San Ignacio Resort Hotel Directions

San Ignacio is a small town in western Belize. The town is the capital of the country’s Cayo District. Located on the banks of the Mopan and Macal Rivers, and is around 72 miles west of the capital Belize City and the country's major air hub, Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport. The Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City operates daily flights to the US and other countries. San Ignacio is a one and a half hours drive from Belize City via the Western Highway.

Land Entry

There are two official crossing points on the Mexico - Belize border. The more frequently used is at Santa Elena, 9 miles from Corozal Town in Belize and 7 miles from Chetumal in Mexico. The all-paved Northern Highway runs from the border to Belize City. The other crossing is at Blue Creek, 34 miles southwest of Orange Walk Town. The only land crossing between Belize and Guatemala is a mile west of the Belizean town of Benque Viejo del Carmen at the end of the all-paved Western Hwy.

Entering Belize

Entering Belize is a simple, straightforward process. You must present a passport that will be valid until you leave the country. It's advisable to have at least six months of validity remaining. Officially, visitors are also required to be in possession of an onward or return ticket from Belize and funds worth BZ$120 a day for their stay in the country, but it's rare for tourists to be required to show these. Tourists are generally given a 30-day stay, extendable once you're in Belize.

Renting a Vehicle

Belize may be small, but it is spread out in a way that you will need a car to go everywhere and see everything. There are Belize car rental agencies at the airport, as well as other locations throughout Belize. Your international or U. S. driver's license will work in Belize, though you will have to purchase insurance, available at the Belize rental car agencies. In Belize, you will be driving on the right side of the road.

The best Belize rental car to choose is a 4-wheel drive with a good amount of clearance, as many of the roads in Belize are not paved or are in rough shape. Speed bumps known as "Sleeping Policemen" are extreme in Belize, sometimes on the highway even, and can be so high that you will need to creep over them. Belize roads are high-crowned, and the risk for over-turning is high. When it rains, the roads can be scary, sometimes completely flooding out, and accidents are very common; it is recommended to stay off the roads during storms. Also recommended is not driving at night. The roads have a lot of twists and turns, most roads are not marked and none are lit, making it dangerous to navigate after dark.

Driving Directions from Belize City Airport

• Follow the signs to exit the parking lot and airport facility.
• At the end of the one-mile entrance road, turn right (south) toward Belize City.
• Follow this street (the Northern Highway); it will carry you 9 miles to Belize City.
• When you reach the third roundabout, bearing international flags in the center, enter it and take the first right; this is Central American Boulevard.
• Follow this through two traffic lights to the next roundabout with a sculpture of a silver metal hand in its center, take this first right onto Cemetery Road.
• Follow through the Cemetery where it turns into the Western Highway.
• Travel on the Western Highway heading West towards San Ignacio.