Lubaantun
Located near San Pedro Columbia Village, Lubaantun is the largest Maya archaeological site in the south, and was one of the last major settlements built in Belize prior to the collapse of the Maya. This short lived Late Classic site, was built and occupied from 730 AD to 890 AD.
Temple walls were constructed of cut stone, fit without the use of mortar. The largest structure at Lubaantun rises 36 feet above the plaza floor. There are eleven major structures grouped around five main plazas and three ball courts. The controversial "Crystal Skull" was found here in 1926.
Tikal
The greatest of all Classic Mayan cities is located in Guatemala, about 50 miles northwest of the Belize/Guatemala border. Set in the jungle canopy, the site today consists of over 3,000 buildings, including a handful of impressively tall temples that tower above the forest. The site of Tikal is a national park, where the native flora and fauna still flourish relatively undisturbed. In addition to its numerous well-excavated temples and pyramids, Tikal presents an excellent opportunity for animal and bird watching. Along the paths, spider and howler monkeys, gray foxes and red coatis are visible to the visitor. The combination of archaeological remains and the natural environment of the Peten makes Tikal the only place in the world that has been declared both a Natural and Cultural Heritage for Humanity.
Caracol is the most extensive Maya site known in Belize. Covering thirty square miles of thick high canopy jungle, this Classic-period complex includes a number of pyramids, five plazas, and an astronomical observatory. Situated within the Chiquibul Forest, the site and surrounding trails are rich in tropical flora and fauna. Sightings of exotic birds, howler monkeys and other wildlife in the reserve, as well as en route are common. Caracol is now a Maya city in the process of being recovered from the jungle as excavation and reconstruction of the site are ongoing during the dry season.
Located across from San Jose Succotz Village, a few miles from the western border, this site can only be reached by a hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River. The partially excavated and largest pyramid, El Castillo, rises 130 feet above the main plaza and offers an impressive panoramic view of the upper river valley of Belize's Cayo district and nearby Guatemala. El Castillo is known for its frieze, a banded stucco decoration that at one time extended around the entire pyramid.
Cahal Pech Maya archaeological site, located just up hill from San Ignacio town, was once a major Maya ceremonial center. Its late Pre-Classic temples and two separate ball courts display fine examples of Maya craftsmanship suggesting this site was once a hilltop residence of royalty and their cadre. Abandoned by 800 AD, the site consists of thirty four structures on two acres and two primarily nature trails intended to provide insight into the agro-forestry of the ancient Maya.
Located seven miles west of the village of Bullet Tree Falls, El Pilar is one of Belize's largest Classic Period sites. A number of buildings at this site reach 50 to 70 feet in height, and the central plaza ruins consist of temples, palaces and housing for the elite. Most structures are in the earliest stages of excavation, but ambitious archaeological research is well underway at this site. Offering excellent birding, El Pilar has a total of five trail systems, three archaeological
Taking a scenic boat ride up the New River is the best way to get to Lamanai Maya Archaeological Site. Pristine tracts of jungle and savanna never cleared for sugar cane lie within this great Maya ceremonial center. It's setting in the New River Lagoon, with only jungle for miles around, gives it a special quality. Lamanai is one of only a few sites whose original Maya name is known - it translates to "Submerged Crocodile" hence the numerous representations of crocodiles here. It's remoteness contributed to its continuous occupation beyond most other Maya sites, until at least 1,650 AD.
Climb the challenging giant-sized steps at Altun Ha, the most extensively-excavated Maya site in Belize. It was once a major ceremonial center during the Classic Period, as well as a vital trade center that linked the Caribbean shores with other Maya centers in the interior. The ruin consists of two main plazas with some thirteen temple and residential structures.
Take a boat across the Placencia lagoon, where you will meet your van and licensed tour guide. The first stop is Nim Li Punit, a small ruin known for it's stelae. Nim Li Punit is from the Late Classic Period. The site features the tallest remaining carved stelae found to date in Belize (second-tallest in the Mayan world). Carvings on the tallest stella at the site shows a person wearing a very large headdress. The Maya name for the site, Nim Li Punit, translates to mean "big hat".
This site is partially cleared with work still in progress. Excavations so far have revealed twenty five stelae. Stelae are stone slabs set within ceremonial centers depicting aspects of a rulers life. Building stones were cut and placed without mortar similar to the structures at Lubaantun. Today thatched roof structures protect stelae from the elements.
