dan woodlief

My wife and I are going to the Yucatan in three weeks (an 11 day, 11 night stay in Cancun city). We are staying in Cancun but plan to explore many areas. We will stay 1-2 nights in Merida, for example. For those who have seen the places listed, is it worth it to see all of the ruins listed (I will definitely be going to Chichen Itza, but will the others become too repetitive for the time involved to see them?). I am looking for opinions and insights on the different sights and time involved, etc. What are the earliest buses (especially faster buses) from Cancun to Chichen Itza, from Merida to Chichen Itza, from Merida to Uxmal? How untouristy is Coba? How much time should I alot for Merida to watch a musical performance, shop for 3 hours or so, take a walking tour of the main sights, eat a nice dinner at Los Almendros, and make short visits into some of the buildings/museums? Hope these questions aren't too confusing. Thanks.

dale

I haven't been to all the places you mention, but here's the info I have. I was in Cancun for a week in February, and I made two day trips -- one to Chichen Itza and one to Tulum. I went down to the bus station in downtown Cancun around 7:30 each morning and was able to get a bus for my destination within 30 minutes. There are numerous bus companies using the station, so you have to check at multiple counters. Price varies depending on air conditioning and number of stops -- my non-stop bus with a/c was around $3 or $4. chichen Itza is well set up for visitors -- a cafeteria at the entrance, a book store and guides for about $20. I got a guide for a few hours and then spent a few hours there on my own -- it's a huge site and very interesting. Tulum is not quite as big, but its site is spectacular. It's south on the coast on a cliff overlooking the water. Definitely worth the trip. I think both sites are definitely worth visiting, but avoid the group tours that charge $50 or $60 per day for a rushed run through. Although I speak spanish there were several people there when I was who didn't, and they were all able to buy their bus tickets without any problem.

jonw

Dan,

> Chichen Itza and Uxmal are to of the best and most interesting sites available to see. Both are very large and different from each other. I visited Coba 4 or 5 years ago and while it is interesting, it wasn't nearly as restored. I don't know how much has been done to it since then.
>ADO 1st class buses from Cancun to Merida depart regularly and take about 4 hours. You may take a local tour bus from Merida to Uxmal and other sites. It is suggested that you make your reservations the day before you want to travel as to make sure there sure seats available.
>Tour packages are available from Cancun to Chichen Itza for around $ 59.00 per person. Just ask at the front desk of your hotel.
>Tour packages from Cancun are also available to Coba for about the same rates as Chichen Itza. >The tour buses will pick you up at your hotel and return you there at the end of the day. If this is your first visit to the area, this may be the best way for you to familarise yourself to the area.
>I have been to Cancun and surrounding areas 9 different times and have visited 25 - 30 of the Mayan sites.
>If you haveany more questions e-mail me / jonw

Beth hegarty

I an a single mom twith three daughters age 15,12 and 8 I would like them to have a vacation in a foreign country. The 15 years old is in AP spanish and the 12 year old studied the Mayans. I am a teacher and can leave any time in aug. I am looking for airfare, and a place to stay . I love the beach but have Irish potato skin. What suggestion do you have ? Thnks beth

Ralph Milson

Dan:

Merida, what a city!! Beautiful colonial city, with very nice buildings and the oldest Cathedral in all of the American Continenet!. If you are lucky to be there on a thusrday night, don't miss the 9 p.m. "serenata" at Santa Lucia park ( no charge ). It's been going on every thursday night for 35 years now. Very romantic. The city has free cultural events every night, really woth to see.
Place to stay? For every taste and budget; I've been there several times and last time I stayed at Hotel Aragon, a very nice bed & breakfast hotel just 1 1/2 blocks from Los Almendros.
Chichen Itza and Uxmal are must places if you are in this area. Visit the anthropological museum in Merida, very interesting.
Cancun has the best beaches in the world, and restaurants and nighlife. Hotels? Simply the best.
Have a wonderful vacation!

Sue

Hi, we were in Coba three years ago in Feb, not crowded. We stayed at the Villas Arqueulogicas,sp?, had the whole place almost to ourselves, use to be a Club Med. As I remember was around $100 a night, has a restaurant and pool.

Stephanie

I mspent 1 month in Merida studying spanish and went to chichen itza and uxmal. Both were very beautiful and I would recommend seeing both sites. It is a very hot day in the sun however, so bring hats, sunscreen and lots of water, there isn't much shade. If you only want to go and see on or the other i would recommend chichen itza, it's pretty spectacular. I'm not sure if you can get a guide, but it would be worth it. There are a lot of things that you wouldn't notice unless pointed out to you. Such as at the base of the pyramid at uxmal there are serpant heads. At the solstice or equinox the shadows created by the sun on this particular day creates a serpants body leading to the head. Scientista are still baffled at how they built this or knew about this so many thousands of years ago. So I would recommend joining a group and learning all the stuff it would probably make it more interesting. I would also definitely recomment climbing the pyramid if you're not afraid of heights, it's pretty steep, the view is awsome! <BR>Have a great trip!

stephanie

Just rereading my message, and made a mistake! The serpants heads I was referring to are at chichen itza not uxmal, sorry.

