I always recommend a rental car--I much prefer the flexibility it gives. A convenient city to overnight is Valladolid--good hotels at low prices. (I always use the Hotel Zaci)

xgao: We did Mexico with our 2.5-year-old in June. We were worried it would be too much for him, especially the ruins, but he had a great time.
Do a search for my screen name and you'll find my trip report.

Palenque is by far my favorite. From the second you walk in under a tree canopy at the end of which a clearing reveals the breathtaking ruins, to the time you walk into the mysterious cueva de los murcielagos, a grouping of ruins hidden away in the jungle, surrounded by lovely waterfalls and sheltered by massive trees. Haunting. And not crowded at all, like Chichen Itza is.

Uxmal is lovely, intimate and pure Mayan aesthetic. The grounds are impeccably kept and there is some great shopping in the entrance area. Two great hotels as well to stay overnight just outside the gates.

Chichen Itza was grand and impressive but simply swarmed by crowds and seemed almost too large to do in a single day. But a must-see stop in Yucatan.

Outside of Mexico City Teotihuacan cannot be missed---but very different in flavor to the Yucatan ruins. The Sun Pyramid is incredibly massive and a fun climb. With that said, I think you get a better bang for your archeological buck in the Yucatan/Cancun area. Another way to consider getting there, if seeing ruins is your priority (vs. beach going) then you might fly to Merida airport, only a couple hours by car from Cancun. You can stay in Merida and make it your home base to see ruins and then drive to Cancun for the day or spend a night or two there before returning to Merida to catch your flight. I hope this feedback helps! Have an awesome trip!

The four greatest Mayan ruins are:

Tikal, Peten, Guatemala
Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico
Copan, Honduras
Uxmal, Yucatan, Mexico

Greatest among all groups in Mesoamerica in order: (just my opinion)

Teotihuacan, Mexico
Tikal, Guatemala
Monte Alban, Mexico
Uxmal, Mexico
Palenque, Mexico
El Tajin, Mexico
Copan, Honduras

Others worth a visit: (no order)

Mitla, Mexico
Chichén Itzá, Mexico
Cobá, Mexico
Cacaxtla, Mexico
Dzibilchaltún, Mexico
Bonampak, Mexico
Uxmal satellites, Mexico
Yaxchilán, Mexico
Xochicalco, Mexico

There are 12,000 archaeological sites in Mexico...and a few thousand more in Guatemala.

Buena suerte,
Norm

Neglected to mention on my list ruins:

Templo Mayor in Mexico City, excavation and museum

Tlatelolco (Sister city to Tenochtitlan and part of Aztec Capital)

Cuicuilco (very early round temple south of Mexico City buried by lava around 200 B.C., remnants of city might have been the earliest creators of of Teotihuacan. Van Danigen lives!--it is a round, truncated temple platform that looks just like a flying saucer!)

Tula, Capital of the Toltecs--Chichen-Itza in Yucatan was modeled after this.

Norm

My favorite is Pelenque. I think it compares best to Tikal and Machu Pitchu.

Has anyone used the services of MayaSites Travel to ploan their vacation?? Pls share your experience. thanks

We're going to be spending 8 days on Cozumel and hope to spend some time seeing Mayan ruins. Is it too far from Cozumel to Chichen Itza by bus? Anyone know if there is a plane trip and if so, how much this might cost?

Where is Cabo? Thanks for the info. thus far on Tulum.

We will be in Mérida next week and hope to see Uxmal and Dzibilchaltún, and perhaps Chichén Itzá.

I'll be interested to see how these sites compare with Palenque, which simply amazed me. I have also been much impressed with the Zapotec site of Monte Alban, and certainly with Teotihuacan outside Mexico City. They are all quite magnificent.

I just read a fascinating article in today's Toronto Globe and Mail about a Mayan site just across the border in Guatemala, El Mirador, which I had never heard about. It is described as North America's first great city and had a population of 100,000 at its height, but I can't find any reference in my guidebooks.

Apparently it is older and larger than Tikal, but most of it remains covered by jungle.

It only attracts about 300 visitors a year, possibly because it takes a two day hike to get there.

For those interested, here is the article:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...el/TopStories/

I always vote for the South in Yucatan. This means Uxmal and the whole shebang, from Kabah, to Sayil, Labna, Xlapak, and Loltun.

Why? The north of Yucatan, including the area around Chichen (a marvelous site) underwent significant disruption, first by the War of the Castes in the 19th century and then by sisal cultivation which substantially changed the Maya corn-based economy.

The South didn't suffer as much and henequen never penetrated there. Consequently, the South puts you in the true "Mayab," the heart of the Yucatec soul. So, you both see ruins and rub elbows with the modern Maya.

There is no greater experience.

I HAVEN'T BEEN TO CHICHEN, BUT I THOUGHT COBA WAS REALLY GREAT. NOT MUCH TO SEE AT TULUM EXCEPT A PRETTY VIEW.

Another vote for Coba. A really great site and not overrun by the tour buses like the other sites.