In the first part of our Belize Travel Guide, we shared our experience traveling around the cayes off the coast of Belize. Belize is such a diverse country with so many unique landscapes and this is partially why we decided to head into the jungle. Not as many tourists take their time to head into central Belize towards San Ignacio, but we were certainly glad we did! 

San Ignacio is located right on the western border of Guatemala. As soon as we arrived, (via a 3 hour bus ride!) we noticed how different it was compared to the coast. The cayes really cater to tourists, while San Igancio is home to many locals. It's backdrop is a beautiful jungle canopy and it's the birthplace of the Mayan culture.

Where to stay:

After lots of research, we booked with The San Ignacio Resort. This is definitely the nicest resort in town. It's located on top of a hill which is just a 5 minute walk from the down town core. The view from their restaurant patio I will never forget. Every morning we'd drink our coffees as we looked for toucans and iguanas. The patio deck makes you feel like you're transported into the lush jungle of jurassic park (minus the terror!). 

Surrounding the hotel grounds are beautiful trails, plenty of birds (if you're a bird watcher), and lots of lush greenery. 

What to do:

We spent 3 nights in San Ignacio and if you plan on doing lots of adventures and day trips, 3 nights is probably not enough for you. By this point in the trip, I was kinda pooped, so I carved out one full day in the hammock of our hotel, while Terry went caving! Some of the things you can do: zip lining, cave tubing and of course.. the ruins!

Exploring the ancient Mayan ruins is a must. 

Cahal Pech

Xunantunich

To get there, you'll need to go across this manual (hand crank!) bridge over the beautiful Mopan River.

the view from the top

Iguana Conservatory

One of the very cool things San Ignacio Resort has going on, is their Iguana Conservatory. It's rated by Trip Advisor as one of "must-do" things in San Ignacio and even though I was a bit nervous, it's really cool!  They are saving these little guys and rehabilitating them to be released back into the wild. You get to learn a bunch about iguanas and have them all over you.... if you wish. Which of course with Terry sneaking them onto my back as I walked around, things got out of control fast. 

I'd love to end the post with these pics of me looking like a brave rockstar, but in reality.... I was a little nervous of these adorable little friends. Here's what I ACTUALLY looked like getting these shots! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

[follow us on bloglovin]  Vest & Kimono: Gentle Fawn // Backpack: Herschel

Read : Belize Travel Guide Part 1: Ambergris Caye

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