and there is a small cafe where you can get some food and drink.
Moriah Wilbur — Google review
All the animals are from Belize and have been relocated to the zoo due to extenuating circumstances. The enclosure are native to the animals environment and mostly large enough to hide from visitors if desired. For an extra fee we were given the opportunity to feed Edgar the jaguar chicken provided by his keeper at the zoo. He had lost his eye to cancer, but they have been able to save his life and provide the necessary care he requires. Looked healthy and had a beautiful fur pattern coat.
S Sorrick — Google review
Coolest zoo I've ever been to. Read up about the history and mission of the zoo, it's definitely not your run of the mill zoo. It's quite small, but in the best way. Also, very affordable. Ask about the Jaguar experiences when you're purchasing your ticket!
Amanda Stanek — Google review
A must-do in Belize. Literally the best zoo I have ever been to. Very walkable and easy to fit in, only took a couple hours. The jaguar experience was my favorite part, reasonably priced to have a very up close experience that contributes directly to the animals. They care deeply about conservation and all animals were in large enclosures that seemed very natural and comfortable for them. Also they are all rescues/rehabilitated that couldn’t survive in the wild on their own making the zoo an opportunity for them to live in peace.
Kennedy Combs — Google review
We stayed one night in Casita and did the nocturnal tour at the zoo. Everything was amazing and I wish we had planned more time here! The grounds are beautiful, the food was excellent, and our guest house was spacious and quiet. Juan Carlos was very helpful and a great birder. We were surrounded by wildlife and jungle sounds. I would have loved more time to explore the trails and relax in the hammock.
Sarah M — Google review
We enjoyed visiting a zoo that felt more 'natural' in the space and environment afforded to its animals. Not a huge area, but well worth a 1-2 walk. Especially appreciate that the animals here are either rehabilitated by the zoo, or are for some other reason unable to live in the wild
Campbell MacLean — Google review
On our trip to Belize, we visited the Zoo. We enjoyed seeing the wildlife native to the region. Also, it was wonderful to read the stories of the many rescues of animals they had made throughout the years.
Jude Tegen — Google review
I stayed in a Forest Cabana, which is no A/C (but has a strong fan) and "shared" bathroom - it's 4 showers, 4 toilets, and 4 sinks for 10 cabanas. When I was there only other cabana was occupied, so it was fine!
Nadine, Carlos, Melvin and the rest of the TEC staff were all so kind and helpful. You ARE in the tropics - there are scorpions, etc but if you ask at the office, they will remove - no charge (haha!!). Dinner and breakfast were incredible, and they do make accommodations for veg/vegan, gluten, anything you need.
It was wonderful to take the night tour of the zoo (and I got to help feel Indy and the porcupine!) and then come back the next day to see all of the daytime friends as well.
The 1000 foot falls is a stunning tourist attraction surrounded by dense vegetation and enveloped in a shroud of fog. The cascading waterfalls offer breathtaking views, but the roads leading to it can be treacherous and require a higher clearance vehicle due to rough terrain. Despite these challenges, the drive is well worth it for the chance to witness such natural beauty. Preservation efforts have been put in place to protect the land, making access more difficult but ensuring its preservation for future generations.
Awesome spot, IF you can get there. Despite having a 4WD truck with decent clearance and having a good amount of off road driving experience, we decided to turn around, mainly because in the 20-30 minutes we were on the dirt road going to the falls, we saw NO ONE ELSE, so if we got stuck, it was going to be an issue. We ended up seeing it with a guide from Hidden Valley Ranch. When we did actually get there, again, we were the only people there. It was beautiful. If they improve the road, it would be a lot better and I still don't see it getting too crowded considering how far out of the way it is.
J Salim — Google review
Beautiful place. Stunning view. Part of the public area now. Requires entry fee payment to the parc. Adventure to get there. Not accessible without 4WD car.
Jan Abraham — Google review
So beautiful you must go! The road is a little rough but it’s worth the drive.
Anabelle Martinez — Google review
Amazing views. Great to go for a family or friends getaway.
Sharene M?ndez — Google review
Ooffftahhh. We had a 2WD Nissan frontier and a lot of confidence and ended up successfully making it to the falls - granted no recent rain. Would not attempt if ground was muddy or recently rained (or never driven off road) - you will not make it and get stuck! The road got really bad the last 2-3 miles. We had a lot of fun on the drive but it got stressful at times. View was pretty but the drive was more memorable and of all the things we did in San Ignacio this was the least remarkable for the effort. Go to rio Frio caves, rio on pools and big rock falls instead.
Brina Moh — Google review
Beautiful viewpoint and beautiful waterfall.
The only reason why I give it 4 stars is because the roads there are horrendous. We had a sturdy car but had to park it halfway there and walk 40 minutes to the viewpoint, because we were scared the car would not be able to bring us back.
Be sure to have a 4x4 if you’re planning to visit, because we had to help a woman who had her car stranded and later found her with a flat tire because of the bad roads.
Fortunately, the walk was very nice and the waterfall was beautiful to look at. Also, it’s free to enter.
Leona van Diest — Google review
Great view of the falls. The main road is now paved, but the last 10 miles is dirt and rock, very rough in spots. Definitely need higher clearance vehicle. Overall well worth the drive.
Scott Ivins — Google review
Wow. Simply breathtaking. The views are fantastic. But I wouldn’t attempt this in a regular car. Roads were way too treacherous. If it’s raining turn around. Preserving the land is great. But it’s really hard to get there and back without a 4-wheel vehicle.
Ruth M — Google review
As of 2/20/24, you can only view falls from far off lookout. You can NOT actually hike down to the falls despite what you read elsewhere. We drove the 30 minute drive on very sketchy all terrain road that for a section you would normally see an off road jeep attempt. We made it to the viewpoint, which again after a very short walk, you only see a far off view of the falls. But a local that lived at the house near the open shelter spot said that there was intention pre covid to make an actual trail to the waterfall but that was stopped due to covid. So it may seem like there is more because of the nice signs at the end. Would highly NOT recommend attempting to drive this as the view was not worth it. Rather go to Big Rock Falls at the forest instead. Much better waterfall that you can actually hike to the bottom and swim in.
Laura Stenzel — Google review
The journey to the falls is just as exciting as the falls themselves! The facility is right on the point of cliff overlooking a deep valley. You can hear the falls as you pull into the park ... walking down the steps to the viewing platform is a nice experience. The only issue you might have is fog. It is very unpredictable here ... it could be clear one minute and then totally obscure the falls the next ... good luck!
Caracol Natural Monument Reservation is an ancient Mayan city, located near the Guatemalan border in Belize. It was once one of the most influential cities in the Maya world and covers an area of over 200 sq km. The site sits on the Vaca Plateau and is believed to have stretched over 70 sq miles at its peak around AD 650. There are around 40 miles of internal causeways that lead to large plazas and residential areas.
Absolutely amazing place to visit. Ruins are still being uncovered and the grounds are littered with shards of pottery. We visited the last week of June in the rainy season however it only rained heavily one day out of the whole week. There were scattered showers the rest of the week but mostly in the evenings. The rain kept the temps down so the days weren't ridiculously hot. We stayed at Blancaneaux Lodge, which is beautiful with the best staff. I highly recommend this lodge and the guided trip to Caracol.
Matthew McCune — Google review
The drive to get to these ruins took a little over two hours on mostly unpaved road. Time went by fast though as the scenery was very beautiful. The ruins themselves were great. It’s crazy to think only about 1% of the ruins there have been undiscovered!
Aiden Rodriguez — Google review
Words can’t describe how special it feels to be in a Mayan ruin like this all alone, surrounded only by the sounds of the forest and the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere with this place just to yourself.
If you hire your own 4x4 and arrive mid-afternoon when the small group tours have left, you’ll have a fun drive down and enjoy it in total solitude. They do seem to be upgrading the road, so maybe in a year or two the road will be paved.
James Robinson — Google review
We originally booked a tour with Belize Family Adventures to Tikal but last minute disputes between Guatemala and Belize over covid protocols and testing resulted in changing the tour to Caracol. From San Ignacio this was a 2+ hour drive each way on rough gravel and mud roads. Do not attempt to drive this route in a rental car. Our group was just our family of 4 plus our guide Leo who was fantastic. He had first hand experience with the excavation of the ruins making him a wealth of knowledge. The ruins are amazing and probably as a result of the bad roads there were very few other people there. Lunch was also very good. I'd highly recommend setting aside a day to see Caracol and using Belize Family Adventure for the trip.
Doug — Google review
Beautiful place, friendly staff around, its a challengeto climb to the top but it worth it.
Such a fantastic place full of history, you can hear lots of howling monkeys around too and visit the tree of life.
The only thing it's the way to get there.... the road still on construction and it's such a pain if you drive an small car, specially on rainy season 😑 the road are super bumpy and not the best.
Hoggustina — Google review
Definitely go with a guide or you're just looking at neat piles of rocks. If you're a bird lover, take some time to sit back and look because this place has some awesome ones including the collared aracari and the Montezuma oropendula.
