Altun Ha, located about 6 miles inland from the Caribbean Sea and 30 miles north of Belize City, is an ancient Mayan center surrounded by tropical jungle. Small in comparison to better known Mayan sites, Altun Ha once flourished on the periphery of Mayan civilization. The true name of the city is unknown. It is called Altun Ha (Mayan for Rockstone Pond) for the name of a nearby village.
The site includes 500 or more visible structures, however only a few of the more prominent ones are easily seen by visitors. Earliest evidence of habitation dates to 200 B.C. The major structures were built in the 6th and 7th centuries A.D. At its peak, Altun Ha and the surrounding vicinity had a population which would have approached 10,000, with about 3,00 inhabitants in the central core of the city.
As is the case with all Mayan ruins, much of this atypical site is shrouded in mystery, which makes it a particularly appealing place for the curious traveler to visit.
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