Nim Li Punit in 2012

Nim Li Punit is located in southern Belize, atop a hill with expansive views of the surrounding forests and mountains (it’s about a half mile west of the highway, along a narrow road marked by a small sign). The site saw preliminary excavations in 1970 that documented a 30-foot-tall carved stela, the tallest ever found in Belize and among the tallest in all the Maya world.

A total of about 25 stelae have been found on the site, most dated A.D. 700–800. Although looters damaged the site, excavations by archaeologist Richard Leventhal in 1986 and by the Belize Institute of Archaeology in the late 1990s and early 2000s uncovered several new stelae and some notable tombs.

Visiting Nim Li Punit

Nim Li Punit is open 7 a.m.–5 p.m. daily. Entrance is US$5. The visitors center (tel. 501/665-5126) boasts an enormous stela and interesting artifacts.

Getting to Nim Li Punit

Nim Li Punit is located around Mile 75 on the Southern Highway, near the village of Indian Creek [1], 25 miles north of Punta Gorda [2]. This is the closest archaeological site to Placencia, so day trips from there are available, and also from Punta Gorda Town.

More Travel Information

For more travel information on things to see and do at Nim Li Punit and in the surrounding area, please visit the Nim Li Punit section of our Moon Belize travel guide [3].