CAHAL PECH

These mysterious Mayan ruins have the advantage of being located high above the town of San Ignacio, about twenty minutes' walk from its center. The view is unobstructed, with the Maya Mountains to the south and the fertile valleys of the Belize River to the northeast. It's the ideal place to get an idea of the region's geography. The site was the center of a royal palace belonging to the family that ruled the region during the Classic Maya period. Occupied from 1000 B.C. by the first migrants, probably arriving from Guatemala by river, it was not abandoned until 1,800 years later, in 800 A.D. You can walk through seven squares and contemplate some 30 infrastructures, including temples, a ball court, residential buildings and an altar. A burial chamber was discovered in one of the buildings, containing shell and bone jewelry, obsidian arrows, ceramics and a magnificent mask decorated with jade and shell. Wandering around these ruins, which are still partially covered in vegetation, is a great opportunity for exploration, whether you decide to climb to the top of the temples to catch a glimpse of the Xunantunich temples in the distance, or make your way through the passageways and small rooms that link the squares together. A small museum next to the ruins allows you to learn more about the history of the Maya in Belize, as well as that of the site and the artefacts found there.