Ruins: Chaccoben or Kohunlich?

[Javalava]

Our ship is offering excursions to both. Can anyone offer feedback on either, and if you've seen both, which was preferred?

 

Thanks!

[spiritkat090909]

My husband & I both loved the Kohunlich ruins. We had not seen any other ruins before, but my sister had seen Tulum and she said that these were much better. It is VERY strenuous climbing the ruins & you'll need a bottle of water for EACH person going. We were going to share since I don't drink a lot. Not a good idea. Also don't forget the bug spray.

 

It was the most memorable shore excursion we've ever done, so far...beat the Stingrays in Grand Cayman...

 

The trip back to the ship makes for a great nap time.

[serene56]

What is the time for this excursion? Cold you tell me how long the bus is and how long you stay at the ruins?

[spiritkat090909]

I don't remember what time the excursion was (daylight)...we took it 2 years ago on RCI. It was 2 hours on the bus each way. IT seemed to take forever on the way TO the site because the a/c was on 'freeze to death'. On the way back to the ship we slept & they finally turned the a/c to reasonable. I did have a towel in my backpack & used it for cover. We were at the ruins for about 4 hours & used every bit of it. The Temple of the Masks was the only area that was not available to climb. The area's at the top of the other sites were extraordinary. Bring extra batteries for your digital camera!

 

Oh, they also offered a rather unique souvenir on the bus on the way down...a Mayan Calendar with your name/birthdate. I think they were $25 each, cash only. We both got one & they were waiting for us when we got off the bus at the return.

 

I wouldn't reccomend it for the physically challenged or children, though.

Children would become restless & there is a LOT of walking required. There was an elderly couple on our trip that walked to the start/staging area & then returned to wait for us on the bus. A long wait to see not much of anything...she had a cane & probably would have been fine on most ordinary excursions. Not this one.

[augustrain]

We just went to Chacchoben 2 weeks ago. It was wonderful. It was the first time we have been, so no comparison, but a truly historical experience. It was not strenuous at all. In fact, the pace was very slow and full of information. I did book the trip separate from the ship, which I found to be much better not just "bang for your buck," but overall. It takes 1 hour each way to Chacchoben and I believe 2 hours each way to Kohunlich. My parents went to Kohunlich and really enjoyed it (and my mom is not physically fit at all).

[Kevin's girl]

We have done Chitzen Itza, Talum and Chacchoben. Chacchoben was a nice in between type ruins. Our son who is a great history buff and who had never been to any ruins loved it. The trails are easy to walk, and the area is really rather pretty. They have left some of the area unexcaveted so you can see how it looked when it was discovered. I do have photos if you would like I can email them to you. They are to large to post on any of the message boards, but I'm happy to share.

[FnyFACEnAL]

Hi Kevin's Girl...Did you ride in an air conditioned bus to the ruins? Can I assume if we do not want to actually climb the ruins we can just walk around? Was it very hot? buggy? Did you bring bottled water? How long were you at the ruins? Could you head back to the bus if you wanted to?

Thanks so much for all of this info. We are sailing in two weeks! :)

[Kevin's girl]

Yes the bus was air conditioned, the ride was 45 min, and the guide talked about the Myan culture and passed things around to see, touch and taste while we were going to the ruins. Due to the stage of restoration, you can't really climb much of these ruins like you can in Chitzen Itza. It was hot, you will want to bring water. They did supply free pop and beer on the way back. The bugs were not real bad, but bug spray is a good idea for the bitting flies. We just sprayed our legs. The trip was half a day so we had plenty of time to bum around the port before the ship left. I hope this helps. What other ports are you going to? If there is anything else you need just let me know.

[mare47]

Terri - that tour sounds great, exactly what we want to do. Which tour company did you go with?

 

Marian

[Kevin's girl]

Marian, we were cruising on Royal Caribbean and booked through them. I checked the photo they took of our family and the map we bought from them but there is no tour name. The trip was a lot of fun, and lasted just long enough to get a good taste of the ruins.

[FnyFACEnAL]

Thanks everyone...we are going to Belize where we will probably stay on the ship and Key West where we will just walk around. Can we get out of the heat by reboarding the bus if it becomes too much at the ruins? We will be on the Carnival Glory in two weeks for two weeks! B2B cruises :)

[Kevin's girl]

You could go back to the bus if you wanted. I hope you have a great time. When you are in Key West you should try Foggarty's. The food is great. They open at 11:00. If you like raw oysters, try The Raw Bar. It's around by the marina. One of our friends lives in Key West in the winter and took us there on one of our last trips there. My husband and son love the raw oysters there.

[FnyFACEnAL]

Kevin's Girl...thanks for all of the tips! :)

Three hours seems like a long time to stand and look at the ruins in the heat. Is there maybe another stop on this tour like shopping? We will be on the Carnival tour which is a five hour tour.

I thought about the city tour in Belize but last time we were there the water was very rough for tendering.

[Kevin's girl]

Three hours isn't bad, the ruins cover a rather large area and it takes a while to see it all. They give you a while to explore each of the areas on your own which was nice. Of all of the people that were there while we were, I never heard anyone say it was to long. And nobody seemed to be bored. Although it may be hot, there is plenty of shade as you are in the jungle and the walk is really pretty. There is a souvenir area before you enter the ruins where you stop before entering. This is also your bathroom stop. Prices are cheaper than what you find at the port, so if you find something you like buy it. I wish I had.

We have never been to Belize, so I can't help there.