The Reserve and the contiguous forested areas of the Maya Biosphere Reserve (Reserva de la Biosfera Maya) in the Guatemalan department of El Petén form one of the largest and least disturbed tracts of rainforest in the Americas north of Colombia.

The forest is classified as dry forest to the west and tall and medium-height sub-perennial rainforest to the east. Among the trees, there are ceibas, Honduras mahogany, strangler figs, chaká, and chicle or chicozapote.

The biosphere is home to 86 species of mammals, 18 of which can be found in the Official Registry of Mexican Ecology, a resource that outlines flora and fauna that are in danger of extinction, rare, threatened, or are under protection.

The area is home to 5 of the 6 large cats that are native to Mexico. This includes its small but healthy population of jaguars as well as jaguarundis, ocelots, pumas, and margays.

The fauna also includes Central American agoutis, Geoffroy’s spider monkeys, Guatemalan black howlers, Baird’s tapir, white-nosed coatis, ocellated turkeys, crested guans, toucans, and green parrots.

The reserve has been given a critically threatened designation, which means that prompt measures must be taken to continue to protect and conserve its biodiversity. These threats include Population growth, subsistence hunting and poaching, tourist infrastructure, and the emergence of highways and roads.

The human population within the reserve has been rapidly increasing since the 1980s due to increased migration as well as high birth rates. This has put increasing strain on natural resources due to the locals’ agricultural and ranching subsistence.

Although 80% of the hunting in the reserve is done for personal consumption among the local people, this subsistence hunting has had an increasingly drastic impact on the wildlife populations.

These animals are also being poached by military units that are on active duty within the area.

There has been an increasing amount of tourist activity since the reserve was given the UNESCO designation, which has created several problems. Although water is scarce in the region, the consumable water near villages or towns is reserved for tourists, creating a water shortage among the locals.

There is growing awareness of a possible water crisis due to the inability to meet the needs of the locals and the tourism industry.

Due to problems with the design of the reserve, two main roads have been built that cross through two of the core, important areas of the reserve. There have been proposals for a tourism destination called Maya World which would involve a highway connecting different areas of the biosphere reserve.

Although the plans for the highway have been put aside for the time being, hotel construction continues in those areas.

The area was declared a biosphere reserve by Carlos Salinas de Gortari in 1989. The cited reasons for the designation were the protection of biological diversity, as well as the protection of the numerous ancient Mayan ruins that are within the limits of the reserve.

Since then there has been a disparity between the views and philosophies of the local people who live on the land and those government officials and urban environmentalists who wish to protect its resources.

The people who live on the land are migrants representing 23 of the 32 states of Mexico that were drawn to the land in the 1960s when the Mexican government put land distribution projects in place.

Their cultures may differ, but they share the common identity of “campesinos” and subsistence farmers who live off the land.

As subsistence farmers, they all share the common belief that the environment is a place to work, which contrasts with the agendas of environmentalists and government officials who believe that an “ideal environment is one devoid of human presence”.

These outside parties have the “do not touch” mentality. Thus the Campesinos have created a united front in pushing for access to important resources that enable them to farm and provide for themselves.

In 1991 the Mexican president gave the Campesinos “care for the reserve” which provided funding to aid in the protection of the remaining forests while encouraging self-sufficiency in the local farming sector.

This has been in line with the philosophy that biodiversity is “diversity in use”.

These issues of the debate have led to a resistance movement from the local farmers.

Due to their beliefs surrounding the uses of the environment and work, many believe that those on the other side of the debate (government officials and urban environmentalists) wish to use the land for their own profitable means.

Many farmers recognize the difference between symbolic and actual land ownership and feel as though the government is undermining their subsistence practices.

Whereas the Campesinos practice subsistence farming and therefore do not receive a salary, there is a high vulnerability that they face from others implementing regulations.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

The word “hormiguero” means “ant hill” in Spanish.

Hormiguero was a Mayan city that was at its peak in the Late Classic period (650–850).
Hormiguero was reported by Ruppert and Dennison during their Carnegie expedition in 1933.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t until 1979 that the first excavation of the zone was begun.

Hormiguero has several beautifully carved structures with particularly notable details, such as Structure IV which has a façade with a large mask in rounded towers with unfinished staircases and, like a door, a monstrous mouth with jaws open, symbolizing a portal between the outside world and the underworld.

Only a few of its 84 known structures have been excavated. The site is rich in architectural ornamentation on the buildings. The site is located on flat land with slight elevations towards the south and consists of three main groups of structures.

Structure II

Structure II is the most completely excavated building at the site and one of the most wildly theatrical of all Rio Bec buildings. It is the most important temple on the site due to its size and the elaborate carvings on the facade.

The facade consists of three main sections divided by two towers with rounded corners, typical of the Rio Bec region.

It is a rectangular platform, with two soaring, false-staircase towers on either side of a colossal Chenes-style monster portal. Inside there are several large chambers.

