Lalia

I would like to visit the Myan ruins in Mexico. What are some good tours to take? Where is the best place to stay, Cancun?? Thanks for any help.

Louis Dameson

Fly into Merida, spend one night to visit city and then go to Chichin Itza (sp) and spend two nights inside the ruins--forget name of facility--to be inside the ruins and to wander around at different times of day and night -- to watch the moon over El Castillo is the type of experience you want. Dont stay in a place outside the ruins. There use to be a top guide operation for the area--name was something like Barrbachano (sp.). There is no reason not to rent a car--the traffic is light in the area but take out insurance. There are other ruins such as Usmal (sp)--you can spend months going from Mayan ruins from Honduras north. One of the most beautiful ruin is Palenque near Villa Hermosa. I would not consider Cancun a good center for ruin visiting--the nearest ruins are south. If I were going to that area I would stay instead around Akumal--serveral places around there that are comfortable--still best to have car--but the bus service is inexpensive and good. If nothing else consider Playa del Carmen unless your want the Miami Beach type of atmosphere of Cancun. For the most developed ruins in the area Chichen Itza is the queen. By the way, the mainland south of Cancun offers some pretty good snorkeling and Diving -- Try Club Akumal. Warning--we have spent a lot of time in the area but it has been 20 years since we have been there.

RobertQuirk

Hey slow down!!!!!! Fly to Merida and get a bus to Uxmal take the Ruta Puuc tour that also shows you how the proletariat lived. I've seen a lot of Mayan sites and Uxmal is wonderful - better than Chitchen and on a par with Palenque. Then go from Merida to Valladolid and see Chitchen Itza. Visit both sites early to avoid crowds and heat. From Valladolid you can take a Collectivo to that shit hole called Cancun. I've posted my trip to the Yucatan on my Web site:

http://www.softreq.co.uk/robq/mexico/mexico.htm

Jeff

It really depends on what you want and how you want to do it. Maya ruins extend from Copan in Honduras thru Guatamala, Belize, Mexico. Going to the Yucatan is certainly one option. Chances are you will fly into Cancun...I agree with the other two respondents, it sucks unless you want to feel like
you are in Miami Beach. It would be easy to arrange tours to Chichen Itza and Uxmal from there and there
are many places that can do it. You can also get most anyplace on the bus if you have plenty of time.
Driving, except in Merida would not be at all difficult. If you are really interested in Maya archeology, do a Web search of companies that do tours-they can take you to lots of smaller, less well known sites (Kohunlich is wonderful). Of the big, well known sites, my vote goes to Palenque.

Mim & Ron

Have been to Mexico, Belieze and Guatemala many times seeing the ruins. It depends on what kind of traveler you are. We travel by bus mostly and have seen Chitzen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum, Coba, Monte Alban, Palenque, Tikal and many other minor ruins. The best way to do it is lay out your map and plan your days. Starting in Oaxaca and heading south from there has been out best trip yet.
Bus travel in Mexico is first class and a great way to travel. Would never consider doing it here.
Have a good trip.

Jim Tourtillotte

Hmmmm...... The ruins are really fun but so is every thing else in the penninsula. We have donealot of the carrabean but this was our first trip to Mexico. We stayed in Cancun (more touristy than we usually like, but......) and found it to be really nice with some of the softest white beaches we had ever seen. Our four year old played for hours.

Chitzen Itza was an 1 1/2 hour drive west andmade for a good day trip. Leave early and arrive before the tour busses. You could easily spend two days if you wanted, but one was sufficient for our first trip to the region.

Tulum, beatifully perched above the ocean, was an hour south. Another great day trip with many things to do along the way.

My brother and his wife recently flew into Merida and then went inland down through the penninsula.......

We went for vacation and the ruins!