In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Belize
San Antonio
Go for one night, not a base: a Mopan Maya village with a swimmable waterfall, reached by bus from Punta Gorda in about 1 hour for BZ$3.
San Antonio is the largest and most developed village in the Toledo District, founded by Mopan Maya who crossed from Petén in 1883. It is a village visit, not a resort: one guesthouse, no restaurant, a waterfall a mile west, and buses that run once or twice a day. Come for a night between Punta Gorda and the Maya sites, or as a half-day from PG if you have your own transport.
- Country
- Belize
- Best months
- Dec–May (drier roads and trails)
- Avoid
- Jun–Oct (wet season; the inland road and falls trails get muddy)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BZD
- Money
- Currency is the Belize dollar (BZD, $), fixed at 2 to 1 US dollar; US dollars are accepted almost everywhere. Check which dollar a price is in.
- Daily spend
- Budget BZ$60–90 excl. bed · Mid BZ$90–140 excl. bed · High BZ$140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Digi (Belize Telemedia) and Smart sell SIMs at the airport and in towns; bring your passport.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Police (alternate) 90
- Plugs
- Types A, B, G · 110 V (some 220 V) · 60 Hz · US plugs usually fit.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15% if no service charge.; Tour guides and boat crew: BZ$20–40 per person per day.; Taxi drivers: Not expected; round up.
- Water
- Treated water in Belize City and San Pedro; most visitors drink bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Western toilets; bring paper for bus stops.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus fare, Punta Gorda → San Antonio | BZ$3 |
| San Antonio Falls entry | BZ$2–5 |
| TEA guesthouse bed | about BZ$22 per person |
| Bol's Hilltop Hotel, shared bath | about BZ$15 |
| Meal arranged through the TEA guesthouse | BZ$6.50–8 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PND · Punta Gorda Airport
- About 40 km (25 mi) away by road; buses run from PG town, not the airstrip.About 25 mi (40 km) away by road; buses run from PG town, not the airstrip.
- BZE · Philip S. W. Goldson International (Belize City)
- Domestic hop to Punta Gorda, then bus or taxi inland.
Typical fares
- Punta Gorda → San Antonio bus
- BZ$3, about 1 h
- San Antonio Falls entry
- BZ$2–5
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is small and walkable end to end in about 15 minutes. The falls are about 1.6 km (1 mile) west on the road toward Santa Cruz; look for the sign on your right. No taxis, no car rental, no formal horse riding — some villagers keep horses and you can ask.The village is small and walkable end to end in about 15 minutes. The falls are about 1 mile (1.6 km) west on the road toward Santa Cruz; look for the sign on your right. No taxis, no car rental, no formal horse riding — some villagers keep horses and you can ask.
See and do
Known for
- Mopan Maya village life
- San Antonio Falls (Noh-sus)
- Deer Dance at the Feast of San Luis
- Toledo cacao buying centre
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| San Antonio Falls (Noh-sus) | Walk about 1 mile west toward Santa Cruz; sign on the right | About 30 min each way on foot |
| Lubaantun | Bus or hired vehicle toward San Pedro Columbia, then walk | About 1 h |
| Punta Gorda | Chun's, Coc's or Bol's bus from the village | About 1 h |
Sleep
- TEA village guesthouse
- Purpose-built guesthouse run by the Toledo Ecotourism Association; guests eat and spend time with villagers but sleep separately. About BZ$22 per person; meals on request.
- Bol's Hilltop Hotel
- Rustic rooms with shared bath, about BZ$15. The only other listed bed in the village.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Buenos díasbweh-nos dee-as |
| Thank you | Bʼoʼtikboh-teek |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?kwan-to kwes-ta |
| Where is the waterfall? | ¿Dónde está la cascada?don-de es-ta la kas-ka-da |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?pwe-do pa-gar kon tar-he-ta |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?don-de es-ta el ban-yo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'good morning' or 'good evening' when entering shops and buses; avoid: Skipping greetings
- Pace: Relax; service is slow; avoid: Showing impatience
- Photography: Ask first; avoid: Photographing Mennonites and Maya villagers without consent
- Dress: Cover up away from the beach; avoid: Swimwear in town
Scams and watch-outs
- Buses run once or twice a day each way; confirm times in the village the day before you leave.
- There is no restaurant: arrange meals with the TEA guesthouse in advance or buy snacks at the small shops.
- The road in from the Southern Highway at Dump junction is unpaved; do not turn left at Mafredi (that goes to Blue Creek).
- Bring cash in Belize dollars — card payment is not reliable in the village.
- Trails above the falls are cut and maintained locally; ask before hiking after heavy rain.
A small, quiet village; the real risks are road conditions, thin bus schedules and walking the falls trail in wet weather. Standard Belize advice applies: use reef-safe judgement at the pool, keep valuables out of sight, and carry cash.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Antonio yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Mopan Maya village life
- San Antonio Falls (Noh-sus)
- Deer Dance at the Feast of San Luis
- Toledo cacao buying centre
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Belize Tourism Board: www.travelbelize.org/
- Toledo Ecotourism Association: www.teabelize.org/
- Wikivoyage: San Antonio (Belize), revision 4144062 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4144062
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
San Antonio
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in San Antonio; the US, UK and other missions are in Belmopan or Belize City. Punta Gorda has a US consular agent (check).
Mopan Maya is the village language alongside English, Kriol and Spanish; a greeting in Mopan or Spanish goes a long way.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/san-antonio-belize). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.