Where to Go
Cancún
When the Mexican government decided to improve its economy by developing its tourist industry, a totally new, tailor-made, high-class resort was the aim; the major decision was where its site should be. Many factors were taken into account before a short list of locations was entered into a computer. When the final results were correlated, Cancún was top of the list.
This location had many natural attributes in its favor. Twenty-seven kilometers (17 miles) long and less than a kilometer wide, the island is shaped like the number seven, and separated from the Yucatán peninsula by only 10 m (33 ft) of water. Its eastern shoreline is one long beach of fine white sand (there are seven named beaches along the strip), which is washed by the translucent azure waters of the Caribbean. Between the island and the mainland is Laguna Nichupté, a huge seawater lagoon bounded by mangrove swamps that are havens to numerous species of wildlife.
Today a string of hotels have taken much of the beachfront real estate; the balance given over to bars, nightclubs, and shopping malls. On the lagoon side, watersports and eco-tours abound in the calmer shallow waters. Blue signs denote public beach access and there are no restrictions, so you can walk the island’s full length without concerns about trespass. All in all, Cancún has everything needed for the perfect relaxing vacation.
Finding your way around the resort couldn’t be simpler. There is only one main thoroughfare, Kukulkán Boulevard, running the full length of the island, and every hotel and attraction is only a few strides from it. The addresses of most hotels or restaurants will include their position on Kukulkán Boulevard in kilometers; the farther south, the bigger the number. This guide explores the island from north to south, giving the exact location of attractions in kilometers to make it easy for you to find what you need. You could rent a vehicle of some sort to travel back and forth to your hotel, but there is a very reliable and inexpensive bus service stopping regularly, and usually directly outside the major hotels, at intervals along the route. The buses run from early morning to midnight.
Crossing from the mainland onto the island — into the area called the Hotel Zone — the lagoon with its rich mangrove forest is on the right. You may see a passing pleasure-boat on the water, or a jet-ski convoy on the lookout for wildlife such as herons, pelicans, deer, wild boar, even the occasional crocodile — though the local creatures tend to only be found in the most remote parts of the mangrove, well away from humans. Between the lagoon and the road is a narrow grassy area called the Parque de las Artes, with topiary and large boulders sitting on the pristine lawns, and shaded seats where you can relax and watch the world go by. If you’re feeling a bit more energetic, on the left of the road there is a wide cycling, in-line skating, and jogging track for much of the length of the island.
This part of Cancún has the calmest sea for swimming and snorkeling, lying as it does in the shelter of Isla Mujeres just offshore. At km 3.5 you’ll find Playa Linda Marine Terminal, where a number of pleasure craft leave for trips to Isla Mujeres or sunset cruises. One, the Captain Hook, resembles a pirate ship; shipmates play games while sailing the high seas. At km 5 you will pass a huge Mexican flag, one of only seven this size in the whole country. You can see it from most points on the island; it is only taken down in high winds. Just beyond the flag on the left is Tortuga Pier, hosting boating trips and the ferry terminal, plus access to Playa Tortuga beach. Kilometer 7 sees a right turn to the 18-hole Pok-Ta-Pok golf course, which is located on a large land-mass that juts out into the lagoon.
The area around km 8.5, where the island bends south, is the heart of the Hotel Zone, the focus for activity of all kinds. Three shopping malls can be found here: the ultra-modern Plaza Caracol, a mix of craft and tourist shops; Mayafair, with its unmistakable façade fashioned of Chaac masks, is still in development but will eventually be a Mexican craft showcase; and Forum by the Sea, with several fast food eateries and a cine-complex showing the latest American movies. Dominating the scene here is the Centro de Convenciones (Convention Center), which, among other things, hosts musical and artistic exhibitions: check the program during your visit. Near the main entrance is the Museo Arqueológico de Cancún (Cancún Archaeological Museum), displaying pottery, masks, and jewelry from the El Rey site and others in Quintana Roo.
South of the Convention Center is the Hotel Zone craft market — designated the Flea Market on the sign outside. You’ll hear a lot of requests to just take a look at the merchandise displayed in this warren of stalls. Prices for crafts and knick-knacks are negotiable, and generally cheaper than in the malls.
Kilometers 11 to 13 have three more shopping malls. On the lagoon side, the first is Flamingo Plaza; a bit farther south is Plaza la Isla, fashioned after a Venetian lagoon. This is one of the most recent developments in Cancún, boasting a nightclub, cinema complex, and plans for an interactive aquarium featuring dolphins and nurse sharks. Plaza Kukulkán, at km 13 on the ocean side, is the largest and most up-market mall in Cancún, with designer outlets for clothing, jewelry, and accessories, plus fine dining, a cinema, and a bowling complex. The large interior spaces are used for regular art exhibitions.
