Which ruins to see?

[FLchick2]

Hello Everyone,

 

I’ll be going to Cozumel, Belize, Costa May and Roatan in December.

 

I’d like to see some ruins!

 

Can you please tell me which of the ruin sites (if any) have multiple structures to see, and which of the ruin sites have one structure to see?

 

Thank you in advance.

[niceandslow]

Altun Ha, Xunantunich, Lamanai in Belize all have more than 3 structures each!!!

[ERICnLISA]

Altun Ha was pretty good. Would like to do Lamanai next.

 

Altun Ha

[war_eagle99]

I vote Xunantunich because you can climb to the top of the pyramid. I've seen the ones in Costa Rica and Tulum and neither allowed you as much access to the ruins... though Tulum is pretty awe inspiring

[crewsweeper]

I vote Xunantunich because you can climb to the top of the pyramid. I've seen the ones in Costa Rica and Tulum and neither allowed you as much access to the ruins... though Tulum is pretty awe inspiring

 

I'd second this. IT is an all day tour though and you're better off being on a crusie ship excursion to do it. Altun Ha is closer to Belize City and easily done via independent vendors if you don't want the long bus ride.

 

Lamani is a longer boat ride up the coast and supposedly very impressive. However, it's available via independent vendors not via ship and due to distance and Murphy's Law (if anything can go wrong, it will), you run the risk of not getting back to your ship by last tender.

 

For other ports, the ruins near Costa Maya are impressive and I think you can still climb on them (could have changed), unlike Tulum. Native Choice runs a good tour filled with local Mayan traditions and food, with good reputation on getting you back to port.

 

Cozumel, you'll have to take a ferry to Playa del Carmen then bus or collectivo to the ruins at Tulum. Ship tours to here are long days and their provided "lunch/refreshments" are skippy. time at the ruins isn't as long as you'd hope for and you are indeed required to stay on designated pathways.

[Warmer Climes]

The ship cruise to Lamanai was th best excursion my family has done. Bus ride with interesting commentary about Belize followed by boat ride up the river followed by the ost fantastic Mayan ruins we have seen. Excellent.

[FLchick2]

Thank you everyone for the feedback!

 

It's greatly appreciated!

[Ara macao]

Great pyramid at Xunitunich - Highlights are three courtyards, 2 ball courts, a palace, and the great pyramid - You spend a total of 4 hours on the bus: 2 here and 2 back to Belize City with a mixture of forest and farmland for scenery. If you're ok with that, the visit is well worth the travel time.

[Big Tillie]

I have been to Xunantunich and to the Lamanai ruins. I enjoyed Lamanai the most. The trip up the river was a blast, the ruins were spectacular, and the lunch was good. Climbing to the top of the pyramid was fun and climbing down was a little scary since it is so steep. The Lamanai excursion was the best excursion we have taken out of 8 cruises. We went through Island Marketing and got back to the tender dock with about 45 minuted to spare. There always seems to be a long line waiting for tenders at the end of the dayin Belize, so they are usually loading the tenders well past the stated "last tender time"

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Each of the ruins have something that is unique. (i.e. near Belize city, can climb them, or need to take cruise tour.) You need to decide what are your priorities and your budget. Can you endure a long bus ride? Are you willing to take a boat from Cozumel? (I visited Mayan ruins on Cozumel and they are not in the same class as the others) Do you want to see the ruins or do you want to climb them? The big one is how much are you willing to spend?

 

We visited Altun Ha from Belize City. It has multiple structures and we could walk and climb on the structures. It was a relatively short trip from the city. (1+ hour) and very reasonable from a private vendor.

[FLchick2]

We've decided on Chacchoben in Costa Maya with Native Choice.

 

We are going to start out with a shorter tour for our first tour of ruins. :)

 

Again, thank you everyone for the feedback. It's very much appreciated.

