Top Things to do in Cayo
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9 Things to Do in Cayo That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Cayo, Belize including Actun Tunichil Muknal, Xunantunich, Caracol Mayan Ruins, Green Iguana Conservation Project, Belize Botanic Gardens, Cahal Pech Mayan Ruins & Museum, Barton Creek Cave, St. Herman's Cave, Rio On Pools.
Restaurants in Cayo
1. Actun Tunichil Muknal
Overall Ratings
5 based on 787 reviews
This remote cave is filled with relics left over from the Mayans.
Reviewed By Gilbert R - Phoenix, United States
Very interesting tour. Well worth the money. It is not an easy tour, rather strenuous, and you must be on the thinner side to be able to fit into the tight places in the caves. Others have given great descriptions of the tour, so I do nota have much to add, except to say it was excellent
2. Xunantunich
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By TenaciousLD - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
I've now had the good fortune of visiting five different Mayan sites. Although the total area of Xunantunich is small compared to Tikal or Chichen Itza, it has been one of my favorite ruins to visit. The buildings are majestic, the wildlife fascinating, and the views over the jungle from the top of El Castillo are unparalleled.
We were there in the early afternoon and ran into very few other people. The view of the Belizian and Guatemalan jungle truly are awe-inspiring from the top of El Castillo, which you climb directly on up to the very top. It is easy to imagine that these buildings have stood for thousands of years. Xunantunich is simple to navigate, (even if it's hard to pronounce)! fun to explore and doesn't take a lot of time.
We tried to take a bus from San Ignacio, but when we couldn't easily find it we got impatient and just took a cab to the site, which cost us $5 or $10 US each, I can't quite remember. We shared the free hand-cranked ferry on the way there with horses, which was kind of cool. We opted out of hiring a guide and walked up the drive to the site. The walking up to the ruins from the river might have been a mistake as it was easily the hottest part of the day. I will warn you, that walk is a little steeper than it looks! I think it only took around 20 minutes, so we just drank a lot of water. And once there, it was a beyond reasonable $5 US for entry into the park. We looked around the small museum, but then just took off for a self-guided tour. If you've never visited any Mayan ruins I recommend getting a guide as they were quite reasonable here, but we passed as we were using a guide for Tikal the next day and have been to a few sites with guides in the past. We had fun running around and trying to wrap our heads around the history of the spot. Climbing El Castillo and standing where ancient nobility stood was a highlight (look up to see the bats when going up the stairs in the back)! When we returned from the site and traveled back across the Mopan River, my friend asked if she could crank the wheel of government-run ferry for them; the government worker was happy to take a short break.
As a bonus, I saw two gray foxes at the entry gate, in the woods to the left of the bathroom. And Xunantunich was also my first experience with Howler monkeys! My friend and I actually thought there was a loudspeaker set up, and that a loud audio program we didn't know about was beginning. For the uninitiated this was the only reasonable answer, lol! I was told by someone standing under the trees with us as we listened to the monkeys that the only animal louder than the Howler Monkey is the African Lion; I'm unsure if that's true but holy cow I believe it!! IT WAS SO COOL! I was also told that they used Howler cries for the velociraptor screams in the movie Jurassic Park.
If you're on the fence, absolutely visit Xunantunich. The ruins and views are majestic, it's a very short bus or cab ride from San Ignacio, and the site is easy to navigate and super affordable. We almost didn't go- it was actually kind of an afterthought- and I'm so, so glad we went.
3. Caracol Mayan Ruins
Overall Ratings
5 based on 531 reviews
This 30-acre complex is the largest Mayan ruin in Belize.
Reviewed By sandyfSanDiego - San Diego, California
Went here today. It rained lightly most of the drive up and back and while there. The problem with going on a rainy day is that the stones/steps are more slippery. You can still climb the buildings, including Caana (the tallest), but you need to be very careful. The footing, on a wet or dry day can also be tough. The trees have very shallow roots because they are on limestone and they criss-cross many of the paths. It is easy to trip, wet or dry, if you are not careful. The site if much smaller than Tikal but still takes a couple of hours, but with lunch and the drive, it is at least seven hours. The buildings tending to be more bulky but less tall than Tikal, which has many towers. The main downside to Caracol is the drive. From San Ignacio, there is about 20 minutes of good road followed by 100 minutes of really, really bad road. They you have about 20 minutes of OK, but not great road as you near the site. If you are only going to do one site, do Tikal, unless you really want to see a lot less people. Caracol has many fewer tourists. I also recommend having a guide and driver. You can drive yourself, but it will be tiring and not great for your vehicle.