At km 15.2 on the lagoon side is AquaWorld, which sells and rents just about every piece of equipment you need to travel on, under, or above the water; it is also one of the largest accredited diving instruction centers in Mexico. Head out into the lagoon on one of the fleets of jet-skis or small power boats, sign up for a snorkeling tour, or if you’d like to see marine life but stay dry, ride the Sub See Explorer, a mini-submarine with viewing windows so you get just as good a view as those in wet suits. If you still have the energy, AquaWorld offers Skyrider, a two-seat para-chair that floats in the sky across the lagoon.
Kilometer 18 is the location of the only public Mayan site in the Cancún region (there are small pyramids located in the ground of the Pyramides Hotel, but these are not accessible to non-guests). The Ruinas del Rey (King’s Ruins) are set in low jungle, and bounded on the lagoon side by the greens of the Hilton Cancún & Golf Resort. An occasional stray ball is found within the archaeological site; the guides will joke that it was the Maya, not the Scots, who invented the game. The El Rey buildings are not large by Mayan standards. The temples were built in line rather than in a cluster, with the largest in the middle. Lizards about half a meter (2 ft) long call the walls home, basking in the sunshine but disappearing in a flash if you venture too close. Opposite the entrance to the ruins is access to the most southerly beach on the main strip, Playa Delphines.
Toward the very bottom of the island, at km 21, is Punta Nizuc. The land in this area is mostly mangrove swamp and a haven for wildlife, being remote from the tourist activity of the Hotel Zone. But when you reach km 25, you’ll find Parque Nizuc, a commercial water park featuring “Wet’nWild” water slides, wave pool, and river rides, with a sandy beach and lagoon area to enjoy.
The Cancún Hotel Zone needs a vast number of support workers both for hotel service and continued development. Most of them live in downtown Cancún on the mainland just a few kilometers away, an area that was developed concurrently with the Hotel Zone. With little heavy industry or crime, it is considered a good place to live by the people who travel from all over Mexico to work in the resort. A series of service industries thrive, along with a lower-key tourist sector.
Downtown Cancún, built on a grid plan, is dominated by Avenida Tulum, which runs north–south through the town. Here you will find shops, restaurants, currency exchange offices, and travel agents. Avenida Cobá leads from the Hotel Zone into town; most of the important buildings on Avenida Tulum can be found to the north of Cobá. Firstly, the offices of the Cancún Convention and Visitors Bureau are on the corner of Cobá and Tulum. Heading north, at Hi-Kuic craft market you’ll find the same goods as in the Hotel Zone, but a little cheaper. Following are the police station and Ayuntamiento Benito Juárez, the city hall. The traffic circle at the top of this block (Tulum and Uxmal) has a distinctive sculpture as its centerpiece, featuring carvings depicting the eras of Mexico’s history. Just beyond this is the bus station, where regular service departs west to Mérida and south along the Maya Riviera to Tulum.
A block west of Avenida Tulum is Avenida Yaxchilán, where you’ll find the main post office. Between the two is Parque de las Palapas, a small park and open-air concert pavilion, where local families meet to talk, listen to live music, and while the evenings away. On the streets around the park — each named after a flower — there are small hotels and restaurants, plus portable stalls selling fresh fruit juices or hot Mexican snacks.
Avenida Tulum leads north, and then veers east to Puerto Juárez, the port for passenger and vehicle ferries to Isla Mujeres. These depart several times each day with both locals and visitors aboard.
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres (Island of the Women) lies only 8 km (5 miles) offshore from Cancún; the 40-minute ferry ride transports you from an ultra-modern atmosphere to an environment in which time moves more slowly. Several companies offer one-day sailing trips to Isla Mujeres, often including lunch and snorkeling; they depart from Playa Linda and Pier Tortugas in the Hotel Zone.
Isla Mujeres now has a population of around 15,000. In past centuries, however, it was the haunt of Caribbean pirates, being far from the clutches of colonial overlords in Havana, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and Panama City, the nearest colonial outposts. The earliest recorded visitors arrived in 1517, when Spanish explorer Francisco Hernández de Córdoba landed to discover a number of small temples built for the goddess of fertility Ix chel. It was he who named the island. Mujeres is only 8 km (5 miles) in length, less than a kilometer (1⁄2 mile) at its widest point, and split by inland lakes and bays. One main road forms an ellipse, following the shape of the coastline.
