Tikal National Park

- like Palenque, only even more overrun with jungle. There are 6 wonderful step-pyramids, two of which face each other. This was my favourite part of the site. When I went, you could climb up the stairs of one of the 2 temples (the stairs of the 2nd one were eroded and crumbling in places). I didn’t do this as the steps were quite steep – though I did regret it afterwards as it would have given me a good photo vantage point of the opposite facing temple.

One of the temples features in Star Wars: Episode IV. It’s a “blink and you’ll miss it” – it’s the site of the Rebel base that Princess Leia, Luke and Han arrive at after escaping from Darth Vader.

Much of this site is still unexcavated – who knows what they’ll uncover next?

It was absolutely amazing. Imperial splendor, majestic and absolutely stunning.