5 Mighty Mayan Ruins in Central America

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Fair to say that before I travelled through Central America I knew very little about the region’s history. I mean, I vaguely knew there were Aztecs, Mayan ruins, pyramids and human sacrifice, but that was essentially it. Pre-colonial Latin American history is not really something they teach you in Australia.

Now after visiting these countries I feel I have a slightly better handle on some aspects of the history here. By no means am I saying I’m an expert now, but at least I now have an appreciation for the different time periods in which the Mayans and Aztecs lived. Most of what I learned was through visiting one of the main draws these countries have to offer – their Mayan ruins.

When it comes to Mayan ruins, the best countries to visit are the northern part of Central America, i.e. Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Honduras. It’s here that you will find some incredible sites to explore Mayan history firsthand and marvel at their feats of construction. Here are five Mayan Ruins in Central America that you should seek out. To keep things interesting, I’ve chosen to omit the famous Chichen Itza site in Yucatan, Mexico.

 

Lamanai, Belize

Lamanai is an archaeological site found in the depths of the jungle in Northern Belize. From the town of Orange Walk the ruins are accessible by a speedboat trip down New River, passing jungle, sugarcane plantations, rum distilleries and Mennonite communities. Along the river, you’re bound to see some local wildlife, from birds and iguanas, to bats and crocodiles.

Once you dock at the Lamanai site, it’s a walk into the jungle through giant ferns and vine-strangled trees. The three big sites of Lamanai are the Mask Temple, Jaguar Temple and the High Temple. The first, the Mask Temple, contains two giant faces (replicas) sculpted into the face of the pyramid. The temple is also deceptive in its height.

Next is the High Temple, which lives up to its name. Like the majority of temples mentioned here, you’re able to climb to the top if you’re willing to clamber up steep, uneven steps. From the summit, you get spectacular views of the surrounds, from the river to the endless jungle.

Lastly is the Jaguar Temple, which unlike the others, is situated in a large field indicating the clearing of jungle to access the ruins. Atop Jaguar Temple, trees still grow, so you can imagine how hard it would have been to locate these temples when they were covered and hidden in the depths of the jungle. Similar to the Mask Temple, the front face of the temple bares images, this time the blocky faces of jaguars.

Where to Stay: Orange Walk or Belize City

Getting there: Day Tour from Belize City

Highlight: Climbing High Temple and realizing just how isolated the ruins are today

 

Copan, Honduras

The ruins of Copan lie just outside of the hilly town of Copan Ruinas near the border between Honduras and Guatemala. As the town is quite small and the ruins are walking distance, there aren’t big crowds to contend with while visiting the site. The ease of access to the ruins from town, together with the site being straightforward to navigate mean that it is possible to visit on your own, although you will miss out on some interesting insights into the history and culture.

Whereas most of the other ruin sites on the list are generally spread out, Copan feels quite self-contained. As you explore, it feels like the ruins are atop one another and that you are gradually climbing to the summit. The Mayans would only build their pyramids on flat ground, which is why you generally see large grassy fields surrounding these structures and that is more than evident here at Copan.

Across these fields particularly in the first area of the Great Plaza are many examples of Mayan stelae, rectangular stone sculptures featuring mythological and ritual carvings. None of the other sites can compete with Copan’s sculptures or carvings in the quantity or state that they are in.

The vast Acropolis is the main focus of the Copan ruins, a large pyramid with sections still in disrepair, trees sprouting from the stone. While there are multiple staircases, several are not in a state to be used. To gain access to the upper levels of the Acropolis, you need to walk away from the Great Plaza and up a small path off to the side. Once on top, you’re given fantastic views of the site and surrounding landscape, not to mention an arena-like plaza complete with seating.

Right by the park’s entrance there is a small enclosure that’s home to some macaws. These vibrantly coloured birds are indigenous to the area and quite nice to look at. You’re bound to see some other wildlife in the form of lizards and other birds, but the macaws are quite impressive.

Where to Stay: Copan Ruinas

Getting There: Tickets and Tours

Highlight: The masterfully inscribed staircase of the Hieroglyphic Stairway something unique amongst the sites on this list

 

Xunantunich, Belize

While the name Xunantunich might be a mouthful, it is the smallest group of ruins on this list. Of course this means there is less to see but it does make it easier to cover in a few hours, perfect for a half day trip. A significant benefit of Xunantunich is that it easily accessible from the town of San Ignacio in western Belize, just a short drive/bus ride west towards the Guatemala border. As the transportation often make up a significant cost of tours, Xunantunich can be explored on your own if you simply want to enjoy the presence of the monuments, without the history lesson.

