Xunantunich and Inland Blue Hole: Maya Ruins & Pools

A hand-cranked ferry, ancient plazas, and a turquoise pool shaped by the same limestone ridge

This six-hour day trip from Placencia combines Xunantunich, an ancient Maya city built on a limestone ridge, with Inland Blue Hole, a naturally turquoise freshwater pool fed by an underground river. You cross the Mopan River by hand-cranked ferry to reach the ruins, walk through ceremonial plazas while your guide explains the palaces and carved friezes, then cool off in the woodland pool on the Hummingbird Highway. Hotel pickup, lunch, entrance fees, water, sodas and juices are included. The guide speaks English and children from age 5 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. San Jose Succotz30m · entry included
2. Belmopan1m · entry included

Visit Xunantunich and Inland Blue Hole

• Take hand-cranked ferry across Mopan River
• Explore Xunantunich ancient Maya city
• Learn about Maya history and architecture
• Drive to Inland Blue Hole
• Swim in natural freshwater pool

The experience

Six hours is enough to move between two places that tell the same geological story in different ways. The hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River is your first signal that Xunantunich sits apart. It's the only way to reach the site, and it sets the tone for what comes next. Once across, you climb to the ancient Maya city built on a natural limestone ridge. Your guide walks you through the ceremonial plazas, pointing out the palaces, carved friezes, El Castillo and the way the city's architecture reflects Maya rulership and astronomy. The ridge itself is the thing: it's the same limestone environment that shaped Belize's entire underground water system.

After a couple of hours at the ruins, the tour shifts to St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. The contrast is immediate: dense tropical vegetation replaces monumental stone, and a naturally turquoise freshwater pool appears where an underground river surfaces. This is not the Caribbean Blue Hole. It's a woodland pool on the Hummingbird Highway, and the water is fresh enough to swim in. The two stops are not random: they share the limestone foundation that makes both possible. One is what humans built on it. The other is what the landscape itself created.

Lunch and drinks are included, so you're not hunting for food between sites. Your guide speaks English throughout, and the pace is set by the operator. You're not choosing your own route or timing. The tour works as a single arc: ferry, ruins, pool, return to Placencia.

What’s included

• Entrance fees to Xunantunich and Inland Blue Hole.
• private guide in English.
• hotel pickup and transportation from Placencia.
• lunch.
• water, sodas and juices throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

AgesAdult (10 to 65 years) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 15 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Private Belize Adventure

Is this one for you?This tour works best for small groups or families who want a guide explaining the sites rather than exploring on their own pace. The fixed schedule (ferry, ruins, pool, return) means you move through both places as a unit, which keeps the day coherent but doesn't allow for lingering or backtracking.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Xunantunich and what will I see when I get there?

Xunantunich is an ancient Maya city built on a natural limestone ridge. You'll walk through ceremonial plazas, see the palaces and carved friezes, and your guide will explain El Castillo, Maya rulership, astronomy and the city's connections to other regional centers.

How do I get to Xunantunich from the ferry?

You cross the Mopan River using a hand-cranked ferry: the only way to reach the site. Once across, you climb to the ruins on the ridge.

What is Inland Blue Hole and how is it different from Belize's famous Blue Hole?

Inland Blue Hole is a naturally turquoise freshwater pool fed by an underground river, located in dense tropical vegetation on the Hummingbird Highway. It's not the Caribbean Blue Hole. It's a woodland pool where you can swim in fresh water.

What's included in the tour price?

Entrance fees to both sites, transportation, a private English-speaking guide, lunch, water, sodas and juices are all included. Hotel pickup from Placencia is also part of the booking.