Xunantunich was a Classical period City of the Maya and is thought to have been a subordinate partner of Calakmul in the fight against the regional superpower of Tikal. Like many of the ruins in the surrounding locale, its heyday was in the Classic period and by the 10th Century was in serious decline.

The name Xunantunich means 'Stone Woman' and is a modern name given in honour of the ghost which is said to be haunting the site. The original name is still unknown.

Not that much is actually known about the history of the site, though we do know that at its height, it was a significant partner in the wars against Tikal. By the late 10th Century, the Classical Maya hit their major decline and Xunantunich was abandoned. Some historians believe this may have been because of an earthquake that hit the City, but that was probably only part of the reason, as most other Cities in the lowlands were deserted at the same time.

The first modern exploration of the Xunantunich site was in the 1890s by a Dr Thomas Gann, a British Army medical Officer. Gann drew diagrams of the El Castillo pyramid and many other structures and when he returned in 1924 he also removed some carved glyphs, which have since gone missing.

Over the next few decades, more exploration teams excavated Xunantunich and found many buried items which have helped to piece togther the history of the City.

Gann battles pirates along Belize's coast and goes upriver with Mitchell-Hedges to the lost city of Lubaantun where they excavate a strange lost city where the crystal skull was discovered. Lubaantun is a unique city in the Mayan world as it is built out of precisely carved blocks of stone without the usual plaster-cement facing. Lubaantun contained several large pyramids partially destroyed by earthquakes and a large amount of artefacts. This book, written by the first Western Explorer, Dr Thomas Gann, expresses well the feelings he must of felt and is a great insight into what it was like to walk amongst the lost ghosts of the Maya World!

This guide covers Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and the Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco, plus Guatemala, Belize and parts of Honduras and El Salvador. It includes practical information on the best places to stay, eat and drink. This guide is the most helpful literature for those visiting the Maya region with plenty of maps and advice. Also, it is not only devoted to the ruins and culture of the Maya, but also has pages on the surrounding areas too. A must have for the modern explorer!

As you walk into Xunantunich you will notice El Castillo, the second tallest Mayan structure in Belize, rising to around 40 metres in height. This pyramid dominates the rest of the site and is the main draw for visitors to Xunantunich. The carvings on El Castillo are especially fascinating and delightful.

The site is based around six plazas, which in turn are surrounded by approximately 25 other structures, but most buildings are in the area of only three of the plazas.

If you take some time exploring the outer buildings you will almost certainly find yourself alone. Something I always find quite exciting, making you feel like a turn of the century explorer!

The visitor centre at the entrance to Xunantunich is worth a look round with plenty of useful information that will help you make sense of the site. Further afield is the ruins of Actuncan, a pre-classic City which was probably the forefather of Xunantunich.

Caracol is another of the Maya Cities that gained prominence during the so-called Classical period. Much of the buildings on the site date from this time, though it is believed that the site was first settled around 1200BC.

Caracol was one of the largest Classical period Cities with up to 180,000 people living there and was a major player in the fight against the almighty City of Tikal. A mounument standing in the site is in memorial to a great victory over Tikal in 562AD.

Caracol was a mighty City in the Maya World in the Classical period and it is thought they had a powerful middle class population. This helped develop Caracol and led to an immense agricultural system and a well established City.

Caracol is yet another modern name, which is Spanish for 'snail', the name of the City during its Mayan occupation is thought to be Oxhuitza, but this is just an educated guess by Mayan experts.

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Ancient Caracol was one of the larger of the Maya Cities and covers around 65 square miles. The City had over 30,000 structures, which is a far greater density than that of Tikal.

Due to the Caracol site being so isolated, many cases of looting occurred and now there is a permanent caretaker to make sure the site is protected. Many of the tombs lost valuable artefacts, but luckily some of the glyphs inside are still visible.

The tallest Maya structure in Belize is found here. The Caana meaning 'sky palace' stands at 42 metres high with a plaza at the top and three pyramids. It's quite a view from here and it is well worth the energy of a hike to the top.

Beneath the Caana is a string of tombs, that were heavily looted. The glyphs inside can still be seen and many tell the story of conflicts between Caracol and Tikal.

The site is also a perfect place to observe the local fauna and many visitors go with this in mind. So, if you feel like you have temple fatigue, just sit down with a picnic and do the Belizean jungle's version of 'people watching'!

Just like Tikal, Xunantunich can be easily visited from the Belizean resort of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Day trips are on offer where you can mix a visit to the ruins with another highlight on the way.

Organising your own vacation is now a lot easier and can offer you the chance to create a vacation that suits you!

It really is up to you what you want to see and experience on your trip and you could combine a trip to some Mayan ruins with a hike in the Mayan Mountains or diving in the Barrier Reef.

Building your very own custom-built vacation has never been easier, with the power of the internet and the competition between travel companies.

This example of a custom vacation will take you on a two week trip to Belize with a mixture of different side trips to give your vacation a little bit of everything Belize has to offer!

Firstly you will need a flight to Belize and one of the best places to find these is Travelocity. Travelocity seaches through its database to find the cheapest available flights and is perfect for Americans, Canadians, Europeans and those from the United Kingdom.




So now we have the flights to Belize sorted, we need to think about accommodation. This site offers good discounted rates on top hotels in many destinations.




It searches for the best rates available just like a cheap flight search engine.

For this example vacation, we are planning a two week trip to belize, with one week in San Ignacio in the heart of the Belizean jungle and another week relaxing on the beaches of Ambergris Caye.

Obviously you must remember that this is just an example, you can plan your trip to be pretty much anything. You might prefer more time relaxing on the beach with a good book or you might be one of those who are like me and cannot get enough adventure!

Having purchased our flights and Hotels in San Ignacio and San Pedro (Ambergris Caye), we look at what excursions could make our trip the 'one' to remember!


Viator is the perfect place to look for excursions, whether you are visiting Belize or just having a quick holiday in the Canaries. Trips are always cheaper than buying from your package provider and are never overpacked with fellow daytrippers. Quality and not quantity is the philosophy for Viator.

In this example we are planning to stay for a week in San Ignacio and in this case it would be better to use local tour operators than Viator, as they have more tour options. Caracol is a prime example, being more isolated and harder to visit.

If you are planning a quick visit to the region from Ambergris Caye however, Viator offer a wonderful day trip to Xunantunich from San Pedro, which also stops off at the wonderful Belize Zoo too.

Other trips in the San Ignacio region on offer from local tour guides include multi-day jungle hikes, from which you will be able to appreciate the natural splendour and abundance of wildlife of the region and tours which are led by local Maya explaining the history of Mayan medicine.

In Ambergris Caye, there are many choices for excursions and activities. Viator offer many trips from the resorts and will pick you up direct from your Hotel. Whether you want to snorkel or dive around the sublime reefs or visit some of Belize's World class wildlife sanctuaries, Viator will have a tour for you!