Maya Ruins Excursions!!

[cruisinfromtampa]

Now you all have me second guessing Chichen Itza and switching to Coba. Too many decisions!

[Rjh8842]

Have you thought about doing Cozumel's San gervasio. I have not done it yet but planning on doing it in the spring. It is on the island so you do not have to spend a few hours traveling there. It is also a smaller ruin. This would also help since you are looking at doing a less expensive tour. My cruise is currently offering 2 excursions there. 1st is $59 for adults 3 1/2 hours and includes ruins and chocolate demonstrations. The 2nd is $79 for adults 4 1/4 hours and includes ruins and beach.

[Charles4515]

Now you all have me second guessing Chichen Itza and switching to Coba. Too many decisions!

 

Chichen Itza should be done on a land vacation. Probably Coba as well from a land vacation. I did both from land vacations and did not feel like I was rushed at the sites and the ride to the sites was bearable from starting from the mainland. From a cruise call at Cozumel I think I think Tulum is a better choice than Chichen Itza and probably also better than Coba.

 

I have also done Chacchoben from the Costa Maya port. I would choose Tulum over Chaccoben because Tulum is a better site, but the tour guides from Native Choice do make up a lot for it being a lessor site and you will get more attention from then than the cruise ship guides. A smaller group and better guides make a difference. I did Tulum twice, once from a cruise ship and a second time from a land vacation with a smaller group and we had a better guide than on the cruise ship excursion, the the better guide and smaller group at Tulum made a big difference.

[grand isle joe]

if you haven't already, research the Chacchoben ruins from your Costa Maya stop. The ruins may not be as spectacular as some of the ones you mention, but the tour was impressive, informative and might not take as long to get to, and back ... I did the Chacchoben tour using The Native Choice tours and it was very well done ... reasonably priced as well

 

we did this tour also and our guide was so good....a real historian and spoke perfect English. Really gave a great insight into the Mayan culture and history. Loved it.

[cruisinfromtampa]

Chichen Itza should be done on a land vacation. Probably Coba as well from a land vacation. I did both from land vacations and did not feel like I was rushed at the sites and the ride to the sites was bearable from starting from the mainland. From a cruise call at Cozumel I think I think Tulum is a better choice than Chichen Itza and probably also better than Coba.

 

I have also done Chacchoben from the Costa Maya port. I would choose Tulum over Chaccoben because Tulum is a better site, but the tour guides from Native Choice do make up a lot for it being a lessor site and you will get more attention from then than the cruise ship guides. A smaller group and better guides make a difference. I did Tulum twice, once from a cruise ship and a second time from a land vacation with a smaller group and we had a better guide than on the cruise ship excursion, the the better guide and smaller group at Tulum made a big difference.

 

 

Thanks for the suggestion. We won't be going to Mexico on a land vacation anytime soon, if ever. The draw to Chichen Itza for me is being able to go, see it, and take some pictures. Coba intrigues me becuase you are allowed to climb. There's no guarantee that it will always be offered. We were in China a few years ago and had the opportunity to hold a baby panda. It has since, to my knowledge, been suspended. I just don't want to miss out on the experience.

[Charles4515]

Thanks for the suggestion. We won't be going to Mexico on a land vacation anytime soon, if ever. The draw to Chichen Itza for me is being able to go, see it, and take some pictures. Coba intrigues me becuase you are allowed to climb. There's no guarantee that it will always be offered. We were in China a few years ago and had the opportunity to hold a baby panda. It has since, to my knowledge, been suspended. I just don't want to miss out on the experience.

 

 

 

I am surprised they still allow the climb of Nohoch Mul at Coba. Any year I suspect they might stop allowing it so if you want to climb it then that should be your choice. Be aware that it is steep and you need to be in reasonable shape. Half the people who started climbing up when I was there at the same time I climbed up, gave up before reaching the top. The view from the top is great and makes for a great photo. Get someone to take one of you up there if you go. The big difference between Chichen Itza and Coba is that Chichen Itza has had years more excavation.

 

Edited December 15, 2016 by Charles4515

[CntPAcruiser]

if you haven't already, research the Chacchoben ruins from your Costa Maya stop. The ruins may not be as spectacular as some of the ones you mention, but the tour was impressive, informative and might not take as long to get to, and back ... I did the Chacchoben tour using The Native Choice tours and it was very well done ... reasonably priced as well

 

I will second this, through Native Choice. It was an excellent and much more personal experience.

[SPacificbound]

If you do take the ferry from San Pedro to Playa del Carmen it helps to keep looking at the horizon. My DDIL'a mom had a hard time on the rough days, she pretty much was miserable.

