Caracol - Travel & Tourism Guide Caracol - Belize

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Located near Chiquibul National Park, Caracol is the country's largest Maya site. The border with Guatemala runs along the western edge of the site. At its peak in 650 AD, the site covered an area of 220 km², with an estimated population of 140,000. Caracol's original name was uxwitz ajaw, meaning "lord of the three mountains". Access to the site is from San Ignacio, via a winding 40-kilometer road, only a quarter of which is paved. Only off-road vehicles can traverse the most rugged section. This tortuous route is said to be the origin of the site's contemporary name, caracol (snail).