Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Southeast of Tikal, the remote ruins of Yaxhá, overlooking the site's namesake lagoon,
remainaremotejungleoutpostdespitetheirprime-timeTVfameandyoucanstillhavethe
place all to yourself on a typical afternoon. But that probably won't last too much longer.
Petén is without a doubt the cradle of Mayan civilization, as it lays claim to some of the
oldestknownMayansitesalongwiththeearliestevidenceofthewritingandroyaldynastic
rulecharacterizingthecivilizationthatflourishedhere.AttheremotesiteofElMirador,on
the northern fringes of Petén near the Mexican border, you can gaze in awe at the massive
temple pyramids of El Tigre and La Danta, which were erected centuries earlier than most
otherwell-knownMayansitesbutnonethelessshowmuchthesamelevelofsophistication.
All of these sites are harbored within the Maya Biosphere Reserve and its seemingly in-
terminable expanses of mostly undisturbed tropical forests. Hikers will appreciate the nu-
merous opportunities for trekking to remote Mayan ruins along jungle paths, creating the
potential for adventures not unlike those of the early explorers.
Parque Natural Ixpanpajul:
The hanging bridges and nature trail here
provide a toucan's-eye view of the Petén forests. There are other fun activities in
this private nature reserve just minutes from Flores (
Parque Natural Ixpan-
