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The "people of maize", a name given to the Maya, are the descendants of a civilization that dates back several millennia, which stretched from the Yucatan and Chiapas, Mexico, to Belize, Guatemala and Honduras border areas and El Salvador.
These territories give to the today explorer a unique opportunity, combining the architectural and cultural achievements of the ancient Mayans to the rich and colorful traditions of contemporary life. The region also has received numerous blessings from nature: spectacular coral barriers, forests inhabited by many animals, sacred cenotes, rivers and lakes. The barrier reef of Belize is considered the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere and second largest in the world.
Merida |
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Immense archaeological heritage
Tikal, Chichen Itza, Palenque, Uxmal ... urban centers designed by this ancient and fascinating civilization are thus a source of inspiration for anyone who comes to this land. Chichen Itza the star of the archaeological sites of Yucatan and Uxmal capital of the so-called Puuc style. Palenque, wrapped in greenery virgin jungle. in the region of Chiapas The huge archaeological complex of Tikal (Guatemala) engulfed in a jungle setting and inhabited from the fourth century BC till 900 of common era.
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Chichen Itzŕ
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Colonial Architecture
The contemporary Mayan world seduces with its colonial towns. Merida, the capital of the Yucatán, with its bright colored façades. The small colonial city of Izamal, once an important Mayan pilgrimage center with the huge Convent of San Antonio de Padua, built on the site of a former Mayan pyramid.
Palenque |
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Our Travelogue
Starting from Merida, with Chichen Itzŕ and Uxmal conveniently placed nearby, we continued our trip travelling counterclockwise: a journey back in time in the Mayan civilization.
A seven hours bus ride took us from Merida to Palenque in Chiapas. From there we easily reached the Mexico-Guatemala border at Frontera Corozal on the Usumacinta river where we cleared Mexican border formalities. A small boat navigated us down stream the few miles to Guatemala, on the other side of the river. Here a Guatemalan bus company usually waits for tourist. They are already organized and on the way to Flores they took us to the Guatemalan Border Office for custom clearance.
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Tikal
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The lovely small town of Flores was our convenient base for exploring Tikal.
We returned to Mexico crossing Belize for a taste of Caribbean life in the small coralline island of Caye Caulker. From Flores, with a few hours bus ride, we reached Belize City on time to take the boat to Caye Caulker, reached on the late afternoon under a heavy rain that chilled the bay.
Belize |
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From Caye Caulker we headed back to Mexico with a direct boat trip to Chetumal. From here a convenient bus ride took us back to Merida, giving us the time also to visit the informative and well laid-out Museo de la Cultura Maya.
Our last taste of Yucatan flavor was the beautiful city of Izamal with its craft and restaurants.
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Izamal
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