Belize · Cayo District

San
Ignacio.

Xunantunich, the guided caves and the parks near Belmopan

8 places
8 unconfirmed
checked Oct 2026
21 sources

Before you go,
understand the place.

San Ignacio, in the Cayo District, gathers the Maya sites of Xunantunich, Cahal Pech and El Pilar and the caves of Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), Barton Creek and Nohoch Ch’een, run by the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) and visited only with a guide; towards Belmopan lie St. Herman’s Blue Hole and Guanacaste, two Belize Audubon Society parks.

Best time to go: The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, although a cyclone can form outside that period (Government Press Office, 28 May 2026). The United Kingdom advises following warnings from the National Meteorological Service of Belize and the NEMO emergency agency. Canada places the rainy season from May to November, with flooding that can cut roads; the United Kingdom mentions flooded temporary bridges in the south, particularly in Stann Creek and Toledo.
Getting there: This guide does not calculate road routes or travel times and offers no arrival points. Buses on the western route link Belize City, Belmopan, San Ignacio and Benque Viejo del Carmen, according to the undated timetables published by Belmopan Online; check times with the companies. For Guatemala, the crossing managed by the Border Management Agency is the Western Border, in Benque Viejo del Carmen; the Border Management Agency says taxis are available at the borders. If you cross a land border, Canada advises using only official crossings, allowing for delays and not travelling after dark. The Border Management Agency identifies four entry points it manages: Northern Border in Santa Elena (Corozal); Western Border in Benque Viejo del Carmen (Cayo); San Pedro in Ambergris Caye; and Punta Gorda in Toledo. This is the agency’s list, not an inventory of every entry point in the country. Its FAQ, with no visible date, lists 24 hours for the northern and western land borders and 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily for San Pedro and Punta Gorda. Current hours are unconfirmed and secondary sources give different times. Check the applicable hours before travelling; these are not boat schedules.

Get your bearings before you set out

Destination map

8 places with their status. Open a pin for details and sources, or use the list.

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Status unconfirmed

Groups: the number in the middle is the total of places; the ring shows their statuses. Open a group to see the breakdown.

The “Open and seasonal” filter covers open (0) and seasonal (0) places. Check dates and conditions on each place.

Map: © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

Three ways to explore

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

3 places
NICH Maya sites
Xunantunich, Cahal Pech and El Pilar, with tickets in NICH’s shop; all three with unconfirmed status.
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3 places
Guided caves
Actun Tunichil Muknal, Barton Creek and Nohoch Ch’een, which NICH only allows with a guide; with unconfirmed status.
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2 places
Audubon parks near Belmopan
St. Herman’s Blue Hole and Guanacaste, managed by the Belize Audubon Society, with unconfirmed status.
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The place, in context

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

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Showing 8 of 8 · 8 unconfirmed, flagged