Most ferries deposit you at the very northern tip of the island, on the main pier of the only town on Mujeres. Craft shops and bars crowd onto the sidewalks and sandy streets. The place bustles, especially when the ferries arrive. As afternoon turns to evening and the day-trippers head back to Cancún, Isla Mujeres takes on a much quieter character. The island has many loyal fans that return year after year for its particular atmosphere. Many who choose to stay come for the diving, which usually means low-key entertainment and early nights.
A few minutes’ walk north of town is the main beach, Playa Norte, also known as Coco Beach. It has sheltered waters and fine sand, particularly suitable for children. Coconut palms provide shade and a few pelicans fly overhead in search of a meal.
Heading south out of town you’ll pass the Mexican naval base and a small commercial airstrip before traveling alongside Laguna Makax on the right. The water here, guarded from the Caribbean Sea by the island itself, has been used for centuries as a safe harbor during storms and hurricanes. Pirate fleets stopped here, because passing naval vessels would not see their ships.
On the far side of Laguna Mekax is Tortugranja Turtle Farm, which has played a major role in protecting six species of the endangered marine creatures and trying to build their numbers. Every year, nest sites are protected and a number of eggs removed. The hatchlings are cared for until they are a year old, and then returned to the ocean. You can see the young turtles throughout the year, but the best time to visit the farm is during egg-laying season; from May through September, it is possible to visit the nest sites and watch the turtles laying eggs.
Heading south on the coast, there are numerous small hotels and guest-houses catering to divers. Just offshore, a coral reef in shallow water has become one of the major diving and snorkeling venues in the world. Although the inner reefs were damaged in the early years of their popularity, they are now protected under the auspices of the National Park service as El Garrafón/Punta Sur Park.
Jacques Cousteau made El Garrafón famous in the 1960s, when he filmed the nurse sharks in their caves in the park. You can still find them at the Cave of the Sleeping Sharks, and experienced divers can swim with them — not as frightening as you would think, as nurse sharks are not dangerous to humans — in their dark, watery hideouts. Non-certified divers who want the chance can swim with the sharks at El Garrafón pier, where several sharks are kept in pens for this purpose. The marine life is truly spectacular at the park, both in the shallow and the outer reef areas. The land around the southern tip of the island is also protected; Punta Sur is a wind-swept, salty spot where the waves of the Caribbean crash onto the rocks. The remains of a Mayan temple can be seen here, along with a lighthouse that guides sailors safely to port to this day.
Cozumel
Cozumel was also brought to the world’s attention by Jacques Cousteau’s diving films of the 1960s. With the second-longest coral reef in the world just off its western coastline, it soon became a haunt for all those who enjoyed the underwater world. Today, along with enjoying status as one of the premier dive islands in the world, it is also a duty-free cruise port, with shopping to match the best in the Caribbean.
However, Cozumel has a much longer history of human habitation. It was a Mayan site of some importance, being the center of worship for the fertility goddess Ix-chel. Cozumel became a destination for Mayan pilgrims from all over Yucatán in the late and post-classical periods (a.d. 900–1650). The Maya who lived here traded salt and honey all along the coast; Xcaret was their major port on the mainland.
The Spanish conducted the first Catholic mass in Mexico here after their arrival in 1518, but they had little interest in the island. It remained almost uninhabited through the 18th century. But following the War of the Castes in 1847–1848, several rebel families settled here to escape retribution by colonial landowners on the Yucatecan mainland. They eked out a simple living for decades until the invention of the scuba tank. And the rest, as they say, is history!
Cozumel has multiple personalities; it caters to divers who go to bed early and rise with the sun, yet it also has occasionally raucous nightlife for those who want to stay out and party. Those who know the island well refer to this phenomenon as the “wet” side and the “dry” side. Day-trippers who arrive on their huge floating cruise ships — or on daily ferries from Playa del Carmen — add an extra dimension; they want to see everything in a few hours, so the slow routine of island life speeds up when they arrive.
There is only one settlement, the capital, on Cozumel, San Miguel de Cozumel; it’s a bustling town chock-full of souvenir shops, duty-free emporiums, bars, and assorted cafés and restaurants. If you arrive on the island by ferry from the mainland, you’ll be dropped off directly opposite the heart of the downtown area, Plaza del Sol, also called the zócalo. This large, tree-lined square is where everyone meets for coffee, or lunch at one of the cafés nearby. Several streets surrounding the square are traffic-free, and you can stroll at your leisure among the stores selling T-shirts, pottery, onyx, and silver. The storeowners have a practiced line and can be pretty persuasive, so it pays to have a sense of humor — or a few words of Spanish so you can join in the banter.