4. Green Iguana Conservation Project
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Located at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel, the Project is a continuous effort that aims to conserve and look after the endangered Green Iguana species in Belize. The hatchery uses interactive exhibits and programs to help educate and create awareness among international and local visitors. Here, you are given the opportunity mingle with these wonderful reptiles and also, learn the about the incubation, hatching, rearing, and releasing process
Reviewed By Scott D - Austin, Texas
This iguana sanctuary is attached to the San Ignacio Hotel and is $9 US per person for a 45 min visit with the conservator. You get to hold the iguanas which are all rescue animals. They do outreach to local schools and communities to encourage protection of their native Green Iguanas.
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 171 reviews
Belize Botanic Gardens is a great place to spend from a few hours to the whole day! Come and take one of our guided tours through the Gardens and discover some of the secrets within the plants and trees. Do you know what perfumes Chanel No5? or what tree can colour your clothes? come and find the answers. Visit our Orchid house with over 120 orchids species of Belize.
Reviewed By Samantha V
We stayed at duPlooy’s so we had access to the Gardens. The orchids weren’t in bloom at the time, but everything else was. We spent a late afternoon wandering around and enjoying the grounds. We also did a night tour, sadly didn’t see many animals, but enjoyed it nontheless.
6. Cahal Pech Mayan Ruins & Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
This ancient Mayan site features a museum and several dozen surviving structures.
Reviewed By ddbelize - San Pedro, Belize
I have visited many Mayan Ruins, and the majority of the large ruins in Belize including Caracola and Xunantunich. Cahal Pech is still one of my favorite sites. It's tucked right in town near the Cahal Pech Resort Village and, outside of the hill you have to walk up, it's easy to visit.
The ruins themselves are small but very unique. They have all the buildings you would expect at a big ruin, a ball court, a temple, kings quarters, but in a really compact and shaded location.
Definitely worth checking out if you haven't visited a Mayan Ruin or if you want to do so in a very chill environment.
7. Barton Creek Cave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 258 reviews
Cave Exploration by canoe , deep into the Maya Mountains on the Barton Creek . See where the Maya held rituals to there Gods of the underworld.
Reviewed By Oskar-Brooklyn - Brooklyn, New York
A canoe ride into a river cave - the cave extends 5 miles - but the tour only goes in about 1300 feet
You’ve never experienced darkness like this in your life. After you enter the cave and navigate the first twists and turns there is no more light. Period.
The trip is illuminated entirely by handheld flashlights.
It wasn’t crowded so our family of four and the guide were the only folks inside the whole thing.
You paddle your own canoe.
The Mayas used to do human sacrifices here and remnants of those ceremonies and pottery shards adorn the cave.
Bats clings to the ceiling and stalagmites hang perilously overhead.
Mineral deposits are pink and blue and white.
It is hard to accurately describe how special and magical this place is. That you can canoe deep into it as if you were discovering it for the first time.
it is inside a hollowed out mountain, a place that was sacred for thousands of years and - to me at least - it didn’t feel claustrophobic. Maybe that is because in places the ceiling is hundreds of feet high - whereas in other places - depending on the water level you need to wear a helmet to avoid scraping your head on the ceiling.
I’ve traveled a lot and this is one of the top experiences I’ve ever had.
8. St. Herman's Cave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 213 reviews
Reviewed By Jody O - New Baltimore, Michigan
A great adventure tubing through a living cave with our guide Bernaby! We geared up with helmets, life jackets and crocs .The 74 degree Water was refreshing but not unpleasant. We hiked about ten minutes to the cave carrying our inner tubes. The steps into the cave are a bit slick and so is the trail to the back of the cave... your guide will ask you to take your time and will carry your inner tube for you if helpful. We stopped at times for Bernaby to talk about the cave history and to allow time between groups so that we all had a quality, private float. The current was quick enough that it was over way too soon! Cave features were great and we even turned our lights out a couple of times to experience total darkness.... whoa.... very surreal! Want to do this again!! A few bats near the end of the float but sleeping not flying. Be sure to stop by the inland Blue Hole..... it is a cenote fed by the same water source flowing through the cave!
9. Rio On Pools
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 180 reviews
Reviewed By charles6346 - Huntington Beach, California
We stopped here on the way back from Caracol. It is a very nice area. The water was cold. There were not many people at the pools on the day we visited. There are no toilet facilities that I saw.
