Getting and Going San Ignacio

Getting and going San Ignacio

Cockscomb >> San Ignacio

Just as with entering Cockscomb, there are two options for exiting the park — a $20-25usd taxi or walking with a bit of luck.

Exiting the park is best done around 4:30pm when the park workers will be leaving. We were able to hop in the back of their work truck and ride out with them at no cost. Otherwise it is a 6 mile walk (in the rain in our case). You might also be able to ride out with tour groups that are leaving.

Once at the main highway intersection at Maya Center, buses run about every hour.

Once on the main highway you can catch a bus going south to Placencia or north to Belize City.

For San Ignacio you are going to catch the Belize City bus and switch to the Benque bus once you reach Belmopan. The Benque bus should wait for the final bus of the evening and it should be an easy switch.

Arriving in San Ignacio, the driver will call out “Cayo” and that is the stop for San Ignacio — close to restaurants and hotels at the center of town.

Take me to SLEEPING: SAN IGNACIO

San Ignacio >> Guatemalan border >> Tikal/Flores

You can catch the public buses in the parking lot by the market to get to the Guatemala border. It will cost you $.75usd (1.50BZE) to get from San Ignacio to Benque. The buses marked “Benque” run every half hour. Once you arrive in Benque, the bus will drop you about 5 km from the actual border crossing. You have two options: Grab a taxi for about $10usd (20BZE) or start hitching. We were able to catch a (air-conditioned) ride after about 15 minutes of walking — and free too.

The most convenient and reliable option is to take a taxi directly from San Ignacio to the border crossing, which costs $10usd (20BZE) — the same price taxi drivers charge you once in Benque.

Leaving Belize will cost you a $15usd (30BZE) departure fee plus a $3.75usd (7.50BZE) environmental tax. You should not have to pay anything to enter into Guatemala, although the guards may tell you differently.

(HINT: If you leave Belize by boat you can bypass the $15usd departure fee.)

BORDER TO TIKAL/FLORES

Once at the border, watch for small tour buses. They will take you to Flores for $6.50usd (50 quetzales) You may be able to bargain cheaper, but definitely don’t pay any more than that.

If you are going directly to Tikal ask for them to drop you at El Cruce where you can grab a colectivo going to Tikal. The prices on this vary but should be less than 50 quetzales.

San Ignacio >> Belize City >> Caye Caulker

Buses to Belize City leave San Ignacio every half hour. If you’re headed to Belize City to catch a boat to the Cayes, know that the last water taxi is at 4:30pm and you should give yourself at least 3 hours to get there. (It should only take about 2/2.5 hours to get to the City from San Ignacio, but weather and traffic can be unpredictable.)

It costs $4.50usd (8BZE) to get to Belize city from San Ignacio, and vice versa. Once you arrive at the station, there is no need to get a taxi, although the drivers will tell you otherwise. Just ask directions to the Caye Caulker/San Pedro water taxi and you’ll get there in about 15 minutes, easily.

The boat to Caye Caulker will cost around $6-10usd (12-20BZE) depending on your bargaining abilities.

Water Taxi Schedule

 

Belize – Caye Caulker and San Pedro Caye Caulker to Belize  Caye Caulker to San Pedro San Pedro to Belize
08:00h 08:30h 08:45h 08:00h
10:30h 10:00h 11:15h 09:30h
13:30h 13:30h 14:15h 13:00h
16:30h 16:00h 17:15h 15:30h

 

 Take me to SLEEPING: SAN IGNACIO

 

Take me back to SAN IGNACIO // Take me back to BELIZE // Take me to CAYE CAULKER

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