Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Uxbenká
Just east of Santa Cruz, 4 miles west of San Antonio
The ruins of little
UXBENKÁ
(“ancient place”) are superbly positioned on an exposed
hilltop on the eastern fringes of the village of
Santa Cruz
. There are no signs to the site;
look out for a thatched
palapa
above the southern side of the road. Neither is there a
visitor centre or caretaker, so to understand its minimally excavated structures it's best
to ask in the village for a guided tour from someone associated with the TEA
guesthouse (see box, p.220).
An early Maya political centre from the Early Classic period, Uxbenká may even have
existed in the Preclassic era, and had links to Tikal. It's believed to have been a major
agricultural centre, engaged in cultivating
cacao
on terraces nearby. he core area
consists of seven architectural plazas spread across three ridges. Appearing to contain
the civic, ceremonial and elite residences of Maya society, it has been grouped into
three clusters: the
Stela Plaza
(Group A), an “
acropolis
” residential group (Group G),
located atop the highest hill, and a set of five conjoined
plazas
(Groups B-F), the site's
main ceremonial groups.
The star finding at Uxbenká is what may be the oldest
canoe
ever discovered in
Mesoamerica. Possibly a stylized rendition rather than a functional canoe, it was
found in a cliff-top cave, and has been carbon dated to somewhere between 120
and 240 AD.
6
Río Blanco National Park
5 miles west of San Antonio, 12 miles west of Dump • Daily 8am-5pm • Bz$5
he roadside
Río Blanco National Park
offers easy access to a broad cascade in the Río
Blanco. From the wooden visitor centre - a simple hut propped on stilts and set just
back from the highway - a short trail leads down through the forest to the spot where
the
Río Blanco Falls
tumble 15ft over a wide, rocky ledge into a deep pool. Taking a
quick dip is all but irresistible - there's even a little changing cabin alongside.
A network of hiking trails used to extend into the wilderness on the far side of the
river, but sadly the swaying plank bridge has collapsed, so there's now nothing more to
the park than the waterfall.
Pueblo Viejo
16 miles west of Dump
In the village of
Pueblo Viejo
, four miles west of Río Blanco National Park, an
impressive series of
waterfalls
on Pueblo Creek make a dramatic spectacle. Above the
cascades, a steep trail leads through orchid-laden rainforest to a mountaintop overlook;
ask in the village for a guide.
Blue Creek
14 miles west of Dump, via Mafredi; 30 miles northwest of Punta Gorda • Buses to Blue Creek leave Punta Gorda at noon on Mon, Wed, Fri
& Sat (1hr 30min)
At the tiny village of
Mafredi
, about 5.5 miles from San Pedro Columbia, a branch road
heads south and west to
BLUE CREEK
. The main attraction here is the village's namesake
stream - a beautiful stretch of water that emerges from magnificent rainforest to flow
through the heart of the village. As well as holding the
Blue Creek Rainforest Lodge
(see
p.221),
Blue Creek also offers activities such as hiking and caving under the TEA
programme (see box, p.220). Ask at the roadside
Sho's Local Restaurant
for a reliable
guide
.
he
Tumul K'in Center of Learning
(
T
608 1070,
W
tumulkinbelize.org) is an active
community development organization with programmes in Maya culture, philosophy,
cultivation and food processing (try the papaya jam), plus a radio station. Eco-tourism
activities are run by Rosemary Salam, including tours to Maya sites and cultural nights
with food provided - book in advance.
