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To the south of Sayaxche is Lago de Petexbatun , a spectacular expanse of water ringed by dense forest and containing plentiful supplies of snook, bass, alligator and freshwater turtle. The shores of the lake abound with wildlife and Maya remains and, though the ruins themselves are small and unrestored, their sheer number suggests that the lake was an important Maya centre. Aguateca , perched on a high outcrop at the southern tip of the lake, is the furthest away from Sayaxche but the most accessible site, as a boat can get you to within twenty minutes' walk of the ruins. The atmosphere is magical, surrounded by dense tropical forest and with superb views of the lake, and you can clearly make out the temples and plazas, dotted with well-preserved stelae. Lamentably, in 2000 a gang of armed looters destroyed some of the superbly executed carvings, but there's still plenty to see, including images of rulers, captives, hummingbirds, pineapples and pelicans. The resident guards may give you a well-informed tour of the site. You can reach Aguateca on a boat trip from the Posada El Caribe , and it may also be possible to reach the site by mule or truck during the dry months. A slightly closer (and therefore cheaper) option is Dos Pilas , another unrestored site, buried in the jungle a little way west of the lake. Dos Pilas was the centre of a formidable empire in the early part of the eighth century, with a population of around ten thousand. The ruins are quite unusual, as the major structures are grouped in an east-west linear pattern. Around the central plaza are some tremendous stelae, altars and four hieroglyphic stairways decorated with glyphs and figures. To get to Dos Pilas you have trek 12km on foot from the Posada El Caribe , passing the small site of Arroyo de Piedra , where you'll find a plaza and two fairly well-preserved stelae. As with Aguateca, it may also be possible to get to the site by mule or truck during the dry season. It's a 45-minute speedboat trip from Sayaxche to the northern tip of Lago de Petexbatun, where you'll find the Posada El Caribe (tel 928 6114, fax 928 6168; US$60-80 full board), with clean, screened cabins, good food and boat trips to Aguateca. Three kilometres south of here on the western shore of the lake, the Chiminos Island Lodge (tel 335 3506, fax 335 2647, www.chiminosisland.com , US$85 per person including all meals) is a stunning alternative base, with five beautiful bungalows set in thick jungle next to some minor ruins.
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