Loan Chung — Google review
Superb. Remote location but worth the drive. Road is under construction but doable with any car in the dry. It’s getting a bit slippery when wet… very few visitors on a week day.
Jeroen Berghuis — Google review
What an incredible archaeological site, it was very special visiting Caracol. The drive to the site took us about 2 hours from San Ignacio and was mostly dirt road. There's about a 15km section towards the end that was pretty bumpy and rough but the drive was its own adventure. Make sure you have a vehicle that can handle off roading adventures.
This was the largest site we visited this trip to Belize and it really is just awesome in how massive and spread out it was. I was only here for about 2 hours and wish I had at least one more hour.
Brielle Soper — Google review
Amazing experience. We stayed at the Crystal Palace Resort and did the tour through them. The guide was very knowledgeable and the ruins were amazing. We also got to see howler monkeys. The drive is pretty long to get there, about 2 hours from where we stayed. The roads can be bumpy though there was serious road work going on so probably in a couple years or so will be fully paved the whole way. They have excavated some amazing structures and you get to climb up to the tops. Seeing how the jungle had completely hidden things is amazing, some structures are only half exposed. Certainly worth the drive, maybe not for younger kids though. I
Our 14 year olds complained a bit but did enjoy it. 😀
Cyrus Bazeghi — Google review
A lil preview of my greatest adventure of 2023, in beautiful Belize. The largest temple at Caracol, known as 'Caana' or 'Sky Place,' truly took my breath away. Rising over 149 feet above the jungle floor, this massive pyramid is a sight to behold. But let me tell you, getting there was no easy feat! We had to conquer a 1.5-hour drive through a muddy, liquid sand jungle. I highly recommend a four-wheel drive for this epic journey! Can you believe this is the largest structure in all of Belize? 😱✨
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I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to climb this majestic pyramid, setting powerful intentions under its ancient walls. It was an extraordinary experience that connected me both physically and ethereally with the gods. Belize, you've stolen my heart forever! ❤️🌴 #BelizeBound #GreatestAdventure2023 #SeekingAncientWisdom
Brandie G — Google review
Great place to visit! Four stars only because of how difficult it is to get to! I drove my own vehicle, and the roads are just terrible! Need a high ground clearance 4WD vehicle to get there!
The ruins area is amazing! Just pay your entrance, and your free to roam as you please. It appears there are no restrictions on what you can climb and visit, etc. I went with my daughter, and we had no guide. We just explored and did lots of climbing!!! Perhaps a guide would have helped explain more, and it seemed that everyone else there had guides - or came with tour groups. It’s a full day with a tour group and guide. Half day if you drive yourself. Bring food and plenty of water - there’s nothing there! I will definitely go back if I get the chance!
Jeff deVita — Google review
Such a incredible, well preserved, and expansive mayan site. I would strongly recommend hiring a guide to drive you down there as the road is not well maintained or well marked, and once you're there the history and stories make exploring the sites that much more interesting.
Cody — Google review
About 3 hours of drive on dirt road, lots of deep holes to drive through. Definitely you need a high clearance car. The view is spectacular and the ruins are the tallest in Belize. The park is well kept, very clean and friendly staff. Well worth it!
The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is a picturesque destination in which to explore. It boasts numerous attractions such as the Rio Frio Cave, Rio on Pools, Caracol, Big Rock falls and the 1000ft falls. Visitors should drive with an SUV due to challenging terrain and hire a guide for areas such as Caracol. Mobile phone reception is limited so downloading Google Maps is advisable. There are also luxurious resorts in the area worth checking out independently.
Super cool scenery and little cold water.. water is so clear.. sand in the middle.. just wonderful.. u need to get ready for a hike and walk on the stairs which some nails
Chess Bird — Google review
This was a wonderfull area to explore. We checked out the 1000ft falls and Alfonso was such a delightful man to talk to and with tons of knowledge about the area. We loved it here. Could have spent over a week!!!
Asia Grant — Google review
Very much worth the visit! Beautiful rock formations/pools, waterfalls, and one awesome cave! Roads are rough, but definitely manageable; don’t let that scare you off.
Troy Beeson — Google review
One of a kind waterfall and swimming experience. A bit of a hike on some lousy stairs but 100% worth it. Roads are vastly improved!
Cassius Wright — Google review
Really fun waterfall hike we took! Highly recommend for a little day outing with swimming!
Bart Marchant — Google review
We drove through this Reserve on our way to Caracol. It’s dirt road driving through this forest and it has beautiful scenery. It‘s amazing to see pine trees in the tropics.
Catherine Hunt — Google review
It's a beautiful area, very remote, pristine waterfalls, deep in the jungle.
Dan Jacobs — Google review
Loved it! But don't forget your bug spray.
Christi Bradley — Google review
What a beautiful drive and great road up to Rio of pools. There are changing huts and bathrooms. The water is cool and refreshing and there are plenty of places to have a picnic. We weren't prepared to swim, but we waded and will definitely co.e to swim next time. Such a hidden gem.
Tisha Cypert — Google review
What an adventure! Make sure you spend a few nights in the area at one of the beautiful resorts. Bring wheels because there is a lot to explore! Very drivable and safe. Make sure you have a full tank and some backup fuel for your adventure.
Aaron R — Google review
Many nice stuff here, Rio Frio Cave, Rio on Pools, Caracol, Big Rock falls, 1000ft falls and many more. Driving is recommend only with a SUV, Caracol only with an additional guide, better would be a guided tour if you are not familiar with the area. Very limited mobile phone reception, downloading Google maps for navigation is advisable. Also in the area are done luxurious resorts but better check them out for yourself.
Henrik Personn — Google review
DO NOT GO HERE UNLESS YOU HAVE ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND A LIFTED VEHICLE. I repeat, DO NOT GO HERE UNLESS YOU HAVE ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND A LIFTED VEHICLE.
Also, If you’re looking for the waterfall DON’T ROUTE YOURSELF TO THIS LOCATION.
The falls are called “big rock falls” and you must direct your google maps to there. If you try to drive to this “mountain pine ridge forest reserve” location, you may miss the tiny green sign on the right side of the road that signals the turn off to the falls. Continuing on leads you to the a sketchy military operation in the middle of NOWHERE.
If you’re an anxious person, a road sick person, or a person who just doesn’t like uncomfortable situations, I’d stay away from this area, although it is certainly beautiful, and if you had the right vehicle and adventurous spirit, it could be a good time.
Rio On Pools is a stunning natural attraction in Belize, featuring small waterfalls and pools that visitors can enjoy while basking in the sun. It is part of guided tours that also include the opportunity to visit Caracol. The area offers plenty of space for relaxation along the river, with changing rooms provided but no vendors available so visitors should bring their own snacks.
There has been a lot of work done to this park in the mast few years. Now this has become a fantastical and beautiful place.
To hear the not so distant roar of the waterfalls and rapids is really pacifying. And then to feel the cool breeze that is gently whistling through the trees overhead. While a songbird gently sings it song. It really does feel like you have accidentally walked into a small corner of heaven.
I would highly recommend this as a picnic spot for the family or a small group.
I hope everyone will remain respectful of this gorgeous place and that the maintenance staff will keep up with this wonderful park.
Ronny Plett — Google review
We stopped here as part of a full day tour of Caracol and Rio Frio Cave with Cayo Inland Expeditions.. It was a beautiful place and we were there as it was getting dark so it was even more spectacular.
Brenda Hoffmann — Google review
Absolutely gorgeous. It was pretty busy, but there's so much space along the river you could still find a spot that was private.
There are no vendors or anything (so bring your own snacks), but changing rooms are provided. Lots of parking space along the road and just a short walk into the pools.
A wonderful thing to do on a hot day.
Jodi Sharp — Google review
Great place for a refreshing swim. The river flow drops over a granite outcropping, forming numerous pools and waterfalls. Scenic and inviting, we found it well worth the side trip. The road was mostly paved except for the last couple of miles. It is my understanding that they intend to pave the entire route to Caracol eventually.
Charles Copley — Google review
One of my favorite places in Belize! My husband and I spent 4 hours here on a sunny afternoon, early March of 2022, on the way back from Caracol. We saw 1-2 other couples come through briefly but otherwise had the place to ourselves.
Great pools for swimming, chutes to slide down, and waterfalls to get a natural massage. The water is probably about 75°. This would be a great spot for kids and all adults.
Be prepared for zero shade! The granite slabs are slippery and very hot in the direct sun.
The site has bathrooms with flushing toilets and sinks, but bring your own toilet paper and soap/hand sanitizer. Changing rooms are also present at the end of the short trail and right by the river.
Sarina Collins — Google review
We drove here on a fwd vehicle and it was fine. We got here pretty early (around 10-11am) and there weren't a lot of people at all (maybe 2-4 people) and by the time we were leaving around noon there were more than 30 ppl there.
It's really peace and relaxing! The water is a bit cold but it's not terrible once you're in. There is a picnic area that you can overlook the entire pool area!
