Cayo District - Distretto di Cayo

Cayo District is the largest district of the Belize on the border with Guatemala.

To know

The Cayo district is located in the central-western territory of the country.

Geographical notes

The Belize River has numerous tributaries which make the soil fertile and rich in animal species, excellent conditions for a ecotourism sustainable. But the Cayo District offers more. The more adventurous will find the Mayan mountains to the south that rise to almost 1,000 meters. There is plenty of room for caves and waterfalls.

Anyone traveling to the deep south of the district will stumble upon a special attraction: the Mount Pine Ridge Forest Reservewhich is a large area of ​​coniferous forest with beautiful waterfalls and caves.

When to go

Climate	gen	Feb	mar	apr	mag	down	Jul	needle	set	Oct	nov	dec
Maximum (° C)	28	29	31	33	34	32	32	32	32	31	29	28
Minimum (° C)	18	18	19	20	21	22	22	22	22	21	20	19
Precipitation (mm)	120	80	50	50	80	300	280	220	250	210	200	180

The climate is a bit humid compared to Yucatán Peninsula, but the amount of rain compared to the south is relatively low. Most of the water falls during the rainy season between June and November. From February to May it is mostly dry.

Background

This area has always been strategic: already in the times of the Maya the Belize River was one of the most important trade routes. For early Mayan cities such as El Mirador or Tikal, this area represented the access to Caribbean. It is not surprising that there is one Mayan ruin next to another on this direction. Even today the Western Highway runs parallel to it connecting the Guatemala with Belize City crossing all the main cities.

Settlements to the south are rare but between 300 AD. and 900 A.D. a great metropolis of 140,000 inhabitants flourished: El Caracol. His Caana is still the tallest building in all of the Belize.

Spoken languages

As with the rest of Belize, theEnglish is the official language, but since this district is the main point of access with Guatemala, here you will find a greater percentage of people who can speak it Spanish.

Territories and tourist destinations

Urban centers

Other destinations

How to get

By plane

In the Cayo District, there are a few airstrips that can be served by charter flights.

By car

The George Price Highway (formerly known as the Western Highway) runs through the center of the Cayo District, going from the Guatemalan border in the west to Belize City to the east, away Belmopan. The Hummingbird Highway connects Belmopan with Dangriga in Stann Creek District.

By bus

Almost all the buses to / from the entire country pass through here, including some locations in Guatemala.

How to get around

In the Cayo District, there are also some of the most interesting trekking routes in Belize. For example, a El Caracol there is the Maya Divide Trail and the Mount Pine Ridge Forest Reserve it is the starting point of a trekking route in the Sibun forest reserve.

By car

The main means of transportation is the car, but for those who want to see destinations far from the Western and Hummingbird highways, they need an off-road vehicle because many roads are not flat and are not paved.

By bus

For those who stay near the Western and Hummingbird highways can opt for the bus thanks to the many stops along these routes. However, many bicycles can also be seen on these two roads.

What see

• Nature - In this district, rainforests and coniferous forests alternate. The ideal habitat for wildlife observation.
• Mayan ruins - Here are the spectacular Mayan ruins from the classical period of Belize, especially near the northern plains of Guatemala there were large cities with over 100,000 inhabitants.
• Caves - Numerous caves characterize the Cayo district, some of them spectacular. In Chiquibul National Park there is the longest cave system in thecentral America.
• Waterfalls - This district boasts the highest waterfall in thecentral America, but far from being the most beautiful.

What to do

The Cayo district is largely made up of jungle, but there are also historical and cultural attractions.

• Speleology. There are many caves and ravines that can be explored with local guides. 
• Rain forest. Experience the rainforest to observe birds, mammals and insects by staying in one of the many hotels scattered there. 
• Tubing. Float down a river inside giant donuts. 
• Zip line. There are several companies that allow you to observe the rainforest from an unusual and adventurous point of view, whizzing along a steel cable. 
• Horse riding. Horseback riding is possible on trails inside the jungle. 
• Shopping. Saturday. At the market of San Ignacio. 
• Belize Botanical Gardens (Belize Botanic Gardens), Big Eddy, Chial Road (15 km out San Ignacio. Following the western highway towards Guatemala. At about 6 km there is a sign on the right side where you have to turn onto and continue on a dirt road for 6 km), ☎ 501 824-3101, 501 804-4500, @[email protected]. 5 USD. 7:00-16:00. These are the only botanical gardens in Belize. They house a large collection of native orchids, palm trees, medicinal plants, etc. There is a shuttle that leaves San Ignacio at 8:00 and returns at 13:00 and 16:00. 
• Naturalistic observations - The Guanacaste National Park, the smallest national park and the Chiquibul National Park, the largest national park in Belize. Inside there are many accommodations surrounded by nature.
• Discoveries - Here you will encounter several Mayan ruins from the classical period such as El Caracol is Xunantunich and numerous impressive caves such as the cave system of Actun Tunichil Muknal.
• I swim - The rivers have created numerous spaces in this district to swim in a carefree environment. The best known example is the Rio On Pools which is part of the Mount Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.
• Boat excursion - Of course you can cross rivers by canoe, such as along the Macal River in San Ignacio.
• Hiking - The choices range from the small loop path through the Guanacaste National Park or the multi-day excursion through the Mount Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, followed by canoeing along the Sibun Forest Reserve.
• Cycling - The Western Highway is popular for road cycling. But here they are also found in many dirt tracks for mountain biking.
• Nightlife - Here the nightlife is quite spartan. Only a San Ignacio, there are some possibilities. Those looking for it should move towards San Pedro or Belize City.

At the table

Restaurants are usually simple with fish, chicken or meat dishes. The courses are served at good prices, especially in small towns. Marie Sharp's habanero sauce is always present on any table. Fish is highly recommended. TO San Ignacio there is a little more variety.

Safety

The crime rate is negligible, particularly in the smaller towns. However, you should keep your eyes peeled especially at border crossings and in San Ignacio for scammers of various kinds.

These regions are populated by poisonous crocodiles and snakes, but considering that humans are not on these animals' menu, prudent behavior and appropriate clothing should ensure sufficient protection within the rainforest. The greatest danger here are mosquitoes, so you should protect yourself with specific repellent. Mosquitoes sporadically transmit dengue for which there is no specific vaccine. However, other potential diseases can be prevented.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Cayo District
• Commons contains images or other files on Cayo District

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