Guatemala: Tikal/Flores
Score: 55

Tikal, a Maya archaeological park, gets good marks, and the nearby town of Flores, on an island in Lake Petén, is full of "charm." But there is deep unease about crime and the destruction of local rain forests in this poor nation, and wholesale overdevelopment pushed by some government officials.

Here is a representative sampling of additional anonymous comments from the panelists. They are not necessarily the views of the National Geographic Society:

"Flores is a charming town in an island in Lake Petén. It is also the name of a municipality that includes an international airport, villages, a good portion of Lake Petén Itza, and Tikal National Park. Tikal is 40 miles away from Flores and is an archaeological wonder of the Maya world within a forest that still provides habitat for hundreds of different species."

"Tikal itself is fairly well protected, but the larger region is under heavy pressure from nomadic agriculture, cattle ranches, and drug runners. Natural forests are disappearing faster than desired. Maya culture has been largely altered in the lowlands in contrast with its survival in the highlands."

"The site is fantastic and Flores is an interesting gateway village. Protection of the site has improved, but high visitation keeps pressure on it. I cannot be sure that interpretation and the modern economy are solidly linked to the living population in Petén, although people in the immediate vicinity appear to benefit economically."

"Tikal is becoming overrun with tourists and vendors. However, the most serious threat is posed by inappropriate interventions to the ruins and their natural jungle cover. Over-restoration and wholesale tree removal are affecting the integrity of the site."

Guatemala: Lake Atitlán
Score: 48

This "beautiful lake surrounded by three volcanoes makes a perfect example to show how poverty pollutes. Must deal with the living conditions first, otherwise the ecological projects will fail." Water-treatment plants, growth-management plans, and an economic shift "in the direction of medium and small enterprises" are part of what is needed.

Here is a representative sampling of additional anonymous comments from the panelists. They are not necessarily the views of the National Geographic Society:

"While the stunning beauty of the lake and the rich, indigenous heritage surrounding it still exist, the hub town of Panajachel is a mess. Development there has been haphazard at best, a disaster at worst. The appeal of the lake increases proportionate to one's distance from Panajachel."

"The lake's relative isolation helps it retain much of its charm. But the vending and preying on tourists have escalated quite a bit. My visit last year to Atitlán was sort of discomforting. The landscape is, of course, impressive as ever, but the aesthetic appeal of the human-made environment has been annoying me for quite a long time. The sightseeing in the Indian village across the lake is not very appealing; one goes there mostly for shopping, but it looks so run down, so polluted, that it is difficult to enjoy the stay."

"This is the gem of Mesoamerica, but it will lose its sparkle very quickly if some triage isn't applied to the many problems—environmental, zoning, and cultural—that face the lakesiders."