Probably a settlement from around 400 A.D., it has had many additions and residents and became a thriving City by 1000 A.D. It was used as recently as the 16th century when the Spanish arrived and upset everybody.
The iconic Pyramid of Kukulkan is one of many outstanding structures, that also includes the observatory and huge ball park. Spread over a wide area, the variety of architecture is staggering.
Most amazing ! - the wall of skulls carved into the stone, one for every head removed from it's shoulders. Enemies and friends ?! There is over 1,500 of them !
My tips for visiting - Entry is 166 pesos ($15). Open 8am - 5pm every day. Due to it's location, hoards of tourists from Cancun start arriving by 11am. My top tip - get there when it opens, spend the first hour taking all your 'short wearing tourist free photos', then stroll around to take in the details. You cannot walk on any structures here and the Cenote is a green pit. By mid afternoon, it will be heaving with visitors and a continual stream of gift sellers. Take your own sandwiches and drinks, it's expensive. Grab a coffee on the way in, there's nothing inside, but you can nip in and out. Bus details ? Contact me.
My rating 7/10
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| Ball court at Chichen Itza |
EK BALAM
Ek Balam ( black jaguar) was an important urban centre that reached it's peak around 800 - 1200 A.D. It's unique architecture was an 'adoption' of several other regional styles.
The fairly compact, but interesting site is dominated by the huge 102 ft high acropolis, easily bigger than Chichen Itza's highest. From high up above the tree tops, you can see the ruins of Coba 30 miles away !
Work is continuing, but there is plenty to ponder over and walking on structures is allowed. Getting to the top of the steps of the acropolis will require a couple of stops, but is worth it for the view. There is a quick way down, but I would still recommend walking !
There is also a cenote on the site.
Most amazing ! - has to be the view to the horizon and the authentic Mayan warriors on guard !
Travel tips - open 8am -5pm, entrance is 89 pesos. There is a bathroom and a few shops, but not geared up for large scale tourism. There were a few coaches in during the afternoon. There was no local transport to and from Vallodolid to the site that I could discern, but I found a bus for 15 pesos, that drops you close. Post for details.
My rating 7/10
The fairly compact, but interesting site is dominated by the huge 102 ft high acropolis, easily bigger than Chichen Itza's highest. From high up above the tree tops, you can see the ruins of Coba 30 miles away !
Work is continuing, but there is plenty to ponder over and walking on structures is allowed. Getting to the top of the steps of the acropolis will require a couple of stops, but is worth it for the view. There is a quick way down, but I would still recommend walking !
There is also a cenote on the site.
Most amazing ! - has to be the view to the horizon and the authentic Mayan warriors on guard !
Travel tips - open 8am -5pm, entrance is 89 pesos. There is a bathroom and a few shops, but not geared up for large scale tourism. There were a few coaches in during the afternoon. There was no local transport to and from Vallodolid to the site that I could discern, but I found a bus for 15 pesos, that drops you close. Post for details.
My rating 7/10
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| " Nooo I'm not Spanish.." angry Mayan warriors. |
Acanceh
There are literally hundreds of temple sites across the region, stretching from El Salvador in the south, to Palenque and into the Yucatan, Guatemala and Belize. Sadly, most of them are just mounds of earth covered buildings. Most of the sizable, significant sites have had major excavation works carried out, but now and again, although rare, you come across a small temple site that is pretty much intact.
Acanceh, just 20 minutes form Mayapan, is such a site. To be found in the town centre of Acanceh itself, it looks quite bizarre. At first glance, you would think that it wasn't even accessible, but the guy in the shed assured us, that for only 25 pesos each, we could wander around the site at will ! So we did !
There are only two, fairly sizable temples, but one of them has 8 huge, fully restored masks - 2 on each side of the pyramid. You can walk on both structures and get a great view of the town and the surrounding area.
There's very little to them, but it is interesting to see such buildings in a modern day town.
Most amazing ! - that it is there and has survived at all, much of the original stone can be seen in the surrounding garden walls !
Travel tips - should be done as part of the Mayapan trip. Regular buses and colectivo's leave the town square for Merida, cost 15 pesos ! You can sit in the attractive town square after, with a drink and ponder.