Anna He — Google review
It’s a gorgeous natural pool, if you’re in Cayo district you definitely need for come here for a visit the water is fresh and cool, a perfect spot for a family trip, there are no vendor at the area so please bring your own foods and drinks, and please make sure take your garbage with you when you’re leaving, we want to make the place clean and natural for the next generation, the road is recent pave so it’s like 30 min drive from the entrance of George ville entrance, but the road is not recommended for raining season.
JOHN LIAO — Google review
Great series of pools to swim in. Small waterfalls make a great jacuzzi.
Mike Haykin — Google review
Great place to relax and cool off. We brought lunch and spent the morning there. There is also an overlook with a pavilion area. There is a bathroom and changing area too.
Nina Santarelli — Google review
Great little pool location, rocks are very slippery which made the experience slightly less fun. Could spend a good hour here but not much longer. I went on a day where it had just rained so there was more sediment
Shiva Namdeo — Google review
Took about 45 minutes from San Ignacio by private car. The place is nice and secluded. Honestly I expected a bit more. The water was VERY brown supposedly from the recent rains. The rocks that are under water are EXTREMELY slippery with algae! I hurt my wrist slightly trying to brace myself moving thru the different pools. Overall I would think twice about coming back unless I knew in advance the water conditions. There are areas where you can put out a blanket and have a picnic. Entrance and parking is free.
Jon Forshee — Google review
Great Place to take the family that is an easy walk, change rooms and bathrooms close to water.
Rocks are slippery but it's a water activity out doors so as expected.
Small waterfall where we were and that particular area was always packed so if u want to relax near the falls best go early.
However the garbage people leave behind is gross. Beyond gross.
I dont expect it to stay free if someone has to continue to go clean it up.
Crystal Baker — Google review
Great place to visit when your in the Cayo District. Bring your swim suit and remember to pack yourself a lunch. There are change rooms and a nice picnic area. Th picnic area has a BBQ just make sure to extinguish the fire completely before leaving.
Stefania Grieco — Google review
Definitely worth visiting this place and no need to book a tour. You can drive up to the pool yourself with basically any car in the dry season and a four wheel drive or high clearance car in the rainy season. The road is being constructed so it’s very easy to get to. The walk from the parking to the waterfall is about 5mins. I drove by around sunset and there was no one there- it was simply magical being in such a beautiful place at golden hour
65-foot arched limestone cave with unique rock formations, an internal river & nearby parking
Rio Frio Cave is an amazing stop on the way back from the Caracol ruins! I recommend taking a bit of time to stop in and (respectfully) walk through the cave to experience it.
Wear capable shoes and bring a flashlight/head lamp to help you see and not lose your footing!
Chris Homer — Google review
Magnificent cave in the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve. If you want to follow the entire nature trail then you need to traverse the cave. Not an easy task. You definitely need to be ready to climb rocks and maintain your balance. But it's doable.
Stijn Floren — Google review
So cool! Spent an hour or so exploring the cave. There were only two other people there when we arrived in late morning, and they were leaving as we came in. A couple of larger groups came as we were leaving, but we basically had the cave to ourselves. There are other caves and sites in the area and some hiking trails, which we did not do as we weren’t prepared for it, but I think we could have spent the better part of the day there had we wanted to. The road in wasn’t the greatest. We had a Jeep and navigated the deep ruts without issue, but I think a smaller vehicle would struggle to get in and might be in trouble if it rained.
Sarah Read — Google review
Make sure your car doesn’t quit on you because this is a really remote place! Hard to get to, must have a four wheel drive. The cave was astonishing and fun to explore!
Emma — Google review
Such an awesome spot! A great cave experience if you don't want to pay for a guided tour. The road getting in is tough but doable without a fully 4-wheel drive vehicle in the dry season. Well worth seeing!
James Welch — Google review
Quick stop on the way back from Caracol. Had the cave for myself, no entrance fee. Road is pretty rough, need a high clearance car. The cave is not too big, has a river flowing through it. It's worth a stop if you are in the area.
Suzy — Google review
Great easy cave to visit. Road from Douglas D Silva is ROUGH and probably shouldnt be driven if you don't have 4x4 in the wet season - buy dry season we managed with our van.
Very kid friendly, some slippery surfaces in cave so be careful
Adrien Quenneville — Google review
Cool experience to walk through. Someone was taking a nap on the sand below when we went. We parked at the start of the trail bc the road was so bad even with our 4wd. The walk along the road to the top wasn't bad, but I can't speak for the trail through the jungle - it looked narrow and like you could possibly wander off but we didn't try. Definitely recommend 4wd to get up there.
Nina Santarelli — Google review
Top top top, self driving there during the rain was….. an experience! But feasible.
E G — Google review
Very underrated but highly recommend everyone to visit! You can drive up to the barrier entrance (sedan cars not recommended but everything bigger than that should take you there) and walk about 15mins to the cave! Pictures do not do Justice to the beauty of this cave! You can explore the cave yourself, so no need to pay for a guide. There are two entry to the cave, hence it stays bright and very accessible throughout the day. There is a beautiful sandy beach inside the cave which is very cute to spend undisturbed time reading, relaxing or appreciating nature since
not many people visit this cave.
Joshua Amponsem — Google review
We rented a fwd and drove to Rio Frio Cave. It seemed pretty deserted when we went. There weren't anyone there at all.
The road wasn't too bad to drive. It wasn't paved but if you drive slow, fwd was fine for us. (It was dry season though so not muddy).
We didn't go in, but it was a really cool sight to look from the outside!
Anna He — Google review
We dropped by on our way back from Caracol mid-May. It’s dirt road driving here. There is no entrance fee and we were the only ones there. We brought a flashlight which was useful. It was a little eerie since there was thunder and lightning when we arrived so it was loud inside the cave. We would have gone further if it wasn’t for the unpredictable weather. It doesn’t look like a long cave.
Catherine Hunt — Google review
The cave was beautiful and the drive to get there was majestic. We enjoyed our visit and most of the road is paved now.
ATM Cave, also known as Actun Tunichil Muknal, is an underground archaeological site located in Belize. Visitors can take guided tours to explore the extensive cave system which contains human sacrificial remains and other ancient artifacts belonging to the Mayan civilization. Cameras are not allowed in the cave after a tourist dropped one on an ancient skull. The full-day tour involves swimming, hiking, climbing and squeezing through tight spaces with all necessary equipment provided.
A lifetime experience, worth every single penny. Guide was excellent and helpful, the cave is huge. Lots of climbing, swimming and squeezing through tight places. The tour provides all the equipment. Don't miss it!
Suzy — Google review
A fun activity to do in Belize! We booked our tour with Yute Expeditions (guide Philip). Their tour starts early, so you are the first ones in the cave! Which means that it’s still quiet and not much traffic. I would recommend visiting the caves during your travels in Belize and go early! Lunch is included in the tour and vegan/vegetarian is possible.
Stefanie Vandeweyer — Google review
ATM Cave, also known as Skeleton Cave Belize because of the 14 skeletons found in its main chamber. ATM cave is considered a World Heritage Site and is known for its unusual sizs chambers. This tour offers mild challenge and can be done by most age groups. It's best to book with a tour company in advance because only a limited number of visitors are allowed in a single day.
Mara Burgess — Google review
ATM Cave isn't for the faint at heart, instead it's a place made for only the fit and adventurous. Before venturing off into the cave, you must know that the place is very sacred and it contributes a key factor for Belize's history; especially for the Mayan heritage. Do note that nothing of artifacts should be moved or touched and always listen to your guide. Hence, NO CAMERAS are ALLOWED! Commencing into the half hour hike, you will find yourself crossing 3 rivers, only one will require swimming. At the cave you will enter an extreme environment made of darkness and constant walking in water. Watch your foot steps and never stray away from the group. There will be a few parts where you will engage in rock climbing. Take a small snack, and sufficient water. On a personal note, use a black socks throughout the tour. All in all, you will have such an amazing time and you will definitely be traveling back in an ancient Maya world. The cave is intriguing and by the time you come out, you will certainly have a great story to tell. Have a terrific time out there folks.
Chief Witz — Google review
This was one of the coolest experiences of our week long trip to Belize. From the very beginning of the trip it's an adventure. River crossings, swimming in to the cave, climbing, crawling, etc. Then once you're in the cave chambers the artifacts and calcified human remains out in the open are incredibly cool.
You don't have to be an athlete or in incredible shape to do this, but it's also no walk in the park. Just bring proper shoes because you'll be walking in water for 80% of the cave
10/10 would recommend and would do this again
Cody — Google review
Wow what a tour! We had an amazing time but this is was no joke physically. We are in good shape but there was significant rock climbing and ankle breaking potential on the slippery rocks. All went well for us but we were exhausted by the end. Definitely a once in a lifetime excursion with Mayan ruins and stalagmites galore!
Gemma Hobbs — Google review
Wow! What an experience. I have never done anything as exhilarating as this tour yet in my life. We went with Maya Walk out of San Ignacio. Jamir aka JamJam was our tour guide and he was excellent. He told us all kinds of history and information the entire tour. He didn’t rush us though and really let us experience this amazing place. There were other tour companies but some seemed to be in big hurries and their people were moving quickly. I was grateful for JamJam and his pace. I really wanted to enjoy the whole experience and he accommodated.
