Belize: The Maya Heartland

Many of the world's greatest archaeological sites suffer from a surfeit of admirers. The crowds can cause physical damage to the ruins--Machu Picchu being an egregious example--but they also undermine the quality of the experience. The great Mayan city of Chichen Itza is an easy excursion from the beaches of Cancun and is now frequently overrun by tourists. For ancient cities to be re-peopled by the ghosts of the past, they have to be encountered in relative solitude.