Ruins Of Belize: San Pedro's Ancient Wonders

Belize is home to more than 600 Mayan sites, including sacred temples, ceremonial pyramids, and ancient water reservoirs. The best-preserved Mayan ruins in Belize that are accessible from San Pedro include Lamanai, Altun Ha, Xunantunich, and Cahal Pech. These sites can be visited via a day trip to the mainland, with an early morning local flight to Belize City and ground transportation to the archaeological site.

Lamanai, meaning submerged crocodile in Mayan, is one of Belize's largest Mayan ceremonial centres, located in the Orange Walk district on the New River Lagoon. The site features beautifully preserved Mayan ceremonial buildings, including the 108-foot-high High Temple and the Jaguar Temple, a stepped pyramid with a jaguar head.

Altun Ha, a major ceremonial centre during the Classic Period (250-900 AD), is located about an hour's drive north of Belize City. The site consists of two main plazas surrounded by over a dozen Mayan temples, pyramids, and residential structures.

Xunantunich, located across the river from the village of San Jose Succotz in the Cayo district, is another popular Mayan ruin accessible from San Pedro. The site features El Castillo, Belize's second-tallest Mayan structure, which was likely used as an ancestral shrine for the ruling family.

Cahal Pech, located in the Belize River Valley, is one of the oldest-known ruins in the region. The site features two ball courts and around 34 structures, providing valuable insights into the complex residential architecture of the ancient Mayans.

Lamanai: A Mayan site accessible by boat from San Pedro, featuring a 108-foot-high temple

Lamanai is one of Belize's most popular Mayan sites to visit. The name, Lamanai, means 'submerged insect' in Mayan, but archaeologists have found that by adding the suffix 'ayin', it changes the meaning to 'submerged crocodile'. This conclusion is supported by the discovery of a large number of crocodile images, including pottery decorations, figurines, and a headdress made from limestone, found on what is believed to be a sixth-century temple platform.

The site is located on 950 acres of land and is one of Belize's largest archaeological centres. The core site covers about 12 square miles and includes over 100 minor structures, a ball court, at least 12 major buildings, and three temples. These temples are: The Mask Temple, The Jaguar Temple, and The High Temple.

The ball court was where the ancient Mayans would play ball games with a hard rubber ball. The players would wear protective gear and bounce the ball using only their hips, elbows, or knees. The winners of the game were treated to a feast, while the leader of the losing team was put to death, which is believed to have fit in with the Mayans' belief in human sacrifice.

The Mask Temple features a human head with a crocodile headdress, made from stone. It is dated back to AD 550-650. The Jaguar Temple, originally built in the sixth century, is named for its boxy jaguar decoration and is approximately 65 ft high. It features a mask of a jaguar with a protruding nose.

The High Temple is the largest Pre-classic structure in Belize. Visitors can climb the 108-foot-high temple for a spectacular view—on a clear day, you can see into Mexico and Guatemala.

To get to Lamanai, you must first make your way to Orange Walk Town, about two hours northwest of Belize City by bus. Then, you'll hop on a boat for a 26-mile ride up the winding New River. The boat tour offers excellent opportunities to see wildlife, including iguanas, lily trotters, snail kites, and crocodiles.

Lamanai is also accessible by boat from San Pedro, Belize. The journey begins with a 10-minute boat ride to San Pedro Town, followed by a 15-minute flight to Belize City. From there, a 60-minute van ride through the Northern Highway takes you to Tower Hill, where you'll board a boat and cruise the New River. Keep an eye out for different species of birds, including the famous Jabiru Stork, as well as crocodiles and howler monkeys along the way.

Altun Ha: A Mayan trading centre, home to the largest carved jade object found in the region

Altun Ha, located about 50 kilometres north of Belize City, is the archaeological site closest to Belize City. It is one of the best-excavated Mayan archaeological sites in Belize. The site was inhabited by the Mayans from 900 BC to 1000 AD and was a major trading centre during the Mayan Classic Period.

Altun Ha is unique in that it has no carved stelae, but it is famous for its large jade carving of the Mayan sun god, Kinich Ahau. Weighing almost 10 pounds, with a height of 6 inches, the jade head is the largest carved jade object found in the region. A replica of the head, considered a national treasure, is on display at the Central Bank of Belize, and its likeness is watermarked on all Belizean currency.

The site consists of two main plazas surrounded by over a dozen Mayan temples, pyramids, and residential structures. The site also features the Temple of the Masonry Altars, which, at 16 metres, is the largest of Altun Ha's temple-pyramids. A drawing of this structure is the logo of Belize's leading beer brand, Belikin.

