Just got back a week ago from visiting some very impressive ruins - Palenque, Yachillan, and Bonampak, all in Chiapas, Mexico.
On privious trips I’ve seen the Mixtec ruins in Oxaca, the various sites in and around Mexico City, and the lowland Maya sites of Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Kabah etc.
So now I’m asking all and sundry - where should I go next if I get the chance, Tikal in Guatemala, or Copan in Honduras? What’s your opinion, and why?
I’d particularly like to hear from anyone who has been to both, but of course, all are welcome to comment.
I haven’t been to Copan, but I have been to Tikal. I’ve also been to Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Palenque, Monte Alban and Teotihuacan.
Tikal was the best. The Rolls Royce of Mayan Ruins.
The climb to the top of Temple IV, and the resulting iconic view back over the roofcombs peaking through the jungle canopy, is something that will stay with me forever. As will the sound of the howler monkeys in the trees as we arrived at dawn.
Didn’t travel widely in Guatemala. Flew from Merida to El Peten and stayed three nights on the island. Arranged an early morning trip to Tikal through the hotel. Flew back to Cancun for three nights chilling on Isla Mujeres before heading back to Scotland. Great trip.
Oh, and Ike Witt, that’s exactly what I meant by “iconic view”. The exact shot they used as the Millennium Falcon comes into land. Awesome.
I’ve been to Copan, which was nice, but my guess is that Tikal is more impressive. I think the appeal of Copan is more the history and quality of the sculpture, while Tikal offers more “wow” factor.
That said, the town near Copan is quite pleasant and the ruins are exquisite. I really don’t think you would go wrong with either one.
Tikal is very impressive. I haven’t been to Copan, but one of the most enjoyable things about it is the extent to which you are immersed in the rainforest. Some other ruins have been largely or entirely cleared, but Tikal, at least when I visited, was very much temples in the jungle. The size and scale of the ruins is breathtaking as well.
Copan is impressive, but not huge. I was there in around 1984, so things may have changed. But at that time climbing the pyramid wasn’t permitted. They did have a sacrificial altar which was sobering.
Several years ago we went to Belize to do some diving ( excellent, by the way ) and took a bus up to the border town of San Ignacio. The lodge we stayed at set arranged a visit to Tikal and I thought it was quite impressive. They permitted climbing some of the temples but they are quite steep and I would not advise trying it. As noted earlier, much of the city is still covered with vegetation which I think adds to the appeal.
When I was there - granted, it was back in 1998 - you could climb Temple II and Temple IV. They were very different propositions. Temple II has been completely cleared, so it was straight steps up and down. I am not good with heights so didn’t, although my travelling companions did. Temple IV was still covered in vegetation, and there was a series of wooden steps up through the undergrowth to the exposed roof comb at the top. This I found less dizzying and quite easy to do. And, as mentioned above, so worth it for that view.
I never felt threatened or endangered while traveling in Guatemala.
Well, maybe an exception – when the bus stops at a med fly spray station – everybody hustles off the bus, they heavily spray insecticide in the bus, everybody quickly back on the bus, choke and hold your breath and hope your window is open so you can breathe a bit until the air clears.
One more small exception – when you look down the side of a very steep mountain road and hear the driver repeatedly slamming the brake pedal to the floor trying to build up some braking pressure – kinda brings a real understanding of why the word “plunge” is so common in headlines regarding Central American bus crashes.
Bus travel is very inexpensive. On some routes there may be new, high quality buses available for a couple dollars more, but mostly I traveled on old worn out Greyhound (Galgos) or Bluebird school buses; choose seat carefully – if the seat back is reclined it may be reclined permanently and the window may be permanently open or closed – and the rest room hasn’t functioned for years. Note also that the local bus may be the back of a pick-up truck or a station wagon – just pile in with everybody else – and their chickens, turkeys, and piglets.
When buying food at the rural bus stops look for a vendor with clean hands and fingernails. If all the food stands except for one are swarming with flies, keep in mind that that one is drenched in insecticide.
The people are friendly and the country is really beautiful. Don’t hesitate for a minute to visit Guatemala. Do travel light because you will generally have to carry all your baggage by yourself.
