Which Mayan Ruins

[danech]

Kids and I want to see the Mayan Ruins in Oct. out of Calica. We've either hit the beach or had the port (Costa Maya twice) skipped in the past. Which of the Ruins would have the most impact, Chichen Itza, Muyil, or Tulum? Also, I'd be interested in any GREAT private tours as well?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

Dane, Liberty 3/06, Insperation 5/04, Pride 5/03, Triumph 8/00

[dexter]

Chichen Itsa definitely! It probably is the farthest inland, but it is worth it. You'll see the great pyramid, the observatory, the "ball court", the sacrificial chambers and much more. If I would you I'd go there...it is unforgettable and very educational.

[ppeckham]

Tulum was terrific as well. Be sure to wear your swimsuit and take a towel. They don't tell you but Tulum has a small beach.

[Ruggled]

As far as more "dramatic" and "classic" ruins, Chichen Itsa has the history. Tulum is smaller, you cannot walk on any of the ruins, which I believe you can do at Chichen Itsa but I found it quite interesting. There has never been evidence of sacrifices at Tulum compared to Chichen Itsa and the ruins are smaller and less typical than one sees in the "history books."

 

I must say that the beach on Tulum has to be one of the most breathtaking I've ever seen--something I am glad that I had the opportunity to see. Tulum is the only ruins that is actually on the beach and I can only imagine how impressive it was for European sailors to look upon. Do bring your suit if you go--it is amazingly hot and I was so glad to be able to spend some time in that water while we were there.

[Sandgnat]

I love Coba, take a taxi there and you can climb the large pyramid. They have some you can no longer climb, some still covered by jungle and are clearing areas all the time. I have been going over the last 10 years and it is amazing the difference in the years. In Tulum you can not touch the ruins but it is breath taking. We hire a taxi or rent a car for the day and see both and stop and snorkel too. Coba is south of Tulum by about 1 hour. Well worth the trip. They have two ball fields unearthed now.

[2Ports]

followed by Tulum - both awesome, but as mentioned before, at Tulum you don't get to climb around on all the cool stuff! :p

[741323]

Chichen Itza is the most famous and most dramatic.

Tulum is easier to get to

 

The ones in Belize are more "naturalised" in terms of being in very dramatic rainforest settings.

[sehkmet22]

If you're planning to go through Carnival, Tulum is the only option.

When planning our cruise, we decided we really wanted to go to Chichen Itza. I called Carnival to verify the CI was available for the cruise we were planning and was told it was.

I booked the cruise, went to book the excursion, and found that CI was not available. Several phone calls and emails later, I was informed that the only port that CI is available from is Progresso.

Honestly, I was pretty irate considering the website lists an excursion that is never avaiable from Calica.

They told me that they would fix the website, which it looks like they have.

 

If you do find a private company that can get you there and back from Calica, pleast post it.

[Third Coast Sailor]

When did they stop letting you climb the pyramid/monument @ Tulum?? That use to be one the secrets , you did not go straight up . you walked it on a diagonal , back and forth ,

I went the first time in 76' guess it has been a while, can not remember exactly but it was the late 80's early 90's when I was there last .

 

Wow, Mexico has started taking care of it's natural resources .

We fished out of Cozumel in the early 70's and tried to explain to everyone that they did not want to continue throwing their trash, dumping their oil etc .. in the Marina @ the El Presidente , they thought we were crazy Gringo's .

[gottago2mexico]

Chichen Itza is great, but it is SO far away - on a cruise excursion you just don't have the time from Calica. There are private tours than can accomplish this, but even then you're left feeling like you spent the whole time driving. A typical tour to Chichen Itza will take about 12 to 14 hours total if you want to spend a decent amount of time at the ruins.

 

Tulum is MUCH closer, leaving you plenty of time to do other things during the day. Many people choose to head over to Xel Ha afterward, either with a tour or on their own. The ruins are set on a clifftop overlooking the Caribbean - one of the most beautiful places on earth. The ruins site itself is not all that thrilling if you've seen Chichen Itza or even Coba, but it's worth the trip for sure just for the views, photo opportunities, and the interesting guided tours.

 

Coba is recently uncovered, much of it isn't uncovered yet. It is the only one of the three where you can still climb the pyramids. It is close enough to do on a shore excursion from Calica, but you'll want to rent a bicycle, rickshaw, or other means of transportation when you get there - walking the whole site can really take a long time, and it will likely be really hot.

 

I hope this helps - the Mayan Ruins are really interesting. If you have time, Chichen Itza is awesome, but Calica is just not practical. Try it sometime when you're staying in Cancun or cruising to Merida.

[Tapi]

I visted Costa Maya last November and visited the Mayan Ruins of Chachobben. Even though they are not as impressive as Chichen Itza, or in a dramatic location like Tulum, they are VERY easy to get to. From the pier in Costa Maya to the ruins is about a 40 minute drive in brand new air conditioned buses.

 

At the entrance of the ruins there's a welcome center where you can purchase local artifacts and t-shirts. There are 2 main pyramids in Chachobben, one at the beginning and the more impressive one at the end of the tour.

 

The location is very nice (at some points, you can look around for miles, and realize that you're surrounded by jungle).

 

Enjoy!