Not sure if you should give up a day of your vacation to explore the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza? Read on to learn more about the site and help decide if it’s right for you.
What is Chichen Itza?
Chichen Itza is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Mexico that consists of a large number of impressive Mayan ruins dating back to 1500 years ago.
Where is Chichen Itza located (and how long does it take to get there)?
The complex is located in the Yucatan region. Unfortunately, it is a considerable distance from the areas most frequented by tourists. From Cancun’s Hotel Zone it will take approximately three and a half hours…from Riviera Maya/Playa del Carmen approximately 3 hours…and from Cozumel it will take over 4 hours to get there with part of the trip by ferry. With travel time and exploring the site, a trip to Chichen Itza is pretty much an all day affair.
How to get to Chichen Itza?
If you have a vehicle during your trip, you can certainly drive to Chichen Itza. The safest place to park is at the official parking lot which costs a few USD.
Since most visitors to the area will not have a rental vehicle, one of the easiest ways to get to Chichen Itza is through a group tour that provides transport, tickets to the site, and a guide. There are a large number of companies that provide tours in both private, small, and large group sizes. As always, make sure to fully investigate any tour company before booking. There is a huge variation in quality among tour offerings.
How much does it cost?
Entry to the site is currently $481 pesos (approximately $23 USD). Many tour packages include ticket price in their cost. Otherwise you will need to pay this total amount at two separate windows and you will need both tickets to enter the site.
When should you visit?
Most tour groups visit between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm. If possible, you may wish to time your visit for before or after this period to help avoid crowds. There is also a night light show projected on the main pyramid which includes a chance to explore the rest of the site for a short time with a limited number of people.
On many Sundays, entry to the site is free for local residents resulting in larger crowd sizes. You may wish to plan your visit for a different day of the week if possible.
The Chichen Itza experience
Your entry ticket includes access to the site only. There is a large complex of buildings to explore, but there is limited signage providing any information about the ruins. To get the most out of your visit, you may want to consider hiring a guide to show you around. Most group tours include a guide as part of the package. However there are individual guides for hire as well. Just like tour companies, it’s important to research guides thoroughly. There is a vast difference in quality and knowledge of tour guides. Audio tours are also available for purchase and download to your cellphone in advance if you prefer.
An average visit will take approximately 2-3 hours to explore the site.
One downside to visiting Chichen Itza is the large number of souvenir sellers. They set up shop throughout the complex and can be quite persistent. A polite and consistent ‘no’ is enough to dissuade most of them. Visiting early in the morning can help avoid some of them.
During your visit, you cannot touch or climb any of the pyramids or buildings. This is to preserve the ruins from harm and to make sure they’re around for future generations to enjoy. Please respect the rules of the archaeological site. If you really need to touch or climb the ruins, consider visiting one of the other sites that allows this.
Other alternatives to Chichen Itza
If you’re not up to a trip to Chichen Itza, consider visiting one of the other Mayan ruins in the area such as Tulum or Coba. These sites are closer to the popular tourist zones which makes a half-day trip an option. Touching and/or climbing the ruins is allowed at some of these alternative sites as well. For a more in-depth look at the options, check out this blog post on the differences between Chichen Itza, Tulum, Coba, and Ek Balam.
Is a trip to Chichen Itza worth it?
In my experience, yes, a trip to Chichen Itza was definitely worth it. I took a large group tour from my resort in Riviera Maya. While there was an entire busload of people on the tour, our guide was a local historian and very enthusiastic about teaching. He filled the long bus ride by sharing stories of the Mayan people (both historically and today) and the site…preparing us for our visit. Once we arrived, he managed entry into the site, gave us a guided tour, and then allowed us time to explore on our own. Even though the site was full of tourists and souvenir sellers, walking among the giant stone step pyramids was a surreal experience and one that I’m glad I took the time to explore. Even if the trip took all day. There were plenty of other opportunities during my vacation to lay on the beach.
