Guanacaste National Park in Cayo – Belize is the smallest national park in the country as well as the most accessible. Lying right alongside the main thoroughfare, the park makes for a nice rest stop from your drive or an excellent addition to your itinerary as you vacation in Cayo.
Location
Guanacaste National Park in Cayo – Belize is located at the junction of Hummingbird Highway and Western Highway; approximately fifty miles or eighty kilometers from Belize City.
Getting There
As it lies alongside the highway, bus routes from Belize City going to Belmopan regularly pass by the national park. Get off at the junction of Western and Hummingbird Highways and you will instantly see the entrance to the park.
You can also take a car rental service from Belize City and follow the route going to Belmopan to reach the national park.
What to See
Visitors to Guanacaste National Park in Cayo – Belize can view the lush vegetation surrounding the park. Here, you can see Belize’s national flower, the Black Orchid, various trees such as Raintree, Cotton Tree and the famous guanacaste which the park is named after.
Apart from the plants and flowers surrounding the park, you may also come across a Jaguarandi, an armadillo, Kinkajou, white-tailed deer and paca.
Various bird species also abound in the park, numbering over one hundred and twenty species of birds in all; including the Blue Crown Motmot, Belted Kingfisher, woodpecker, warbler and parrot.
Brief History
Guanacaste National Park in Cayo – Belize covers an estimated area of fifty acres of secondary tropical forest. It was declared a Crown Reserve in the year 1973 and was later designated as a national park in the year 1990.
A large guanacaste tree located close to the southwest edge of the park was the inspiration for the park’s name. It is said that the tree was prevented from being cut down because it did not hold much value as timber.
The park provides a natural bucolic escape amidst an urban setting, being only a few kilometers from the bustling city of Belmopan and Belize City.
Cost
Entry fee to Guanacaste National Park in Cayo – Belize is at BZ$5 for foreign visitors and BZ$1 local residents.
Bus fares from Belize City to Belmopan are around BZ$12 per person.
Accommodations around Guanacaste National Park in Cayo – Belize start at $45 up to $55 per room, per night for budget rooms; $95 up to $175 per room, per night for mid-range rooms and $300 up to $400, per room, per night for more luxurious rooms.
Other Information
Guests visiting Guanacaste National Park in Cayo – Belize are advised against trying to capture the wildlife living in the park. There are designated cooking areas within the park and visitors are also advised to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, and use insect repellents.
