Today we drove to the Mayan site Chichen Itza, certainly the most famous ruin on the Yucatan Peninsula, shortly after the opening.
Table of contents
The main entrance to Chichen Itza
At the entrance we bought the tickets for 232 pesos (about 12 €).
A map of Chichen Itza
Here we have found a very good map, which shows the location of the individual buildings very well.
A map of the Mayan site Chichén Itza
The Pyramid of the Kukulcun
Chichen Itza is one of the new seven wonders of the world and is best known for its “El Castillo” or “Pyramid of the Kukulcun”, which is the visitor magnet of the complex. We also spent some time there, because luckily there wasn’t that much going on around this time. So you can take really beautiful pictures without crowds of the pyramid. The ruins of Chichen Itza date back to a late Mayan period. It is assumed that the city must have played a nationally important role between the 8th and 11th centuries.
The step pyramid of the Kukulcun in Chichen Itza
More Buildings & Ruins
We spent a good two hours in the complex and looked at all the ruins. Almost all buildings are closed to public access, i.e. you can only see the ruins from the open spaces. That was a little different in the ruins we visited before.
Our criticism of Chichen Itza
When we left the site at about 10.30 a.m., there were really a lot of tourists there. So we have had a good time and can only advise everyone to be there early in the morning. From 9.30 a.m. at the latest, all the tourist buses will roll on and then it will be really crowded.
What we didn’t like at all about Chichen Itza was the tons of traders inside the ruins. If there are different stalls outside the premises, this is completely ok and comprehensible. But to this extent within a World Heritage Site? There was no such thing in the other Mayan sites we visited (Uxmal, Edzna or Kohunlich). Hundreds of such stalls can be found scattered along the entire terrain.
All travelogues from Yucatan (Mexico)
For Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula we put together a nice self-drive route, which we could drive on our own with a rental car. We absolutely wanted to see the many famous Mayan sites like Chichen Itza, Tulum, Uxam, Edzna or Kohunlich, get to know some cities like Merida or Campeche and finally relax a few days on the beach in Cancun. All in all, a beautiful route of over 1,400 kilometres, which can be ideally explored in 10-14 days.
» Day 1: By ferry from San Pedro (Belize) to Chetumal (Mexico)» Day 2: he Mayan ruins Of Kohunlich & the Old Town of Campeche (Mexico)
» Day 3: The Mayan Ruins of Edzna & Uxmal on Yucatan (Mexico)
» Day 4: The city of Merida & the flamingos of Celestun (Mexico)
» Day 5: Chichen Itza – The ruins of the Mayan site on Yucatan (Mexico)
» Day 5: Cenote Samula – The Underwater Cave in Valladolid (Mexico)
» Day 6: The Mayan site Tulum & Snorkeling with turtles (Mexico)
» Day 7: Cancun – Wreck Diving in the Caribbean with Aquaworld (Mexico)
» Day 8: Cancun – Relaxing at the All-Inclusive Resort (Mexico)