There are extensive Mayan ruins in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Belize also has some ruins, but they are not as extensive as those found in neighboring countries.
In Mexico there are several major cities located near interesting ruins. Oaxaca, for example, is well served by air and once in town, the ruins of Monte Albon are easily reached by bus.
Many medium-sized to larger cities in Latin American have two---or more---bus terminals. Oaxaca has both first -lass and second-class bus terminals. Make sure you get to the right terminal for your trip. Monte Albon is only about five miles from Oaxaca, so a cab ride is another option.
Mérida is the best base for visiting many of the major Mayan sites on the Yucatan Peninsula by bus. Chichén Itzá is perhaps the most famous and is only 75 miles from Mérida. Smaller hotels and restaurants can be found near the top archaeological sites, such as Chichén Itzá.
People vacationing in Cancun or Cozumel, Mexico, can get to good Mayan ruins at Tulum. Many visitors rent a car for the day or are able to connect with one of the frequent shuttle buses that make the trip.
The major sites of Tikal in Guatemala and Copan in Honduras can be reached by bus service. However, neither of these ruins is located near a major city with airline service. This will add several hours to your ground transportation.
Reaching Copan from Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, requires a seven-hour bus ride. The quickest you can expect to get from Guatemala City to Tikal is about 12 hours via bus.
Because these are longer trips, you'll have to stay at the ruins for at least one night. Fortunately, there are several hotels at both of these archaeological sites. Reservations can be made over the Internet.