Altun Ha is accessible for tourism and is a popular day trip from Belize City.

Xunantunich: Features El Castillo, the second-largest Mayan structure in Belize

Xunantunich is one of the most popular Mayan sites in Belize. The site was founded in the Preclassic Era and is roughly a square mile in size. Six plazas and 25 temples were constructed, including El Castillo, the second-largest Mayan structure in Belize.

To get to Xunantunich, you'll need to travel to the village of San Jose Succotz in the Cayo district. From there, a hand-cranked ferry will take you across the Mopan River, followed by a one-mile drive uphill to the archaeological site.

El Castillo ("The Castle") is the dominant structure at Xunantunich, with some archaeologists believing it was used as an ancestral shrine for the ruling family. The pyramid is adorned with friezes depicting gods of creation and the tree of life. Standing at around 130 feet from top to bottom, it is the second-largest building in Belize, after the Sky Palace at Caracol. Climbing to the top of El Castillo offers a breathtaking 360-degree view, with the possibility of seeing as far as Caracol and Guatemala on a clear day. Keep your ears open for the distinct call of the howler monkeys that live in the area.

Xunantunich is estimated to be much older than the large structures that were built starting in the 7th century. Some experts believe people were living there as far back as 3,000 years ago. The site is also known for its intricate carvings, providing a glimpse into the Mayan civilisation's culture, astronomy, and architectural ingenuity.

Caracol: The largest Mayan city-state in Belize, located in the Chiquibul Forest

Caracol, the largest Mayan city-state in Belize, is located in the Chiquibul Forest in the Cayo District. This impressive city was once home to more than 140,000 people and covered an area larger than modern-day Belize City.

Caracol is a sprawling site with over 35,000 known structures, including temples, causeways, courts, and reservoirs. The highlight for most visitors is the Canna ("Sky Palace"), the tallest man-made building in Belize, which rises 143 feet and houses four distinct palaces and three temples. Caracol also features an astronomic observatory, ball courts, altars, reservoirs, and hieroglyphics.

The city was abandoned by the Mayans around 900 AD and has since been partially reclaimed by the jungle. However, it still covers approximately 25,000 acres, offering endless opportunities for exploration. Visitors can get a sense of the size and complexity of the site from a scale model at the visitor centre.

Caracol is known for its advanced acoustics, which allowed announcements from priests and rulers to be heard by masses of people in the plaza below without any amplification. The site is also home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including howler monkeys, toucans, and oscillated turkeys.

The ancient Maya people placed great ceremonial importance on the nearby cave systems, and evidence of their presence can be found deep within the karst cave formations in the form of pottery, stone tools, and ritual objects.

Caracol is accessible via a day trip from San Pedro, involving an early morning flight to Belize City and ground transportation to the site. Visitors can also combine their visit with other mainland tours, such as cave tubing or a trip to the Belize Zoo.

Marco Gonzalez: A 2000-year-old archaeological reserve, offering insight into the lives of Mayan traders

Marco Gonzalez is a 2,000-year-old Maya archaeological site located near the southern tip of Ambergris Caye, Belize, about five to eight miles south of San Pedro. The site was first recorded in 1984 by archaeologists Drs. Elizabeth Graham and David (M.) Pendergast, who named it after their local guide, Marco Gonzalez.

The site is approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of San Pedro Town and is surrounded by dense jungle and mangrove swamps. Access to the site is difficult, especially during and after the rainy season, as the trails leading to it have become overgrown.

Despite the challenges of accessing the site, it offers a unique glimpse into the lives of the ancient Maya traders who once inhabited the region. The site is believed to have been occupied from the late Preclassic Period until around 1500 CE when it was abruptly abandoned. During this period, the Maya inhabitants are thought to have engaged primarily in salt production, fishing, and trading.

Excavations at Marco Gonzalez have uncovered a wealth of artefacts, including pottery fragments, human skeletons, jars, bowls, jewellery, and tools made from materials such as chert and flint. These discoveries provide valuable insights into the trading networks and cultural practices of the Maya people.

The site consists of at least 49 distinct structures and walls, with the remains of buildings and plazas. The structures are relatively low platforms, ranging in height from 30 centimetres (12 inches) to 4.2 metres (14 feet). Notably, there are no pyramids or other typical Maya structures present at this site.

The preservation and interpretation of the Marco Gonzalez site have been led by the dedicated efforts of local residents and archaeologists. Despite funding challenges, they have worked to develop the site for tourism and educational purposes, including guided tours and educational initiatives for school children.

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