Normally rain is not what you want when traveling. But from time to time, it can be a blessing. That’s just what happened one morning when I visited the Mayan site Cahal Pech in San Ignacio, Belize.
Heavy rain was in the forecast for later that day but the morning was dry when I left my hotel. Getting there took a short but uphill 10-minute walk to the highest point in San Ignacio. It started raining just as I arrived at the entrance, so I put on my rain jacket, paid the entry fee, and followed the path through the trees towards the main plaza and temple complex.
Turns out the rain scared away all other potential visitors, leaving the entire archeological treasure to myself.
When I reached the main plaza, that’s when I realized that there didn’t seem to be anyone else there. I spent several minutes savoring the empty scene. Continuing further, I entered the second plaza and wandered through passageways behind a temple tower. Still no-one else.
I looped back to the main plaza after about 20 minutes of exploring and the rain started to get stronger. Soon it was a tropical downpour and I retreated for shelter under a huge tree. The rain continued to dump until the tree wasn’t keeping me dry any longer and I made a run for more solid cover.
This is when I saw the first human other than myself in almost an hour. There were two others taking shelter here in a covered hallway separating the two plazas. Within a few more minutes the rain backed off and it was a good time for me to head back to the hotel and get ready to leave town on the afternoon bus back to Belize City.
MUSEUM + BOOKS
Before I left, I visited the small museum that houses many artifacts found at Cahal Pech. It also includes historical information about the Maya civilization in general. To learn more, there’s a book written by William S. Ball available on Amazon that details the excavation work conducted at Cahal Pech in the 1980s. It includes context about how Cahal Pech fit in with the larger Mayan civilization in Belize and the greater Yucatan Peninsula.
BELIZE’S MAYAN SITES
Cahal Pech is very convenient for those staying in San Ignacio town because it’s literally within the city limits. Other fantastic Mayan sites nearby include Xunantunich, Actun Tunichil Muknal, and Caracol. Cross-border day trips from San Ignacio to Guatemala’s Tikal are available. Belize has other important Mayan sites in other parts of the country as well.
This experience instantly became a memorable part of my 12-day vacation to Belize. I was there primarily for scuba diving but am glad that I made an effort to visit San Ignacio and learn about Belize’s Mayan heritage. Besides my time at Cahal Pech, I also joined a guided group for an excursion into the ATM cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal). Three days in the San Ignacio area was worthwhile for sure and a perfect compliment to a week of scuba diving in Belize.
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