Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine April 2017 | Page 98

Xunantunich
Maya Ruins
The Maya were perhaps the original inhabitants of Belize and in their heyday perhaps populated Belize more
densely than the current diverse population does today. There are many ruins and temples for visitors to enjoy
and possibly more yet undiscovered in parts of Belize’s dense jungles. Among the ruins available to visit are:
Xunantunich This site contains 6 Plazas with
a total of 25 Temples including one 133 feet tall.
Xunantunich in Yucatec Maya language means
“Stone Woman”. There’s a legend about a beautiful
maiden once seen by a man at the mouth of the
cave from which the name derives.
Altun Ha This is a popular site with visitors
because although located only 31 miles from Belize
City, it has surroundings rich in wi