This tour is not one for anyone claustrophobic or faint of heart. That being said, if you are committed you can do it. We had a beautiful 1.5 mile forest hike to get to the cave where JamJam filled us in on a wealth of history. You have to cross three rivers with only one getting to shoulder level.
From the moment you enter the cave you know you are in for quite the experience. There was rock climbing, shimmying through tight spaces and swimming at times. Ending at the beautiful Crystal Maiden remains. The ambiance and historic beauty of this place is not to be missed if you are in the area. Fantastic fabulous trip ending with a delicious lunch back at the car park area.
We have a place on Caye Caulker so we came in for the day and spent the night in San Ignacio. Maya Walk did a wonderful job of arranging our transportation from Belize City water taxi to ATM, then to our Airbnb and return transportation to Belize City the next day. Great way to see some countryside.
Would highly recommend Maya Walk and Jamir aka JamJam.
Anne Kinley — Google review
I've been caving and spelunking in many cave systems and this one is by far the coolest all around adventure. The walk though the jungle, swimming through the mouth of the cave, boulder climbing, and all of the artifacts make this place a real life Indiana Jones situation. You can't take cameras in side which is great. Ypu would spend 2 hours just taking pics and not enjoying the experience. You'd honestly either lose them or ruin them in many of the spots where you have to swim. Easy enough that the 9 year old and 70 year old both killed it yet both had fun.
Derek — Google review
Lots written elsewhere so succinctly:
Go before it gets closed to visitors. It was an intense experience which made me feel closer to understanding Mayan culture. The very end of the tour where you see the sacrifice of a young woman is moving. You can feel the desperation of the Mayan people as climatic and other changes ended their way of life in the region.
Bring trainer shoes or similar, towel (showers available) and dry clothes. Socks are useful as you walk without shoes in the archaeological site. You will get wet to your neck at least. No cameras allowed. Some scrambling, it's not slippery. Most difficult part was getting up the ladder right at the end. One bit of the cave on the way out is a bit of a squeeze but the guide went around it and I'm sure it's an alternative route for anyone not willing to squeeze through getting very wet!
Enjoy!
Aaron Corp — Google review
Definitely worth a visit when you're in Belize! You'll walk, swim, climb and squeeze through the cave - so better not be claustrophobic. You should wear clothes, socks and shoes (e.g., sporty sneakers, trekking sandals) that you can walk / climb well in and that can get wet. At the end of the tour inside the cave, you'll only walk in your socks. Also bring dry clothes and some water, to leave at the tour operator's van. There are restrooms and changing rooms at the parking lot. No sunscreen, bug repellent, sun glasses or hats needed; no phones, cameras or gopros allowed inside the cave. So you'll only come in what you wear and make photos with your mind :)
Jana M — Google review
We can Luis as our guide on the tour recently and it was amazing.
We were somewhat anxious about claustrophobia before we went in, and while there are parts that definitely get the adrenaline going, you never feel like you are in danger.
There's a short swim at the start into the cave of maybe 20metres, this was the only time I was out of my depth. There are parts of the cave where you need to be able to haul yourself up, maybe equivalent to climbing a ladder. I recommend good running shoes to make sure you get good grip.
Luis was great, we were being overtaken by other tours constantly who were rushing through to get you in and out of the cave, where Luis spent most of the day explaining the local flora and fauna, as well as more detail than I could ever imagine on the archaeology. The pace was slow and easy, we were the second group into the cave and the last out, which goes to show how much value you get compared to other tours
D L — Google review
Absolutely loved this place! The caves are beautiful and traversing then is incredible. The tour's are a bit pricey, but well worth it! Definitely a highlight of travelling Belize and Central America.
Hayden Pitman — Google review
Luis and Johnny are a dynamic duo. They are punctual and clear on expectations to ensure a safe and respectful trip to and from the tour (listen to their instructions!).
Luis is extremely knowledgeable of the rituals within the cave. If you are an ancient history buff, I highly recommend going with Luis and Johnny as the information they provide are much more in-depth than any other tour groups seemed to have attained. Luis also provides an objective perspective on what was happening within the Mayan civilizations at the time, and specifically points out the more sensational theories that others may spin to appease the imaginations of tourists.
His wife’s cooking is also delicious as that’s what’s for lunch!
hc92123 — Google review
Amazing historic experience - MAKE SURE TO BOOK A GUIDE IN ADVANCE. You cannot enter the cave without one of the 20 something local guides.
Patrick Bradley (Belize Caves and Limpkin Tours) was amazing and had a wealth of knowledge about the caves, history and other fun facts. YOU WILL GET SOAKING WET AND MUST BRING SOCKS. Shorts or pants, long or short sleeve doesn’t matter but would recommend tevas/chacos as the shoe. If you don’t have them, running shoes are okay, don’t go out of your way to buy them. This is a long day and is physically taxing, climbing in the caves and swimming. Wear a life jacket if you are afraid of water or swimming - the guide will provide. No mosquitos to worry about and you cannot bring anything into the caves at all (no water, phones, cameras, literally anything).
Our group was small (5 people) and it took about 7 hours round trip. Very nice having a smaller group!
Would 1000 percent recommend if you are in San Ignacio!
Brina Moh — Google review
Cool hiking through the cave up/through the river. Great cultural experience also. The human remains from history are incredible, not many places you can get within inches of archeological artifacts and skeletons.
Moderate+ physical activity. Have to do some climbing and water is deep enough in places we had to swim. Great Time!
Nozslo — Google review
One of the best things you can ever do!!! Go here - you will not regret it. Seriously one of the best experiences of my life and in my travels. I have never seen anything like it!
You hike and then swim into a cavern. Then you spelunk (but it's pretty open - not claustrophobic). Eventually you climb up a ladder unto a perfectly preserved Mayan ritual chamber.
You will not regret doing this experience!!!
Natalie Olmstead — Google review
We booked this trip through our resort. By luck or design we got a great guide, Luis. He's like Indiana Jones crossed with Neil deGrasse Tyson. The more attentive you are the more in detail he will go. We wore sneakers with socks, swimsuit and swim shirts. You will get fully wet and maybe cold by the end. No photos allowed past the parking lot
pooch punter — Google review
The most intense caving experience I’ve ever done. It’s sad that you cannot bring any cameras or electronic with you on the tour but tour company email you some pictures. I enjoyed the adventure so much! Swimming, crawling, climbing are needed. The difficulty level was measured as 6 out of 10, but our group had two 70+ ladies who made through! Our guide was taking us to the more difficult routes where at one point we had to fit our neck through a rock gap. If you have time and chance, do not miss out on this!
Emma — Google review
The ATM cave tour was one of the top highlights of my trip through the Yucatan peninsula. This was an incredible experience and one of the most thrilling experiences I've ever had. If you have any sense of adventure, you will love this cave tour. Before starting the tour, my two main concerns were footwear and temperature. I ended up wearing socks with Teva sports sandals. This combination worked well for me. I found it was important to have good foot support and grip on the wet rocks in the cave and for the moderate walk up to the cave entrance. I moved my feet very carefully in the cave while walking through the water. There are some sharp rocks and you can't see them under the water. If you move slowly and carefully, you should be fine. The water was a refreshing temperature and for someone who gets cold easily, I was OK with a long sleeve rash guard and shorts. The life jacket provides some warmth. If you worry about getting cold, I'd add leggings.
Community Baboon Sanctuary Visitor Center and Museum (A Black Howler Monkey Sanctuary)
Natural history museum
Nature & Parks
Modest museum & visitor center offering exhibits on primates & the rainforest, plus a gift shop.
This place is unlike no other. Jessie Young and her son, Conway Young, have the most incredible sanctuary with the biggest hearts. They empower the local community with knowledge and employment opportunities. The tour guides make you feel right at home and give you the experience of a lifetime full of native plant and wildlife facts! Seeing the black howler monkeys in their natural habitat was more incredible than I ever thought it would be.
Allie Coronado — Google review
This was one of my favorite experiences while in Belize. We learned so much about this sanctuary and just knowing that every time you visit you are helping preserve this sanctuary means so much to the locals and the conservation. We were able to learn so much about the rain forest and many of the animals, creatures, and plants/trees that live there. We got to see a howler monkey family and the juvenile monkeys came down to check us out! The local people have built such a wonderful relationship with the monkeys as well! Please go check this out and help to contribute to preserving this sanctuary!
Tiffany Hively — Google review
Super knowledgeable guide, I learned so much. This is definitely worth a stop on your trip through Belize. It was a wonderful experience. Don't go when it's super hot. I went after 14:00 and they were out. Apparently between 10:00 and 14:00 they hide from the hot sun
Julie Pichora — Google review
Our experience here was amazing! Robert was our guide, and we learned SO much from him. He called for the howler monkeys and one did come down to snack on a few leaves, she was beautiful! Learned a lot about the plants, ants, termites, etc along our walk. When we returned from our hike we had the great pleasure of meeting Elvis, who was working on his wood carvings which were all beautiful, so we made a few purchases. Visited with Elvis a while, then he shared his lunch of tamales with us! I love Belize!