Nature and jungle · 5

AdventureStatus unconfirmed
Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM)
Near Teakettle Village, Cayo District, according to NICH. The pin is the natural monument in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.7.7 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident BZ$60
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Booking
Required
A 3.13-mile cave the ancient Maya used for rituals from the Early Classic Period (A.D. 300–600), with ceramics, stoneware and skeletons still in place; it is reached after a 45-minute hike through the jungle with several river crossings, according to NICH.
Status not confirmed: NICH publishes hours, fees and conditions without a date and contradicts itself on where the ticket is sold. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – Actun Tunichil Muknal (13 jun. 2024) · 2024 · +4
Practical details and sources
Entry
BZ$60 for non-residents and BZ$30 for residents, per person, according to the data of NICH’s official shop (the cave’s sales page is not public).
Hours
Every day, including Sundays and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the last tour is at 2:00 p.m. and entry to the cave is not allowed after 3:00 p.m., according to NICH.
Booking
According to its terms, NICH requires every visit to be booked in advance with a licensed tour operator. It contradicts itself on where to buy the ticket: its shop says only licensed operators sell it, and its terms say it is bought in advance at the Cahal Pech ticket office or on its sales website.
Tip: According to NICH: an ATM-certified guide is required, at most 6 visitors per guide, minimum height of 40 inches, good physical health, able to swim, life vest and helmet with a light, and a signed liability release before the tour. Cameras and any recording device are prohibited inside the cave.
Nearby: Barton Creek Cave (7.5 km) · Green Hills Butterfly Ranch (12.5 km)
Sources: NICH – Actun Tunichil Muknal (13 jun. 2024) · NICH – Actun Tunichil Muknal, datos de la tienda oficial: entrada de no residente (consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Actun Tunichil Muknal, datos de la tienda oficial: entrada de residente (consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Condiciones de venta y de visita (consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Tienda oficial de entradas (consultada oct. 2026)
AdventureStatus unconfirmed
Barton Creek Cave
Cayo District. The pin is the cave mouth in OpenStreetMap; it is not the visitor entrance.7.8 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident BZ$20
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A cave in the Cayo District that NICH lists among its cave sites, always visited with a guide. NICH’s shop describes it with the same text as Nohoch Ch’een, so that text is not used here.
Status not confirmed: NICH publishes its hours and fees in its shop, undated, and no dated confirmation of visits was read. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – Barton Creek, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
BZ$20 for non-residents and BZ$15 for residents, per person, according to NICH’s official shop.
Hours
Every day, including Sundays and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the last tour starts an hour and a half before closing and entry to the cave is not allowed after 4:00 p.m., according to NICH.
Booking
NICH says group visits to its caves should be booked in advance with a licensed operator.
Tip: According to NICH, every visitor must go with a guide (at most 8 per guide), be in good physical health, be able to swim and wear a life vest and a helmet with a light.
Nearby: Green Hills Butterfly Ranch (5.1 km) · Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) (7.5 km) · Big Rock Falls (10.1 km)
Sources: NICH – Barton Creek, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Condiciones de venta y de visita (consultada oct. 2026)
AdventureStatus unconfirmed
Nohoch Ch’een
Eastern Cayo District, according to NICH. The pin is the «Nohoch Che’en Archaeological Reserve» in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.26.1 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident BZ$20
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A cave system along the Sibun River explored along the water among geological formations, with trails and up to four stops; its amenities include tube rentals, according to NICH.
Status not confirmed: NICH publishes its hours and fees in its shop, undated, and no dated confirmation of visits was read. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – Nohoch Ch’een, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
BZ$20 for non-residents and BZ$15 for residents, per person, according to NICH’s official shop.
Hours
Every day, including Sundays and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the last tour starts one hour before closing and, after 3:00 p.m., access is allowed to the first cave only, according to NICH.
Booking
NICH says group visits to its caves should be booked in advance with a licensed operator.
Tip: According to NICH, every visitor must go with a guide (at most 8 per guide), be at least 40 inches tall, be in good physical health, be able to swim and wear a life vest and a helmet with a light.
Nearby: St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park (6.6 km)
Sources: NICH – Nohoch Ch’een, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Condiciones de venta y de visita (consultada oct. 2026)
NatureStatus unconfirmed
St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park
On the Hummingbird Highway, 12 miles south-east of Belmopan; it has two entrances with parking, according to Audubon. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not either of its entrances.22.7 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
Sources disagree
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A 575-acre national park with St. Herman’s Cave and the Blue Hole, a pool joined to the cave by an underground stream; Mountain Cow Cave (Crystal Cave), explored with a guide, is also inside, according to the Belize Audubon Society.
Status not confirmed: Audubon publishes fees and hours on undated pages, and a 2026 blog gives a different fee. Check before you go.
Source: Belize Audubon Society – St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park (consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +2
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-nationals BZ$8 per day and nationals BZ$2, according to the Belize Audubon Society. A travel blog (11 Sep 2026) gives BZ$10 for tourists.
Hours
Every day, including weekends and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the Belize Audubon Society.
Tip: You can walk 200 yards into St. Herman’s Cave without a guide; going all the way through needs a guide, and Mountain Cow Cave is a guided exploration. Buses on the Hummingbird Highway can stop at either entrance, according to Audubon.
Nearby: Nohoch Ch’een (6.6 km)
Sources: Belize Audubon Society – St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park (consultada oct. 2026) · Belize Audubon Society – Protected Areas, preguntas frecuentes (consultada oct. 2026) · Thoroughly Travel – St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park (blog; 11 sep. 2026)
NatureStatus unconfirmed
Guanacaste National Park
Less than two miles from Belmopan, where the Hummingbird and George Price highways meet, according to Audubon. The pin is the park in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.15.5 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-national, per day BZ$5
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A national park that keeps the area’s remaining riverside forest, with views of the Belize River, large guanacaste trees and wildlife such as howler monkeys, iguanas and agoutis, according to the Belize Audubon Society.
Status not confirmed: Audubon publishes fees and hours on undated pages. Check before you go.
Source: Belize Audubon Society – Guanacaste National Park (consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-nationals BZ$5 per day and nationals BZ$1, according to the Belize Audubon Society.
Hours
Every day, including weekends and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the Belize Audubon Society.
Tip: Buses stop right outside the park, according to Audubon.
Sources: Belize Audubon Society – Guanacaste National Park (consultada oct. 2026) · Belize Audubon Society – Protected Areas, preguntas frecuentes (consultada oct. 2026)

