OlsonPDX

My husband and I have one full day in the Cayo region, which Mayan site should we see? We are going mid-May and will have a rental car, but will probably sign up with a tour. We want the most memorable experience.

Suzie2

Just for starters, I don't think you can drive across the border with a rental car so a tour would have to be the way you go to Tikal unless you bus it on your own.

I have been to Caracol. It was my first ruin and it of course blew me away. That said, I have since been to Tikal twice since then and it is amazing. I am looking forward to going back again someday. Caracol has limited buildings uncovered where as Tikal has many. The one main one at Caracol is pretty awesome and climbing up to the top and looking around is great. They say that all the hills you see are actually other ruins that have been covered over. There is a Ceiba tree there that is hundreds of years old. If you stay in Belize maybe you could make a day of it in that area and stop in on Rio on Pool, Rio Frio, etc. Very pretty although the pine trees have been hit by some blight so aren't nearly as nice as they used to be. Or, go to Xunantunich for more ruins.

Pull up my pictures of Tikal on my Guatemala Revisited posting to get an idea of what Tikal is like. You will have to weed through my other Guat stops as it is near the end.

kaneda

Definitely Tikal. Lots of walking and climbing. Consider an overnight stay in nearby Flores. A small town by a lake.

hopefulist

I vote for Tikal, overnight stay highly recommended. Happy trails!

OlsonPDX

Thank you all for the input, it sounds like we should see Tikal for our first trip to the area. We are really looking forward to it!

bpeluso

You only have one full day in the Cayo? I would stay in the Cayo and skip tripping to Guatemala - just me though. I've never been to Tikal and I do hear it is spectacular, but so are Caracol and Xunantunich. We did Cahal Pech and Xunantunich in one relaxing day (yummy lunch at Chaa Creek) and had a lovely tour of Cahal Pech with John Moguel - he really knows his Mayan history and gives a fabulous tour of Cahal Pech - small but oldest ruins in Belize - he also knows a lot about Mayan herbs and medicinal plants. After our guided tour with John, we headed over to Xunantunich without a guide and climbed to the top for some amazing views - careful if you are afraid of hieghts! The shopping was great on the Western Highway at the hand-cranked ferry that takes you to Xunantunich.

Caracol is supposed to be gorgeous too and there are several stops on the way down. Cahal Pech Village Resort will set up a crazy day long tour which starts with a canoe trip through Barton Creek Caves, Caracol, 1,000 foot falls, the rio pools and finishes up with dinner with a local Mayan family. It is a very full day.

The Cayo is great - I'm sure Tikal is too, but I am glad we stayed put and got to enjoy the San Ignacio area.

Suzie2

You aren't kidding about the shopping by that ferry!!!!

AlJ

Pictures of both are on our web site, along with Xunantunich. I'd pick Tikal but Caracol won't disappoint you. The ride to Tikal is more interesting than the ride to Caracol too.

www.AlandSueJohnson.com
Look under trip reports / Belize / San Ignacio 2005

Xunantunich is under the Placencia trip report.