Roxanne Foster — Google review
Howler monkeys in the wild! This is a must! Experiencing wild Howler Monkeys in their natural habitat was a lifetime experience in the Baboon Sanctuary . People in the sanctuary are really welcoming and knowledgeable. This experience wasn’t just a show you are contributing to keep the animals alive so it’s a win win for both. Plus watching baby monkeys eat leaves and jump in tree branches is so cool.
nelson valla — Google review
What a neat experience, the guide took us for a walk and shared so much information about plants, insects, and animals. We got to see the howler monkeys and listen to the howl. Definitely worth the stop. Guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about what they are doing! Pictures are of leaf cutter ants, a termite nest, and a mahogany tree. The video is the guide calling the howler monkey and the monkeys reply.
Allison IsBell — Google review
Definitely worth the trip. Informative museum, friendly & knowledgeable staff, & up-close monkey encounters in a charming Kriol village.
Oz (Sweet Kay Oz) — Google review
Wonderful to be able to see howler monkeys and many birds in a natural habitat! I loved that it is community run and everyone was really helpful and answered questions for us
Katy Boyles — Google review
The tour was pretty short but our guide was amazing and we got to both see and hear the howlers. The sound that comes from those little monkeys... just WOW!
Alexandra Fiorenza — Google review
Amazing place! Definitely worth visiting and supporting!
Our tour guide knew about all the plants and animals in the trail we took. We got to see a small group of howler monkeys hanging out which was lucky given we visited on a rainy day. It was amazing to hear how the community has come together to work to protect the howler monkeys. It's a story worth telling!
Moriah Wilbur — Google review
We went here yesterday and while it was not entirely what I expected we had a fantastic time with some wonderful interactions with the howler monkeys. Out guide was knowledgeable and shared so many great things about the forest there
Alisha Garner — Google review
This place was quite disappointing .
Ive heard alot of things about this place and i expected it to be alot more big, interesting and wild .
Besides some howler monkeys (very interesting experience) the "guided" tour has nothing . We walked mayby 10 min in foot, the guide walked realy fast and looked bored and tired. He said its his six "guide" walk of the day .
And thats it. This what the place has to offer .
Also when i came and paid they didnt gave me a ticket or something and told me to walk towards the "guide" .
The "guide" didnt undrrstand i paid already so it was very confusing and not nice .
I dont recommend this place at all .
רן כהן — Google review
This experience was so cool! Robert is so knowledgeable about the monkeys and knows just how to call them to get them to howl and come out. Take cash and good insect repellent, especially during or after the rainy season.
Craig Mills — Google review
We loved our stay here. There was some disorganisation when we checked in but we were happy with the resolution and we understand mistakes happen. We did two really brilliant tours - the walking tour and the kayak tour. We had a really informative and engaging guide. We saw lots of animals (howler monkeys, iguanas, a crocodile and lots of beautiful birds). We loved the rum and coconut they made us. The team are doing really good conservation work and it's definitely worth supporting them. It's one bus from Belize city so really easy to get to.
Anna A — Google review
Great place to visit. Robert and Cameron? Great guides. Enticed the monkeys down from the trees for some close up pics. Be sure to take bug spray.
Phil Rawnsley — Google review
Loved our tour guide! Very knowledgeable about the forest and we got the chance to see some monkeys, which is not a guarantee on some days. Worth the detour!
The Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve is a historical site with ancient Mayan temples and scenic views, dating back to 1200 BCE. Although smaller than nearby Xunantunich, the unexcavated parts of the reserve hold much promise. The excavated areas are well-preserved and tell compelling stories of the past. Visitors are advised to take note of significant structures such as the priest's area, children's quarters, and other notable features in the back of the reserve.
We drove from Placencia to San Ignacio for the day to see the city and visit the ruins. These were a great option because we had a 3 year old with us. We had the whole site to ourselves on a Thursday morning. The staff were friendly and doing a great job of maintaining the property. The ruins are gorgeous and so much fun to walk around in and climb up. My son enjoyed playing hide and seek. It was $5 USD per person and well worth it! This is a great alternative to the ruins that are a little bit farther away and less safe for younger children. They were stunning!
Sonja Miranda — Google review
Oh wow, this place is really impressive. A huge sports complex 1200's style. You can really feel the presence of a special energy here. Thousands upon thousands of people over all the years have left an impression on this place. I'm no hippie, but this place feels incredible. For 10 US and some exercise, you can really have an opportunity to experience something pretty special. Run around, play all over stuff and be respectful. Just take a min to feel the special sauce flowing from this place. 😌
Lucas Hebert — Google review
This site is Compact, easy to reach and a very manageable walk to see these fantastic ruins. It is super cool with many complete chambers that enable you to visualize how they lived. Fascinating and well worth the $5US per person entry fee. I say this site should not be missed and we have been to 4 ruins recently.
J P — Google review
This is a gem of a place, with far fewer visitors than the big Maya sites in the region. Apart from a couple of others we encountered, we had it pretty much to ourselves for an hour, which was not really long enough to enjoy all that was on offer. If it lacks some of the enormous buildings of the main sites, plenty has been excavated and it is a delightfully atmospheric place to explore, well worth the effort to visit.
Phil Bradford — Google review
This is wonderfully accessible sight, even if you don't have a vehicle. It is up the hill in San Ignacio and easily accessible by cab. It is well worth the time to wander around this amazing site. There are no artifacts to be seen in the structures themselves but the history outlined in the small museum you pass through gives you a good insight into what you are seeing when you arrive to the ruins. This is a site that is hands on accessible and very interesting to imagine what life might have been like there some 3000 years ago.
Glenn Baum — Google review
A short walk from town and 10 Belize dollars for foreigners to enter, 5 for locals. A beautiful site right outside the city. The ruins are perfect for exploring. Our kids loved being able to walk into and through most of the ruins which are very well maintained. The people working there are super kind, the grounds are beautiful and mostly shaded and the restrooms were very clean too. A must visit for anyone in the area.
Jacqueline Lemaire — Google review
Another day. Another Mayan ruin. Yet I can’t get enough of them. Having spent previous trips to South America and Mexico I thought I’d have had enough of them but no, each ruin has a story, a history and that many people lived here as a community once upon a time.
This set up is very good. Plenty of parking. Nice entrance, small fee to get in, rooms with descriptions of the site with maps, ceramic pots and artefacts. Toilets are located in this building. Then a short paved walk to the site itself. It’s not large but there was something magical here. Perhaps it was the lack of people. Or maybe the silence except for cicadas and birds. Or maybe even the symmetrical nature of the ruins which with courtyards that feel like a backyard.
I sat on my own for some time listening to the wildlife. Feeling the cool breeze rising as the sun went down. The waft of that rainy smell on its way.
Perhaps I like this ruin more than others because it’s so peaceful and I felt a humble connection with Cahal Pech.
Highly recommend.
Debi Slinger — Google review
Spectacular. If you want a very easy Mayan Ruin to climb, this is definitely your best choice. It is easy to get around, and it's very beautiful and unique . It is great for visitors with children.
Jashua Navas — Google review
Way bigger than we expected and well worth the time to visit.
This is the third largest Mayan site in Belize and is so accessible being right in San Ignacio. We visited in the afternoon and almost had the entire place to ourselves.
The ruins are fantastic and we also saw howler monkeys and toucans in the beautiful vegetation surrounding the site.
Chad Thomas — Google review
A smaller site than the nearby Xunantunich, but one worth visiting. Most of the site is unexcavated, from the parts you do see you can imagine how much more goodness lays buried. The parts that are excavated are in amazing condition, and contain great stories. After you enter on the left you'll see a half excavated home, standing there and reflecting is recommended.
Remember to checkout the kids quarters, the priest's area, and other notables in the back part. Your visit will be memorable if you are with a guide, they can make the stories come alive.
Mini Rag — Google review
Small ruin above San Ignacio, costs the same as Xunantunich even though it's much smaller. The museum on site has good information texts. Definitely a worthy stroll if you have time in the town.
Petr Vasicek — Google review
Very quiet and few people here. We walked from city center by walk about 20 mins, met nice people who wished luck!
Inside the ruins there are different zones to explore, about 30 mins is ok for everything. We saw big snake and bird toucan with colourful beak so it's half like mini zoo as well!
Tripi Me AroundTheWorldTrip — Google review
Cool place. There's a small indoor museum and then you walk up a path to the ruins, which are surrounded by huge trees. We saw an aguti here!
This site is quite small and you can definitely expect to be through it in under an hour.
Ry Book Suraski — Google review
This site is impressive, more for its age and its place in the span of Mayan history than for its size. Its more rugged, less developed nature is also appealing. An easy stop in San Ignacio, a steep walk up the hill from the traffic circle, or there's reasonable parking if you rented a car. Enjoy the butterfly garden, and if you're luck like we were, you might see (or maybe hear) a howler monkey!
