map of the maya world Map of the Maya World

The ancient Maya kingdoms were located in
the countries we now call Mexico, Guatemala,
Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.

 




Map drawn by and courtesy of Alonso Mendez Toporek. Copyright 2003, all rights reserved.

APPROXIMATE TRAVEL TIMES:

Cancun to Chichen Itza or vice versa: 3 hours by car.

Cancun to Merida or vice versa: By car or bus: 4.5 hours, By Air: 50 minutes.

Cancun to Palenque or vice versa:  By car 10 hours, By overnight bus 12-13 hours, By Air: 1.5 hours non-stop to Villahermosa on Vivaaerobus Airlines (flights from $150 round-trip 3 days a week) or 4-6 hours on Aeromexico Airlines connecting through Mexico City (flights daily).

Mexico City to Palenque:  Non-stop flights to Villahermosa daily or non-stop directly into the Palenque airport on Thursdays and Sundays (Interjet Airlines).

Merida to Palenque or vice versa: By car: 6 hours, By Air: 55 minutes (flying into Villahermosa which is closest airport to Palenque).

Palenque to Tikal or vice versa:  By land 2.5 hours, by boat: 1 hour, by land 3 hours. Minimum 6.5 hours. No direct flights.

Tikal to Copan or vice versa:  By land 9 hours. By air requires multiple connections.  Best option is one-way flight from Flores (nearest airport to Tikal) to Guatemala City and from there take 1st class bus to Copan (8 hours).

Tikal to Cancun or vice versa:  There are currently no direct flights from the Flores airport to Cancun.  However, if you travel by land to Belize City (around 6 hours) there are direct flights to Cancun on Tropic Air.   Alternately, if you have 2 days to do the journey go by land and boat to Palenque -- 7 hours -- spend the night in beautiful Palenque, then 2 hours to Villahermosa (closest airport to Palenque) and from there fly to Cancun non-stop on Vivaaerobus Airlines (flights from $80 one way on select days of the week).

Tikal to San Ignacio Belize or vice versa: Around 3 hours depending on border crossing time.

Copan to Guatemala City or vice versa: 6 hours by private transfer, 8 hours by first class bus.

Guatemala City to Antigua or vice versa: 40 min. to 1 hour depending on traffic.

For FREE information about travel in the Land of the Maya phone MayaSites Travel Services: U.S. office toll free 877-620-8715, Outside of the U.S. (country code 1) 505-255-2279 Or e-mail us at [email protected]