BONAMPAK, CHIAPAS, MEXICO Size isn’t everything and Bonampak doesn’t win prizes for scale. It is, however, famous for its fine murals and frescoes, which offer fascinating and unique insights into the lives of the ancient Maya.
LAMANAI, ORANGE WALK DISTRICT, BELIZE A remote and only partly uncovered site, Lamanai isn’t easy to get to, but that only adds to its romance. That and the fact that its name means “submerged crocodile” in Maya.
COPÁN, COPÁN DEPARTMENT, HONDURAS Experts love Copán for its remarkably well-preserved hieroglyphic stairway, elaborate sculptures, and fine stelae (inscribed stone columns), as well as its wide plazas, underground tunnels, and ball court.
EDZNÁ, YUCATÁN, MEXICO The ruins of Edzná are located in the rain forest, an hour south of Campeche. This relative newcomer was only rediscovered in the mid-20th century, so you might just have its five-floored pyramid to yourself.