Mike B — Google review
We just had to visit. We are stay at Lost Compass Cabin as, directly behind the National Park.
My first Mayan Ruins. I was slightly disappointed. I expected big blocks like they make the Pyramids in Egypt out of. Or Olaytantambo(sp?)
Still, it's an impressive "collection" of stones pilled up in a pretty good set set of buildings. That's an usual way to "👍"
James Goodwin — Google review
Amazing archeological site that actually lets you walk inside and observe the ruins.
Fascinating views and interesting historical objects all around. Very beautiful entrance with lots of botanical beauty. Definitely want to come back and spend more time.
nathan lunday — Google review
Very first Mayan archaeological site we visited in Belize and definitely was the smallest but still incredibly impressive. It was raining the day we went but it didn't pour on us and we had the entire site to ourselves. It was a very special experience and easily accessible for small kids (we have a toddler so these things are important to us)
Brielle Soper — Google review
Cahal Pech is the little brother to Xunantunich but is so much closer to San Ignacio. So if you are pressed for time, or don't have transportation out to Benque, or the ferry to Xunantunich is closed due to high river levels, this is a decent second option. Sure, it's not as grandiose nor impressive but it does have some qualities of its own. There is a small little museum in the house where you pay your admission, there is a nice trail, there is a pyramid of average size, some bats in the little rooms and alcoves, a couple of excavations, and some other mounds of rock. 60 - 90 minutes ought to do it. 4 stars.
Note: Google Maps is incorrect... do not follow it either by car or by foot... it will send you astray. From the roundabout go up the road toward Yellow Belly Backpackers Hostel, 50 m in at the fork in the road (just before the hostel) stay to the right and continue up that road to the parking lot. Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT turn left at any point in time.
Wong Family — Google review
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4WWG+9CJ, W. Ford Young Drive, C.A., San Ignacio, Belize
The Green Iguana Conservation Project at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel is a unique initiative aimed at raising awareness and educating both visitors and locals about the endangered green iguanas. The program offers hands-on interaction with these fascinating creatures, providing insight into their entire life cycle from egg to rearing. Situated atop a hill amidst 14 acres of rainforest, the resort is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including 150 bird species and 70 types of trees and plants.
Great quick activity in San Ignacio. Seems like it would be especially fun for kids. We enjoyed learning about iguanas during the one-hour tour, and we loved being able to pet and hold them. The entire tour takes place in a small enclosure (I was expecting something larger), but it provided plenty of entertainment and information. Even with a larger group (12 or so), we had plenty of time and space to take pictures and interact with the iguanas.
Emily Fletcher — Google review
We did a tour 3 weeks ago while we were in San Ignacio. The Green Iguana Conservation Project was established in 1996 to protect the threatened Green Iguanas. It is located in the beautiful San Ignacio Resort. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and we learned about the incubation, hatching, rearing, and releasing process. My husband and I were the only ones in the tour which was special since we had more quality time and experience with the guide and the iguanas. Highly recommend for families and a great learning experience for kids.
Catherine Hunt — Google review
Loved this experience! We have seen iguanas all over central america but it was so awesome to learn about them, see them upclose and touch some of the residents that can't be released. The keeper runs the 12pm tour and he was amazing, very clear and informative. The tour runs every hour on the hour, for 10usd/20bze. You book it (on arrival, don't need to prebook but can online if you want) at the San Ignacio Resort front desk and wait for the tour there, don't let google maps lead you the back way! The tour is suitable for children as well, there was a little girl in pur group who loved feeding the iguanas. We saw an agouti and black howler monkey on the surrounding property as well!
M J — Google review
I genuinely enjoyed this 1hr iguana tour. There were only 4 of us on the tour so maybe the small numbers made for a better experience. We could touch, hold, and carry handfuls of baby iguanas; our guide, George, just continued to pile more and more onto our shoulders and heads!
It was interesting to learn about iguanas, even though I'm not normally that interested in reptiles. This is a very small refuge that only accommodates about 100 new iguana eggs every year, but then releases the mature lizards when they're about 4-5 years old.
We paid $20-30BZE for 2 adults.
Sarina Collins — Google review
10/10 experience, definitely a must when visiting San Ignacio especially if you love wild life and love to learn about the different kinds of animals within the country your visiting, the tour is about 1 hour long and definitely worth the money you can also get food and drinks at the bar/restaurant while you wait for your tour. Very educational and fun 10/10
elijah — Google review
Great cause and a very interesting afternoon spent at the Green Iguana Conservation project.
Brian was an incredibly knowledgeable guide and the one hour tour was a highlight of our trip to Belize.
The green iguana is prized for it's meat and you can help protect them by visiting and learning about this interesting species along the way. Very interactive and fun for all ages
Chad Thomas — Google review
LITERALLY AMAZING!! wonderful experience for everyone, especially if you aren't afraid to hold them — i got to have a bunch of iguanas in my hands and on my hat, and our guide was very informative and friendly, totally receptive to our questions! amazing and totally totally recommend :)
we went for the 11 AM tour, which lasted around an hour.
Shriya Sankaran — Google review
Amazing experience getting to know more about Iguanas.
Its worth the 10us spent as you get to see iguanas and learn the difference between the black ones and the green ones.
The green iguanas are a specie that needs to be protected and thanks to the project of conservation they are on a successful path.
We got the chance to see, touch and even to take pictures with adult and baby iguanas!
Totally recommend going there and helping the project financially !
jean-marc riscale — Google review
Had a great time at the tour. It was short but I learned a lot. We took turns taking photos with the adult iguanas. They did not allow photos with the baby iguanas. They said iguanas become domesticated real quick and crave human attention once they have it. So the only ones we held were adults who were unfortunately kept as pets and the owners either gave them up or died before the iguanas. They said iguanas become domesticated real quick and not enough people who take them as pets are willing/able to commit to 30+ years of them craving attention since they cannot survive in the wild. The babies were about 3 months old and almost ready to be released into the wild.
There are some reviews and photos that show the baby iguanas being held and touched with human hands. I hope those are older reviews and they no longer do that. I visited 7 February 2023 and they only let us hold the adults who were already traumatized as pets. Our guide said they no longer allow humans to hold the babies. 😭
Hopefully one day less people keep iguanas as pets, so there'll no longer be adult iguanas who require petting here. And even more, hopefully less people eat iguanas ("bamboo chicken").
Tours are every hour or so. Mine was at 12:15 p.m. and finished around 1 p.m. Best to arrive early enough to use the toilet and wash any chemicals off your arms if you plan to touch any iguanas. They have wifi you can use if you arrive early.
Maddi Petro — Google review
I didn't know how much I didn't know about iguanas!
We had such a blast learning about and interacting with these beautiful creatures. Our guide knew so much about iguanas and clearly cared about all of the ones they had on the property. So glad to be able to support this great effort to save them!
Megan Swilley — Google review
Insightful tour and introduction to iguanas and their situation here in Central America - I learned a lot. Our guide was super knowledgeable and approachable, and it was great to see what’s being done to support the species. Would recommend.
Anna Mitchell — Google review
Walked in to see about a tour and had perfect timing. Waited less than 10 minutes. Great presentation from George. He’s very knowledgeable and obviously cares a lot about helping the Green Iguana. Even stayed for a while afterwards to bird watch and enjoy a delicious drink from the resort’s bar.
E Jscar — Google review
I found the experience to be educational and fun. I learned that iguanas are threatened in Belize and what is being done to protect them. We interacted with some adult iguanas that cannot be placed in the wild for their own safety, and held with some babies too! Great excursion for the whole family!
Sarah Read — Google review
We were so happy to have visited the Green Iguana Conservation Project. It’s a great cause and we really enjoyed learning more about the animals. Gomez & Peach were friendly and it was so much fun to be able to hold them !
Thank you to the efforts of this project, the workers, and volunteers.
Shira Morrison — Google review
A really interesting tour that lasted 45mins or so. George was informative and the whole place seemed genuinely about the iguanas and their conservation - he was pretty passionate about it. We did hold several iguanas but only ones sadly unable to be returned to the wild.
Simon Melvin — Google review
Tours are every hour on the hour and we just missed it when we arrived. They let you wait in the air conditioned lobby or you can have a drink at the bar while you wait.
The tour itself was very good. It takes about 45 minutes but it goes very fast as there is a lot to see and they provide a lot of information. You get to see all the different stages from eggs to adult. He even pointed out some resident iguanas on the way to the enclosure and explained the differences in the species. It was very educational but fun as well to see all the different stages (the babies were my favorite). Well worth a stop if you are in the area.
Mayawalk Tours offers an unforgettable experience with their guided tours to the ATM Cave, known as the most sacred cave in the world. Visitors are not allowed to bring cameras into the cave due to a previous incident. The company is praised for its excellent communication and quick accommodation when weather affected one tour, leading them to offer an alternative Crystal Cave tour. The guides are highly praised for their knowledge and care during the tours, making it a fantastic experience from start to finish.
Fantastic from start to finish.
Really great coms from Connie, by both email and what’s app.
