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 Heading west from Belize City towards the Guatemalan border, you
travel through a wide range of landscapes, from open grassland to
rolling hills and dense tropical forest. A fast, paved road, the
Western Highway, runs to the border, a route that takes you from
the heat and humidity of the coast to the lush foothills of the Maya
Mountains. Before reaching Belize's tiny, almost lifeless capital,
Belmopan, the road passes several places of interest: the
Belize Zoo, the Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and the
Guanacaste National Park, at the junction with the Hummingbird
Highway to Dangriga.
West of Belmopan, following the Belize River valley, the road skirts
the foothills of the Maya Mountains, a beautiful area where
the air is clear and the land astonishingly fertile. You're now in
Cayo District, the largest of Belize's six districts and
arguably the most beautiful - a sentiment enthusiastically endorsed
by the inhabitants when they declare that "the west is the best".
South of the road, the Mountain Pine Ridge is a pleasantly
cool region of hills and pine woods traversed by good dirt roads.
San Ignacio, on the Macal River, is Cayo's busiest town and the
ideal base for exploring the forests, rivers and ruins of western
Belize. South of San Ignacio, deep in the jungle of the Vaca
plateau, lay the ruins of Caracol, the largest Maya site in
Belize.
Between San Ignacio and the Guatemalan border, the road climbs past
the hilltop ruins of Cahal Pech then descends, following the
valley of the Mopan River 15km to the frontier bridge. A few
kilometers before the border, at the village of San José Succotz,
an ancient ferry crosses the river, allowing access to the Maya site
of Xunantunich, from the top of which you can look out over
the Guatemalan department of Petén.
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 Belize
travel guide
Caribbean
guide
Travel Details
The Western Highway from Belize City to the Guatemalan border
(3hr 30min) is served by half-hourly Novelo's buses from 5am to 9pm,
calling at Belmopan (1hr 15min) and San Ignacio (3hr).
Currently, buses only go as far as Benque, from where it's
US$1 in a shared taxi for the 3km trip to the border. Bus companies
and main destinations are covered in the Belize City section.
Express buses, stopping only in Belmopan and cutting about 30min
off journey times, operate about every three hours. Additionally,
Western Transport runs daily services between Belmopan, San
Ignacio and Benque.
From Benque and the border to Belize City
buses leave every thirty minutes 4am-5pm; the last bus from San
Ignacio to Belize City leaves at 6pm; all call at Belmopan.
To check bus times in San Ignacio call 823-2054.
Belize City
to: Belmopan (every 30min; 1hr 15min); Benque Viejo, for the
Guatemalan border (every 30min; 3hr 30min); San Ignacio (every
30min; 3hr).
San Ignacio
to: San Antonio via Cristo Rey (Mon-Sat 4 daily 10.30am-5pm; 1hr),
returning from San Antonio between 6am and 1.30pm.
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Belize
Belize City
Where to go
When to go
Getting around
Costs, money, banks
Currency, exchange
 Eating
and drinking
Mail &
communications
Safety and the police
Work and study
Information
The media
Holidays
and festivals
Shopping,
souvenirs
Belize city
Arrival and information
Restaurants
Nightlife,
entertainment
Tours,
buses
Listings
Travel details
Explore Belize City
North side
South side
Cayo and the west
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Belize city
to San
Ignacio
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Belize zoo
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Belmopan
Practicalities
Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Guanacaste
Park
Benque Viejo del Carmen
Caracol Ruins
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
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San Antonio
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San Ignacio
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Arrival
Restaurants
Kayaking,canoeing
Xunantunich, San Jose
Corozal, Orange Walk
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Travel details |
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