Discover Belmopan

After the devastating Hurricane Hattie nearly destroyed the coastal city of Belize City in 1961, the government moved the capital to the safer interior, where Belmopan was built as one of the smallest and quietest capitals on the continent.

The nearby Maya excavation site of Cahal Pech sits atop a hill overlooking the town of San Ignacio and comprises well-preserved temple pyramids and plazas that once served as the residence of a Maya elite family.

The dense rainforests around the capital are home to jaguars, tapirs and numerous bird species, while cave systems such as the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave with its Maya relics rank among the most impressive excursion destinations in the region.

The compact government district, surrounded by green spaces and anchored by the striking National Assembly building in a Maya-inspired architectural style, forms the quiet, little-touristy center of this unusually small capital.

From Belize City, Belmopan is reached by bus or car via the George Price Highway in about an hour, since the city has no international airport of its own.

After the devastating Hurricane Hattie nearly destroyed the coastal city of Belize City in 1961, the government moved the capital to the safer interior, where Belmopan was built as one of the smallest and quietest capitals on the continent.

The nearby Maya excavation site of Cahal Pech sits atop a hill overlooking the town of San Ignacio and comprises well-preserved temple pyramids and plazas that once served as the residence of a Maya elite family.

The dense rainforests around the capital are home to jaguars, tapirs and numerous bird species, while cave systems such as the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave with its Maya relics rank among the most impressive excursion destinations in the region.