Sadly, the ATM was rained off, but they were quick to accommodate us with alternatives. We took the Crystal Cave tour and it was magnificent.
Marco, the lead tour guide was an inspiration, offering beautiful insight into the cave and the Mayan people.
Edgar and Pedro the other two guides took great care of us and were careful to take time with the less confident members of the group.
Lovely James the coach driver gave us some great insight into the area and served us up a fantastic lunch after a hard days hike.
Wouldn’t hesitate to book again.
Sol Saihati — Google review
We had a great tour! We did the jaguar paw cave tubing, though they can do any of the spots in that area like ATM. Perfect for small groups to get you around the cruise ship crowds. Jeremy, our expert guide with 10+ years experience, was a particularly good at making sure we learned everything and were comfortable along the way! Thanks!
Tom Ringenberg — Google review
We did the ATM cave tour with
Our 5,8, and 10 year olds and it was incredible! Our guide Jr, was so good with the kids! He took so much time to explain everything that we were seeing.. including all of the plant and animal life on the hike to the start of the cave. We never felt rushed.
Being in the cave was like being in another world and Maya Walk as a company really reiterates how important it is to respect where you are. We loved that about Maya walk.
All of the staff were professional and kind. The lunch after we came back from the cave tour was wonderful!
Big thanks to Jr for making this day awesome for our family!
Kaytlynn Graber — Google review
My husband and I did a tour today with Giselle(I hope that I spelled her name correctly), and she was an amazing tour guide. She took her time with us and ensured to explain everything in great detail during the cave tour, the zip lining, and the drive around the city. We were scheduled to leave at 8:00A.M., but there was a slight delay on the company's part. Although there was a slight delay, the tours were amazing, and I would definitely book again! Giselle, please come visit your Houston, Texas trip!!! Keep up the great work Mayawalk!!
Rene Davis — Google review
Edgar and Damian were our guides and we had an absolute blast. It was a small group, just me, my husband, and another person. By the end of the day we had all become good friends. They were both so knowledgeable and friendly. They made us feel so taken care of and we learned a lot of things as well! They were so good at letting us know what was coming up, how to prepare accordingly and best of all how to have fun!! Thanks Maya Walk Tours!
Felice Dominique E. Dizon — Google review
I took 2 tours through Mayawalk just last week - ATM Cave and Tikal. Both were phenomenal, I cannot recommend this company enough. Junior was my guide for ATM and he was upbeat, knowledgeable and fun. Reggie was my Tikal guide and he was equally great. If you want to tour any caves or ruins and are staying in the Cayo district of Belize, this is who to go with - no contest.
Connor O'Rear — Google review
I did the cave tubing and Caracol tours with Maya Walk. This is a very professional outfit from the office staff to the drivers, and most importantly, the guides. Gisele was my guide for both trips and she was a wealth of information. She also went out of her way to make sure each guest had a great time and was very personable. Very happy with my experience, definitely recommend.
Rick Harris — Google review
We took the ATM tour with Mayawalk and we're glad we did. The best part was our guide Hector. He was very knowledgeable and knew his facts! He would frequently stop to and explain things with detail. Being near other groups, you could tell he put way more effort into the experience than other guides. This made the trip more enjoyable. In terms of the cave, It was a cool experience. Perhaps a bit too touristy and crowded for our liking, but that's no fault to Mayawalk Tours. The only improvement they could have made was on the lunch. We've definitely had better chicken and rice in Belize.
Andrew Hunt — Google review
We booked two tours with MayaWalk (ATM and Tikal) and highly recommend this company for professionalism and knowledgeable guides.
ATM Tour
My husband and I did the ATM (Actun Tunichil Muknal) Tour mid-May. It truly is a once in a lifetime adventure and learning experience, and I highly recommend doing it when you’re staying in San Ignacio area. My husband and I are active and adventurous; however, this is one of the most exciting and strenuous activities that we have done. We went with MayaWalk and their website has good description of the tour; however, it doesn’t fully capture the full amazing and exhilarating experience. Eric, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable about the history, the Mayan Culture in Central America, and the geology. Eric and our driver, Damien, were with us throughout the tour and very professional. Highly recommend MayaWalk for this tour.
Tikal Tour
I really wanted to visit Tikal Mayan Ruin in Guatemala while we were in San Ignacio since the border crossing was only 7 miles away. Although we have a rental car for a week, we decided to go with a tour agency and so glad we did since it was stress-free and we had a tour guide to learn about Guatemala and Tikal. We lucked out that we were the only couple and had a private tour. Thanks to MayaWalk Tours for making our trip stress free and memorable! This website describes our tour with an update that tourists that have proof of being fully vaccinated, can cross the border without taking the COVID-19 test. We also needed to show proof of travel insurance crossing the Belize Border
Catherine Hunt — Google review
We took a tour thru the ATM caves with Mayawalk Tours! Our guide Hugh Lamb was absolutely amazing! He really cared for those on his tour. He took his time getting us thru, and provided a great understanding of the local ancient Mayan culture. From a geological perspective he was spot on! They provided a wonderful meal as well.
James Porter — Google review
We booked two tours through this agency. We were impressed with their degree of professionalism. We first did cave tubing trip, which was far better than I expected. The next day we did their tour of the ATM cave with Juan Carlos as our guide - he is the guide you want! He shares a great deal of information, not just on the cave, but on pre-Hispanic culture, and makes it accessible and relevant to the tour.
On both days we were served a meal after the activity.
We highly recommend these two activities with Mayawalk, and in the order that we did them.
The cave tubing included a short swim which really added to the experience. We picked up a guide for this site on location; Victor did a great job of ensuring we had a great experience.
The ATM cave was a fairly intense experience. You will definitely get wet, and will be full-on swimming in a couple places. There is a little climbing and a little crouching, but given the enormous physical size of Juan Carlos we were confident that we weren't going to get stuck at any point in the cave. Juan Carlos took time to ensure we enjoyed our experience; several other groups passed us along the way, whereas Juan Carlos was not in a rush.
Michael Greer — Google review
ATM Cave Tour
We had an amazing experience today. Our guide, Hugh, along with the other group guide, Junior, enriched our journey as we crossed the jungle, waded through the river 3x each way, and swam, scrambled and climbed through the cave. The history was fascinating and the cave itself was beautiful. They also guided us with safety in mind, and we felt comfortable at all times. Hugh added a nice touch by giving us a snack on the way back. Lunch was very good. Khalil was very helpful ahead of time and booking was super easy.
We also liked that Maya Walk was environmentally careful.
Elias Eliadis — Google review
Eric was a fantastic guide during the ATM cave tour. He has a lot of knowledge and passion regarding the Mayan history and the caves themselves. He has an excellent sense of humour and ensured we were all very safe. He also provided us with some beautiful photos to help remember our time. The photos attached are credited to Eric and they do not belong to me.
The tour is a once in a lifetime opportunity. One of the top tours according to national geographic. You cannot bring your phone or camera with you, but all you need is your eyes to experience the magic.
I recommend packing hiking type shoes as our guide said water shoes could be slippery when climbing the rocks. Bring a water bottle with you and some snacks as you will be in the cave for 3 hours without water and food. You want to be comfortable in various depths of water as you will be walking and swimming most of time.
Highly recommend this tour and company!
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Stephanie W — Google review
The ATM tour was the highlight of our Belize trip so far. MayaWalk Tours are super friendly and very professional. Our guide, Junior, was amazing, full of knowledge, really enthusiastic, and loads of fun. Do not miss this experience if in Belize and I'd recommend this company for any trip. Sadly, due to the lack of care of past entrants no cameras allowed in the caves but MayaWalk do share their own with you.
Mark Madeley — Google review
Our tour of the ATM Caves was simply one of the best tours I have ever done. I felt so bad for the other tours who were getting very little value from their experiences. Our guide Junior was wonderful and shared so much about the geology, biology and history of the caves and area. There's a reason Mayawalk spends 3 hours in the cave system and others spend 1 hour. Would not hesitate to book a other tour with these guys.
Chris Marsh — Google review
This tour was amazing, Anthony and Junior were our leaders. They were both so knowledgeable of the area and gave us so much information. They also mixed in a lot of humor to make this tour fun. We also had the best tubes out there since we seemed to be the only ones that had backs on them. It made it nice to just lay back and relax. I love that this is also a small family run business and not a big commercial company.
Spacey J. — Google review
This was a phenomenal excursion, largely due to our tour guide Eric. He was awesome! Eric gave so much historical information on the Mayan civilization and lifestyle and guided us safely through the cave. To compare, we noticed other tour groups who didn’t even have life vests and their guides just passed through the artifacts, pointed them out, and moved on. We felt very fortunate and grateful for Eric’s diligence for safety and knowledge. The way he explained the historical background was entertaining and funny. Ask for Eric when you book!!! Wish we had photos to capture the experience but they don’t allow cell phones in the cave. Ultimately, it was an incredible time BECAUSE we were able to be present and not distracted.
Side Note: If you’re coming from east Belize, ask if you can meet them at the supermarket where they stop, instead of meeting at the office.
