These sites look so accessible now that I see them on a road map. By bus, which seemed to stop in every little town, it felt a lot more distant. Chichen Itza was like a whole day's journey from the coast. Rent a car and see 'em all!
Well, it sounds like you caught the wrong bus, but driving lets you go where you want when you want, and leave stuff in the trunk - always mindful that thieves do roam. You could do CI & Ek Balam one day, Coba & Tulum ruins the next, and include some other stops along the way, but don't push it too hard. I preferred two different vacations for those two days.
I figure I have about 48 weeks to offgas in the USA. Someday (maybe soon) I will be too old to dive and I can see other stuff then.
And too old to hike ancient cities, climb buildings, and bicycle thru Coba. If you don't want to see ruins, fine - but if you do, add a day now. I still get around ok, but I can't keep up with my kids & grandkids on hikes. I did 4 days & nights alone in Big Bend NP last week, but kept to the easy trails and napped a lot. Gawd it was hot, and I hid later afternoons.
s for "daunting", LOL, I should explain I guess. didn't mean it in a fearful way, but in a "i'm on vacation, I don't want to rise at 6 am for the ferry, ferry and drive for 3-4 hours, walk the ruins in the heat with a million other people, then drive /ferry 3-4 hours back and get home at 10, utterly exhausted.
Ok, I agree, but I would never suggest such. I suggest CI first thing in the morning before the hordes arrive, etc. I like to finish a day in time for a reasonable supper hour. The kids, grandkids, and I are doing Mount Rushmore, Little Bighorn, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and finishing with the August 21 Eclipse, and I'm planning the drive times to avoid overdoing any day. Some afternoons I reserve the right to siesta while they carry the bear spray & PLB.
I had seen the google map drive time and wondered how accurate it was. We would likely drive back via the free road and at least stop by Tulum and maybe Gran Cenote, depending...
I think it's accurate enough. Those toll roads are so much faster than the free roads. Sometimes I reject google's choices in routes that are 1 minute faster than better roads, but their measurements seem pretty accurate. You could do Mayaland hotel, CI, Ek Balam, and still have time for a cenote stop altho I avoid driving after sunset there. That does add some drive time, but maybe not too much since you are doing 2 hours of it the afternoon before.
Can you say more about the CI night show? I assume I could arrange a morning guide on arrival at Mayaland?
I thought the night show was weak, but many do enjoy it. Maybe their sound equipment will work better than for my visit - surely, and the light show on the ruins is interesting. Worth it since you're there anyway.
