Belize was central Maya territory and holds first-rate sites that almost nobody visits. While Tikal and Chichén Itzá draw crowds, here it is normal to climb a pyramid and find yourself alone at the top, with jungle to the horizon and howler monkeys in the background.
These are the four worth the journey, plus a cave that is not exactly a ruin but is the most extraordinary thing in the country.
Caracol, the great power
It was one of the most powerful cities in the Maya world: it defeated Tikal militarily in the sixth century and at its height may have held more people than present-day Belize City. Its Caana pyramid — “sky palace” — stands around 43 metres and is still the tallest structure ever built in Belize.
It lies deep inside the Chiquibul forest reserve, two to three hours from San Ignacio on dirt track. Access may require travelling in an escorted convoy depending on the situation at the time, and in the rainy season the track gets difficult. Check before setting out.
It is usually combined with the Río On pools and the Río Frío cave, both on the way.
Xunantunich, the accessible one
Many people’s favourite, for how easy it is and for how you get there: you cross the Mopán river on a hand-cranked ferry operated by one person, with your car on board. That alone is worth the trip.
Its pyramid, El Castillo, stands around 40 metres and can be climbed the whole way. From the top you see the Guatemalan border and the Mopán valley. It also keeps a beautifully restored stucco frieze on its eastern side.
It is twenty minutes from San Ignacio, near Benque Viejo. The obvious choice if you are short of time.
Altun Ha, the jade one
Small, orderly and close to Belize City, which makes it the standard cruise-ship stop. This is where the jade head of Kinich Ahau, the sun god, was found — the largest carved jade object in the Maya world and a national symbol of Belize, printed on the banknotes and on the local beer label.
You can see the site in a little over an hour. It is about 50 kilometres from Belize City and is usually combined with cave tubing at Caves Branch.
Lamanai, the one you reach by boat
Lamanai means “submerged crocodile” and the site was inhabited for more than three millennia, well into the colonial period: the same grounds hold Maya temples and the ruins of two sixteenth-century Spanish churches.
The best part is the approach: by boat up the New River from Orange Walk, close to an hour through mangroves, stopping for crocodiles, bats and birds. The Mask Temple, with its great stone faces, and the High Temple are the main pieces.
ATM: the cave with the Crystal Maiden
Actun Tunichil Muknal is not a ruin in the usual sense: it is a cave the Maya used for sacrifice. You enter by swimming, follow an underground river, climb over rock formations and finally, in a raised chamber, find ceremonial pottery and several complete skeletons in situ, calcified and glittering. The best known is the so-called Crystal Maiden.
Entry is only with an authorised guide, in small groups, from San Ignacio. Cameras and phones are banned after a visitor damaged a skull with a camera: there are no exceptions, so do not count on taking photographs.
It demands a reasonable level of fitness, is unsuitable if you are claustrophobic, and you spend most of it wet. It is by some distance the most powerful experience Belize offers.
Which to choose
- Short of time and without a car: Xunantunich.
- Genuinely interested in archaeology: Caracol, even if it takes a whole day.
- Travelling with children or off a cruise: Altun Ha.
- Want the journey as well as the destination: Lamanai, by river.
- After something you will not forget: ATM.
Practical advice
San Ignacio, in the west, is the natural base for almost everything: trips to Caracol, Xunantunich and ATM leave from there, and there is accommodation at every budget. For Lamanai, the base is Orange Walk.
Bring closed shoes with decent grip, repellent, plenty of water and a hat. Entrance fees usually differ for visitors and residents, and most sites take cash only.
