Some links, sights and a map to information and services in San Ignacio and area
If you go to Belize and are possibly thinking of buying or looking at property or a house may we offer you a bit of advise.  There are good
realtors in San Ignacio, but we met up with a not so good one at the beginning.  Then we had the good fortune of meeting Macarena
ROSE while out for coffee and within minutes she had all the answers to the question that the listing realtor did not or   could not answer.    
                           Macerana is the owner of Rainforest Realty.  From that moment  on, we knew we had found "our "realtor.  Her staff are          
                           friendly,  courteous,  knowledgeable and work hard for you, the buyer. Recently Macarana became the   President of the          
                           Belize National Association of Realtors.  Just this Nov. of 2008, we learned that Rainforest Realty had won an award for         
                           being the best Realty firm in   Belize.  We figured that out in April 2008.  They are located on the Old Benque Viejo                     
                           Road at the bottom of the hill. Phone from North America, 011-501-670-4045.  Web    site  www.rainforestrealty.com                
                           Rainforest Realty, San Ignacio, Belize  .
A.  Casa Nan
B.  Rainforest Realty
C.  Police Station
D.  Downtown, & Banks & Hannah's
E.  Firehall
F.  Cahal Pech Ruins
G.  San Ignacio Hotel
A
C
D
E
B

Casa-Nan.com  San Ignacio, Belize
F
G

Getting there:

SAN IGNACIO RESORT:  Two blocks from the house.  Running W Steak House, and live entertainment at the Stork Club Bar and Grill. They
have a 14 acre nature preserve .Guided Birdwatching & Hiking.  Early morning is best for Birdwatching, there are over 175 bird species
already recorded on site, some are common and others are quite rare. Using the on property hiking trails and riverbanks, a birder can get
good sightings of Toucans, tanagers, orioles, hummingbird and many others in two hours. The balcony decks are also offer excellent
lookout to forest canopy. Easy to Mild walk

CAHAL PECH:  Abandoned by 800 A.D., the site consists of 34 structures on 2 acres, located on a hill overlooking San Ignacio. Admission
cost $2.50 US. A 20  minute walk uphill from downtown, on Buena Vista Street, past the San Ignacio Resort.  Work at Cahal Pech is still
preliminary, you can experience the full range of the archaeological investigations of an ancient mayan city. The site lies within a beautiful
jungle environment which supports a variety of tropical plants and birds. It is possible in only a few minutes to walk from the center of San
Ignacio to a world of ancient monuments and natural beauty

EL PILAR: 3 miles N.W. to Bullet Tree, then 7 miles, cross the Mopan River Bridge, and look for the signs.  It is a 100 acre Mid to Late
Classic (500 BC to 1000 AD) site with 12 pyramids and 25 plazas. It is also a great place to see mot-mot, toucans and parrots, especially
early morning or late afternoon.Currently the Reserve has a total of six trail systems: three archaeological trails and three nature trails.
These range in length from 1/10 of mile to a mile and a half long and are of different degrees of difficulty.

XUNANTUNICH; ( Zoo-nan-two-nich) From San Ignacio go west 10 miles on the Banque Viejo Road to San Jose Succotz to the hand crank
car ferry and it is 1 mile up. It is open 8:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. The minor Maya ceremonial center of Xunantunich is spectacularly perched
on a hill over-looking the Mopan River. Xunantunich, meaning "stone woman" in Mayan, has a commanding view of the entire upper Belize
River valley. The largest pyramid, El Castillo, rises a towering 130 feet above the main plaza, and more than 250 feet above the river valley
below. This main temple is visible from all parts of the valley today.

CARACOL:             Caracol is one of the largest sites in all of Mayandom, and the largest in Belize. This site is special for many reasons.
The size of its center, the large architectural construction, the vast array of monuments, and the artistic beauty of these monuments testify
to the importance of Caracol during the Classic Period.  This is about 40 miles south of San Ignacio.

The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is a huge 300-square-mile area that features Caribbean Pine and bracken ferns instead of the
typical tropical forests and lianas which cover most of the rest of Belize. The area is also dotted with beautiful waterfalls, streams and
caves that you can walk through. Deep within the reserve is a 1000 foot falls, a spectacular ribbon of water which drops from pine forest to
tropical forest below. An overlook allows you to see the top part of the falls. Hiking to the falls is extremely dangerous and requires
technical mountain climbing skills and a competent guide.

The Rio On: is a cascading river which tumbles over some of the oldest rocks in all of the Americas. The water has eroded numerous
pools that are perfect for bathing. Most of the pools are connected by small waterfalls that have a massaging effect if you lie underneath
them. The water is clear enough to drink. While it is a beautiful place to explore, extreme care must be taken against slipping on the slick
rocks. This is especially true after a light rain.

Rio Frio Cave. The huge entrance to the cave is draped by vines and trees. Though there is enough light in the cave to walk from one
entrance to the other, it is better to use a flashlight as the rocks within are often slippery and very uneven in places. A stream runs through
the cave and both stalagmites and stalactites create a beautiful scene within the cave. This cave is full of bats and is a great introduction to
the massive cave systems which pockmark Belize.

The Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve , Rio On, Rio Frio is not an easy trip. The dirt roads are often rough. It is necessary to carry extra water
and food with you in case of a breakdown. Some other hazards include getting lost in the maze of roads, running out of gas (it is a huge
reserve), temporary flooding during heavy rainstorms, and logging trucks carrying out the pine.

Guanacaste National Park: Is small, but its location makes it very important.  It is located directly on a major bus route where the Western
Highway intersects the Hummingbird Highway. The new visitor center outlines the history of the region as well as the wildlife. A fifty acre
parcel of tropical forest located on the northside of the Western Highway just to the east of the Roaring Creek Bridge.  It is administered by
the Belize Audubon Society. The park derives its name from the giant guanacaste or tubroos tree growing near the southwestern edge of
the park. This huge tree shelters a large population of epiphytes (aerial plants) among its branches.  The guanacaste or tubroos tree is a
fast growing species and one of the largest trees found in Central America. It can reach a total height of over 130 feet, of which 30 to 40 feet
can be a straight trunk.

Green Hills Butterfly Farm:    Green Hills is situated at mile 8 on Chiquibul road on the way to the Mountain Pine Ridge in Cayo District,
Belize. Coming from San Ignacio, turn right in Georgeville; follow the road until you see the sign for "Green Hills" on your right hand side.
Flocks of butterflies, from brilliant blue to gorgeous orange, dazzling yellow to intriguing gray, fly freely in 2,700 sq. ft. of beautifully
landscaped flight areas: The largest live butterfly display in BelizeGuests of Green Hills are welcome to use our new, covered picnic spot
furnished with tables and seats.The butterfly house is open daily from 0800 - 1630 hr. Entrance fee for a guided tour is BZ$8 (US$ 4) per
person (minimum of 2 people).

Cut and paste some of the url's below to see more.

Belize, San Ignacio weather outlook:          http://weather.weatherbug.com/Belize/San-Ignacio-weather.html

Horseback riding, Ruins, Jungle and rivers :             http://belizex.com/horseback.htm

Cave exploring:              http://penjeira.blogspot.com/2007/07/cave-exploration-in-belize.html

A good description of San Ignacio and area::               http://belizex.com/san_ignacio.htm

San Ignacio            http://www.belizex.com/san_ignacio.html                   http://www.belizereport.com/sites/sanignac.html

Chechem Hah:       http://www.belizereport.com/sites/chechem

Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave, Hidden Valley Falls (1000ft.) ,           http://www.belizex.com/mntpine-tours.htm