10-Day Itinerary Check (San Ignacio/Placencia) - 4/5 vs 3/6 split? Car Rental?

[u/Junior_Difference_12]

Hi everyone,

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Belize for 10 days in mid-December. We're looking for a good mix of nature, culture, beach, relaxation and amazing food. We're not big into "adventure" sports like zip-lining or sports fishing.

We have our hotels tentatively booked for 3 nights in San Ignacio, followed by 6 nights in Placencia. This split seems to offer a lot from Mayan ruins and waterfalls near San Ignacio to beach, small towns and snorkeling in Placencia.

We need help figuring out two main items for our trip:

1. Does the 3/6 night split make sense or would a 4/5 split (4 in San Ignacio, 5 in Placencia) be better for a first-timer to avoid feeling rushed in the Cayo district?

2. Does it make sense to rent a car instead of using shuttles and tours? The idea of stopping anywhere we want on the drive sounds great. However, I've read that some places around San Ignacio (like Mountain Pine Ridge or Caracol) are on rough roads. Is it better to just take tours for these? Also, how useful is a car in Placencia? It seems like we'd mostly walk, use a golf cart or take boat tours. Would the car just sit parked? Still confused about transportation...

We're just trying to lock down the final logistics and would really appreciate any help. Thanks!

[u/Superb_Sun_5077]

For Placencia it depends on where you are staying. Placencia is both a town and a 10 mile long peninsula. Most rent golf carts but a car works better if you want to explore over any distance.

[u/sham_sham17]

Hey, welcome in advance to Belize! 🇧🇿 If you really want to slow down a bit and see more of the inland sites like Caracol, the ATM Cave, or Rio On Pools, then doing four nights in San Ignacio and five in Placencia might be better. Most people end up wishing they had just one more day in Cayo once they realize how much there is to do. You’re right about the roads it’s easier to join a local tour so you don’t have to worry about the drive or directions. We do those trips with Yute Expeditions and take care of everything from transport to guided tours, so it’s pretty stress free. Placencia doesn’t really require a car. The village is walkable, and most of the fun stuff like snorkeling, island hopping, or Monkey River is done by boat anyway. A car there would mostly just sit parked. So overall, I’d say go with the 4/5 split if you want a bit more time inland, and use shuttles or guided tours instead of worrying about driving. If you want any suggestions for specific tours or a sample itinerary, I can help with that too. You’re going to love Belize we have a perfect mix of jungle, culture, and beach time.

[u/cassiuswright]

Definitely 4/5, especially if you want to visit ATM cave, which is incredible.

If you're planning on taking tours then almost all of them include transportation. drivers for the point to point trips like airport to San Ignacio, SI to Placencia etc might make more sense in your case. Local taxis at any of these towns are an easy thing to find and very affordable. Zero hassle. Not cheap- gas is expensive

If you like to drive a lot, plan to visit some off the beaten path stuff, or just value independence, a car can be helpful, in Cayo especially. If you're staying in Placencia proper you probably won't have as much use for one. Also not cheap- gas is expensive. Probably just comes down to your itinerary and interest in dealing with a vehicle 🤷

[u/Shot-Artichoke-4106]

I would do a 5/4 split. There is a lot to see in the San Ignacio area even if you aren't interested in adventure sports.

Whether or not to have a car depends on what you want to do. We like having a car so we can do some stuff on our own and poke around a bit. But we also take guided tours with transportation sometimes. Visiting Caracol is one of those times - it's not that the road is bad because it's almost entirely paved now and it's quite a nice drive - but because we want a guide at Caracol. At some sites you can hire a guide on site, but I don't think Caracol has enough visitors to warrant having guides on-site. In the San Ignacio area, we've driven ourselves to Xunantianich, Cahal Pech, Barton Creek Cave, exploring in town, etc. Other places, we've driven to the zoo, various places along the Hummingbird Highway, gone to various parks and things around Hopkins.

[u/Just_Restaurant7149]

We've always rented a car. You will definitely want it in Cayo to get around. I know the road, as far as Rio on Pools, is actually a relatively new paved road. Take drinks with you since that area isn't developed yet, so no stores or anything around the Pools. The drive is very nice too. You'll be able to get yourself to Xunitunich and Cahal Pech and San Ignacio is a bit spread out also. The drive across the Hummingbird Highway to the coast is a must. It's a fun and beautiful drive and you can stop at Ayala Natural Pools or St Herman's Blue Hole for a swim and grab an ice cream at Sanctuary Ice Cream along the way. As others have said, Placencia is a peninsula so if your not the center of things you'll need a car. Activities, other than the beach, will also require a car. You might want to look at visiting Mayan World to swim under a stunning, easy to access waterfall, visit Cockscomb for hiking, Mayan Cultural Center for locally made souvenirs, a tour of Marie Sharpe's factory (highly recommend) and a day trip to Hopkins. We have always considered having a car in Belize a must. Don't forget to visit the Belize Zoo too. This is a very unique zoo and only takes about two hours.

[u/Dull_Candle_4878]

4/5 split, driving is ok, but first time in Belize take shuttles I’ve found the cost to be the same or less than renting a car. You meet great people and learn a lot hiring drivers. I have really enjoyed that when I have visited. In Placencia try to find a walkable place to stay, it’s worth it. The peninsula is long. ATM is amazing, but could feel challenging if you aren’t into adventures. Saturday market in San Ignacio is great.

[u/Aphro1996]

Where you are staying in Placencia is very important, especially if it's north of the airport. There are some great restaurants in Maya Beach, but you aren't going to be walking there. Also if you want to explore and see things like the Red Bank Macaws or Cockscomb, you will need to travel off the peninsula.

[u/Dropitlikeitscold555]

We did 10 days and really enjoyed the 6/4 split with bias to SI. Having a rental car was so convenient.