Belize City: The Maya Ruins at Altun Ha

In November/December 2023, Debra and I went on a 14-day cruise of the Western Caribbean on board the Regal Princess. We sailed round trip from Galveston, Texas, with port stops in Costa Maya, Belize City, Cozumel, and Roatan. Click HERE to read a short introduction.

This story, the third in a series, is about my day in Belize City. 

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Belize City, Belize (November 30, 2023) Debra and I first visited Belize City in January 2010 on a five-day cruise through the Western Caribbean on board the Navigator of the Seas. We must have felt brave when we walked off the ship that day, because we hired an unknown local to take us on a private tour in his car.

It proved to be a great decision!

As he drove through the city and countryside, our guide, a young man in his 30s, shared his knowledge of the history, culture, and politics of Belize. He was interesting and informative. 

We stopped at several sites along the way, including the Baron Bliss Lighthouse, St. John’s Cathedral—built in 1812, it is the oldest church in the city—and a rum factory, where we learned how rum was distilled. I savored a generous tasting of a couple of rums and bought a bottle to enjoy at home.

One memory is attached to another, and now that tour we took in 2010 will be forever connected to my latest excursion in Belize!

Located at the base of the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize offers travelers a wealth of attractions. The country’s dense rain forest is dotted with Maya ruins (that) lie silent, their stories forever mysteries unsolved. The forest is also home to a wide range of tropical wildlife. Offshore, the world’s second largest barrier reef offers some of the finest diving in the world.

~ Princess Cruises

Ruins? Wildlife? Barrier reef?

You know it: It was ‘ruins’ for me, an opportunity to learn more about the Maya culture!

Princess Cruises offered excursions to three archaeological sites: Lamanai (1500 BC), the oldest Maya city in Belize; Xunantunich (600 BC), home to El Castillo, the second tallest Maya temple in Belize; and Altun Ha (250 BC), the largest known Maya site in Belize.

Decisions, decisions…

I chose Altun Ha, Mayan for ‘Rockstone Water.’ Why? Because visitors have the freedom to climb atop many of the temples, something that is prohibited by law at Chacchoben, the Maya ruins I visited in Costa Maya.
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Altun Ha is located about an hour northeast of Belize City. It was a pleasant drive on a comfortable motorcoach, although there wasn’t much of interest (IMHO) to see along the way. Thankfully, Peter—our affable and instructive guide—filled the time with information about the Maya and Altun Ha.
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(I jotted down notes as he talked. But don’t worry, I won’t burden you with too many facts. After all, I want you to read my story to the end!)

“The Maya civilization—about two million people at its peak—lived in a region that spans from central Mexico to Honduras and El Salvador,” he began. “The Maya was known for their ancient temples and glyphs, a well-developed writing system that used symbols to represent sounds and words.

“There are thousands of archaeological sites, most of which are still unexplored. This morning, we’ll tour Altun Ha, a trading and ceremonial center discovered in the 1950s. Since its discovery, archaeologists have excavated two plazas and 13 structures.”

Plenty to see, I thought as we pulled into a graveled lot.  

“Please, gather round,” Peter said as he stood near the visitor center. “You were in Costa Maya yesterday, yes. Who visited Chacchoben?”

I raised my hand, as did several others.

“Like Chacchoben, Altun Ha is a relatively young community, only”—as he spoke, he had a mischievous smile n his face—“2,300 years old.”

The 13 structures, many of which are pyramidal shaped, have alphanumeric names—A1 to A7 and B1 to B6. The two main temples, though, also have fascinating names—the Temple of the Green Tomb (A1) and the Temple of Masonry Altars (B4).

The Temple of the Green Tomb (photo below), located at the west end of Plaza A, is the tallest structure at Altun Ha—over 100 feet tall—and the only temple in Belize that features a triple staircase. It has three lower terraces and an upper terrace that housed the temple enclosure.

“When archaeologists excavated this structure,” Peter said, “they discovered a single large tomb, the final resting place of a priest-king. Inside the tomb they found more than 300 jade objects including pendants, beads, and a mask of the Sun God, Kinich Ahau.” 

The Temple of Masonry Altars (photo below), named for its remarkable altars, was first developed around the middle of the sixth century AD. It was expanded several times over the next 100 years, which increased its breadth and height (to more than 50 feet tall). It is THE prominent structure at Altun Ha.

​The main temple enclosure was built on a low terrace 10 steps up a stone staircase from Plaza B. The temple had nine doors, which Peter said represented the nine layers of Xibalba, the name of the underworld in Maya mythology.

Peter pointed to both sides of the lower staircase. “Do you see the large carved masks with pointy hats?” he asked. “Archaeologists believe these portray Chaac, the Maya god of rain, thunder, and lightning.”
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(Inexplicably, I did not snap a close up of the masks. Sheesh!)

​I climbed to the top of several pyramids, including the Temple of Masonry Altars. The views were grand, befitting the spectacular ruins at Altun Ha!

Before we boarded the bus, we had 20 minutes to wander through a dozen or so stalls near the visitor center, where local craftsmen offered mementos and keepsakes. I purchased this beautiful bowl made from the ziricote tree, native to this part of Central America. 

I tracked down Debra when I reboarded the Regal. She was having an early afternoon lunch in Horizon Court.

We stopped for lunch—chicken, rice, and salad--on our return trip to Belize City. I also had a bottle of Belikin, “The Beer of Belize.” 

I definitely be likin’ Belikin!

The harbor at Belize City is too shallow for a cruise ship to dock, so the Regal Princess was anchored a few miles offshore, which made it necessary to ‘tender’ between the port and ship on a small boat.

“Well, did you have a good time?” she asked.

“I had a GREAT time!” I replied.  

“Tell me,” she coaxed.

And I did.   

Click here to read my next story, Isla de Roatan: a Caribbean Wonderland.​