Top Ten Maya Sites To Visit In Belize

Known as the epicenter of the ancient Maya world, Belize once was home to more than
2 million Mayas. Sacred temples, pyramids, advanced science, agriculture,
mathematics, palaces, and awesome structures are their legacy. Without the use of iron
or the wheel, the civilization reached its zenith at the time when Europe was in the Dark
Ages.

This advanced civilization – supported by vast agricultural farmlands and trading

centers, held sway for well over 2,000 years. The Maya Empire evolved around 350
B.C. in the tropical lowlands Belize and northern Guatemala and reached its apogee
from 250 A.D. to 900 A.D. The arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century
spelled the beginning of the end of the Maya civilization that had already begun a
decline with many of its great cities and monuments abandoned perhaps due to war,
famine or break down of government structure.

The Maya civilization has permanently marked the landscape, as these top ten Belize
Maya Sites show.

1. Xunantunich
Xunantunich means “maiden of the rock” or “stone woman” in Maya, and is situated on
the Western Highway across the river from the village of San Jose Succotz. It can be
reached by ferry daily between 8 am and 5 pm. This site is less than one mile from
some lovely rapids of the Mopan River and provides an impressive view of the entire
river valley. Xunantunich is a Classic Period ceremonial center. The site core occupies
only 300 square meters but the periphery covers several square kilometers On the main
palace building is an astronomical carved frieze.

2. Altun Ha
Altun Ha is located 31 miles north of Belize City on the Old Northern Highway. A
two-mile dirt road connects the main road to the site. The area around the Altun Ha is
rich in wildlife including armadillos, bats, squirrels, agouti, paca, foxes, raccoons, coati,
tyra, tapir and the white-tailed deer. Two hundred species of birds have been recorded
and there are large crocodiles that inhabit the Maya-made water reservoir. Altun Ha, a
major ceremonial and vital trade center during the Classic Period, has two principal
plazas. The most significant find of Altun Ha is the “Jade Head”, which represents the
Mayan Sun God, Kinich Ahua; it is the largest object carved of jade in the Maya
civilization.

3. Caracol
Caracol Maya Ruin western Belize
Located on the western edge of the Maya Mountains within the Chiquibul Forest
Reserve, Caracol lies on a high plateau of 500m above sea level that drops into a deep
valley to the northwest and rises into hilly terrain to the southwest. The site was
discovered in 1938 by Rosa Mai, a logger looking for mahogany. That same year the
Archaeological Commissioner, A.H. Anderson, visited the site and named it ‘Caracol’
(Spanish for ‘shell’).

Caracol – Although one of the most challenging Belize ruins to reach, the trip to Caracol
is also one of the most scenic drives. It is the largest known Maya center within the
country and holds “Canaa” (Sky Place), the largest pyramid or man made structure in
Belize at 140 feet tall. A large part of Caracol is largely being discovered, but numerous
carved monuments populate the area, and the main reservoir is an engineering
masterpiece.

4. Cahal Pech
Cahal Pech is located on an imposing hill that overlooks the twin towns of San Ignacio
and Santa Elena. The name of the site means “Place of Ticks” in the Yucatecan Maya
language. This name was coined in the 1950’s when the area around the site was used
for pasture.

5. Santa Rita
A Mayan ruin in northern Belize that dates from 2000 B.C., Santa Rita is what remains
of Chactemal (modern-day Chetumal, Quintana Roo Mexico) an ancient Mayan city that
is the genesis of the Mestizo people after the first European contact in the region. Santa
Rita controlled trade routes within the boundaries of today’s Mexico and Guatemala.
Excavations have revealed fishing net sinkers and other objects, which point to Santa
Rita’s coastal importance. Remains of rulers with jade and mica ornamentation, as well
as others with gold ear decorations, show that the Mayan city had a commanding role
for trade in the Yucatan Peninsula and surrounding areas. Santa Rita is located on the

6. Lamanai
Lamanai is the Maya word for “submerged crocodile.” The site’s name – “Lamanay” or
“Lamayna” was recorded by Franciscan missionaries in the seventeenth century. It is
one of the only sites retaining its original name and is among one of the largest Maya
ceremonial centers. Most folks visit Lamanai by road through San Felipe, Orange Walk,
rather than by boat. A “jungle cruise”, the road trip is an excellent chance to see birds,
exotic plants and crocodiles. The site itself is even more spectacular; situated on a
major trade route, Lamanai is one of the longest occupied Mayan cities and was
inhabited for over two millennia. Lamanai has more than 719 mapped structures,
including two 16th century Christian churches as well as an intact 19th century sugar
mill. Due to the extraordinary length of time that Lamanai was occupied, one can
explore several periods of Maya construction techniques, from the Classic Period to the
Post Classic. Lamanai was the Maya Temple featured in the 7th episode of ABC’s The
Bachelor in February 2012.

7. Cerro Maya
From 400 B.C. to 100 A.D., Cerros, or Cerro Maya, was a pivotal coastal trading center.
With a Spanish name that translates to “Maya Hill”, Cerro Maya is located on a
peninsula across from the town of Corozal and in the Bay of Chetumal. Archaeologists
believe Cerros must not have survived long because of a shift in trade routes. At the
height of its day, the city distributed salt from mining communities and traded chert
tools. Today, Cerros is partially underwater, but what remains is stunning – including
five temples (one that is 72 feet high) and related plazas, a large canal system and a
beautiful panoramic viewed from the top of the temples.

8. Barton Creek Cave

Barton Creek is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Cayo District. In
addition to its natural beauty, the site contains a wide range of cultural remains that
were left within the cave as offerings by the ancient Maya. Artifacts, hearths, modified
cave formations, and human remains were deposited on ledges above the river
indicating that the cave was of great ritual importance to the ancient settlers of the
region.

9. Nim Li Punit
The name Nim Li Punit is derived from a carving on one of the site’s twenty six stelae,
which depicts a figure wearing a large headdress. In the Maya Kekchi language, Nim li
Punit means “the big hat.” The monument on which this carving appears is the longest
stela in Belize (Stela 14), originally located in an area called Plaza of the Stelae. These
ruins over look the Toledo coastal plain, milpas and rain forest. Having only one main
plaza, one pyramid, one ball court and a few moderately sized buildings, Nim Li Punit
fall is smaller compared to masterpieces found in other areas. But it has a large number
of stelae; twenty-five large, often huge, stone slabs and pillars, eight of them carved,
populate this small area. In fact, one of the stela is the tallest carved example in Belize.

10. Lubaantun

“Place of the Fallen Stones”. This Late Classic ceremonial center is noted for its
unusual style of construction distinctive of southern Belize. The large pyramids and
residences are made of dressed stone blocks with no mortar binding them together. The
buildings on top of the pyramids were made from perishable materials rather than
masonry and hence do not remain. The name is Maya for “Place of Fallen Stones.
Lubaantun is located north of the Colombia River, one mile past the village of San
Pedro Colombia, in the Toledo District.