Tikal
Our next adventure took us to Tikal National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is situated in the northern region of Guatemala, near the town of Flores in the department of El Petén. We arranged a transport service which picked us up at our apartment in Flores and took us to Tikal. Flores has become a nice little tourist spot as it is the landing place for visiting Tikal. It is right off the bay of a lake, and is a beautiful spot to relax in.
Tikal was once a major city of the ancient Maya civilization and served as a political, economic, and religious center from around 200 to 900 AD.
At its peak, Tikal was one of the largest and most powerful cities in the Maya world, with a population estimated to have been between 50,000 and 100,000 inhabitants.
The site includes towering pyramids, palaces, temples, and ball courts, all nestled within the lush tropical rainforest of the Petén region.
The most prominent structures at Tikal include the Great Plaza, Temple of the Jaguar (Temple I), Temple of the Masks (Temple II), and the Temple of the Great Jaguar (Temple III).
It is a huge site and you could spend several days to see the whole site. There are areas where excavation is still going on, and big areas where excavation hasn’t even started. The scale of this place will astonish you.
We enjoyed a little lunch with a cute little coati begging for some of our crumbs. He was fearless in coming up to us. We have a sneaking suspicion that he is used to begging from tourists.
You can get to Tikal either from Belize or from Guatemala. It is definitely a site to see. If you get a chance to see it, don’t hesitate. It is worth it.