Unlike some structures, the towers are not false in that underneath a corridor exists that connects the platform of the central facade with the side ones. The central face is a large mask of Itzamna, the door a giant mouth.

The steps of the temple are carved like teeth, with the entryway, a giant tongue.

Central Group

Nearby is the Central Group, a complex of large temples, most of which are not excavated. Of those that are, Structure V is the most impressive. It is a towering pyramid with a well-preserved Chenes-style temple at the top.

Structure V

Structure V is located in the Central Group and is a building much smaller than Structure II, but the mask is much better preserved. The mask is an enormous representation of the monster of the Earth, in which the open jaws form the entrance to the building.

On each corner of the building are multiple rows of well-preserved Chaac masks, God of rain.

• From Escarcega: just 2:40 hours by bus, taxi, or by car.
• From Campeche: is around 5 hours by bus or 3:30-4:00 hours by car or taxi.

By car from Chetumal or Escarcega

• Take Highway 186 from Chetumal or Escarcega to Xpuhil.
• The ruins of Hormiguero are located 22 km south of the ruins of Xpuhil.

The easiest way to visit Hormiguero and its surroundings is to reserve a one-day guided tour from Chetumal.

At the site, there are some nice trails through the jungle for either hiking or mountain biking. Hiking in the jungle is fun. There’s a monkey cave along the trail.

Entrance

• Monday through Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00.
• Free of charge

Recommendations

• Wear light clothing. Hormiguero is in the jungle, so can be hot and muggy.
• In the months of June, July, and August, it is a good idea to use insect repellent and bring rain gear.
• Please plan to arrive at the site one hour before closing in order to have enough time for your visit.
• Suggested visiting time is 2 hours.

It is possible to combine Hormiguero with a visit to Xpuhil, Rio Bec, Becan, and Balamku as all 5 sites can be easily visited in one day.

Services

• Parking, sale of publications, service unit, toilets.
• There’s also a camping area there.

The name Becan was bestowed on the site by archaeologists who rediscovered the site, meaning “ravine or canyon formed by water” in Yukatek Maya, after the site’s most prominent and unusual feature, its surrounding ditch.

The site was first documented in the archaeological literature in 1934 by archaeologists Karl Ruppert and John Denison on an expedition to the region sponsored by the Carnegie Institution of Washington, who named it “Becan” after the conspicuous ditch surrounding the center of the city.

The ancient name of the site is not known.

Archaeological evidence shows that Becan was occupied in the middle Preclassic Maya period, about 550 BCE, and grew to a major population and ceremonial center a few hundred years later in the late Preclassic.

The population and scale of construction declined in the early classic (c 250 CE), although it was still a significant site, and trade goods from Teotihuacan have been found. A ditch and ramparts were constructed around the site at this time.

There is a ditch that runs the circumference of the city which covers approximately 25 hectares (61.7 acres).

Around 500 the population again increased dramatically and many large new buildings were constructed, mostly in the Rio Bec style of Maya architecture. Construction of major buildings and elite monuments stopped about 830, although ceramic evidence shows that the site continued to be occupied for some time thereafter, although the population went into decline and Becan was probably abandoned by about 1200.

From 1969 to 1971 archaeological excavations were made at Becan sponsored by Tulane University and the National Geographic Society.

In 1984, while conducting research at the site, one of Mexico’s “most important archeologists”, Román Piña Chán, fell from the pyramid at Becán, becoming paralyzed. On 13 July 2001, at a homage paid to Piña by the National Museum of Anthropology, it was announced that Lucía Campaña, had discovered a pre-Hispanic tomb in the ninth building at the site, the previous day.

From Escarcega

Buses from Escarcega to Xpuhil $8-$25 (2:05 hours) run 4 times a day.
From Xpuhil to Becan in taxi $1-$2 (0:07 min).

From Escarcega to Becan in taxi $25-$30 (2:05 hours).

From Chetumal

Buses from Chetumal to Xpuhil $7-$24 (1:45 hours) run 4 times a day.
From Xpuhil to Becan in taxi $1-$2 (0:07 min).

From Escarcega to Becan in taxi $22-$27 (1:55 hours).

Guided tour

The easiest way to visit Hormiguero and surroundings is reserve a one day guided tour from Chetumal or Escarcega.
There is a lot of local tour agency in Chetumal.

Entrance

Monday through Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00.
Entry price: 60 pesos for a person.

Recommendations

Wear light clothing. Hormiguero is in the jungle, so can be hot and muggy.
In the months of June, July and August, it is a good idea to use insect repellent and bring rain gear.

Please plan to arrive at the site one hour before closing in order to have enough time for your visit.

It is possible to combine Becan with a visit to Xpuhil, Rio Bec, Homiguero and Balamku as all 5 sites can be easily visited in one day.

Services

Parking, sale of publications, service unit, toilets.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

“Balam” means “guardian”, “protector”, “supernatural being”, and also means “jaguar”.

“K’u” means “temple”.

