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Cahal Pech Mayan Ruins & Museum

San Ignacio, Belize
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Type: Ancient Ruins
Description: This ancient Mayan site features a museum and several dozen surviving structures.
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228 reviews from our community

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Minneapolis, Minnesota
Top Contributor
57 reviews 57 reviews
33 attraction reviews
Reviews in 37 cities Reviews in 37 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2013

This place was across the street from my hotel so I had to check it out and I was pleasantly surprised. Very nicely preserved/restored Mayan Ruins. Nothing extraordinary and not to the scale of Tikal but an easy hour or two tour allows you to see it all.

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Here
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2013

This site was a little on the small side. If you only have time for one, I would actually suggest Xunantunich. It is not very far away from this site. It is also small, but has the very impressive "El Castillo." That will give an amazing view when you climb to the top.

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Baghdad, Iraq
Senior Contributor
34 reviews 34 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 May 2013

"Place of Ticks" is what Cahal Pech translates into. Easy self guided site to visit. What a mysterious place. I found this to be a very spiritual experience here. It is less visited by the masses of tourists, and I think the serenity of this special place, lends to the overall experience. The onsite museum has an abundance of artifacts,... More

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Montreal, Canada
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 May 2013

We arrived in San Ignacio late in the afternnon and wanted to enjoy the last few hours of sunlight so decided to go to Cahal Pech since it's soo close to town. It was really worth it. We got a guide named George who ended it being the most interesting and involved guide we had throughtout the trip. He was... More

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See 3 more reviews by Josiane G for San Ignacio
Madrid, Spain
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 May 2013

We liked that you didn't have to go with a guide and didn't really need one. The museum before you go in is great.

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See 7 more reviews by mandakay82 for San Ignacio
Chico, California
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5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

Certainly not the most spectacular ruins in Belize, but well worth a visit. Close in and easy to get to, walkable for most every skill/mobility level, and while you can wander through on your own, the guides I've overheard have great stories to tell! The scale doesn't detract from the ruin's ability to tell it's own stories, and the little... More

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See 3 more reviews by Mijestic for San Ignacio
Brackendale, Canada
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4 reviews 4 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

The oldest of all Mayan Ruins believed to be 300BC, but recent discoveries now date it 3000 to 300 BC. Smaller site with only portions excavated, but more work is being done to reveal mor of the temples. Lots of chambers to explore.

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Valdosta
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 May 2013

Well, we weren't all that jazzed about visiting the ruins. But these are quite close to the San Ignacio Resort so we set off hiking for them. Let me tell you, the hard pack road goes from flat to 90 degrees up in one motion...wow. We huffed and puffed and finally got to the top. And it was well worth... More

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See 5 more reviews by Julie M for San Ignacio
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 May 2013 via mobile

Having visited the ruins in Caracol, this wasn't as big or exciting. But if you're staying in San Ignacio, try to check it out before you go to the larger ruins and it will give you a sense of perspective. It has two large buildings. The first one you can walk through the multiple rooms/wings. If you go to the... More

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See 2 more reviews by Wheresmynexttrip76 for San Ignacio
Charlotte, NC
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 April 2013

These were the first ruins we saw on our trip, and we enjoyed the hike up from San Ignacio and the fact that we could explore the ruins with very few other visitors. It lacked some information about the specifics of the buildings, but the visitors' center had some nice info and artifacts which gave a good overview of the... More

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