Cradled in a picturesque valley between the Macal and Mopan Rivers, San Ignacio and its sister city 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. San Ignacio is a unique blend of America old west and tropical backwater with frontier- like wooden shops on narrow streets. Known locally as "Cayo", San Ignacio is located on the Western Highway about seventy miles and 90 minutes drive time from Belize City. 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 teeming with shops, hotels and places to eat. It's all a very short walk from the bus station.
