You may be wondering if visiting the Mayan Ruins is something worthwhile if visiting Belize. I am here to tell you that you are missing out if you do not. When my husband and I visited Belize last spring, we went to see the ruins at Lamanai. This was a recommendation by our dear friend Luciana on Caye Caulker.
Why did we visit Lamanai?
Luciana is a friend on Caye Caulker who rents a couple of apartments on Back Street. This ruin and the journey to get there was the most beautiful in her opinion. I can attest to that. Once we got to the site all became well worth it. The site had multiple Mayan sites with a tour guide that gave us the historical aspect of each one. Now before you book this tour, be aware that it is an all day event.
How did we get there?
Now, this is the part that may very well put you off. To get to these ruins, we had quite a journey. Before I tell you about it, you should know that getting to any ruins from Caye Caulker is going to be a trip. Most of the ruins are far from the beach. This one, in particular, is very far.
First, we took the 7:30 am water taxi from Caye Caulker to Belize City. We were met there by a guide who drove us to the Belize New River. This ride was probably the least interesting part of our trip. This ride was about an hour and a half one way.
Our next step was a boat ride along the river for roughly another hour and a half. This part of the trip (while long), was beautiful. There was tons of greenery and wildlife to see, including a female alligator and her babies. Our driver was very professional and answered any questions we had along the way about Mayan culture and the sites we saw. Furthermore, there are many Mennonite communities along the river that were interesting to see. Quite a journey, but one that was well worth it.
Was the journey worth it?
Yes, yes and yes! The trip to the site may have been long, but if you are someone who enjoys adventure, it is well worth it. The river was beautiful, and the ruins were amazing. We saw various Mayan Temples and what history thinks is a residence for a ruler in that area. We were also able to climb atop one of the temples that not only gave you a beautiful view of the landscape around but is something that you could not do back in the States or Canada.
Along the trail of the ruins, there was wildlife, including monkeys and many different types of birds. After we had explored the ruins, our guides cooked us a homemade Mayan meal of beans, rice, and chicken. They also had fresh fruit, juice, and water served. It was one of the best meals we had on our trip.
Any negatives?
When my husband and I went to the ruins, we went with my Mom and Dad. You may be wondering if kids are an option to bring. I would have to say it is not impossible, but probably not the best choice. This trip becomes quite a long day with a long car ride, boat ride and walking involved.
If your kids are older, then I think you are fine, but for the little ones, it may be too much.
The boat ride may also be a point of concern. I have mentioned before that my sister gets motion sickness. This boat ride would have been awful for her, and there are Mayan Ruin options that are accessible by land and not water.
What should I pack?
Although we packed many items, there were more than a few items that we wished we had brought with, so I want to encourage you to not forget these.
Water
Although drinks are included at lunch we took our water for the ride, and it was a great decision.
I am a big fan of using reusable containers like the Klean Kanteen.
Simply put, when you live on an island the environment stops being a distant concept and becomes plastic on the beach.
With that in mind I highly recommend buying one of these bottles. They will keep your drink icy cold all day during your travel to the ruins.
Sunblock
You do not want to take this boat ride without sunblock. Bring plenty and apply it often.
We learned on our boat ride that there was no cover. This quickly turns into an endurance test without a couple of items to protect your skin from turning a dark red.
So avoid being called "Lobster Man" for the rest of your vacation and make sure you order a sunblock lotion that is sport active (so you don't sweat it off) and SPF 50 or better.
Hat
Ok, let me start by saying I believe that a great hat is probably the most important travel tool you can buy. Lets just review a few of the basic needs it solves.
Keep the rain off. I am amazed how much walking, riding and working in the rain is tolerable when you have a hat on to keep the water out of your eyes.
Keep the sun of your face, head and neck. I love my Tilley hat because its wide brim does a great job of keeping the sun from frying my neck, forehead and ears.
Insect Spray
We use an essential oil that is produced on the island. You can find the lady who produces it on our map. It is safer and more effective than the Deet stuff you buy. As a bonus, it also has natural sunblock properties.
I prefer to use the spray version of this because it works well with the sunblock lotion I mentioned above.
There are also a couple of other products out there that combine sunblock and insect repellent but frankly we have not had much success with them so I don't feel comfortable recommending them.
I also want to point out that we usually use a natural oil that can be bought on the island for insect repellent. You can find the location for the oil on our map.
There are a couple of reasons we prefer the oil over commercial products.
It is all natural. I am not a natural nut but Deet for prolonged uses does scare me a bit.
It works well with No See Ums. Frankly, Deet does nothing for these little blood suckers so we only use commercial repellents when we know the primary attack will be mosquitoes.
Last, the natural oil lasts longer. You put it on in the morning and reapply it a couple of times a day.
Hiking Shoes
You will be walking so take shoes that will be comfortable.
During most of our lives on Caye Caulker we wear flipflops.
On this trip I used my Merrell Hiking Shoes and man was I glad I had them.
The rocks on the trails as we walked around the ruins would have given me blisters and a twisted ankle or two if I had stuck with my reliable sandals.
A Buff
Let me start by saying that while in a tropical environment I use one of my Buffs (I have three) every day.
When snorkeling I put it on my head to keep the top of my head from getting burned.
When boating I put it around my neck and up over my nose to protect that area. I learned this trick from some of the local ferry captains. They use these things daily.
What about cost?
For this excursion, we paid roughly 75$ US per person (not including the water taxi). Let's break this down for you in what is included:
1.5-hour drive to the river (and return trip).
A 1.5-hour boat ride along the river with a guide (and return trip).
1-hour long exploration of the ruins with guided tour who talked about Mayan history and present day culture.
Homemade lunch and drinks included.
All in all, this is not a bad price for all that you get on this excursion.
Other Mayan Ruin options?
If you are not interested in such a long excursion, there are other options:
Altun Ha, which is just 30 miles north of Belize and the easiest site to get to, it completely accessible by land.
Caracol and Cahal Pech, both located near San Ignacio are also land accessible.
Cerros is also a great option that is located right off the coast of Belize and easier to reach.
I will note though that Lamanai is the Belize favorite and noted to be the most beautiful site.
Time to finish!
So, all in all, the Mayan Ruins are something worth seeing while in Belize. When we went, we saw Lanai, and it was beautiful. It is a full day trip though so don’t make any other plans!
There is so much to see there, and drinks and lunch are included for just 75$ US. However, I realize that some of you may want to not spend a full day, or have children and want to see the Mayan ruins without ruining their day. Altun Ha is a great option that is completely accessible by land and is just 30 miles north of Belize City.
And finally yes, that is me and my husband picking the nose of the Mayan Ruin above!