Living culture · 3

CultureStatus unconfirmed
Xunantunich
Near San José Succotz, Cayo District, according to NICH. The pin is the archaeological site in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.27.4 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident adult BZ$25
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A Maya site dominated by the 130-ft El Castillo pyramid, with carvings and ceremonial architecture; the visit includes crossing the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry, according to NICH, which runs the site.
Status not confirmed: NICH publishes its hours and fees in its shop, undated, and no dated confirmation of visits was read. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – Xunantunich, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +2
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-residents: BZ$25 (the «minor» category too, with no age given) and free for children under 5; residents: BZ$10, free for children under 12 and for Belizeans aged 65 or over, according to NICH’s official shop.
Hours
Every day, including Sundays and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the last tour starts one hour before closing for visitors arriving by vehicle and an hour and a half before for those on foot, according to NICH.
Tip: On arrival at the ferry, all passengers must get out of the vehicle; inside, NICH asks for footwear for rough ground, to stay on marked trails and not to jump on the monuments, and each guide takes at most 15 visitors.
Nearby: Cahal Pech (9.5 km)
Sources: NICH – Xunantunich, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Condiciones de venta y de visita (consultada oct. 2026) · Thoroughly Travel – Xunantunich (blog; 8 sep. 2026)
CultureStatus unconfirmed
Cahal Pech
Above San Ignacio, about a 10-minute walk from the centre, according to NICH. The pin is the «Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve» archaeological site in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.18.8 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident adult BZ$20
Hours
Sources disagree
Booking
Not stated
A Maya site above San Ignacio, in the jungle, with a series of connected structures that show how Maya architecture evolved over centuries; its name means «place of ticks», according to NICH.
Status not confirmed: NICH publishes its hours and fees in its shop, undated, and no dated confirmation of visits was read. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – Cahal Pech, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-residents: BZ$20 (the «minor» category too, with no age given) and free for children under 5; residents: BZ$10, free for children under 12 and for Belizeans aged 65 or over, according to NICH’s official shop.
Hours
Every day, including Sundays and public holidays: 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from April to October and 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from October to April (the page names October in both periods); the last tour starts one hour before closing, according to NICH.
Tip: NICH asks for footwear for rough ground, to stay on marked trails, to use the handrails and not to jump on the monuments; each guide takes at most 15 visitors.
Nearby: Xunantunich (9.5 km) · Green Hills Butterfly Ranch (11.9 km) · El Pilar (14.2 km)
Sources: NICH – Cahal Pech, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Condiciones de venta y de visita (consultada oct. 2026)
CultureStatus unconfirmed
El Pilar
About 12 miles north-west of San Ignacio, straddling the Belize–Guatemala border, according to NICH. The pin is the locality named «El Pilar» in OpenStreetMap; it is not the entrance.27.4 km in a straight line from the regional map centre
Entry
non-resident adult BZ$15
Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Booking
Not stated
A sprawling Maya city with more than 25 plazas, most of whose structures remain unexposed for conservation, and a forest garden showing traditional Maya farming, according to NICH.
Status not confirmed: NICH publishes its hours and fees in its shop, undated, and no dated confirmation of visits was read. Check before you go.
Source: NICH – El Pilar, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1
Practical details and sources
Entry
Non-residents: BZ$15 (the «minor» category too, with no age given) and free for children under 5; residents: BZ$5, free for children under 12 and for Belizeans aged 65 or over, according to NICH’s official shop.
Hours
Every day, including Sundays and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the last tour starts one hour before closing, according to NICH.
Tip: The site is on the border with Guatemala: read this guide’s safety notes on border areas first. Each guide takes at most 15 visitors, according to NICH.
Nearby: Cahal Pech (14.2 km)
Sources: NICH – El Pilar, entradas y horario (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · NICH – Condiciones de venta y de visita (consultada oct. 2026)