The street running along the seafront is Avenida Rafael Melgar, also known as the Malecón, almost constantly busy with traffic. It is lined with numerous duty-free stores selling fragrances, designer clothing, and jewelry and gemstones. Above these are bars and restaurants that keep the street buzzing until the early hours of the morning. Stop in at the Museo de la Isla de Cozumel (Museum of the Island of Cozumel) on Avenida Melgar, which displays some interesting artifacts found on the island and salvaged from wrecks around its shores. The two main rooms on the first floor offer simple explanations about the geology of the Yucatán peninsula and the development of coral reefs offshore. The second-floor rooms tell the story of Cozumel’s history, from ancient Mayan carvings to conquistador helmets and swords. There is also a room dedicated to the families who settled in Cozumel in the 19th century — after the War of the Castes — and who have developed the island since that time.
Traveling around the island couldn’t be simpler. There is one main highway which follows the western coastline, travels around the southern tip, and returns up the east coast. It then cuts across the island at its widest point back to town. The northwest section of the island is inaccessible by most rental vehicles (you may find a clause in your contract forbidding you to try the unmade road). This part of the island is a haven for birds and wildlife, because few people venture here. There are also a few Mayan ruins to explore.
North of town you will find the airport, with several flights daily to other parts of Mexico and a few cities in the US. Several of the older hotels are located along the road here, though the rocky shoreline has fewer beaches than in the south.
South of San Miguel, you will find the major cruise port at La Ceiba, around 3 km (2 miles) from town. Several large cruise vessels dock each week, bringing a flurry of activity; taxi drivers increase their speed to make the most of the business. There is a good beach at La Ceiba and a number of hotels, plus several dive outfits have bases here — you can book a class or rent equipment. Farther south, in the ocean offshore, the reef holds the attention of even the most experienced divers because of its variety of animal and coral life. Turtles, rays, sharks, and many species of colorful tropical fish can be found here, many at a reasonable depth for novice divers — though the reef walls are better left to those with experience. The booking office for Atlantis Submarine is also here; this mini-submersible is ideal for non-divers, allowing a glimpse of the thriving underwater world without your having to get wet.
South of the cruise port, the road (currently in the process of being upgraded) leads away from the urban development and out into the countryside. This part of the island has some of the best and most sheltered beaches. In recent years, a number of excellent resort hotels have been built on large plots of land; you will see their gated entrances as you drive by. Next to these are the more modest accommodations that for years have catered to dedicated divers.
Around 5 km (3 miles) from town you will find the entrance to Chankanaab State Park. This was one of the first sites on the island to offer organized reef snorkeling in an offshore lagoon, though as it became more popular it developed other attractions. Snorkeling is still extremely good offshore, though the lagoon site is now devoid of marine life and is used simply as a safe swimming area. Chankanaab offers a botanical garden and a sculpture park displaying native art from all areas of Mexico. It has a dive shop, beach umbrellas, sun beds, and two restaurants. Perhaps the prize of the park goes to the “Swim with the Dolphins” program. The dolphins are kept in open water just offshore and reached by a wooden walkway. Small groups of people can enter the water with the dolphins; an instructor controls the activities and exercises.
South from Chankanaab you can stop at a number of fine sandy beaches on the west coast. The major sites are Playa San Francisco, Playa del Sol, and Playa Palancar. All the main beaches have public access and each has its own café-bar, watersports facilities, and lockers for beachgoers. The water is a beautiful clear turquoise color; you will see small dive or snorkel boats bobbing offshore as you soak up the sun. These waters offer some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world. The variety of sea-life living on and around the coral reef here is amazing, with many of the largest migratory fish species paying a visit at different times of the year. In order to protect the delicate environment around the reef, the Cozumel Reefs National Park was created in July 1996, covering over 80% of the dive sites off the island in its 11,987 hectares (29,620 acres). There is a US$2 daily charge to dive in the park.
Between Playa del Sol and Playa Palancar you will see a dirt road marked by an arch printed with the words El Cedral that veers left from the main highway. The road is poor and it requires some patience to avoid the potholes, but it leads to El Cedral, from where it is possible to ride a horse to Mayan ruins deep in the forest (take insect repellent if you intend to make the journey). It was at El Cedral that the first Catholic Mass was said in Mexico, on 6 May 1518. In May each year the settlement re-enacts the event and also holds a fiesta with horseback riding, music, and dancing.