Reinelle Abrazado — Google review
Aaron was a fantastic guide! He has so much knowledge, and a great sense of humor. Their transport vehicles are clean and comfy, and the lunch after was very good.
This is a must-do when in San Ignacio. Make sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring a dry change of clothes, water, and snacks... the cave hike is 3 hours after a 45 min hike through the jungle. Eco- friendly big repellent is recommended as well
Xunantunich Mayan Ruins, located on a leveled hilltop and accessible by a hand-cranked cable ferry across the Mopan River in Belize, is an impressive archaeological site characterized by pyramid-shaped stone structures. The site may have been occupied as early as 1000 BC, but the large architecture seen today began to be built in the 7th century AD. Visitors can enjoy panoramic views from atop the pyramids and explore remnants of Mayan civilization.
Highly recommend this site. It's a quick bus ride from San Ignacio (20 minutes 2 Belize dollars per person). From the bus stop there's a free ferry to cross the river and then a mile walk to the site which is mostly shaded. The setting is beautiful. I recommend going early in the morning as it'll be cooler and you'll get better light for pictures. One of the top Mayan ruins we've seen especially due to the setting and the lack of tourists.
Jacqueline Lemaire — Google review
Not a far driving from San Ignacio and totally worth it. Make sure to give yourself a good 2 hours to explore as there is so much to see. To get there you need to take a hand crank ferry which closes at 430. On top of the Xunantunich ruins you can see stunning mountains all around. Next time I would maybe book a tour guide to get more historical information about the site.
Jennifer Bernard — Google review
What a cool experience. We joined via excursion from a cruise and it was a 2 hour ride to the site. We spent 3 hours at the site and had an incredible lunch. I didn’t even make it all the way up the ruins cuz of fear but my family had a blast.
Mindy B — Google review
A Journey Through Time at Xunantunich: A Must-See Mayan Marvel in Belize
My recent visit to Xunantunich, one of Belize's most prominent Mayan ruins, was nothing short of breathtaking. Nestled in the lush Belizean countryside near San Ignacio, this ancient site offers a fascinating glimpse into the Mayan civilization.
The journey began with a unique hand-cranked ferry ride across the Mopan River, adding an adventurous touch to the experience. The short trek to the site was filled with anticipation, and upon arrival, I was greeted by the majestic sight of El Castillo, the renowned pyramid that dominates the landscape. Standing at about 130 feet tall, it is one of the tallest structures in Belize and a testament to Mayan architectural ingenuity.
Climbing to the top of El Castillo was the highlight of my visit. The panoramic views from the summit were simply stunning, offering a 360-degree vista of the surrounding jungle and the distant hills of Guatemala. It's a physical climb, but every step is worth it for the breathtaking view and the feeling of history beneath your feet.
I was also impressed by the tranquility of the place. Despite its popularity, Xunantunich retains a serene atmosphere, allowing visitors to ponder the mysteries of the Mayan civilization quietly; barely anyone was there when we were on a Sunday early afternoon.
In conclusion, Xunantunich is a treasure trove of history, culture, and natural beauty. It's a must-visit for anyone traveling to Belize, whether you're a history enthusiast, an adventure seeker, or simply someone in love with the beauty of ancient civilizations. The blend of natural scenery, archaeological wonders, and the rich history makes it an unforgettable experience.
bkandel — Google review
Amazing site! Beautiful ruins with all sorts of cool wildlife. Iguanas just chilling at the top of the complex and bats in the belfry. Spider Monkeys all over the place. Worth the visit and very easy to get to. You have to take a hand cranked ferry across the river but it doesn't take long at all.
Daniel Robinette — Google review
Spectacular place, it's one of my favorite in Belize. The site is super clean and well kept, the site is well preserved. Saw several monkeys up close which made the trip more interesting. It's a must see place if you're in Belize.
Suzy — Google review
An excellent day. We were there on our own without a guide, early - 8am. No crowds. Buses and people started arriving about 10. We took the city bus from San Ignacio ($2 ea) and explored for about two hours. Nicely kept and you’re able to climb and roam virtually everywhere. We also heard howler monkeys which is always a treat.
Mark Duncan — Google review
Breathtaking ancient Maya archaeological site! The site is slightly more than 1.5 hours car ride west of Belize city. Walking around the site took about two hours with some uphill climb (but not strenuous) to see the El Castillo pyramid which was amazing. It is an open area, so a cap/hat or an umbrella will provide some protection against the sun.
CK Cheong — Google review
Absolutely stunning place. There are several ruins to see, and a museum. The grounds are very well taken care of. I highly recommend checking it out. Upon can drive up and you pay a small entrance fee per person.
Angie Hanchett — Google review
What a wonderful historical lesson. Thanks to our guide Selvin from Sweet Songs Jungle resort for making this an amazing adventure. Loved the historical context, the beautiful views and just the tranquility of being in these ruins.
Mohammed Yusuf — Google review
Great site, Go very early. You will want to climb and explore a lot, and the heat and humidity will be a limiting factor as the day progresses. The little ferry crossing is charming.
Mike Haykin — Google review
Xunantunich was the second archaeological site we visitited this trip to Belize and it didn't disappoint. The structures were incredible to see. You do have a relatively small hike up to the site but it's not really anything compared to the hiking up the structures themselves. Make sure you bring a hat, some bug spray, and water.
Brielle Soper — Google review
This is a beautiful site. The view on top of the ruins is wonderful.
Not too busy. Easy to get to in our rental car.
Kelly McNamara — Google review
Beautiful. We hiked on our own (no tour) and we had a blast! We saw a spider monkey and lots of birds among the ruins. It is truly spectacular.
Meika Hale — Google review
Absolutely worth it. It's a big site with lots of things to explore. The view from the highest structure was incredible.
It's rare that you get to climb historical structures, and it was incredible to stand where ancient Mayans stood.
Jodi Sharp — Google review
Climbing to the top of the temple although difficult was invigorating! The effort put out in the climb was rewarded by the view from the very top! You can see the jungles of Guatemala looking one direction and Belize in the other. The road we traveled from the Belize City port to the Ruins was completely visible from up top.
I loved our tour guides who were very knowledgeable as well as enthusiastic about sharing the wonders of their country and the mysteries of the Maya.
Heather Hale — Google review
Absolutely breathtaking! Our guide was very knowledgeable. We went on a day with lots of cruise ship tours, so it was pretty busy, but the crowds would come and go so we were able to have the ruins all to ourselves at points throughout the day. It was nice to go at our own pace! I would definitely recommend a visit! Plus it was neat to experience the hand cranked ferry!
Alyssa Yeik — Google review
Incredible experience! If you go, don't be rushed by your driver. Take your time and wander around. We didn't line up a guide and sorta regret it. But, we eavesdropped on several other guides, sometime noticing conflicting information. Historians aren't always accurate so, it isn't surprising.
The site is huge and the structures enormous.
We stayed 3 hours and at the end walked along the edge of the ruins in the jungle. We saw howler monkeys swing through the trees. The park had almost cleared out and we felt like we had it to ourselves.
Todd Morrison — Google review
Wow. What a sight to see. Although you can see the ruins on your own I 100% recommend going with a guide, the history and knowledge they have to share makes the ruins that much more breathtaking. Also, first thing in the morning!! I went middle of the day, and I'm positive I sweat more than I have my entire life 😆 bring lots of sunscreen, cold water, and enjoy history at it's finest!
Ashley B — Google review
Very cool experience and very cheap ($5usd/person). You can climb to the top of the Castillo. We went without a guide because we have a toddler, but still gathered plenty of info from the educational stuff throughout.
Nina Santarelli — Google review
Booked a tour to this site through our resort. Servin our guide was awesome. Very knowledgeable about the history. The climb 134 ft was crazy and some of the steps were very steep, but the views from the very top was beautiful. You can even see the border of belize and Guatemala. Lots of walking but plenty of shaded areas. I would go early to avoid the crowds. When we left there were crowds of tours arriving and seemed a bit chaotic.
A A — Google review
My 3rd visit. Still moves me. Incredible to see what was accomplished, built between 600 and 900AD. Amazing. We hired a guide prior to getting on the ferry. Highly recommend. $50 USD
Ed Rascati — Google review
We chose this ruin tour because it was very close to where we were staying and it also had great reviews. Most resorts offer tours here, but we had our own rental car and you can just drive to it, get on the ferry to cross the river and get a guide right there. Important to know 2pm was the last tour offered when we were there so don't wait til later in the day to go. We loved it. We learned so much and it was amazing to see.
Sarah Present — Google review
These ruins are just incredible! If you can find Miguel from Belize Cave Tours he does an amazing job providing fascinating information.
Ryan Smith — Google review
We drove and picked up a guide at the car ferry. Elvin was a fantastic guide, I highly recommend a guide to visit the ruins. Very informative and fun 3 hours!
Judy Bowman — Google review
Man, by far the most amazing experience I've had in Belize this far! From crossing the beautiful river by ferry to climbing to the top of the ruins, you must experience this!