Visiting Xunantunich in Belize was like stepping into a time machine wrapped in nature's embrace. The ancient Maya site, crowned by the majestic El Castillo, wowed us with panoramic views that made the climb so worth it. Our guides, bursting with stories, added a personal touch, unraveling the mysteries of Maya culture through the intricate ruins. Wandering through the site felt like decoding a historical treasure hunt. Surrounded by lush greenery, Xunantunich has this peaceful vibe that lets you soak in the past. For history buffs and nature enthusiasts, this place is a dream. It's not just a site; it's a chapter of Belize's cultural story etched into our travel memories.

One of the main reasons that traveler go to Xunantunich is its convenience, but my husband and I really found it to be among the most interesting ruins we were able to see. This Mayan site is about 20 minutes outside of San Ignacio near the village of San Jose. It is peaceful, sitting on the edges of Belize and Guatemala. To get to the site, you must take a small hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River. It is an easy reminder to slow down as you go back more than 1000 years in time. I loved exploring these sacred sites that have primarily been excavated over the past twenty years. You can go with or without a guide, but you will learn more if you decide to hire a licensed guide. The fee is much smaller than at other Mayan sites and the depth of history is rich. Climb the El Castillo and see views in both Belize and Guatemala. Imagine how these living quarters once were a place for royalty. Take paths through the forest to see more of the site and mounds which reach as far as a 10 mile circumference outside the main site. There is also a museum that provides more insight about the area and other Mayan sites throughout the country and in Tikal. Bathrooms, snacks, and other crafts and goods are are at the entrance. And there is one last stop for curious after you cross back over to the rest of the world. I definitely will return the next time I go to Belize.

Our family drove our rental car to Xunantunich. Straightforward directions on Google Map. It led us to the hand cranked ferry by Mopan river. A licensed guide greeted us when we waiting for the ferry. Basically driver in the car, all passengers exit car to walk on to the ferry (for safety reason). So much better in experience anyway! He asked if we needed a guide, quoted USD50 for 3 of us. I told him I just read a review that mentioned USD30 for a guide. He said it depended on number of people and we negotiated down to USD40. The hand cranked ferry was definitely a fascinating experience. We were advised to tip him on the way back, which we would anyway bc he worked very hard with a smile. After the ferry, we drove to the visitor center 2 minutes away (far if you have to walk bc it is uphill). Clean bathroom facilities and ample parking spaces. Entrance is USD5 per person. I agree with the reviews that it enhances your experience hiring a tour guide bc you learn about the Mayan history, types of iguanas, faunas etc. while walking through the ruins. Plus he knew all the spots to take great pictures for us. He pretty much started his tour from the ferry and all the way back. I gave him USD50 at the end of the trip bc he really gave his all. Plus imagine he has to hike up and down steep steps of Xunantunich for every tour (45min-1 hour). He speaks really good English, in fact most Belizians do bc English is their first language. It was so strange to see all the road/retail signages in English.

We drove to the river ferry crossing and were able to hire a guide right before crossing - Ramos was great! The ferry crossing itself was very cool - we've never experienced a hand crank ferry before. He spent two hours walking us around the ruins and answering all our questions. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. The ruins themselves were fascinating to see and a must do if you're in the San Ignacio area. We found having a guide really useful and it taught us a lot about Mayan history and culture that we otherwise wouldn't have known when exploring this archaeological site. We got there around 9am and it was great to beat the heat and not too crowded

What a great day we had exploring Xunantunich. We decided to not get a guide and that was fine - no problem walking around and seeing everything. I'm sure we missed out on some history which would've been interesting but we had a great time. It was way bigger (in a good way) than we thought and we had a blast. The views are incredible and it's so cool you can climb the ruins. The hand crank ferry is really unique!

Xunantunich dates back to around 900 A.D. The site is easily accessible from the Price (Western) highway near the ancient Mayan village of Succotz. The border with Guatemala is just a few miles away. To get to the site one crosses the Mopan river on a small ferry and drives less than a mile to the parking lot. The main feature of the site is "El Castillo" which is a large structure that can be climbed to reveal incredible views of the countryside including over into Guatemala.

This was the best ruin I think in terms of time invested. We saw it the same day/right after cahal pech. The tallest ruin (don’t know the names) was great to climb and the carvings were awesome. We did not have a guide do s]dud t get as much of the history but was fun to just explore. Hanging out at the top at around sunset was very cool. Also, my husband liked the car ferry :).

When visiting the ruins I would definitely recommend hiring a guide. They are located right at the river crossing. We hired George for approximately five dollars apiece (American) be sure to negotiate. He really educated us on the history, took us around the whole grounds and of course climbed to the top. When tour is over you can wonder around on your own. Our tour took approximately hour and half but there isn’t a set time.

It was very hot. Wear sunscreen. Bring a hat. Bring lots of water. Amazing carvings on sides of ruins. Pretty atmosphere. Great views from the top of the castle to all surrounding areas.

It looks stunning and as if you are in a movie. It is very hot outside, so this makes the experience a bit unenjoyable, but if you can deal with it, the experience is worth it. The tours can be up to the length of 2 hrs, which if you have kids may be a bit of an issue, but a helpful thing we did was ask our tour guide to keep it brief. Most tour guides are open to this idea too as they get hot from the sun as well. Overall, I really enjoyed this tour and hope you find this helpful.