Blue Hole National Park

Q: What are the nearest attractions to Blue Hole National Park?

Attractions near Blue Hole National Park: Belmopan Actun Tunichil Muknal Crystal Cave (Mountain Cow Cave)

Hummingbird Highway, Belmopan, Belize

The basics

Travelers exploring solo can follow a self-guided trail that leads a short distance into St. Herman’s Cave. If you want to venture any further—either on foot or on an inner tube—you’ll need to go with a guide. Spelunking excursions into Crystal Cave, which features examples of Maya pottery and glittering calcite crystals, are only possible with a guide and are typically more physically challenging and claustrophobic.

Tours of the park depart from San Ignacio, Belmopan, Hopkins, and Belize City. Itineraries typically include a guided excursion into one of the cave systems, as well as a short jungle hike, and a refreshing dip in the park’s eponymous freshwater pool. If you’re a fan of bird-watching, bring binoculars; keen-eyed visitors can spot many different species perched on branches and vines, including Rufous-tailed jacamars and keel-billed toucans—the national bird of Belize.

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Crystal Cave and Blue Hole National Park Day Trip from San Ignacio

11 reviews

USD110.00 per adult

Traveller Favourite

Intense, fantastic caving experience for the adventurous!

We had a wonderful day caving and swimming the Crystal Cave! Our guide, Miguel, was patient, friendly, and made sure we had a great time. He picked us up promptly at 7AM, and we had a quick trip out to the start of the hike. We hiked up (fairly steep), and then began our descent into Crystal Cave. It is straight up climbing/bouldering - no ropes, no handrails, nothing. We are both very active and adventurous and loved it, but if you must be sure-footed and have endurance to enjoy this cave experience. About 2 hours in, he asked if we wanted to stop or go deeper in the cave. Of course we went deeper, and saw Wonderland, a beautiful secluded spot with crystals and formations all over. In total, we were in the cave for 3 hours, and it was quite strenuous. Miguel did a fantastic job of showing us how to climb up tricky 10+ft walls, and warned us when a piece of quartz was especially slippery. We then hiked back down, swam in the Blue Hole, and then had a quick lunch before heading back to our hotel. We got back at around 3PM. We would do again 100%!

Jessica_F, Jan. 2023

Why you are seeing this

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Recent reviews from experiences in San Ignacio

Naturalistic tour of Belize

Teisha_S, Feb. 2023

Saint Herman's Cave Hiking and Blue Hole Tour from Belize City

Fredd was a fabulous guide, very patient and knowledgeable. We took our 10 month old to the cave and the blue hole for swimming

Tough but great

Jesse_W, Jun. 2022

Day Trip To Crystal Cave and Blue Hole National Park

Our guide, Marcus, was great. His knowledge of the jungle, the cave, and Mayan culture really added to the experience. After completing ATM we wanted more of a challenge, and Crystal Cave fit the bill. A totally different experience than ATM, this cave was much more difficult to explore, but the rock formations inside were more rewarding. I am 6' 2", 185lb, and parts of this cave were very tight to fit through. I would NOT suggest this if you push past 250lb. The walk through the jungle was much more scenic than the walk to ATM, the trail is less trodden, and wildlife was more abundant. You can also take pictures inside this cave, unlike ATM. The lunch afterward was great, trust me, you will work up an appetite. We were both covered in mud so the final stop at the Blue Holde was needed. The water was refreshing and made for a great 30 min break.

Coolest Thing I have Ever Done

Allison_M, Jun. 2021

Crystal Cave and Blue Hole National Park Day Trip from San Ignacio

This was the coolest thing I have ever done! The formations within the cave were beautiful and it was very cool to see the pottery and remains from Mayan times. I have limited climbing experience but am relatively fit and active and I think this trip was a little more than "moderate" in difficulty level. Our guide Francisco was amazing and very knowledgeable about the area and the antiquities in the cave. I would highly recommend going to a climbing gym before your trip so you can get the feel for boldering and climbing which is required in the cave. The clay on the cave floor is very slippery so sturdy boots would improve your experience. I wore tennis shoes and it was fine but I was slipping more than others. The clay also makes a change of clothes a must!

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Things to know before you go

Blue Hole National Park should not be confused with the Great Blue Hole, a UNESCO-listed ocean sinkhole situated in the Belize Barrier Reef.
Flashlights, which are necessary inside the darkened caves, can be rented from the park’s visitor center.
Bring water shoes to protect your feet from the rocks underfoot at the Blue Hole and bug repellent to ward off mosquitoes.
Pack a spare pair of clothes if you’re caving, as you’re likely to get wet and muddy.

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How to get there

Find the visitors center just off the Hummingbird Highway, about 11 miles (18 kilometers) from Belmopan. From the center, trails lead to St. Herman’s Cave. The Blue Hole is about a 45-minute hike from the visitor center.

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When to get there

Mosquitoes are more prevalent during the rainy season (between May and mid-November) and heavy rains can make the water of the Blue Hole murkier than usual, so it’s better to visit in the dry season (mid-November–April) if possible.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

What are the nearest attractions to Blue Hole National Park?

Attractions near Blue Hole National Park:

What else should I know about attractions in San Ignacio?

As well as visiting the Blue Hole National Park, check out these trip ideas to make the most of your visit:

Blue Hole National Park

The basics

Recent reviews from experiences in San Ignacio

Things to know before you go

How to get there

Trip ideas

Tikal Tours from San Ignacio

How to Spend 2 Days in San Ignacio

How to Spend 1 Day in San Ignacio

When to get there

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