San Ignacio · Practical guide

Practical tips

NICH tickets are paid in Belize dollars; each is valid for a single visit to the site named, within six months of purchase, and is non-refundable; NICH only considers exchanging it for another site or date in case of closures due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances, according to its terms.
At ATM, Barton Creek and Nohoch Ch’een visits are always guided, according to NICH, which requires ATM to be booked in advance with a licensed operator and contradicts itself on where its ticket is sold.
To reach Xunantunich you cross the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry; a travel blog (8 Sep 2026) says it is free, takes a couple of minutes and that there are no guides in the park: you hire one in the ferry queue.
Belize Botanic Gardens, 4 miles down Chial Road, opens every day from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; its day pass costs BZ$25 or US$12.50 per adult and BZ$10 or US$5 per child, free up to age 4, and it offers a shuttle from the San Ignacio Welcome Center with advance booking, according to the gardens.

Safety and precautions

The United Kingdom (June 2026) notes that Belize has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world and that gang violence is concentrated in Belize City, particularly south of the Haulover Creek (Southside); tourists are not normally the targets, but anyone nearby could be affected. It warns of theft from tourists in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia and San Ignacio, and of armed criminals in remote forested areas near the border with Guatemala, which are patrolled by the Defence Force, with no reported incidents involving tourists.
Canada (15 June 2026) advises a high degree of caution throughout Belize due to high levels of violent crime and to avoid non-essential travel to Southside Belize City, south of the Haulover Creek, due to gang and drug-related violence. It notes higher crime in border areas such as Melchor de Mencos and Chetumal, and near the Caracol ruins, close to the border with Guatemala.
Spain (update of 19 May 2026) recommends travelling with extreme caution and avoiding certain areas: the adjacency zone with Guatemala and the border crossings with Mexico, because of organised crime; and strongly advises against using the Flores–Belize road at night.
Emergencies: 911 (Belize Police Department); 922 for anonymous reports. The United Kingdom also lists 90 for ambulance, fire and police.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the entry to Xunantunich?

According to NICH’s official shop: non-residents BZ$25 (the «minor» category too, with no age given) and free for children under 5; residents BZ$10.

Where do you buy the ATM ticket?

NICH contradicts itself: its shop says only licensed operators sell cave tickets, and its terms say they are bought in advance at the Cahal Pech ticket office or on its sales website. Either way, the visit is booked with a licensed operator.

Can I enter Barton Creek or Nohoch Ch’een without a guide?

No: NICH requires every visitor to its caves to go with a guide, at most 8 per guide.

How much is St. Herman’s Blue Hole?

BZ$8 per day for non-nationals and BZ$2 for nationals, according to the Belize Audubon Society; a travel blog from September 2026 gives BZ$10 for tourists.

San Ignacio · Practical guide

Sources consulted

Information checked in October 2026. Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

Before you go,understand the place.

Themed guides

NICH Maya sites

Guided caves

Audubon parks near Belmopan

Everything you can do

Nature and jungle · 5

Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM)

Barton Creek Cave

Nohoch Ch’een

St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park

Guanacaste National Park

Living culture · 3

Xunantunich

Cahal Pech

El Pilar

Practical tips

Safety and precautions

Frequently asked questions

Sources consulted

Other destinations

Before you go,
understand the place.