Flores

Flores needs 2 days as a base for visiting Tikal, one of the world's most important Maya archaeological sites. November-April is the dry season, essential for walking through the jungle without constant rain. It's cheaper than Antigua, though Tikal tours add to the budget. It's a small island on Lake Petén Itzá connected by a bridge, and its proximity to Tikal (an hour by car), with pyramids rising above the jungle canopy, makes it the mandatory base for visiting one of the largest Maya cities ever built.