Copan Ruinas

What to see in Copán Ruins? If, after visiting Tikal National Park, you’re eager to see even more Mayan ruins, you can head over to Honduras to visit this archaeological site, which, although less spectacular, is still a great place to visit (designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site). 

Copan Ruinas Town

Your base of operations for visiting the archaeological site should be the small town of Copán Ruinas, which is just a stone's throw away

The town itself isn't much to speak of, though it's very pretty. You can see everything in just a morning's stroll. It has the typical square Spanish main square with its church, little park, and fountain, and a few cobblestone streets branch off from it, featuring some cool colonial buildings.

Like everywhere else in Central America, you only have to venture a little way out of the urban centers and you’re already surrounded by an impenetrable jungle, and Copán was no exception: this photo was taken from my hostel, and in the background you can make out the mountains that encircle the town and the ruins

If anyone is wondering whether Honduras is unsafe, I'll say no. Unlike some places in Guatemala (starting with the capital), where it was scary to go out at night, the only danger here was stepping on the tail of one of the cats that roam around town.

The locals are wonderfully friendly (as in all towns not overrun by mass tourism), and although small hotels and other tourist infrastructure were beginning to spring up, the town still has the charm of a small colonial town frozen in time.

Fun fact: one night, the power went out…!! All over town!! So you'd better bring your own fully charged portable battery (although many hotels and restaurants seemed to have their own generators).

Let's get right to the archaeological site… What is there to see in Copán Ruinas?

The Archaeological Site – What to See in Copán Ruinas

Copán Ruins may not be as famous as Tikal or Chichén Itzá, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful—and most importantly: !! It’s not crowded !! The complex itself is large, so you can enjoy some privacy and take in the ruins without having to jostle for every square centimeter of space…

If you take a walk outside the main area of the Hieroglyphic Stairway or the Mayan Ball Court, you can still feel a little like an explorer….

My first tip is to get there as early as possible: the resort opens at 8:00 a.m., and at that time there’s no one there; tour groups start arriving around 9:30 a.m.

Second: Bring water from home. Once you’re exploring the ruins, there’s no way to buy water past the point where they stamp your ticket, and you’ll easily spend 90 minutes or 2 hours in direct sunlight—in the site’s central plaza, the only things enjoying the shade are the various statues of the area’s ancient kings, and the sun beats down hard.

Third: It's best to come here with a guide, since there aren't any explanatory signs or anything, and the visit might end up being a bit of a letdown.

Fourth: No, you cannot enter buildings where entry is expressly prohibited.

Yes, we all want to climb the famous Hieroglyphic Stairway, but if you get caught by the (few) guards who are patrolling the area….

This is the jewel of the archaeological site. Although it’s hard to see clearly in the photo, each step is inscribed with hieroglyphs that recount different chapters in the history of the dynasty that ruled the region. Some are better preserved than others, and you’ll need a good zoom on your camera to see the ones at the top….

The central area of the site is complemented by the Mayan ballcourt, similar to the ones you can find in Mexico or Guatemala… The great thing about this is that you can actually climb up the adjoining buildings, even if you run the risk of cracking your head open on the way down.

In the end, in my opinion, the best thing to do is to head out of the central area, venture a little into the jungle, and enjoy the wildlife…

... and all the details of the buildings scattered throughout the area, which have been left to their own devices

What else is there to see in Copán Ruinas?

As I mentioned above, the tour of the outdoor site will take about 2 hours, and after that you should visit the Sculpture Museum (a combined ticket with the ruins costs 22€).

Not only does it have a ton of really cool Mayan sculptures…

…but it also features a full-scale replica of what one of the temples in the complex must have looked like, and it is even polychromed (as it must have been originally)

The photo doesn't do this temple justice; you could go inside, and it was full of the most intriguing reliefs.
To top it all off, everything is explained pretty well, so the visit is enjoyable: you can spend an hour strolling through the museum at your own pace

Well, more information is available on their official website: https://ihah.hn/parque-arqueologico-copan/

How to Get There from Guatemala

Your first step should be to make your way to the border between Guatemala and Honduras.

From Guatemala City, there are several buses operated by Litegua that go to the town that marks the border between Guatemala and Honduras (El Florido). It costs about 125 Q and takes 5–6 hours (it drops you off at the nearest major city, Chiquimula, and from there you have to take a minibus).

If you have some free time, you can spend a little while in the little village near the border called Camotán. The residents have shown great taste in decorating their homes with lots of murals, and it's worth taking a stroll around the area to enjoy them

Crossing the border is undoubtedly one of the most unusual experiences I've ever had. There are no barriers, no barbed wire, no guards… We got off the minibus, and I saw that everyone was heading toward a simple building they'd put right in the middle of the road.

It’s a joint checkpoint run by the Guatemalan and Honduran governments, and they handle your exit and entry procedures at joint counters for both countries (if you’re not from Central America, you have to pay a $3 fee). Best of all, if you’re not paying attention, you can just skip it altogether and enter Honduras on a whim, without a stamp or anything, haha… If I ever become a fugitive from the law, I’ll keep that in mind.

Right after crossing the bridge that marks the border, there are minibuses that, for 25 lempiras (the Honduran currency, equivalent to 1 euro), will take you to the town of Copán Ruinas. Be very careful, because I don’t recall seeing any money changers outside the customs building, so it’s best to bring some lempiras you’ve already exchanged to pay for the minibus and then withdraw more money in Copán Ruinas.

To return to El Florido from the border, remember that the last bus leaves at 5:30 p.m.

Well, these are the must-see sights in Copán Ruinas; I recommend visiting the area as soon as possible before this little gem in the heart of Honduras becomes as popular as Tikal…

Texto y fotos: Mike !