The Green Iguana Conservation Project at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel continues to be one activity you do not want to miss when in San Ignacio town. For fifteen years, this Belize Resort has been at the forefront of promoting the conservation of the Green Iguana Species. The main objective of this project is to create and promote environmental awareness to the public about the importance of protecting the Green Iguana. The project has proven to be very successful. Currently, the hatchery holds over 50 adult Iguanas and some 70 juvenile.

A highly interpretive and educational exhibit has been designed within the Resort’s property in order to create a closer look at this amazing reptile and to learn how vital they could be to the ecological balance of our river habitat. They also offer the Adopt an Iguana Program and the Iguana Kids Club, both of which have received much attention locally and internationally. The process of egg incubation, hatching, rearing and releasing juvenile iguanas is an ongoing process on site. Visitors and school children alike are given the opportunity to have contact with one of the many young resident iguanas.

The program aims to create awareness, educate, and to release these reptiles into the wild in an effort to repopulate the riverbanks of Belize with these colorful creatures. You will find this tour both fascinating and very educational as you get up close with the green iguanas of Cayo.

San Ignacio Market

Come experience the daily life of our “Cayo people” and enjoy what our culture is famous for – lots of smiles and great local food!  Every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday the local San Ignacio market comes alive with an exciting array of sounds, flavors, and colors. San Ignacio Market day is the day when it seems like the whole community comes to town to catch up with each other and get the best of the local produce and of course the latest gossip. In addition to the fresh fruits, grains, and vegetables; there are dried fruits, homemade cereals, Mayan herbal remedies, tropical plants, arts and crafts, clothing, and lots of local foodstuffs contributing to make for a melodious blend of the Maya, Creole, Mestizo, and Mennonite cultural boiling pot. Your Cayo Adventure guide will allow you to wander through the market at your own pace and answer your questions about the various local produce that you see. You may even try some coconut water or sample a tasty mango (depending on the season), or perhaps even sit down and enjoy some warm popusas amidst the chatter and laughter of the friendly market. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss.

The local market is offered as part of the San Ignacio Town Cultural tour and is combined with a tour of Cahal Pech ruins, a Maya Chocolate Making Demonstration, and a visit to the local Green Iguana Hatchery. The tour also offers you a perfect opportunity to shop for lovely Belize gifts and souvenirs in San Ignacio. Lunch will be at one of the local Belizean restaurants.

Cost: US$60.00 per person