Ten Places to Visit in the Mundo Maya Before December 2012

On December 21, 2012, the remarkable timekeeping machine that is the Maya Long Count calendar will reset itself to zero, thus marking the end of the current era that began in 3114 BC and heralding the start of a new creation cycle. This auspicious event will no doubt spark interest in all things Maya next year. It should also bring a lot of travelers to the Mundo Maya (Maya World), which encompasses the Mexican state of Chiapas, the Yucatán Peninsula, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador.

There are so many rewarding places to visit in the Mundo Maya that it's difficult to know where to begin. However, here is a list of ten destinations that I can definitely recommend seeing before the dawning of the new age (or the end of the world as some doomsayers predict).

Please click on the photos to view captions and larger versions.

Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico

Sequestered in the jungle of southern Mexico, Palenque is considered by many to be the most beautiful of the ancient Maya cities.



Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico

Chichén Itzá, the grandest archaeological site on the Yucatán Peninsula, has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.



Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico

The handsome Spanish colonial city of Mérida, capital of the state of Yucatán, remains one of the most intriguing and culturally rich cities in the Mundo Maya.



Cobá, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Weathered monuments and a jungle setting make Cobá one of the most atmospheric archaelogical sites in the Mundo Maya.



Tikal, Guatemala

The grandeur of Tikal's towering temples is unmatched in the Mundo Maya.



Chichicastenango, Guatemala

The misty mountain town of Chichicastenango is home to the largest indigenous market in the Mundo Maya.




Antigua, Guatemala

With its backdrop of towering volcanoes and handsome Spanish colonial architecture, Antigua is arguably the most alluring town in the Mundo Maya.



Lake Atitlán, Guatemala

Mesmerizing Lago de Atitlán is said to be the deepest lake in Central America. British writer Aldous Huxley called Atitlán "the most beautiful lake in the world."



Copán, Honduras

The ancient Maya city of Copán in Western Honduras has been dubbed the "Athens of the New World" because of its magnificent sculptures.



Lamanai, Belize

A boat trip up the New River in Northern Belize to the isolated Maya ruins of Lamanai is a true jungle adventure.



Also check out my review of the new MOON MAYA 2012: A Guide to Celebrations in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize & Honduras

Back to El Salvador

When I first visited El Salvador in 1996, this beleaguered Central American nation was still numb from its long and brutal civil war that had ended only four years earlier. There was very little in the way of tourism infrastructure, and I bumped into few fellow travelers.

However, on a return visit in October 2008, I found that much had changed. The capital city, San Salvador, while as chaotic as I remember it to be, seemed much more upbeat. New restaurants, museums and art galleries had opened; historic buildings in the city center had been spruced up; and there were noticeably more foreign visitors.

As I ventured beyond the city, I saw the familiar signs of poverty, but I also rediscovered some of what I had first liked about this welcoming country: rolling green countryside, misty volcanoes, slumbering Spanish colonial towns, and shy barefoot children playing by the side of the road. These sights also reinforced my original impression that for anyone looking for an authentic travel experience without all the trappings of mass tourism, El Salvador is an ideal place to explore.

For more information, visit El Salvador's Ministry of Tourism website. You can also click on the two links below to read a newspaper travel article that I wrote about San Salvador.

San Salvador Page 1

San Salvador Page 2

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El Salvador - Images by John Mitchell

Centro Monseñor Romero in San Salvador, El Salvador

Hidden away on the campus of the University of Central America (UCA) in San Salvador is a poignant reminder of the repression and violence that gripped El Salvador during the 1970's and 1980's. The Centro Monseñor Romero is dedicated to Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated in 1980 because of his opposition to El Salvador's military dictatorship. This small museum also honours six Jesuit priests plus their maid and her daughter who were all slaughtered at the center by the Salvadoran army in 1989.

A young law student names Mauricio was kind enough to show my around the Centro Monseñor Romero during a recent visit. I was impressed by Mauricio's earnestness and knowledge of events that he couldn't possibly remember. We first examined historic photographs and floor-to-ceiling glass display cases containing memorabilia that included Archbishop Romero's vestments and personal effects, as well as clothing that had belonged to the slain priests. Mauricio then led me to a courtyard, now a tranquil rose garden, where four of the priests' bodies were found.



Finally, Mauricio ushered me into a room with a table holding a pile of photo albums. Mauricio warned me that the pictures were very graphic. He was right. Inside the albums were horrific images of the murder victims. Some of the cadavers had been so badly mutilated that they were no longer recognizable as human beings. Gruesome as the photographs were, I found it encouraging that they were on public display, evidence of how far long-suffering El Salvador has come since its brutal civil war ended in 1992.



The Centro Monseñor Romero is open 8 am to noon and 2 pm to 6 pm, Monday to Friday; and 8am to 11:30am on Saturdays. Admission is free.