To gain access to the ruins you must first take a tiny car ferry over the small river running down from San Ignacio. Once you’ve made your way to the front entrance there are several buildings hosting information boards about the site and its history. Continuing uphill you reach the first of the ruins and soon you are able to see pretty much the entirety of the site. It really isn’t a big place.

There are several ruins here, like the usual Pitz court where the Mayans played their ball sport. But the main draw is the Acropolis, a towering monument accessible by narrow winding stairs. Usually climbing these pyramids is fairly easy with the big straight stairs but that’s not the case here. There are some interesting chambers to look into, but the top is where the view is. From the top you can see pretty much the entire site, not to mention the surrounding countryside.

A special memory of mine at Xunantunich was when I witnessed two groups of howler monkeys have a confrontation presumably over territory. The cry of one howler monkey is impressive to behold, but the sound of two raucous groups having a screaming match was terrifying and awe-inspiring.

Where to Stay: San Ignacio, roughly 10km from site

Getting There: Day Tour from San Ignacio

Highlight: The precarious view of Belize and across the border into Guatemala from the top of the El Castillo Acropolis

 

Tikal, Guatemala

While you’re told that these ancient ruins were once cities, it’s sometimes hard to picture it. Visiting Tikal really helps with that, as it sprawls out through the jungle in all different directions. You start to recognise the ancient roads for what they were; once part of a great Mayan city and now simply lost in the infinite jungle.

Tikal was once the capital of one of the most powerful, aggressive and expansive Mayan kingdoms. As such, Tikal gets mentioned quite a bit when learning about the history of other Mayan sites. It clearly was also a planned city, when you see the deliberate way pyramids reflect each other with strict geometry.

A particularly special sight at Tikal is when you see the pyramids breaking through the forest canopy. From above the sea of branches and leaves only their tops are visible above. In fact, it is this view that gave Tikal one of its claims to fame; Star Wars: A New Hope used it as a filming location back in the day. That particular view is from the upper section of Temple IV. To get here you need to climb a long, long staircase that runs up the back of the pyramid.

As you move through the site, you move from temple to temple, each numbered Temple I, Temple II etc. For every giant pyramid you see, there’s several more lower lying buildings in ruin, covered in moss. There’s so much to see in Tikal that it’s hard to fit it all in with a day tour. Yet despite the vast number of ruined buildings, they each have a distinct appearance, both in shape and surroundings. Temple I and Temple II sitting at either end of the Central Plaza are the main focus of the site.

Lastly, you have a decent chance of spotting wildlife like toucans as you move through the jungle. Tikal was where I saw a toucan in the wild and was quite surprised by the call they make. Rather than some sort of squawk, it was more like a frog croaking of all things!

Where to Stay: Flores or Tikal campsite

Getting There: Day Tour from Flores

Highlight: Emerging from the dense jungle to find Temple V

 

Caracol, Belize

Of the ruins on this list, Caracol is probably the least visited by tourists. If I’m being honest, that’s partly why it was my favourite. It’s easy to understand why there are so few tourists though. To get there requires a considerable, two-hour drive through multiple forest reserves. During our visit, I think we only saw two other small groups exploring this massive site. And massive it is, covering roughly 200 square kilometers. Taking a tour really only provides a glimpse into what Caracol has to offer.

When it comes to never-ending pyramids, Caracol’s Caana Acropolis is king. Just when you think you’ve finally reached the top and are finished with steps, you’re met with more. The ruins at Caracol are a great example of how open to tourists these archaeological sites are. Nothing feels off-limits, everything is able to be climbed or explored. I do hope these sites retain their sense of freedom as their number of visitors grow in the future.

We were even fortunate enough to speak with part of the archaeological team working at Caracol. They were from the University of Central Florida and had returned each year for several months to excavate the site. The site is so remote, that they actually build a camp and live there while working. That opportunity to learn more about their work was unique among my visits to ruins.

Finally, driving back to San Ignacio we were incredibly lucky to see a puma standing right in the road. Our local guide, who had been running tours for 15 years said that it was only the sixth puma he had even seen!

Where to Stay: San Ignacio

Getting There: Day Tour from San Ignacio

Highlight: Finally reaching the top of Caana Acropolis after climbing on hands and feet up its endless stairs

 

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Have you visited any of these Mayan ruins in Central America? Do you think I’ve left any unmissable ones out? Let me know in the comments.