Safety and Precautions

The Mountain Pine Ridge is a remote and lightly populated area. Occasionally, bandits have taken advantage of this to stop and rob visitors, and some Guatemalan squatters have tried to move across the border in search of free land, prompting run-ins with Belize authorities. Guatemalan xateros, hunters for the prized xate palm, also are a problem in parts of the area. Currently, Belize Defence Forces soldiers accompany vehicles to Caracol. If you drive on your own to Caracol, it is at your own risk. However, the main danger to most visitors is not bandits but getting sunburned on a hiking trail or old logging road.