March 1st, 2008
The area that corresponded to the world of the Maya extends from present-day southern Mexico, through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and northern Honduras.
After running seemingly countless tours of the Mayan World, I definitely have my favourite ruins. Here are the GlobalNomad’s top 5 Mayan Ruins list, and some tips for seeing each.
Tikal – Peten region, Guatemala. The mother of all Mayan sites in my opinion. Truly huge (lots of walking), with some of the tallest temples in the Mayan world rising out of the remote Guatemalan jungle. Take at least a full day to see them—plan on spending two nights in the area.
Palenque – Chiapas, Mexico. Also saved from being overrun by its relatively remote site. It may still be possible to gain entry permission to the main temple tomb by going to the Archaeological office and writing an explanation of why you are interested! They give you a reservation time and you meet at the back door.
Copan – Copan Ruinas, Honduras. Famous for its stelae (carved ceremonial pillars), Copan is great also for its location—overlooking a pretty river valley and at an altitude that makes the climate easier than other sites. Plus colonial town of Copan Ruinas is a hidden gem.
Lamanai and Caracol - Belize. A tie for these. Caracol is the larger of the two and farther in the jungle, but the road to it was recently much improved—see it before the cruise ships descend (à la Tulum). Getting to Lamanai is half the fun: the only way is via high speed boats upriver for the better part of an hour.
Uxmal - Yucatan, Mexico. Unique and very cool, it can be combined with some smaller sites in the area like Labná and Kabah, which are also great. Stay across the road at the gorgeous Hacienda Uxmal, where the archaeologists stayed while excavating.
Runners Up: Secret cool sites not many people go to but which are well worth the effort:
Xunantunich - Belize. A hand crank ferry takes you across a river to this site, with a view over the Guatemalan border
Cobá - Yucatan, Mexico. Mostly under shade, it’s flat so you can rent a bike to ride around the site. Has some great recently excavated ball courts
Bonanpak – Mexico. Seriously hard to get to, famous frescoes
Note: for those who wonder why Chichen Itza was not included…well, it doesn’t need my help to be promoted. Great site, but the zoo it has become detracts from the enjoyment. If you go, stay at one of the nearby hotels so you can visit the site in the morning and evening when the tour buses are fewer. Ditto for Tulum, a minor site with a spectacular location on the ocean which has sadly been turned into a Disneyesque charade.
Tags: Archaeology, Coba, Copan, Maya, Palenque, Ruins, Tikal, Uxmal, Xunantunich