 

A little info.......

 

"Unlike some of Mexico’s mainland resorts that have been built over the last few decades, Cozumel’s history dates back generations to the Mayan civilization. The Mayans built over three dozen sites; almost all are open to visitors today.

 

Nestled in the lush jungle, El Cedral, the oldest structure, exists as an archaeological ruin and quaint village located on the west side of the island a few miles from San Francisco beach. You can explore the area by guided tours on foot, horseback, or ATVs. In the past El Cedral served as a sacred place to worship and offer gifts to idols and gods. Traces of the original Mayan paint and wall stucco still remain visible. If you visit in May, you can celebrate La Santa Cruz festival.

 

Moving north up the map of Cozumel, remnants of small pyramids are sprinkled throughout San Gervasio, the largest and best reserved of the Mayan ruins. Amidst the several structures that make up San Gervasio stands Ka' Na Nah, an important sanctuary for Mayan women as it was the main worship place of Ixchel, the goddess of fertility, midwifery, medicine and weaving."

 

All of our trips to Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Belize were land trips, so we were never rushed for time.

[MikeNJ1109]

Check the times for the tour. Agreed that the times will be important. Tulum might be a shorter trip but Chichen Itza may be more dramatic.

 

For ruins, I prefer Belize and Guatemala. But that is land not sea based.

 

My wife and I adopted our daughter from Guatemala, which was the impetus for us to visit the Tikal Ruins in Guatemala and the Copan Ruins in Honduras -- both were spectacular.

 

Logistics from a cruise vacation say those are not possible, as such I'd go to Tulum or Chichen Itza as an alternative.

 

The ruins are absolutely glorious and a testament to that great civilization.

 

Michael

[JimAOk1945]

So.. our family is trying to choose ONE excursion only between the ports of Cozumel, Mexico and Costa Maya, Mexico.

 

Our main goal is to explore and visit the Mayan ruins!

 

After lots of searching, we found three major spots that could be visited: Tulum Ruins, Coba Ruins, and Chichen Itza. We really have never been to any of these places before so we were wondering if anyone that has been there could tell us a bit about each place and the differences and Pros/Cons?

 

Which ruin is the best experience? Most suitable for a family of four? Most worth your money (very important because they are very expensive!!) ?

 

If anyone wants to go even further, it would be a big help if anyone would recommend a Royal Caribbean excursion to these places that they enjoyed!

 

Thanks guys!

 

We enjoy visiting Mayan ruins whenever possible and have seen several. Haven't been to Coba yet but plan to on our cruise next week.

 

We have gone to Tulum and Chichen Itza and enjoyed each one. Maybe watching my wife's slide shows will help you decide. We saw Chichen Itza through a shore excursion while we were on a Carnival cruise, but Tulum was booked with Royal Caribbean. Both were long days but worth it in my opinion.

 

Chichen Itza

 

 

Tulum

 

Have fun!

Edited December 15, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[grand isle joe]

I am surprised they still allow the climb of Nohoch Mul at Coba. A

 

It is amazing what people can do in a society not riddled with lawyers....:cool:

[39august]

San Gervasio on Coz is NOTHING compared to Tulum, much less CI. One way to see some of Chichen Itza is to watch the movie "Against All Odds" with Jeff Bridges. Also an interesting look at Cozumel before cruise ships overran the island.

Edited December 15, 2016 by 39august

[jamesboat]

Thanks for the suggestion. We won't be going to Mexico on a land vacation anytime soon, if ever. The draw to Chichen Itza for me is being able to go, see it, and take some pictures. Coba intrigues me becuase you are allowed to climb. There's no guarantee that it will always be offered. We were in China a few years ago and had the opportunity to hold a baby panda. It has since, to my knowledge, been suspended. I just don't want to miss out on the experience.

 

You are correct, you used to be able to climb everything in Chichen and not anymore. As a destination becomes more popular, they have toa dd more restrictions.

 

Again for Coba, when you enter the park rent their bikes. They are low cost and are important. Coba is massively spread out, and if you walk you will see 1 or 2 things versus a dozen. There are no cars inside the park and the paths are in good condition.

 

I also recommend a land vacation. If you station yourself in Playa del Carmen and rent a car there is a LOT to see.

[Charles4515]

It is amazing what people can do in a society not riddled with lawyers....:cool:

 

 

 

El Castillo at Chichen Itza which I was able to climb many years ago was closed as a direct result of a woman from California falling to her death in 2006.

