Pegontheroad

I'm not sure how understandable the title is, but I'd love to go to Yucatán again to see more Mayan ruins. A couple of years ago I went to Yucatán and visited Chichen Itza, Tulum, and one other place whose name I forget. Maybe Uxmal.

Chichen Itza was great, as I was able to walk through the grounds without being nervous about uneven paths. It was very easy to explore. Tulum, on the other hand, was hard for me because the ground was uneven, and I felt that I had to take the arm of a nearby person. At the third place (the maybe Uxmal destination) I did fine for most of the excursion, but there was one place when I had to sit down because I knew I wouldn't be able to manage the steps.

So, my request is for names of easy-to-navigate ruins such as Chichen Itza. Any suggestions?

jamie99

Try Coba, in the jungle so there is some shade overhead, paths are mostly flat and even and the best part is if you have mobility issues, or just get tired like we did, you can hire a tricycle taxi to pedal you around for an hour (be sure and tip well, it is pretty hot, hard work).

Pegontheroad

Thanks for the suggestion. I was reading about Coba in my Fodor's Yucatán, and it did seem like it would be possible.

Daniel_Williams

Hi pegontheroad,

It's not Mexico but it is Mayan--Altun Ha in Belize I felt was easy to negotiate (minus climbing up the temples themselves perhaps). I enjoyed some of the details at the base of the temples.

Daniel

sf7307

Frankly, I thought the paths at Tulum were smoother than those at Coba, but if you hire a tricycle taxi at Coba, it won't matter.

Rohelio

I will agree that Coba seems to be the ideal place for you to visit... and if you are inclined, you can even climb the main pyramid, or maybe half way in your case.

november_moon

I was thinking Coba also - with a bike-taxi. We hired one when we were there and it was a lot of fun. The site is large and it was a hot, humid day, so riding around in the bike taxi was just the ticket.

thibaut

Labna was flat in my souvenir. Theer were 3 sites along the qsame road, Labna being one of those, and they seemed easy to visit to me.

kja

Re: Labna -- I agree that it is relatively flat, but IME, each of the smaller sites along the Ruta Puuc had some stretches that held traps for feet that weren't always easy to see.

Christina

I didn't think Uxmal was any better than Tulum, actually, although it's been a while since I've been to Tulum so maybe I'm forgetting. I didn't climb those steps up to the top, either, I just can't do stuff like that, it is too scary to me given there are no handrails, etc. and the steps can be very steep in some places, I am always amazed at the people I see doing that in some places as they don't look that nimble always, and some are not dressed appropriately shoe-wise.

Anyway, I was in Merida last year and did a van small group day trip to some ruins that were really not bad at all in that regard. It was Dzibilchaltun. I think there was only one place where you could choose to climb up those stone steps to be inside a buildings, but you didn't have to, plenty to see.
Dzibilchaltún

I think we also went to Kabah on that trip, which also wasn't bad at all. Those were two good sites that I think you could handle.

Kabah Ruins - Mayan Tourism Guide

So instead of the coast, you might consider a visit to Merida and then finding day trips to those spots.

kja

One of my guidebooks referred to a "tourist trap" in Kabah -- the place where tourists routinely caught a foot and fell.

Christina

well, I don't know where that is and I didn't fall there and no one else I saw did, either. I'm not sure what guidebook you are using, but I would presume if such a spot existed, wouldn't it be obvious or signed to warn people?

if you are trying to imply Kabah is difficult and dangerous to walk around, I don't agree.

kja

I haven't been to Kabah for 10 years, so I can't comment on what it's like now, but yes, most definitely, there were some difficult and dangerous areas when I was there in 2008. And yes, the "tourist trap" (mentioned in the Lonely Planet Yucatan) was signed, and staff were trying to figure out how to deal with it, but apparently, tourists repeatedly ignored the signs and experienced difficulties as a result. FWIW, the dangerous stretch was on the path heading east to Templo de las Columnas. I don't remember any difficulties in the most heavily touristed parts of Kabah -- the area by the Codz Poop or El Arco.

mexicocassie

Mayapan near Merida is a good option. Dzibilchaltun, also near Merida. Both flat ground and easy to explore. Mayapan is quiet too so you don't have to deal with a zillion other tourists.