El Castillo — Attraction in Cayo District

El Castillo is the star of the show at Xunantunich, the piece de resistance. It is not easily missed as it towers over the rest of the ruins and can be climbed to the very top for fantastic views of the area. If the stones are wet, it can be quite slippery so be very careful... the steps are not even and the risers are quite high. There are a couple of handrails near the top but not nearly enough and there are certainly no barricades to prevent one for going off the edge and possibly dying. If you have young children, hold them close to you. On the back side are a couple of small rooms; I don't know what the purpose was as there are no information signs.

I have been to many Mayan ruins throughout Central America and this site is my favourite, partly because unlike other countries, you are allowed to climb all over the ruins and partly because of this immense example of Mayan ingenuity and...

Xunantunich is an Ancient Maya archaeological site in western Belize, about 70 miles (110 km) west of Belize City, in the Cayo District. Xunantunich is located atop a ridge above the Mopan River, well within sight of the Guatemala border – which is 1 km to the west.It served as a Maya civic ceremonial centre to the Belize Valley region in the Late and Terminal Classic periods.At that time, when the region was at its peak, nearly 200,000 people lived in the...

Fascinating history of the Mayan civilization. Amazing 360 degree views from the top of El Castillo looking into Guatemala. Climbing to the top I learned the steps are so high because they would climb the stairs using their hands as well. I had to give that a shot on my way up and it definitely felt more efficient! Great place to visit. There is still much left to excavate, which you can...