Whew... life got busy after I posted my Caye Caulker and Belize City trip report . So here is the San Ignacio (Cayo) part of the trip report, long overdue!
First of all, a word about Belizean buses. My husband and I are strange creatures who LOVE public transportation in all its varied forms. We even love the subway in Mexico City. So we didn't think twice about traveling by public bus in Belize.
After 2.5 hours in a school bus with no shocks, with enough leg room for your average 7-year-old, though, we really hit our public transportation wall. It was about 90F and humid, and the bus from Belize City to San Ignacio was packed full of people, some standing in the aisle. It was hot, sticky, and very uncomfortable. I kept looking at my watch, thinking we must be at least 2 hours into the trip... only to find time was going verrry slowly and we were only 45 minutes in! :-)
We were lucky to have met up with some other travelers who knew how to navigate Belizean school buses with luggage: What you do is go straight to the back and climb in through the emergency exit with your backpack. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but this is how it's done in Belize -- there is a small open area for large luggage in the back of the bus (that's the only place for larger bags -- no under-the-bus storage in these school buses), and it would be very inconvenient to go in the front door and walk down the aisle smacking people accidentally as you go. So wrench that door open, throw your pack/bag into the area in back without a seat, and sit near it in the back.
The positive about traveling by bus is definitely the people-watching. We saw families of four crammed into these tiny seats, with the older children holding younger ones on their laps and falling asleep all cuddled up together. It was fun watching the bus conductor (would that be the right title for the person who collects tickets?) and how efficient he was with knowing exactly who had paid and who hadn't. At one point someone was trying to freeload and he kicked them right off. Really interesting slices of local culture.
Once we got to San Ignacio, we walked to Midas Resort, where we were staying. It's outside of town but a very short walk. We were kind of looking for the best of both worlds: the "jungle lodge" feeling without being isolated at one of the jungle resorts without a car. The grounds of Midas are beautiful, with trees labeled with common and botanical names and medicinal uses. I'm a plant nerd so I loved this. They have fruit out to attract tropical birds. The service was fantastic and the rooms were simple, clean, and comfortable. Ask for a room towards the left of the property as you walk in, though, because on the other side is a loud karaoke bar (it is a couple of doors down, but the sound carries). We always bring earplugs so we were OK. We were on the edge closest to the karaoke bar... we talked to some other guests staying on the other side of the property and they didn't even hear it.
Our first day, we went to Cahal Pech (a steep walk up a hill, or a cheap cab ride) and Xunantunich Mayan ruins. Both were beautiful and well worth the trip. Both also had lots of trees and shady places to rest in between walking around in the open. To get to Xunantunich, we took a colectivo taxi. IMPORTANT: if you take a regular San Ignacio taxi, they will charge you a LOT more than a colectivo. (A colectivo means they stop and pick up other people besides you.) There is apparently a way to look at the license plate to see whether it's a colectivo or not, but we never quite got the hang of it. Maybe someone else who knows can respond. We paid 10BZ to get to the ferry at Xunantunich, and the regular cabs apparently cost 30BZ. Once we crossed the river on the hand-cranked ferry (very cool!) we walked up the dirt road to the ruins. On the way back, the woman who worked at the concession stand stopped and gave us a ride, which was really nice.
The second day we did a day trip to ATM through MayaWalk. It was amazing! One of the coolest things we've ever done. My husband is a bit claustrophobic but the experience was so worth a few moments of anxiety. Seeing Mayan pottery and skeletons in their natural environment, not behind museum glass, takes your breath away. Our guide, Carlos, had a real reverence for the sacred nature of the place. He was fierce about making sure we watched where we walked and didn't step on anything. Every once in a while he would have us sit down and turn off our lamps, and we would sit there in the pitch black and listen to the sounds of the cave. I do have to say, though, that if you are not in good physical shape, this would be a tough day. There is a lot of climbing up rocks, stretching through narrow openings, etc. You don't have to be an athlete, but it is not just a stroll -- there's a lot of physical exertion.
As far as food goes, we really liked Hanna's. There are also a couple of little open-air stands right next to Hanna's that have delicious, cheap breakfasts. We had a delicious chaya pizza at Martha's and the most amazing fresh lime juice (with ginger) at Eva's. We also stopped at the farmer's market and bought some unfamiliar fruits, asked how to eat them, and took them back to our room. Some we liked and some we didn't.
We thought about paying $100US for a nice air-conditioned shuttle back to Belize City, but in the end we sucked it up and took the public bus. (I should have mentioned before, the public bus between Belize City and San Ignacio is just $3.50US!) It rained, everyone rolled their windows up, and the temperature inside that bus was baking hot. It was pretty awful, I have to be honest. But hey, we lived! :-)
We love Belize and can't wait to go back! Next time we want to head to Hopkins/Dangriga and do a homestay in the Toledo District. For such a small country, there is an amazing amount to do and see.