The very southern tip of the island is a national park, protected from the development, which threatened its wild but fragile environment. The Parque Punta Sur (South Point Park) was opened in August 1999. Access is not permitted by car, but the park provides electric bicycles, buggies, and a colorful open-sided tour bus to give access to the interior; two hours of free cycle use is included with the entry ticket. Next to the car park where you leave your vehicle, and information center provides details about the park and its flora and fauna. Within Punta Sur’s 1,100 hectares (2,718 acres) are the coast, with its wild beaches and sand dunes, and the interior, lagoons and mangrove swamps with a population of crocodiles and bird species. You can explore Punta Celerain, the most southerly point of Cozumel and now part of the park, and Punta Celerain Lighthouse, once protector of shipping in the area, and now refurbished to house the Museo de la Navegación (Navigation Museum). A series of dioramas in both Spanish and English explain navigation methods through the ages, including those of the Maya who lived in the region. One room in the museum is dedicated to the lighthouse-keepers and their families, who lived here full time, often cut off from the rest of the population in San Miguel.
From Punta Sur the main highway heads north up the eastern coastline. The conditions here offer quite a contrast to the west, with the waves of the Caribbean lashing against limestone rocks, and the low vegetation leaning inward, blown by the sea breezes. The whole area has a stark and wild beauty, reminiscent perhaps of the time when Cozumel was the haunt of pirates and renegades. The tidal surge is very strong here, so swimming and snorkeling are not advised. Other than a few farms, there is little development until you reach Playa Morena, with its bar and souvenir stand. Here the road makes a sharp left turn to cut across the heart of the island. If you wish to continue north from here (on foot, horseback, or four-wheel drive vehicle), you will eventually reach the northern lighthouse at Punta Molas, having passed the Mayan ruins of El Castillo Real along the way. Take the sensible precautions if you make this trip — drinking water, sun protection, insect repellent, and an extra layer of clothing are all advisable.
The road leading back to San Miguel, called the Carretera Transversal, hosts a few souvenir stands where prices may be a little lower than in town — if you’re prepared to barter. Six km (4 miles) from Playa Morena is the entrance to the San Gervasio Archaeological Park. The remains of San Gervasio are located several kilometers from the site entrance, and though not on the scale of the major Mayan settlements of the mainland, the beautiful tropical park environment makes the ruins worth exploring. Most structures date from the post-classical period (1200–1650); the site was still in use when the Spanish arrived. At the Estructura Manitas (Little Hands Structure), you can clearly see the red handprints, dating from around 1000, on the inside wall of the temple. From here you can walk the route of a short sacred sacbé (Mayan road) to the central collection of small buildings. One is El Osario (Ossuary Structure), where the remains of several Maya were found. Some 500 m (1,524 ft) behind here is Kana Nah (Tall House), which, as its name suggests, is one of the largest structures at the site. It was the main temple, where the goddess Ix chel was worshipped.
South to Tulum along theMaya Riviera
When tourism first came to this area of the Yucatán peninsula, the coastline between Cancún and Tulum was a pristine natural landscape, broken only by a few villages. Rocky coastal inlets where sea-water mingles with the fresh water of several cenotes are separated by acres of virgin mangrove. Parts of the coastline have sandy beaches that seem as if no human has ever set foot on them.
Of course with the success of Cancún, developers have looked for other opportunities in the region, and this stretch of coastline is gradually being taken for tourist development. Luckily, not every development mimics the grand resorts of Cancún, and there is some variety here, in both style and atmosphere; there are a number of all-inclusive hotel complexes, yet there are also interesting towns and ports. Tulum, with its magnificent Mayan ruins, forms a natural southerly point to the strip of coastal development, which has been given the name “The Maya Riviera.”
The area is easy to explore by vehicle, as the road following the coastline — though in some places a few kilometers inland from it — is in good condition; around half is a four-lane highway opened in 1998. There is also an excellent bus service linking the major settlements and large hotels, which takes around two hours to run the whole length of the Riviera.
Traveling south from Cancún, the first town you will pass, at 36 km (22 miles), is Puerto Morelos, the port for vehicle ferries to the island of Cozumel. A thirty-minute journey from Cancún is Tres Ríos, a natural reserve with facilities for snorkeling, kayaking, and horseback riding. Further south, Playa del Carmen, once a tiny settlement, is now the fastest growing resort in the area. For many years Playa was simply a stepping-stone to Cozumel, only a 40-minute boat ride away — in fact the hotels along Cozumel’s coastline can clearly be seen from the town jetty. But the town, sitting on a wonderful pale-sand beach with clear, bright azure water, has become an attraction in itself. It now boasts several large hotels and a pretty traffic-free street one block west of the strand, Calle 5, where the souvenir stores, cafés, and bars spill out into the street. As day turns to night, music from rock to reggae floats in the air. All this gives the town a rather bohemian atmosphere.