[pdmlynek]

Although the OP has already decided, but this question about which ruins to see in Belize comes up frequently, thus it might be appropriate to settle this question. I have been studying Maya archeology, history, and culture off and on for about 20 years (just as an enthusiast, not as a professional) and have travelled to various Mayan sites many times, including the three sites in Belize to which the cruise lines sent their passengers. We have visited these three sites in November 2011.

 

Several notes:

 

(1) The Ancient Maya have lived throughout the entire area of what is now Belize, and one can find archeological evidence everywhere. There are hundreds of sites of various archeological quality and significance throughout the whole country. Of these hundreds of sites, there are about 5 major sites: Altun Ha, Lamanai, Xunantunich, Caracol, and Lubaantun.

 

(2) When it comes to picking Ancient Maya sites for Belize, the cruise lines did an excellent jobs in selecting the appropriate ones. All three sites (i.e., Altun Ha, Lamanai, and Xunantunich) that the cruise ships picked are major sites for Belize. There are dozens of smaller sites that are just as close or closer to the ship, that the cruise lines have correctly ignored. This can’t be said for site selections in, for example, Cozumel, where the cruise lines offer excursions to even some third rate archeological sites, from which cruise passengers invariably come back disappointed.

 

(3) All three sites that cruise ship excursions visit in Belize have been partially excavated, and pyramids have been consolidated (i.e., rebuilt by archeologists), and you or your kids are able to climb pyramids and other structures on all three sites. A few portions of pyramids are off limits, but generally there are no official restrictions on climbing on structures. This is not like Chichen Itza where climbing is forbidden, or Tulum, where everything is roped off and people are herded on crushed gravel walkways. Whether the excursion guides will allow you to do so (for liability reasons) is another question.

 

(4) The sizes of the three sites are comparable. All have multiple pyramids to climb. None of them are huge (like Chichen Itza or Copan or Tikal), and within a few hours you will see pretty much the whole site. It is also not so small like so of the sites in Puuc Hills. I have no idea how long the excursion last, but guidebooks that specialize in visiting Mayan sites, and which I have found to have good estimates, recommend spending 1.5 hrs in Altun Ha, 2 hrs in Xunantunich, and 3 hrs in Lamanai.

 

(5) If you are looking to take photos of your family members or friends each standing on a different distant pyramid, then go to Altun Ha or Xunantunich. Specifically, if you are looking to put your friends on different pyramids across a wide field of view, then Altun Ha is best; if you are looking to put your friends on different structures in a row, then Xunantunich is best.

 

(6) If you are looking for an overgrowth of a jungle, then Lamanai is the best. The pyramids in Altun Ha and Xunantunich are around plazas of lawn. On the other hand walking between structures in Lamanai the paths generally wind through a jungle (except for one open plaza, P2). The nice thing about walking in a jungle is that you are walking in a shade. If you are visiting from a cruise ship, you will be visiting the site during the hottest part of the day, thus walking in a shade does make a big difference.

 

(7) If you are looking to climb a tall pyramid, go to Xunantunich or Lamanai. El Castillo (structure A-6) in Xunantunich measures 127 feet. El Castillo (structure N10-43) in Lamanai measures 108 feet. Though the Lamanai’s El Castillo is a little bit shorter than the one in Xunantunich, it appears higher from the ground, because you have to climb is straight up holding onto a chain as you climb. El Castillo in Xunantunich is easier to climb for people who are afraid of heights. However, because of the vast grassy plaza in front of El Castillo in Xunantunich, when you are at the top, it does appear that you are significantly higher than from El Castillo in Lamanai which is most surrounded by treetops. (The tallest pyramid in Altun Ha is Temple of the Masonry Altars with 59 feet).

