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Colorful
fruit vendors |
Although it shares the West with the nation’s capital
Belmopan, San Ignacio is the largest town in the Cayo district.
67 Miles from Belize City, San Ignacio is the base for many
of the tourism activities in the west of the country and
neighboring Guatemala. This is a place where many tourists
come to relax and experience the true laid-back atmosphere
of a remote town, yet have the comfort of a clean bed, a
hot shower and a nice cup coffee to enjoy in the cool foggy
mornings. .
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Hawksworth
Bridge |
The most visible landmark in San Ignacio is its grand entrance.
Connecting San Ignacio to its twin town, Santa Elena, the
Hawkesworth Bridge was built in 1949 during the time of
British occupation, and a testament of this is permanently
engraved in each one of the beams that make up the structure.
If you look close enough, you can see the word “Middlesbrough”,
the town where they were manufactured, embossed on the metal.
It is a single lane bridge and this characteristic created
problems in the past. If two vehicles entered the bridge
at the same time from opposite directions, one of them would
have to budge and reverse all the way back out in order
to let the other pass through. The outcome of this duel
was not always as easy so the problem was solved a few years
ago by the installation of a much-needed traffic light.
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Eva's
Restaurant |
This town is mainly a “back-packer’s”
destination. There are many budget guesthouses and hotels
most of which are located in the center of town. Don’t
expect to find all the amenities and luxuries of other resorts
in the surrounding areas. Of particular interest is Eva’s
Restaurant and Guesthouse, not necessarily the ideal place
to stay the night, but it is probably the most famous meeting
and information point for tourists that visit the area.
The owner “Bob” is known to be one of the most
informed individuals in San Ignacio town and he will be
able to give you tips and directions to many interesting
tourist destinations. Eva’s offers Internet access
so you will be able to check your e-mail or send pictures
to your family and friends while enjoying a cold beer.
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Sacred
Heart Roman Catholic Church |
There are many places of interest in and around San Ignacio
Town. Located on one of the hills that make up this town
is Cahal Pech, a Maya site whose name translates to “Hill
of Ticks”. Rest assured that you will not find a tick-infested
site as the name implies, but you will see beautifully preserved
Maya structures. Other important sites in the area are Xunantunich
and El Pilar. You can also visit the Sacred Heart Roman
Catholic church that dates back to 1926 or you can walk
down to the Macal River for a day paddling or tubing down
this magnificent river.
One of the most interesting attractions in San Ignacio town
is the Iguana Hatchery project operated by the San Ignacio
Hotel. When we visited in September of 2002, we were sad
to learn that the project had been closed down. This project
began a few years ago when locals noticed that the iguana
population was declining in town and the surrounding area.
Fortunately, however, its closure was short-lived.
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Meet
"Peerie" the iguana |
The San Ignacio Hotel undertook the task of ensuring that
the reptile population returned to normal levels. They established
the nursery along the Macal River on the base of the hill
that the hotel rests on; it is about a 10-minute descent
by foot. Once there you could see cages and incubators where
the eggs of the Iguanas are cared for until hatchlings emerge.
These hatchlings are then released into the wild at the
optimum time to ensure survival. The San Ignacio Hotel itself,
is acutally home to a curious guest, who were were told,
is called “Peerie”. He has taken a particular
interest in the pool area of the hotel. We hope that it
survives many more years and that its beauty encourages
people to support and be proud of the Iguana hatchery project.
Places nearby: 
Interests:
