San Ignacio Belize

San Ignacio Town, also known as “Cayo”, has a motto: “The Best Come from the West”. This is a proud and diverse town located in the westernmost part of Belize only 9 miles from the Guatemalan border. San Ignacio is a beautiful town blessed with a productive community and a fascinating history dating back the original Mayan inhabitants over 2000 years ago.

There is a good reason why this area has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. Rich soil, flowing rivers, lush jungles, and majestic views from the surrounding hills make the area a suitable home for kings. This is evident by the Mayan archaeological site of Cahal Pech, an ancient palatial estate, once home to an elite Mayan family, only a short walk from modern-day downtown San Ignacio.

San Ignacio is home to a variety of ethnicities and a melting pot of Belizean culture, including Mestizo, Maya, Creole, Mennonite, and an eclectic mix of expats. Here, you will find a variety of local restaurants and cafés serving delicious foods and drinks, bars and nightclubs for entertainment, small parks and gathering spots with live music, arts festivals, and scenic rivers.

And don’t forget the annual La Ruta Maya race, Belize’s most popular local sporting event, a four day canoe race starting in San Ignacio on the Macal River and ending in Belize City.

Last but not least, visitors can enjoy the weekly Saturday farmer’s market where you can feast your eyes, body, and soul on the colorful organic produce, local street foods, arts, and music.

San Ignacio town was for many years a frontier town, a border town filled with chicleros and mahogany loggers harvesting the riches of the forest and the land. Now it still retains this wild west feel, with its quaint historic downtown area and hardworking people, but with a modern touch of sophistication and style.

Come enjoy everything from canoeing on jungle rivers and jumping into waterfalls, to sipping on homemade tropical fruit wines while listening to Caribbean music, to marveling at the engineering and astronomical skills of the Mayans with temples and ancient cities spread throughout the area.  So come explore the “best of  Belize” with the “best of the west”, MayaWalk Tours.