Today, Tikal is perhaps less known and less celebrated than Palenque, Copán or Chichen Itza, in part due to its more remote setting and relative difficultly of getting there. Fortunately, Tikal’s remoteness means fewer crowds, which only serves to add to the wonder and allure of exploring Tikal.
I’ve personally not been to Chichen Itza, the world’s most famous Mayan site being hailed one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. I have, however, heard that mass tourism sadly detracts away from the enjoyment of visiting.
When I’ve spoken to people who have visited both Chichen Itza and Tikal, most people say they enjoyed visiting Tikal more which is revealing. When things start getting too popular, sometimes visiting becomes more about ticketing it off the ‘bucket list’ than actually experiencing it, which quite frankly is rather sad.
Also, if reaching Chichen Itza was already easy enough, only a few months ago in December 2023, a new ‘Maya train’ was unveiled that connects beach resorts to archeological sites including the aforementioned, tearing up land largely used by indigenous groups in the process. Indeed, the irony of naming it the ‘Maya train’ seems to be lost on those who created it in the name of tourism. Maybe I’m being too cynical, I’m not sure?
In the meanwhile, as long as Tikal remains a little harder to reach, it will be a rewarding place to visit for sure.