Actun Tunichil Muknal ATM, Belize, America

This cave is one of the most popular Mayan burial sites in Western Belize.

The cave was discovered in 1992, and was subsequently featured on the National Geographic Explorer film, Journey through the Underworld. Actun Tunichil Muknal represents one of the most well-preserved examples of pre-classical Mayan culture (around 700 - 900 AD), featuring skeletal remains of human sacrifices and scores of Mayan pottery and other ceremonial objects, The most famous skeleton inside the cave is that of a young girl, the bones of which have been completely covered by the natural processes of the cave, leaving them with a sparkling appearance. The cave itself is several kilometers long with several chambers.

The cave was opened to the public in 2000. In a country not known for protecting its cultural heritage, ATM cave is one of the few protected places, with only a few guides authorized to lead tours of the cave. Be very careful, however, as none of the skeletons or pottery are roped off, and one tourist has already accidentally stepped on and broken one of the skulls.

Once in the caves you will spend several hours swimming, climbing, and exploring. Once in the inner chambers you will take off your shoes and explore in only your socks to prevent damage to the artifacts. This adventure is challenging and a good level of physical fitness is required. The ability to swim is a plus as you will need to cross deep water to enter the cave and will be wading through water several times both inside and outside the caves.