Mexico may get all the ink, but Guatemala is just as rich with Maya ruins. This UNESCO World Heritage Site on the southeastern coast stretches across 34 hectares (84 acres) to encompass a dizzying array of stone monuments, dwellings and glyphs that date back to about 200 to 900 C.E. At its center is the Grand Plaza, an expansive public space. The Motagua River that flows through the site from Guatemala’s highlands was of significant commercial importance to the city. Here, jade, cocoa and other goods were transported to other ports of the Maya world.

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