San Ignacio and sister-town, Santa Elena make up Belize's second largest urban area. The two towns are separated by the Macal River and Belize's only suspension bridge, the one-lane Hawksworth Bridge (Built in 1949).

Together the towns have a combined population of about 20,000 including: Creole, Mestizo (Spanish-Maya), Lebanese, Chinese, Mennonite, Maya and other cultures. Both English and Spanish are spoken, plus a myriad of other languages.

Known locally as "Cayo," San Ignacio is located along the Western Highway about 70 miles and 90 minutes drive time from Belize City. Teeming with Guatemala-bound travelers, archaeologists, peace corps workers, North American retirees and thrill seekers, "Cayo" is a unique blend of America's Old West and tropical backwater with frontier-like wooden shops on narrow streets.

Burns Avenue is "Main Street" and a good place to begin a tour of the town. Most days it's a busy thoroughfare with lots of people walking in the streets. Burns Avenue and the adjacent streets are packed with shops, hotels and places to eat where hospitable townspeople mingle in restaurants, bars and wooden shops with colonial era architecture of days gone by.

San Ignacio, the base for our Belize programs, is the district capital for the Cayo district of Belize. San Ignacio is a lively but small town of about 16,000 inhabitants that borders vast jungle and nature areas and is split by the Macal river.

San Ignacio is a very accessible location to immerse yourself in the multi-cultural Belizean society and as a launching pad for a stunning array of outdoor activities.

San Ignacio is also close enough to Belize's world-class beaches to make it manageable to take weekend trips to the beach. Though San Ignacio has reasonable modern conveniences (e.g. internet access), it is not an urban environment by any stretch of the imagination.

Students looking for a fast-paced urban setting should consider one of our programs based in cities in Europe or Mexico. Those looking for evenings gazing at the stars, stimulating conversations over dinner, or hikes in the jungle, will find Belize the perfect location.

The rich culture of Belize reflects the diversity of the peoples who call Belize home: Maya, Creole, European, Garifuna, Mestizo, East Indian, Chinese and Mennonite.

The flora and fauna in Belize are spectacular. An amazing number of mammals are found in Belize and, though many of them are nocturnal, you can see them at Belize's famous Zoo, “the greatest little zoo in the world.”

Among the 572 species of birds in Belize, you will hear flocks of parrots noisily announcing their presence in the jungle and the teasing calls of many birds that blend into the tropical landscape.