Caracol means “snail” in Spanish, while ancient hieroglyphic inscriptions identify the city as Oxwitzá, or “Three-Mountain Place.” Hidden deep within Belize’s Chiquibul Forest Reserve, about two hours south of San Ignacio, the site rests on a high plateau along the western edge of the Maya Mountains.
First settled around 600 BC, Caracol flourished for more than a thousand years and became one of the most powerful cities of the Classic Maya world. More than 60 kilometers of raised stone causeways connected its ceremonial center with farming communities, residential areas, smaller settlements, and marketplaces. Carved monuments also reveal Caracol’s alliances and conflicts with major cities such as Calakmul, Tikal, Naranjo, and Ucanal.
The city’s centerpiece is Caana, an impressive temple and palace complex rising about 145 feet above the main plaza. Visitors can explore towering temples, carved monuments, astronomical structures, ancient roads, and broad plazas surrounded by tropical rainforest. Caracol’s remote setting and monumental ruins offer a remarkable look at Maya architecture, trade, agriculture, and political power.