Beyond Playa the coastline is most dramatic; the limestone has been eroded into several coastal inlets, lagoons, and riverbeds. This stretch is excellent for snorkeling and has some exciting cenotes for diving and swimming; as well, a number of these inlets have been protected as national parks or developed as pleasure playgrounds for tourists. Around 10 km (6 miles) south of Playa del Carmen, Xcaret (pronounced shkaret) is the largest and the most organized resort, with a range of activities and facilities to enjoy. Xcaret, or “little inlet,” is an award-winning example of a sustainable tourist development. Once the site of an ancient Mayan port for departures to Cozumel, the sheltered lagoon was the perfect protection for Mayan canoes. The waters of the nearby cenote were used for ritual purification before pilgrims made the short sea journey to the Temple of Ix-chel — the goddess of fertility and childbirth. The remains of several temples can be found in the park grounds.
When Xcaret opened in 1990, the cenote and its outlet to the sea (a mixture of narrow gorge and underground tunnel) were the focus of the park; they made an exciting snorkeling or swimming tour. Today this is still a popular attraction, but the park has grown to include sheltered swimming, a beautiful beach, restaurants, tropical gardens, horseback-riding trails, a magnificent butterfly pavilion, a zoo, an aquarium, and a “swim with the dolphins” program. The park is also contributing to a number of projects protecting endangered plants and animals including the green turtle and several parrot species. As night falls, Xcaret holds a number of “spectaculars” which are both entertaining and educational. Mayan rituals are re-enacted at the ancient sites, and a folkloric ballet offers traditional dances from different regions in Mexico.
Puerto Aventuras is an interesting development, unlike any place else on the Maya Riviera. The rocky coastal inlets have been transformed into a magnificent marina, with mooring for yachts and motor launches and a walkway along the waterside. Sympathetic two- and three-story pastel painted buildings line the marina, with restaurants at ground level. The whole area has the feel of the Italian or French Rivera rather than Caribbean Mexico. At the center of the resort, in the sheltered waters of the inner lagoon, there is a “Swim with the Dolphins” program. Just beside the dolphin pools is Museo CEDAM (Club de Exploración y Deporte Acuático de México), which is dedicated to a number of pioneers of underwater archaeology and exploration. The museum has a wooden floor covered in sand, which adds a touch of the nautical as you wander among the exhibits. Interesting finds from the ocean floor — Mayan, Spanish-colonial, and more modern artifacts — combine with displays of early diving equipment. You will also see stunning photographs of underwater environments taken by leading practicians of the art.
Just south of Puerto Aventuras is Xel-Ha, a network of mangrove, waterways, pools, and caves that was once a Mayan site. The majority of the remains form an archaeological site on the inland side of the main highway; Xel-Ha Park sits on the seaward side. This park has more natural areas than Xcaret for snorkeling and exploring, but fewer organized activities, though there is a “swim with the dolphins” program. At either side of this managed park are public inlets; at Akumal you can snorkel just off the sand, or rent a boat to take you out to the reef.
Tulum is the most southerly destination of the convoy of tourist buses departing daily from Cancún. Buses and cars park some 700 m (1⁄2 mile) from the entrance. A shuttle bus will carry passengers to the entrance for US$1 if you don’t feel energetic enough for the walk.
The Mayan ruins here are a magnet for visitors both for their architectural significance and their beautiful setting, being the only site fronting the open sea. Tulum was built late in Mayan history, during the 12th century, and was still thriving in the 15th and 16th centuries when other Mayan sites had been abandoned. This was a time of great upheaval, so the Maya built their temples close together and surrounded them with a strong defensive wall — the name Tulum actually means “walled” or “fenced.” The walls acted as a defense later in Mayan history during the War of the Castes (1847), when several rebel Maya brought their families to hide out here.
There are no great structures on the scale of those at Chichén Itzá or Uxmal, but several sit on rocky outcrops overlooking the fine sandy beach and clear blue water below, making the place a photographer’s delight. Chief among these is El Castillo (the Castle), the main temple. Tulum was dedicated to the worship of the Descending God, who can be seen in carvings and stucco reliefs on El Castillo and other buildings at the site — though many details have been lost to the elements and the salt air. He is depicted as a winged figure, head below and two feet above. It is not clear what this god’s role was within Mayan worship; he may represent the setting sun, as many temples at the site, including El Castillo, face west. A few steps northwest of El Castillo is Templo del Dios Descendente (The Temple of the Descending God), of note because it was deliberately built with walls and doors out of plumb.
Between the site entrance and El Castillo, the Templo de los Frescos (Temple of the Frescoes or Paintings) has the best-preserved reliefs at the site, and a rather worn stela fronting the main façade. At each corner of the west-facing wall it is possible to discern a somber mask with large eyes and lips — possibly a depiction of Kukulkán. Above the columned entrance are three niches, each with a relief of the Descending God at the center. Red handprints decorate the small upper room, and inside there are fine frescoes dating from the 13th century, but it is not possible to enter the temple to see them.
