Get off the tourist path: visit Yaxhá in Peten

My first trip to Peten was back in December 2005, so I decided recently to return to this amazing region during Semana Santa. My friend and I left Flores early on Saturday to go to Yaxhá, an archeological site at 30 km southwest from Tikal. I had heard about it from a friend and had planned to go for a long time. But going without an organized tour used to be complicated. So when a travel agent told us about a new bus going directly to the site for 150 Quetzals per person ($20), I knew it was my opportunity. The bus leaves Flores at 7 am every day (with 2 persons minimum) and returns at 3 pm. You can buy a ticket in any travel agency in Flores.

Because it’s situated on the Zenith, Yaxhá is an unique religious and ceremonial  archaeological site in Petén. The temples were built so the Mayas could observe the sun from sunrise till sunset. The name means Green Water. Teobert Maler, a German explorer who devoted his life to  the ruins of the Maya civilization, stumbled upon the covered site during a 1904 expedition. The restoration work began in 1989, and over the years, archaeologists have restored and excavated many of the buildings. Today, the former shape of the city is once again recognizable with more than 500 structures.

Now back to the trip. After  a 2 hour drive, we paid the 80Q ($10) of entrance fees and arrived at the Blue Azul Lagoon. After the crowds at Tikal, we enjoyed the tranquility of the site, listening to the birds singing and the monkeys howling. Signs explain the history of each temple and point of interest, something very useful for a lazy traveler like me who doesn’t like to read the history section of guide books. You can visit the site in 2 or 3 hours and finish by climbing the temple 216, which offers an amazing view of the two Lagoons Sacnab and Yaxhá, as well as the temples surrounded by forest. It’s a good place to see the sunset but we dind’t hang around long enough to see one. 

I definitely preferred Yaxhá to Tikal – it’s less touristy and the lagoons are beautiful. You can camp there for free, which is something on my To Do List for Guatemala. Maybe I’ll see you there!
For more information on Yaxhá, check this web site