Balamku was occupied from about 300 BCE, in the Late Preclassic, through to the Terminal Classic period, between 800 and 1000 CE. The earliest architecture on the site is found in the Central and South Groups, dating to the Late Preclassic to Early Classic transition.

The ruins were discovered in 1990 by Mexican archaeologist Florentino García Cruz in the company of INAH custodians when they investigated a report of archaeological looting.

They found a looters’ trench that had partly uncovered a painted stucco frieze that had originally formed part of the upper facade of an Early Classic building.

After initial rescue work, the site was formally excavated from 1994 to 1995 by a team headed by Mexican archaeologist Ramón Carrasco including two French archaeologists, Claude Baudez and Jean Pierre Courau.

Carrasco and his Mexican team concentrated on the Central Group while the French archaeologists investigated the South Group.

The ruins of Balamku cover an area of approximately 25 hectares. The site features a very low density of peripheral architecture around the principal groups; 100 meters away there are practically no further buildings.

Architectural Groups

The ruins are distributed in four major architectural groups. The Central and North Groups are situated close to water sources.

Central Group

The Central Group comprises three plazas, labeled Plaza A, B, and C.

Plaza A is situated at the southern extreme of the Central Group. It supports a Mesoamerican ballcourt and a number of mounds that have not yet been investigated archaeologically.

Plaza B is located in the northwestern sector of the Central Group. It is enclosed by Structure I on the north side, Structure IV on the south side, and structures V and VI on the east and west sides respectively.

Test pits have uncovered architectural remains dating back to the Late Preclassic, the earliest phase of operation at the site.

Plaza C is separated from Plaza B by Structure V. It is bordered by Structure II on its north side and Structure III on its west side. It is enclosed on its south side by a number of unexcavated structures.

South Group

The South Group comprises four plazas, labeled A through D.

Plaza A is enclosed by Structure D5-5 on its north side. Structure D5-10 limits its western side and Structure D5-11 encloses it on the south side.

Plaza B has Structure D5-5 on its eastern side. Structure D5-10 is on the south side of the plaza and Structure D5-7 encloses the northern side of the plaza.

Plaza C is bordered by Structure D5-4 and Structure D5-6 on its east and south sides respectively.

Plaza D is enclosed by Structure D5-1 on its eastern side. Structure D5-2 limits the south side of the plaza and Structure D5-3 closes the plaza on the west side.

Southwest Group

The Southwest Group consists of two structures that together form an E-Group astronomical complex.

North Group

The North Group has not been excavated by archaeologists although it has been mapped. It consists of six plazas bordered by structures, some of which are over 15 meters tall.

Structures

Structure I is located in the Central Group.

Excavations of an earlier substructure (Sub I-A) have uncovered a stucco frieze stylistically dated to between the 4th century BCE and the middle of the 6th century CE, although radiocarbon dating of the lintel of the structure returned a date of 631 AD ± 30 years.

The frieze was first uncovered by looters and was fully excavated under the direction of INAH.

The complete frieze measured 16.8 meters long when excavated and stood 1.75 meters high. The frieze combines the imagery of rulers with that of a sacred mountain. The frieze is preserved almost intact; it is protected by roofing and is accessible to visitors.

Structure D5-5 is located in the South Group between plazas B and C. Two burials were excavated in the structure, one of them was an elite status individual.

Structure D5-10, in the South Group, is built over two earlier structures dating to the Late Preclassic.

Structure D5-11 is located in the South Group, on the south side of Plaza A. It dates as far back as the Late Preclassic and is one of the earliest known buildings at Balamku.

There is a bus from Escarcega (1,5 hours) or from Chetumal (around 3 hours).

Also is possible to reserve a tour with a transfer from Campeche or Chetumal local agencies.

Balamkú is located in the state of Campeche 5 km from the highway entrance into the Calakmul Ruins on Hwy 186.

The ruin entrance is 3 km from the highway. You can access Hwy 186 from either the City of Campeche (Hwy 180 to Hwy 186) or from the Riviera Maya and Costa Maya (Hwy 307 to Hwy 186)

This is an overnight visit if you are traveling from the Riviera Maya. Tulum is 390km from the site, Playa del Carmen is 450 km from Balamkú. In the Costa Maya, Bacalar is 175 km, and Mahahual is 270 km from the Balamkú site.

Entrance

Monday through Sunday from 8:00 to 17:00.
Entry price: 45 pesos for a person.

Recommendations

Wear light clothing. Hormiguero is in the jungle, so can be hot and muggy.
In the months of June, July, and August, it is a good idea to use insect repellent and bring rain gear.

Please plan to arrive at the site one hour before closing in order to have enough time for your visit.
Suggested visiting time: 2 hours

It is possible to combine Balamku with a visit to Xpuhil, Rio Bec, Hormiguero, Becan, and Balamku as all 5 sites can be easily visited in one day.

Services

Parking, sale of publications, service unit, toilets, palapas, grills, and camping área.