The ancient Mayan site of Bonampak was a satellite city of Yaxchilan. They lie approximately twenty kilometres apart. The Mayan murals at Bonampak are in outstanding condition despite being open to the elements. The site is compact and pleasant to wander around.
The main structure at Bonampak is the acropolis. The murals within small buildings on the acropolis date from the 8th century AD and mostly depict rituals and war scenes.
Chichen Itza has a great collection of ancient temples, palaces, platforms and statues which have been painstakingly restored.
The pyramids of Teotihuacan are among the largest in Mesoamerica. They are beautifully preserved and a sight to behold. Teotihuacan is only a couple of hours from Mexico City, and deserves at least a full day to explore it.
Yaxchilan – A hidden Mayan gem in the jungles of the Chiapas, while remote, is now easily accessible from Palenque. It takes about three hours by bus to get to the Usumacinta River which forms the border between Guatemala and Mexico.
Xochicalco was built in the 7th century, soon after the fall of Teotihuacan. It was founded by the Olmeca-Xicalancas from the faraway state of Campeche, which is closer to major Mayan sites.
In the the summer of 2021, as the world began to peek out from behind closed doors, Mexico was one of the few destinations that had made entry and travel easy.
While Mexico holds many truly amazing ancient archeological sites, for me Uxmal is the one that has made the biggest impact. As you move around the site, it’s treasures reveal themselves one at a time.