 

Other sites have been closed to climbing to protect the sites from damage by the climbers.

 

 

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Edited December 15, 2016 by Charles4515

[grand isle joe]

El Castillo at Chichen Itza which I was able to climb many years ago was closed as a direct result of a woman from California falling to her death in 2006.

 

Other sites have been closed to climbing to protect the sites from damage by the climbers.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

............pretty tough to sue the Mayans I guess. :cool: As the folklore goes a large number made the trek up but fewer made the trek back down the temple stairs......:eek:

[SamFritz]

I've done Chacchoben twice. Once through the ship and a second time with Native Choice. Both were excellent tours. I think the setting is less commercial and more relaxed and park-like.

 

 

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[MrsPete]

First, let me say that the Mayan ruins are incredible. I visited a site during a land-based vacation to central Mexico years ago.

 

However, visiting the ruins from a cruise ship isn't the best of ideas. Yeah, the ship offers it, and lots of people take this excursion -- I think mostly to the Tulum site; but that doesn't mean it's a great idea.

 

As others have said, it's an all-day excursion ... with an hour or so of actual touring. Keep in mind that if you go to Tulum, this'll be your day:

 

- Leave the ship and make your way to the ferry on the other side of the island. Taxi, perhaps? It's too far to walk.

- Ride the ferry to the mainland. People call it the Vomit Comet.

- Board a bus and ride a lengthy distance to the ruins.

- Spend an hour or so enjoying the historical site.

- Repeat all of the above.

 

Too much distance, too many types of transportation needed, too many possibilities for problems.

 

The closest thing we've done on a cruise is the Mayan Ruins ATV ride. No, the ruins aren't impressive, but it's on Cozumel, so you never leave the island. It's not cheaper, but it's kid-friendly. I don't remember the company name, but it should be easy enough to find online.

 

We met our guide at a shopping center that was within walking distance of the pier. They took us by van to a spot maybe 15-20 minutes away, and after a short safety /driving lesson, we were off on the ATVs! We made three stops: A sinkhole where the Mayans supposedly sacrificed virgins, a little thing that supposedly was a Mayan temple, and a cave where they lived. The guide spoke good English, and he kept us laughing with stories -- some spooky, some funny. We had a total blast riding the ATVs -- it was made better by the fact it'd rained for about a week straight before we arrived. We ended up so muddy that we had to throw away our clothes.

 

Afterward, the guides gave us the choice of being dropped off at a local beach or going back to the pier. Because it was starting to drizzle rain, we opted to go back to the pier, but others in our group chose the beach. They made arrangements with the guides to be picked up something like two hours later. We were done with our ride around lunchtime; we would've had plenty of time to do something else ashore -- if it hadn't been starting to rain.

 

At every turn our guides were fun, and the excursion was one of the best we've ever had.

 

If you go, pack bug spray (you'll be in the jungle), bring a bandana to put over your head (you'll be wearing their crash helmet), and wear old clothes. And cash for a tip ... for the point at the end when the tour guide holds out his hat and says, "This is the point where you have the opportunity to make happy my hat!" He gave us a great day, and we did "make happy his hat".

[Charles4515]

 

 

- Leave the ship and make your way to the ferry on the other side of the island. Taxi, perhaps? It's too far to walk.

- Ride the ferry to the mainland. People call it the Vomit Comet.

 

 

 

I have to correct you. There are three cruise ship docks. If you do the cruise line excursions to Tulum or Coba and you are docked at the International or Puerto Maya piers the ferries pick you up and drop you off at the pier. They don't have to go to the ferry terminal. If the ship is docked at Puerto Langosta , that is next to the ferry terminal.

 

The part about vomit is correct. A high percentage of passengers get sick on the ferries. A friend of mine did the Cenote and Underground River excursion last week which is on the mainland and didn't enjoy it much as she got pretty sick on the ferry over to Playa Del Carmen.

 

 

 

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[SPacificbound]

San Gervasio on Coz is NOTHING compared to Tulum, much less CI. One way to see some of Chichen Itza is to watch the movie "Against All Odds" with Jeff Bridges. Also an interesting look at Cozumel "before cruise ships overran the island".

 

Which is when I used to go to Cozumel.

[FLSteve11]

San Gervasio on Coz is NOTHING compared to Tulum, much less CI. One way to see some of Chichen Itza is to watch the movie "Against All Odds" with Jeff Bridges. Also an interesting look at Cozumel before cruise ships overran the island.

 

Agreed, I think my garage is bigger then the ruins on Cozumel itself. It's old, but it's not impressive.