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Buses
from Belize City to San Ignacio, Benque Viejo and Dangriga all pass
through Belmopan, so there's at least one service every thirty
minutes in either direction - the last bus from Belmopan to Belize
City leaves at 7pm; to San Ignacio, at 10pm. Heading south
along the Hummingbird Highway, buses leave roughly every hour from
7am until 6pm. Novelo's and Southern Transport buses depart from the
terminal on the side of the market square; others pull up on the
market square itself.
The nearest restaurant is the Caladium, beside the
Novelo's bus terminal, serving good, inexpensive Belizean dishes.
There are also banks close to where the buses stop (including
Barclays, for cash advances), a bakery and a small market.
Internet access is available at Techno Hub (Mon-Sat
8am-8.30pm) in the Novelo's terminal. The immigration office
is in the main government building by the fire station; this
building also houses the Land Tax office, where you can buy
topographic maps of Belize. The British High Commission (phone
822-2146) is situated on the North Ring Road.
Belmopan
to
San Ignacio
Beyond Belmopan the scenery becomes more rugged, with thickly
forested ridges to the south. The road stays close to the valley of
the Belize River, passing through a series of villages. There's been
something of an accommodation boom along this route, with a couple
of long-established cottage-style lodges now joined by several newer
enterprises. One of the best is Pook's Hill Jungle Lodge (phone
820-2017, US$100 and over, including breakfast),
9km along a clearly signposted track from Teakettle village, 8km
beyond the Belmopan junction. The lodge comprises nine cabañas set
in a small clearing above a hillside terraced by the Maya, in a
private nature reserve overlooking the thickly forested Roaring
River valley, with breathtaking views across the strictly protected
Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve (no public access) to Mountain
Pine Ridge. Superb horse-riding across farmland and along
forest trails is available.
At
Mile 54, about 4km beyond, just across Warrie Head Creek, is the
entrance to Warrie Head Lodge (phone 227-5317,
www.belizenet.com/warrie; US$80-100), formerly a logging camp
but now a working farm with comfortable rooms. On Barton Creek, at
Mile 60, is Caesar's Place (phone 824-2341, blackrock@btl.net;
US$40-60), a café and guesthouse with comfortable rooms,
trailer hookups, space for camping and a fabulous gift shop.
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 Belize
travel guide
Caribbean
guide
At
Georgeville, 26km from the Belmopan junction, the Chiquibul
Road heads south from the highway to the Mountain Pine Ridge
Forest Reserve, reaching deep into the forest and crossing the
Macal River at the Guacamallo Bridge, eventually leading to
Caracol. Twelve kilometers along the road Green Hills
Butterfly Ranch (daily 8am-5pm; US$4; phone 820-4017) has Belize's biggest and best
collection of butterflies.
The highway continues for 9km to Santa Elena, San Ignacio's
sister town on the eastern bank of the Macal River, which is crossed
by the Hawksworth Bridge, built in 1949 and still the only road
suspension bridge in Belize. Traffic from Belize City crosses the
river on a low bridge (covered in high water) a little downstream;
the suspension bridge is only used by westbound traffic.
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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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