Life In Belize – ALTUN HA TRIP FROM SAN PEDRO
If you’ve had a chance to visit San Pedro, you likely know that it is a perfect place to lounge on the beach. But if you are looking for an excursion we recommend visiting the mayan ruins. It is a must see experience that can be done from San Pedro or anywhere in Ambergris Caye. The excursion is something that you can do in the day and still be back at your hotel by evening.
One of the closest to visit is Altun Ha. It can be done in a day trip. Your day starts at 8:30am. Your boat captain will pick you up from your hotel dock. Sit back and enjoy the 45 minute boat ride from San Pedro to Belize City. Once you arrive in Belize you’ll travel through a dense mangrove canopy through the Belize River. Upon arriving at the mainland your air conditioned van will be waiting to drive you to Altun Ha. The ruins are only about a 45 minute ride away.
Altun Ha is a Mayan word that translates to “Rockstone Water”, named after the man-made water reservoir located on the site. It is believed to have been inhabited from approximately 900 B.C. to 1000 A.D. And may have been home to more than 10,000 people. A sign marking the spot greets you after you walk through the entrance gate, along with a historical marker. Altun Ha once contained 13 structures and 2 main plazas, but today, only a few of these remain. One of the surviving structures is the Sun God Temple.
For bird watchers, there are reportedly more than 200 species of birds found in and around the site. As you walk past the Rockstone Pond, you are almost immediately greeted by the remnants of the first structure, what appears to be a burial mound of some kind. You then walk into the first main plaza, also known as “Plaza A”, where several large ruin structures become visible. The Temple of the Green Tomb was built in the 5th-6th centuries, and hidden deep in the center of the building was a central tomb containing more than 300 jade artifacts. A world filled with history and mystery.
Altun Ha is worth a visit if you come to Belize, and probably the easiest of the Mayan ruins to reach given its proximity to Belize City. A stone throws away from the island. Get transported to ancient times while in San Pedro.