You can sunbathe on the beach at the site; some Mexican families spend the day here, something the Maya would never have been able to do when it was a religious center. Only those who belonged to the upper and religious castes were allowed into its inner sanctum.
Downtown Tulum has the decided feeling of a frontier town, and beyond — towards the state capital Chetumal — the road is in worse condition than farther north. Two kilometers (about a mile) east of downtown, along the coast, a hotel zone is being developed for those who want spend longer than a day in the region to explore the less populated areas, such as Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve to the south.
Inland from Tulum is another Mayan site worthy of note. Cobá sits surrounded by jungle some 42 km (26 miles) from Tulum on the banks of Lake Cobá. It is one of the largest Mayan sites, said by archaeologists to be 100 square km (39 square miles) in area, and encompasses around 20,000 separate structures — though most have not been excavated. It is thought that at its peak (a.d. 800–100), it was one of the most important cities in the Mayan kingdom, with a network of roads reaching to many satellite settlements, some up to 100 km (62 miles) away.
At Cobá it is possible to feel a little as Stephens and Catherwood did when they discovered the Mayan sites in their expeditions of 1841. Most of the pyramids and temples still lie under centuries of debris and vegetation, tantalizing visitors with intricate carvings peeking through roots and branches. Here you can imagine yourself to be exploring where no one except the abundant birds and butterflies has been for centuries. Cobá more than any other site requires sensible footwear, hat, sunscreen, and bottled water, because the principal structures are spread so widely apart.
The main building at the site is the Iglesia or church, a huge pyramid nearly 30 m (90 ft) high. It sits among a number of structures known as the Grupo Cobá, which lie to the right of the main entrance. Its major staircase has been cleared, and the view from the top is spectacular, with the lakes and jungle stretching out to cover the land. At irregular intervals, vegetation-covered mounds indicate other pyramids yet to be freed. The only other large structure in view is the stone façade of Nohoch Mul (Big Hill) some 20 minutes’ walk away. At 42 m (138 ft), Nohoch Mul is the largest Mayan pyramid yet discovered; there are 120 steps to its upper platform. Once there you will find images of the Descending God — the same image seen so often at Tulum. Between the Nohoch Mul group and Grupo Cobá is Conjunto de las Pinturas (Paintings Group) where you can see the Pyramid of the Painted Lintel, which as the name suggests still bears traces of its original coloring.
West to Chichén Itzá and Mérida
Traveling west out of the Cancún region transports you almost immediately into a different era. Traces of Spanish colonial life can be found across the landscape, but more than this, once out in the countryside the life of the agricultural worker very much resembles that lived by Maya in centuries past. Today they still produce numerous crops on small farms, but large modern ranches are much more common in the last hundred years than before.
Two highways travel west: the four-lane toll highway carries traffic halfway across the Yucatán peninsula in around three hours; the local road (in good condition) travels through the countryside and many local settlements, which allows the opportunity to view the daily life of the region. Both roads are numbered 180, but the local road is signposted “180 libre” (meaning free).
The first major town on the 180 libre is Valladolid. Founded in 1543, it has Yucatán’s oldest church, San Bernadino de Siena (1552), now outshone by the imposing Catedral de San Gervasio in the main square. North of Valladolid on route 295 are the remains of the Mayan city of Ekbalám, one of the most recent sites to benefit from major archaeological attention. Original stucco can still be found on the façade of the Great Temple here, and this has been augmented to show how it would have appeared at the zenith of the city’s development. This helps to gain a better understanding of how other Mayan buildings once looked at sites such as Tulum. Beyond Valladolid are the Grutas de Balancanché (Balancanché Caves), which were only rediscovered in 1959 after being abandoned by the Maya. The huge caverns with underground lakes were a place of offering, and evidence of incense burning can still be found.
Chichén Itzá
Three hours of traveling will bring you to the small town of Pisté and the remains of one of the most famous Mayan sites. Chichén Itzá has fired the imagination of archaeologists and tourists alike. No matter how many other people happen to be there when you visit, you cannot help but be impressed by Chichén Itzá. It has been well excavated and the huge range of structures give a lasting impression of how life would have been lived by the Mayan elite.
The city was built late in the empire’s cycle, between the sixth and ninth centuries (the post-Classic period). Despite large amount of research, scientists are still not in agreement as to exactly how the city evolved, and what influences came to bear. What is certain is that Toltec influences, in the form of the god Kukulkán (Quetzalcoatl) and Chaac-Mool reliefs, can be found here, along with traditional Mayan symbols. Another mystery yet to be solved is why the Toltec abandoned the city in 1200.
