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Beyond Belmopan the scenery becomes more rugged, with thickly forested ridges to the south. The road stays close to the valley of the Belize River, passing through a series of villages. There's been something of an accommodation boom along this route, with a couple of long-established cottage-style lodges now joined by several newer enterprises. One of the best is Pook's Hill Jungle Lodge (tel 820-2017, pookshill@btl.net ; US$100 and over, including breakfast), 9km along a clearly signposted track from Teakettle village, 8km beyond the Belmopan junction. The lodge comprises nine cabanas set in a small clearing above a hillside terraced by the Maya, in a private nature reserve overlooking the thickly forested Roaring River valley, with breathtaking views across the strictly protected Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve (no public access) to Mountain Pine Ridge. Superb horse-riding across farmland and along forest trails is available. At Mile 54, about 4km beyond, just across Warrie Head Creek, is the entrance to Warrie Head Lodge (tel 227-5317, www.belizenet.com/warrie ; US$80-100), formerly a logging camp but now a working farm with comfortable rooms. On Barton Creek, at Mile 60, is Caesar's Place (tel 824-2341, blackrock@btl.net ; US$40-60), a cafe and guesthouse with comfortable rooms , trailer hookups, space for camping and a fabulous gift shop. At Georgeville , 26km from the Belmopan junction, the Chiquibul Road heads south from the highway to the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve , reaching deep into the forest and crossing the Macal River at the Guacamallo Bridge, eventually leading to Caracol . Twelve kilometres along the road Green Hills Butterfly Ranch (daily 8am-5pm; US$4; tel 820-4017, www.belizex.com/greenhills.htm ) has Belize's biggest and best collection of butterflies. The highway continues for 9km to Santa Elena , San Ignacio's sister town on the eastern bank of the Macal River, which is crossed by the Hawksworth Bridge, built in 1949 and still the only road suspension bridge in Belize. Traffic from Belize City crosses the river on a low bridge (covered in high water) a little downstream; the suspension bridge is only used by westbound traffic.
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