The Cayo District is approximately 65 miles west of Belize City. It is the country's second largest district, with a population of approximately fifty-four thousand people. The Cayo District is the Belizean western frontier (you'll be able to do more horseback riding here than in any other part of the country). It's reached via the Western Highway, which begins on the outskirts of Belize City at the intersection of Central American Boulevard and Cemetery Road. A one-hour ride from Belize City gets you to the capitol city of Belmopan, whose downtown market area is a pulsating, thriving bus terminal with connections to every part of Belize. Both English and Spanish are widely spoken in Cayo.

The landscape changes into hilly jungle and farmland near San Ignacio, a lively little town on the Macal River. Besides being home to the nation's capital, the Cayo District, covering around two thousand square miles of verdant landscape, has some of the most scenic attractions in Belize: clear, meandering rivers, lush jungles, green hillsides, thundering waterfalls (right), huge cave systems, two of Belize's most important Mayan archaeological ruins, and a pine ridge forest just waiting to be explored and experienced. It's rich with wildlife and a favored destination for ecotourists. The Cayo District is a wonderful hub for hiking, horseback riding and canoeing.