The Maya Sites - Hidden Treasures of the Rain Forest A Traveler's Guide to the Maya Sites on the Yucatán Peninsula, in México and Guatemala 2nd Edition, 155 illustrations, 91 in color This book is a compact guide that contains the 15 main archaeological sites of the ancient Maya civilization on the Yucatán peninsula and also explains the optimal route for visiting these sites. A perfect guide for those travelers who are primarily interested in the most important Maya sites. The Maya sites to be visited in this way and described in the book: Tulum Chichen Itzá Cobá Ek Balam Izamal Uxmal San Gervasio Edzná Palenque Toniná Bonampak Yaxchilán Tikal Yaxhá El Mirador In addition, the La Venta Museum Parc in Villahermosa was included in the book, where the traveler will find several monolithic structures of the Olmec culture. The Olmec culture is famous especially for the giant stone heads which they left behind when their civilization disappeared. The perfect route through the land of the Maya The route was divided into three parts, which can be visited either sequentially or divided further into individual stages. The three sections are: Northern Yucatán Peninsula Chiapas and Campeche Petén in Guatemala The modern cities, which are approached on these routes are Tulum / Playa del Carmen Valladolid Merida Campeche Palenque Villahermosa Flores From these starting points or "base camps" one can explore the world of the Maya easily. From a leisurely day trip to a 5-day walk through the Guatemalan jungle, all levels of difficulty are available. Lists of hotels or restaurants are not part of this book to avoid the inclusion of short-lived information. The authors opinion is that the internet is a much better information source for hotels in a certain city than any printed travel guide. Instead, chapters about the history, culture, and scribe of the ancient Maya have been included to the book. Special attention was payed for a description of the Maya calender and an in deep explanantion how it works. Finally the traveler will be able to decipher simple date inscriptions found at the Maya sites. 91 color photos, 47 b&w illustrations and tables plus 17 sketch maps illustrate what the traveler will find on site.