Pusilhá

Along the Moho River is a forgotten city, mostly covered by jungle and corn today. Since its discovery in 1927, Pusilhá has received little attention due the remoteness of the ruins. Early investigations by the British Museum Expedition revealed stelae (stone monuments), extraordinary ceramics, eccentric flints, and the remains of a stone bridge.

Pusilhá is near San Benito Poite village, a few miles from the Guatemalan border. In 2001, shortly after a dirt-track road connected the village to the rest of Belize, the Pusilhá Archaeology Project resumed investigations under the direction of Dr. Geoffrey Braswell. Recent analyses of ceramics suggest that Pusilhá was an important regional trading center.

A community-driven project, Kehil Ha Jungle Lodge (www.kehilha.com [1]), provides accommodations for researchers, students, and adventurous travelers. Ask around the village for opportunities to explore the ruins, local caves, waterfalls, and the surrounding jungle.

One reader had this to say: “Kehil Ha is amazing, I spent a night out there before the place officially opened and I was very impressed. It is easily as nice or nicer then the Toledo Eco-Tourism Association guesthouses that I have stayed in.… The lodge has installed solar panels to provide lights and some basic amenities. FYI the entire village of San Benito Poite runs off of solar power; the previous area representative worked with Cuba to secure a panel and battery for every household. I think this the only village in Belize with this level of solar power.”