 

(8) If you want to include in your excursion a visit to unconsolidated and overgrown structures where tourists generally do not wander, where your kids can feel like Indiana Jones, and where you can see how the structures looked like before archeologists consolidated them, then go to Xunantunich or Lamanai. In Xunantunich there is a path leading westward from the southern edge of the ball court for about 500 feet to about 7 structure of “middle class residences” called “Group B”. In Lamanai there is a path heading further north from the Mask Temple looping around a huge unexcavated, unconsolidated “Structure P9-25” (it is about 90x110 meters, reaching heights of 28 meters, making the most massive structure in Lamanai). Note that P9-25 is not on most tour books (except for Lonely Planet) and not on maps posted on the bulletin boards at the entrance to the site. It will take more time to go off to hike to P9-25 in Lamanai, then to hike to Group B in Xunantunich.

 

(9) If you are looking for the best way of getting to the site, go to Lamanai. All or a portion of the trip to Lamanai is on a speedboat on a river. This is generally the preferred way of getting to Lamanai. You’ll see monkeys getting into the boat, and you’ll see crocodiles, etc.

 

(10) If you are looking for the closest site to Belize City, go to Altun Ha. However, about half of the road from Belize City to the turn off to Altun Ha is on an old potholed road.

 

(11) The road from Belize City to Xunantunich, is fast, goes through a picturesque country, but it is a long drive. You are essentially going across the whole country, almost into Guatemala.

 

(12) If you want to visit a site on your own, and want to rent a car to get there, then go to Altun Ha. This is the easiest of the three to drive to and see.

 

(13) If you want to rent a car to visit Xunantunich on your own, the drive is long (130 km or so) but the road is in a relatively good condition. The trickiest part is getting though Santa Elana/San Ignacio; you should study maps of this twin town to save yourself the time.

 

(14) If you want to rent a car to visit Lamanai, then you need to be early enough to make it to the bridge across the New River from underneath which speed boats take off for Lamanai. There is usually someone hanging around the bridge who could take you to Lamanai for a reasonable fee if you miss the boat. It is also possible to drive all the way to Lamanai, going across the bridge crossing the New River, and then turning south on a packed gravel, unmarked, road through Mennonite farming communities. Note that both ITM maps (250K Belize and 500K Yucatan) differ from each other and from reality, thus you should rely on Google Earth. If you get lost, try out your German language skills.

 

(15) At the entrance to any of these sites will be locals who you can hire to be your guide.

 

(16) If you want to visit Caracol, which is a little bit more impressive Mayan site than Altun Ha, Xunantunich, or Lamanai, then it will be very difficult to do it on a daytrip from a cruise ship. To get there, you’ll need to drive on Western Highway almost to Xunantunich, then head off south into jungle covered mountains for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours on a deeply rutted jungle tracks (4WD drive is preferred, but we did it during dry season in a front wheel drive car), and then you will need to report by 9:15 to the military outpost in Douglas da Silva, from which you will join a convoy of cars protected by military escorts for about another hour to reach Caracol. At 14:00 you will head back, and reverse to process.

 

 

In summary, I don’t think that you can go wrong with either Lamanai, or Xunantunich, or Altun Ha; all have plusses and minuses, all are very good sites, but none is a truly world-class site. I hope that this has helped.

[Ken076]

pdmlynek - Thanks!!!!! ken

[reno3]

pdmlynek - Thanks!!!!! ken

Ditto, great information :D

[suzski]

Although I know the subject is a moot one for the OP, I just wanted to add my impression of Lamanai for others that may click on this post as we just returned from a (land) trip to Belize where we visited these ruins. We had quite the adventure just getting there as we had to traverse an EXTREMELY potholed road for an hour and a half to get to the river. But once there....wow!

 

First off, you get to see McAfee's (of the Antivirus fame) Belizean vacation home. Then, Monkey Island...home to some very hungry spider monkeys who will attempt (and probably succeed) a boarding of the boat to get bananas:). As you proceed towards Lamanai, you'll see Jacanas (aka Jesus Birds) walking on the water lilies, a myriad of beautiful birds, lizards, deer, crocodiles, etc. It's Disney's Jungle River Cruise but real! As you approach Lamanai you'll be able to glimpse the tallest temple and perhaps hear the howler monkeys - now you're reminded of Jurassic Park! The walk through the jungle to the various temples is instructive as you learn how the various plants and trees can be used medicinally. Climbing the highest temple is amazing, as you have a wonderful 360 view over the jungle canopy to the river - and in my case the howlers decided to pick that time to get very vocal....absolutely surreal.

