Topside tips getting to Chichen Itza

[divebag]

We will be staying at Paradisuss Riviera in Puerto Morelos (Just south of Cancun) and are wanting to go see the ruins at Chichen Itza on a non-diving day. The resort offers bus trip tours to the ruins, but I am looking for alternatives. Is it easy to rent a van and drive our small group of 10 people there? Should we hire a driver or guide.
The question is using a large greyhound bus tour with little flexibiltiy, box lunch and impersonal -or- make our own arrangments and stop and eat when we want and come back when we want. Do we really need a guide?

Any suggestions?

 

[driftwood]

Contact Mitch at Playa del Carmen, Mexico's Virtual Guide Book : Playa.Info. He handles all the tours and with a group of 10 they will do it when you want to go. The Playainfo folks do a fantastic job of putting together a day trip that is diverse and interesting. Becky and me have been on a couple of their tours and throughly enjoyed ourselves. You can also hire a van and driver for a day from them.

Personally, I would book a special tour for your group and let someone else worry about the details. You are on vacation. Mitch is a super nice guy that does a great job. He is also an instructor who worked for years in the local dive shops till he found he could make more money doing tours than teaching. You will learn more about the local scene by spending a day with him than you could pick up on a dozen trips on your own and I am sure that the schedule can be as flexible as you want it to be on a private tour.

If you decide to go on your own, I would highly recommend that you get the Yucatan map from Can-Do Travel Guides. Leaving from PM, you will be better off taking the toll road from Cancun than going south through Tulum and Coba. You will save at least 3 hours driving that way.

 

[Peter_C]

Spending the night is highly recommended. Be there by 8:00 am and done by 11:00 am when the tour buses pull in. Then head to Ek-Balam where no tour buses go and enjoy the incredible ruins there. As I understand they are one of the few ruins you can climb on.

 

[midwestdvr]

I drove from Cancun to Chichen Itza using the toll road. I had no problem at all. The road was good. As Peter C suggested, do try to get there early. When I was there last April, large groups of other tourists started arriving between 10 and 11 am and the place started to get crowded.

 

[willgr1]

My group drove from Akumal to Chicken Itza via the back roads this past summer. It was a nice drive, we stopped off at the prison to purchase some handmade hammocks. Driving there is no biggie. When you get there you just pay for parking, buy your tickets and walk around the place. I would occasionally listen in on some of the guides talking about some of the ruins, but liked not being restricted to sticking with a group. Get there early, cause as others said, it gets crowded quick.

 

[Ed Hatfield]

A group of 10 should get you some buying power as you can fill a van. The post about getting to CI early and then going to EkBalam is a great idea as long as it is affordable. It is only 18-20 miles north of Valladolid. Everyone seems to want top dollar (and usually get it) during the 'high' season. Unless you are well versed in Mayan history a guide is a good idea at CI - there is a lot to see and most of it will be lost on you without a guide. You can appreciate EkBalam without a guide, a lot will become self evident if you had a guide at CI. EkBalam was a satellite city to CI that shrunk in importance as the rulers in CI became more prominant. If you really want to climb - Coba is a good alternative. Good luck planning your trip - if it your first time - even the resort tours are OK and take the guesswork out of it.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

The guide at Coba last year, stated that the large ruin there, was the tallest pyramid type ruin you could still climb in MX. Great site, huge city that is still 90% covered in jungle. If you go to Coba, rent bikes.

I agree with hiring a guide, but I suggest getting a private guide for your group. The amount of informational signage in Coba and Tulum was minimal. I found that surprising after being in many national parks in the U.S. When I did listen in on a guide it was very interesting.

We were in Akumal and visited Tulum early and glad we did. About 10:00 am the busses and crouds came in big numbers. But before they arrived, there was a small number of tourists.

Have fun!

PH

Have fun.

 

[divebag]

I love this board!

 

[driftwood]

You can appreciate EkBalam without a guide, a lot will become self evident if you had a guide at CI. EkBalam was a satellite city to CI that shrunk in importance as the rulers in CI became more prominant. If you really want to climb - Coba is a good alternative. Good luck planning your trip - if it your first time - even the resort tours are OK and take the guesswork out of it.

Ek Balam is a much younger city (Post Classic and Terminal period) than CI and hit its stride when CI was in decline . The thing about EB is that there is so much detail that you will miss without a good guide. On the main acropolis there are still remnants of paint if you know where to look for them and 'signs' at the entrances of some of the rooms. You need a guide to point out the little details at EB. CI is all about the majesty of the site, EB is all about the art and details.

Climbing;
Tulum, none allowed

Coba, no restrictions but the only one worth the effort is the main pyramid

CI, the Observatory is now open as is much of the Nunnery. El Castile (main pyramid) has been closed for years as is the Temple of the Warriors and buildings around the Ball Court. You MAY still be able to go underneath El Castile.

Ek Balam, the Twins are closed, the temple to the right of the main entrance is open the Acropolis is partially open (the tomb entrance is open, the top of the pyramid is open, the Royal Apartments are closed).

It is always better to do CI, Ek Balam and Valladolid as an overnight trip from the coast than to cram it into one day.

 

[dive pro]

I can recommend charliealexandre@hotmail.com his name is Charlie, he owns a transportation, travel company tours etc. I believe he can take care of you by picking you up and dropping you @ hotel lobby, like mentioned before staying a night is cool the light show etc, this guys will stay if needed with your party, this way there is no hassle on renting car paper work etc, you can all share the van and pay each for entrances @ chichen itza, going with this guys, means they know the surroundings to bring you and stop @ other places along ther road like mentioned on this board and you dont have to look at maps etc.
Another choice is flytours@prodigymovil.com, flytourstransfers@hotmail.com, this guys can get you any kind of transportation, brand new vans to airplanes.
Hope this info was useful