Jer Jensen

Dan, <BR> <BR>If you want to make your visit unforgettable, catch a day flight down to the Ruins of Tikal in Northern Guatamala! There are day trips to Tikal that are advertized all over in Cancun. <BR> <BR>The ruins at Tikal make the ruins of the Yucatan look like Disneyland (they are very touristy, and not nearly as unspoiled). <BR> <BR>Enjoy! <BR> <BR> <BR>

dan

Thanks to all those who responded to my original question. Your information was very helpful. We went to the Yucatan for 11 days in early June. It was a wonderful experience. Using Cancun as a base to avoid lugging luggage around we travelled to Playa del Carmen (fabulous - wish we had stayed there a few days, but we did spend two there), Cozumel (two big for a scooter day trip in my opinion, but nice isolated beaches), many Cancun beaches, Isla Mujeres, Chichen Itza, Coba, Uxmal, Tulum, Xel-Ha, and Merida. My impressions on the places that I mentioned in my earlier question: (1) Uxmal was the most beautiful of the ruins, and it was great to go to a place that was very uncrowded - it was very atmospheric to be almost the only person in the Nunnery Quadrangle on a beautiful sunny morning with swallows flying all around. (2) Chichen Itza is spectacular and was not too crowded for the first hour or so - got some of the best photos I have ever taken at that site; also one of the hottest places I have ever visited (boy, that Fresca was so good!). The second class bus ride there was quite an experience. No other Americans on the bus and saw lots of interesting small towns along the way (but it was over 4 hours long). (3) Went to Merida late on Sunday afternoon and stayed one night. They block off the streets around the Plaza Mayor on Sundays, and there is a festival atmosphere - vendors of food and crafts, dancing, bands, lots of local women in their colorful huipiles. Yucatecan food at Los Almendros was terrific, and there was great shopping for crafts. You can get very nice hotel rooms for $20 - $30 with air conditioning and five minutes walk from the square. (4) Coba was very different, and we were almost the only people there. Everyone told us we would not be able to go to Tulum and Coba in one day because of the infrequency of return buses (even the visitor center), but thanks to info in Lonely Planet Guide (great resource), we hired a taxi at Tulum bus station. For $33 we got the 45 minute ride there and back plus two hours at the ruins. Three hours are better if you have the time. Coba is not well restored but is a very important site and has a lot of interesting jungle and birds. Also Tulum was quite beautiful in its setting and well worth the two hour trip from Cancun. <BR> <BR>I have always been into history, and the trips to the ruins really inspired me to find out more about the Maya, and I am planning trips to see Tikal (Guatemala), Coban (Honduras), and Palenque (Mexico). I have been reading several books since. If you want to read a great book on how the peninsula was only 30 years ago, read "The Lost World of Quintana Roo" by Peissel. I just stumbled across it in the library and read it during the trip. It was hilarious to see that the tourist magazine at Playa del Carmen had a review of the book. <BR> <BR>Also we were glad we stayed downtown in Cancun. Not only much cheaper and close to the bus station, but the downtown is much more local in atmosphere for food and people. The week we went happened to be high school graduate week. We saw thousands of drunk teens the two nights that we went down to the island, but virtually none managed to find their ways downtown. For food try El Pescador (great seafood) and Rosa Mexicano. If you stay downtown though, definitely get a room as far away from the street as possible. <BR>

Kristin

Dan - Did you ever stay over night at any of the ruins? We will be going to Cozomel and from ther are interested in going to Tulum, Chitzen Itza and Uxmal and wouldn't mind staying overnight at one or all. If, say, we get a bus from Cozomel (or Playa del Carmen) to Chitzen Itza and stayed overnight there, could we then catch a bus to Uxmal, stay and take another to Tulum? Is it not worth it to stay at these places (i.e. nothing to do, boring, etc.)? And lastly, if you had to choose Tulum or Uxmal, which would it be?

dan

To answer Kristin's questions: <BR> <BR>Take a look at the Caribbean answer group - I gave a detailed answer to your request there. There is no comparison between Tulum and Uxmal. Tulum's setting is beautiful, but as for the ruins, Uxmal is specatacular. I preferred it (by a slight margin) to Chichen Itza. It was less crowded, and the architecture is pure Maya. Chichen Itza has a strong Toltec influence. I would definitely see Chichen Itza and Uxmal. As for things to do around Uxmal, try Merida. You may want to spend a night there. Eat at Los Almendros (see Lonely Planet guide or any other) for excellent Yucatecan food. I don't think there is much around Chichen Itza itself, but it is not far from Valladolid. Piste is the town near the ruins. Tulum is easy to see in a short time period. It is only one hour from Playa del Carmen by bus and is a small site. Allow some time also for the beach. You may wish to also see Coba if you have time (see my other posting). There are supposed to be some good hotels around there if you care to stay near Coba. I would go to Tulum (and maybe Coba on one day), continue on through to Chichen Itza. Explore Chichen Itza starting at 8:00 am. Catch a bus there (right at the ruins) mid to late afternoon for Merida. Then next day take early bus to Uxmal and back to Merida that evening. <BR>

kristin

Thanks Dan - I actually did see your message on the other page and it was very helpful. We're not leaving for a few weeks and are still POURING over all the information that's out there. I'll probably be emailing you again soon....

judi, from Michigan

Dan, <BR>If you go to Tikal and Palenque, you might try to see Bonampak. The walls still display original paintings by the Classic Mayan artists and depict scenes of war and ceremony. When we went there in '95, we were flown in by six-seater plane and were the only humans at the site. I understand it's a little easier to reach now so the pristine beauty probably won't last too much longer.