 

The bottom line is that, while the ruins themselves may not be the most impressive (although they were great), the entire experience, with the spider and howler monkeys and the river trip, made it the absolute highlight of our entire trip.

[Floridiana]

pdm... Great information, just what I was looking for. Thank you so much.

 

Now, where is the greatest Mayan ruin site?

[peg013]

I'd second this. IT is an all day tour though and you're better off being on a crusie ship excursion to do it. Altun Ha is closer to Belize City and easily done via independent vendors if you don't want the long bus ride.

Lamani is a longer boat ride up the coast and supposedly very impressive. However, it's available via independent vendors not via ship and due to distance and Murphy's Law (if anything can go wrong, it will), you run the risk of not getting back to your ship by last tender.

 

For other ports, the ruins near Costa Maya are impressive and I think you can still climb on them (could have changed), unlike Tulum. Native Choice runs a good tour filled with local Mayan traditions and food, with good reputation on getting you back to port.

 

Cozumel, you'll have to take a ferry to Playa del Carmen then bus or collectivo to the ruins at Tulum. Ship tours to here are long days and their provided "lunch/refreshments" are skippy. time at the ruins isn't as long as you'd hope for and you are indeed required to stay on designated pathways.

 

The tour above that I made red is available on the cruise ship the OP is sailing on (Norwegian Dawn) in fact we are considering doing it thru NCL on the Dec 2 leg of our B2B. The cost is $99.

[Floridiana]

I checked our cruise ship's website again, although details on excursions are not out yet, the only two ruins mentioned are Altun Ha and

"Cahal Pech, a major Mayan site on a hilltop".

 

Is Cahal Pech a good alternative to Altun Ha? You don't mention it.

 

Maybe I should mention that we would like to fly to Tikal from Santo Tomas, Guatemala. Probably a $$$$$ excursion offered by the ship.

[pdmlynek]

pdm... Great information, just what I was looking for. Thank you so much.

 

Now, where is the greatest Mayan ruin site?

 

The greatest? That would be probably reserved for Tikal (in Guatemala) or Chichen Itza (in Yucatan, Mexico). Copan (in Honduras) or Uxmal (in Yucatan) would also be pretty close to being described as the greatest as well.

The greatest Mayan site in Belize is Caracol.

[pdmlynek]

I checked our cruise ship's website again, although details on excursions are not out yet, the only two ruins mentioned are Altun Ha and

"Cahal Pech, a major Mayan site on a hilltop".

 

Is Cahal Pech a good alternative to Altun Ha? You don't mention it.

 

Cahal Pech is a less significant site than Altun Ha, or Xunantunich, or Lamanai.

Cahal Pech is a smaller site, about 2 acres, essentially one complex. Touring Cahal Pech takes about 45 minutes (compared to Altun Ha which is about 1.5 hrs).

[Floridiana]

Thank you for your input. It is really appreciated.

 

I wonder why they would drive us almost to the border of Guatemala to a small site. In 40 days, I will know more. That's when they publish their excursion schedule.

[OKC Cruisers]

Thanks to pdmlynek for what has to be the best set of information on the Mayan sites I have seen on these boards. We are going to Belize on Mariner of the Seas the week of December 21, 2012, and knew we HAD to visit one of the ruins. Now it's down to Lamanai or Xunantunich...but I think either will be great!

[rockbock]

Amazing comparison, pdmlynek. I'm researching which ruins for my parents to visit in either Belize or Costa Maya, and your review is very helpful. Do you happen to know anything about the ruins in Costa Maya?