First time to Belize and wanted to visit a Mayan Ruin while there...which do you suggest? Also, how would I get from Placentia to Tikal without going back through Belize City?

I went to Altun Ha, was perfectly content with the ruins there. I didn't go to the others so I can't really say that Altun Ha was the best.

Of the ruins easily accessible from AC I find Lamanai more impressive than Altun Ha.

Lamanai!

Having visited most of the major ruins in BZ,as well as some of the smaller, I vote to make 3 in a row - Lamanai, and book Daniel Nunez, Tanisha Tours. The man is unbeatable! Assuming of course, you are considering a daytrip from SP.

Lamanai hands down for your first visit. I agree, Daniel Nunez was excellent.!

Lamanai with Daniel Nunez!

Lamanai! it's so beautiful! but it's a long boat/bus/boat ride... but so worth the trip!!!!

Lamanai, even the long boat ride is a great nature trip. Tourist ask me about Birding tours every day. I tell them 'Lamanai' for pristine canopied rain forest habitat, you also pass thru mangrove river habitat and riverine habitat. Best ruins and artifacts on display. There are half a dozen operators in San Pedro that do the trip and all seem to do the same basic Lamanai trip.I couldn't say one guide was better than the other and I've done the trip with them all at one time or another in my 20 years of birding by boat.
Tikal is a pain in the butt to get to and no better than Lamanai

Xunantunich is amazing!!! This is in the Cayo district. If you climb to the very top you can see Guatemala!!

my vote from the ones I have visited which are Altun Ha, Lamanai, and Xunantunich would be Lamanai. Tikal in Guatemala second.

Caracol is supposed to be very pretty and quite different than the rest I hear.

We've seen Xunantunich, Tikal and Caracol - and of course all were great in their own ways. We really liked Caracol - I think because it is so unique as Kra-Z-K states above. And yes, very pretty - felt almost like being in a fantasy land. And the reservoir that stills holds water is beautiful. Still have a pic of that on my desktop.

We plan on Lamanai next time we're down. The river part of the trip really intrigues me.

upon last visit in march 07, i was surprised as the progress being made at Cerros.
one of the few Mayan ruins on the ocean (Bay of Corozal).



boat trip to Lamanai from Orange Walk is a blast!
and great deal for 20-25 bucks.

Altun Ha is cool but you must figure out what time the tour buses are absent.

OK! That was:
Tikal 1
xunantunich 1
Altun Ha 1
Carocal 1
Ceros undecided
and Lamanai 9
I might point out that the $20.to 25 dollar fee mentioned by some one is for a person that is practically there already and the trip from San Pedro sells for $155.usd.including tax.

If you are in Placencia, Lubaantun & Nim Li Punit are really the only ones accessible enough for a day trip. You could get to any of the others but it would not be doable in a day. To get to Tikal without going to Bz City - you would have to bus or drive to San Ignacio area and go by land from there. The only flights to Tikal are via Bz City.

If you'd like to get a preview, I have pictures from the sites mentioned above on my personal website

http://www.fge3.net/pict/pict.htm

I try to take enough pictures to give an impression what the whole site is like, although there are never really enough - there are quite a few pictures out there.

Let's hope everybody is OK through Felix. Our prayers are with everyone down there.

Is there anyone that can compare Lamanaii to Chichen Itza for me?

fge3, that's quite the trip you folks took! Thanks for sharing. How did you get from place to place? How did you plan this trip and how long were you gone?

Thanks in advance.

Chichen Itza is way larger and way more touristy, with a whole shanty town of vendors set up outside the site. Mostly excavated and surrounding jungle stripped away. Very touristy. Lamanai is much smaller, not fully excavated and in more dense jungle, and located alongside a big lagoon off the New River (so water views from the tops of some of the pyramids). Not nearly as touristy although getting more touristy (and trashed) by each cruise ship load. Mayan wise - Chichen Itza would be more comparable to Tikal or Caracol with observatories, special astronomy points, tons of buildings, etc.

Tulum is majestic.


The only problem is the ruins are roped off at a distance of about 150 feet. So a picture does just as well. I like the fact that you can still climb around on the sites in Belize, at least for now. As carrying capacities increase with cruise ship arrivals, I'm sure the wear and tear will limit the access to these amazing remnants of Belize's past.

In Belize, I like Cahal Pech for various reasons.

SIN

[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:csjjOmsJ-wwC9M:http://www.tulum-dreaming.com/images/tulum.gif[/img]

Thanks Barbara and SIN. Beautiful shot SIN. I've been to both Chichen Itza and Tulum. At Tulum, I was able to walk around and within most parts, except for the . .um, heck, whatever it was called, I'll call it the main temple with the baby birthing area in it.

I don't really remember any vendors outside Chichen Itza. Doesn't mean they weren't there, just that my focus was elsewhere.

To my mind, if it weren't for the stunning setting, Tulum ruins haven't a patch on Chichen Itza.

In any event, now that I've had your input, I think we'll just go and then we can compare Lamanai for ourselves.

Seashell: I have been to Tulum several times and Chichen Itza once. To me, Chichen Itza is da bomb as far as ruins, history, etc., but the ocean and location of Tulum is beautiful. I really liked Lamanai too, but did not think the ruins were as spectacular as other places; however, the bus ride, boat ride and the entire experience to get there was well worth the price.

OK, now I'm getting confused. So, if a person had been to Chichen Itza and Tulum and now had to make a choice for a day trip from Ambergris to a ruin in Belize . . the answer is Lamanai, right? And there shouldn't be any disappointment because the whole trip overall offers its own uniqueness, yes?

yes and yes

Thanks buddy.