Petén is the largest departament of Guatemala, it is almost 13,000 square miles, mostly jungle (or used to be). The reason people travel to Petén now started with the preclasisc period of the Mayan civilization with Nakbé, El Mirador, Naachtun, San Bartolo and Cival. Later on, Petén became the center of the Mayan civilization during the classical period.
The remnants of this period are Ruins such as Uaxactún, Tikal, Holmul, Machaquilá, Naranjo, Nakum, Piedras Negras, Ceibal, Aguateca, Topoxte and Yaxhá. So this is why most people visit Petén, the wonderful Mayan ruins surrounded by the most beautiful jungle. There is only one airport and it sits right in the in the middle of the region, in Santa Elena. From here you can access all the major sites and it has the greatest variety of hotels and restaurants of the area. The most popular place to visit is Tikal. Tikal sits about 40 miles from town and every hotel can get you a ride there. You have to pay a small fee to enter the park. There are 3 hotels in the park (Jaguar Inn, The Jungle Lodge and Tikal Inn). Tikal was the largest and most important Mayan city. Here you can enjoy a great diversity of plants and animals (I have personally seen a Jaguar here) and is a prime spot for bird watchers. Uaxactun is about 45 minutes further past Tikal. The ruins feature several partially restored pyramids, observatories and palaces in the rainforest.
Just outside Santa Elena is the cave of Actun Kan. It is theorized that it was used as a site of ritual worship by Mayans living in the area, the cave today contains no archeological relics. One formation resembles the rain god Chac. A short boat ride across the lake from Flores takes visitors to Petencito recreational national park, administered by the University of San Carlos. Visitors may also visit the Cerro Cahui ecological reserve on the northeast shore of Lake Petén Itza, the 1600 acre reserve is home to toucans, monkeys and many other rainforest species.
Excursions to the ruins of Ceibal, Aguateca and Dos Pilas begin in the village of Sayaxche, located on the banks of the Pasion River. Ceibal, set in a protected forest, can be visited by jeep or boat. It offers an unusual blend of Maya and Toltec art and architecture including a very unusual structure, the Circular Temple of the Jaguar, built under Toltec influence. Aguateca can be reached by boat in about an hour and a half from Sayaxche. This fascinating tour takes visitors through winding canals to the spectacular Lake Petexbatun. Dos Pilas, some what more difficult to visit can be reached in about a four hour hike from Lake Petexbatun.
Yaxha is about one hour east of Tikal. The ruins of Yaxha are located on the shores of a lake by the same name. This was the site of the reality-TV show “Survivor”. Here there is only one hotel “El Sombrero” which I highly recommend. Another site, Topoxte, is situated on an island in the lake. The lake is teaming with crocodiles so I would not recommend swimming, but some times you can see Jabiru storks.
The Island of Flores is the “Capital” of the region. This is one my favorite places in the world. It retains much of its original colonial stile (cobblestone streets, arched doors, winding alleys). There are excellent restaurants here and I would recommend Las Puertas, they have the pest paninos and milk shakes plus in the evenings there is live music. The people of this island have great pride in it and it is a tight nit community, they will make you part of it if you stay any length of time. There is a good variety of hotels but they don’t wander too far in price range. Still you can find hotels fir for backpackers to more luxurious accommodations.
The remnants of this period are Ruins such as Uaxactún, Tikal, Holmul, Machaquilá, Naranjo, Nakum, Piedras Negras, Ceibal, Aguateca, Topoxte and Yaxhá. So this is why most people visit Petén, the wonderful Mayan ruins surrounded by the most beautiful jungle. There is only one airport and it sits right in the in the middle of the region, in Santa Elena. From here you can access all the major sites and it has the greatest variety of hotels and restaurants of the area. The most popular place to visit is Tikal. Tikal sits about 40 miles from town and every hotel can get you a ride there. You have to pay a small fee to enter the park. There are 3 hotels in the park (Jaguar Inn, The Jungle Lodge and Tikal Inn). Tikal was the largest and most important Mayan city. Here you can enjoy a great diversity of plants and animals (I have personally seen a Jaguar here) and is a prime spot for bird watchers. Uaxactun is about 45 minutes further past Tikal. The ruins feature several partially restored pyramids, observatories and palaces in the rainforest.
Just outside Santa Elena is the cave of Actun Kan. It is theorized that it was used as a site of ritual worship by Mayans living in the area, the cave today contains no archeological relics. One formation resembles the rain god Chac. A short boat ride across the lake from Flores takes visitors to Petencito recreational national park, administered by the University of San Carlos. Visitors may also visit the Cerro Cahui ecological reserve on the northeast shore of Lake Petén Itza, the 1600 acre reserve is home to toucans, monkeys and many other rainforest species.
Excursions to the ruins of Ceibal, Aguateca and Dos Pilas begin in the village of Sayaxche, located on the banks of the Pasion River. Ceibal, set in a protected forest, can be visited by jeep or boat. It offers an unusual blend of Maya and Toltec art and architecture including a very unusual structure, the Circular Temple of the Jaguar, built under Toltec influence. Aguateca can be reached by boat in about an hour and a half from Sayaxche. This fascinating tour takes visitors through winding canals to the spectacular Lake Petexbatun. Dos Pilas, some what more difficult to visit can be reached in about a four hour hike from Lake Petexbatun.
Yaxha is about one hour east of Tikal. The ruins of Yaxha are located on the shores of a lake by the same name. This was the site of the reality-TV show “Survivor”. Here there is only one hotel “El Sombrero” which I highly recommend. Another site, Topoxte, is situated on an island in the lake. The lake is teaming with crocodiles so I would not recommend swimming, but some times you can see Jabiru storks.
The Island of Flores is the “Capital” of the region. This is one my favorite places in the world. It retains much of its original colonial stile (cobblestone streets, arched doors, winding alleys). There are excellent restaurants here and I would recommend Las Puertas, they have the pest paninos and milk shakes plus in the evenings there is live music. The people of this island have great pride in it and it is a tight nit community, they will make you part of it if you stay any length of time. There is a good variety of hotels but they don’t wander too far in price range. Still you can find hotels fir for backpackers to more luxurious accommodations.
youtube Video of Tikal