Some time later, in the 13th century, the Itzá, a Mayan tribe led by a ruler named Itzámna, moved north out of what is now the Campeche province to the tip of Yucatán and settled in the city. They gave the city the name Chichén Itzá; this probably means “Mouth of the Well of the Itzás.” They founded a capital at Mayapan, near the site of the modern city of Mérida. In the 15th century, following a bloody civil war, the Itzás abandoned Chichén Itzá. It had already been reclaimed by the jungle when the Spanish set foot on the peninsula.
Chichén Itzá occupies 6 square km (4 square miles). If you want to explore all corners of the site, a visit will occupy a full day. Excursions from Cancún are popular but can be tiring. It is far better to stay near the site and begin your visit early, because you can start when the day is cooler, and you will be able to see at least some of the site before the tour groups arrive. Those who stay overnight can also enjoy the sound-and-light show that takes place each evening.
The city has two distinct sectors. Old Chichén, in the south, is purely Puuc-Mayan in style (see page 66), having chambers with arched stone roofs. New Chichén has distinct Toltec influences; here stone columns supported roofs constructed with wooden beams. This allowed rooms in new Chichén to be much larger than in the older part of the site, but it also meant that as the wood rotted, the roofs of the chambers collapsed, leaving these structures much less intact in the present day.
You can visit the site unaccompanied or hire a guide at the entrance; they charge around $30 for a group of up to six people. You will also find a book and gift store, a restaurant, and a museum with finds from the site and a model of the city to help you to get your bearings.
As you enter the site (in the new part of the city) the huge square edifice of El Castillo, also called the Pyramid of Kukulkán, comes into view on your right. The pyramid, 30 m (100 ft) high and the main time-keeping mechanism of the city, was built very precisely in position, shape, and height in order to predict the planting and harvesting cycles. There are 364 steps in four staircases, which together represent the 365 days of the year. There are 52 panels on each side, which echo the 52-year cycle of the Mayan calendar, and terraces that parallel the main staircase, representing the 18-month solar cycle. The best time to see this super-sized timepiece in action is at the Spring Equinox (21 March) or Fall Equinox (21 September) in the afternoon, when the sun’s rays fall down the northern stairway and hit the serpent head at the base. With the play of light and shadow, the serpent appears to wriggle down into the earth. For the Maya, this signified the re-fertilization of the land — and time to plant the corn. The light then leaves the snake head first and travels back up from the base; the Maya believed that the power of the sun was returning to the realm of the gods in the sky.
It is possible to climb one of the steep staircases to the upper platform, which has a number of small chambers. The view from the platform is spectacular; look down on other buildings on the site and also out to the distance, with low Yucatecan jungle stretching as far as the eye can see. Take care when you descend the staircase, as the treads are narrow.
Inside El Castillo are the foundations of an earlier structure, and a chamber containing the figure of a jaguar decorated with jade, along with a statue of \, the Rain God.
To the left of the main entrance is the huge, open, main juego de pelota (ball court), one of the best preserved in Central America. Although one of nine on the site, it is definitely the most impressive, with walls 8 m (26 ft) high, 83 m (272 ft) long, and set 30 m (98 ft) apart. The walls are decorated with friezes showing players dressed in protective clothing and a rather bloodthirsty victor with the head of a losing player (though some archaeologists believe that the victor had the “honor” of losing his life at the end of the match). This ball court has been well studied by archaeologists; ball courts can be found in most Mesoamerican settlements, but the true purpose of the games is still not fully understood.
There are temples at each end of the court, which add to the superb acoustics: it is possible to hear a voice speaking at one end clearly at the other, and the whole complex has a seven-repeat echo, a sacred number in Mayan society. The temple attached to the eastern wall, the Templo de los Jaguares (Temple of the Jaguars), is named in honor of the jaguar figures carved on the upper panels of the temple and a statue of a jaguar in the lower chamber. The carving to its left is said to depict the Mayan creation myth.
Next to the ball courts is Tzompantli, Temple of the Skulls, with long rows of skulls carved into its main platform. It is said that here the victims of sacrifice had their severed heads impaled on poles for the edification of the gods. Beside this is the Plataforma de las Águilas (Platform of the Eagles), with reliefs of eagles and jaguars clutching human hearts. Equidistant between El Castillo and the Temple of the Skulls, the Templo de Venus (Temple of Venus) depicts the goddess as a feathered serpent devouring a human head.
From the Temple of Venus, a sacred causeway — now little more than a dirt track — was once a paved highway to one of the most important religious sites in the city, the natural feature which may have given the city its name. The Cenote Sagrado, a limestone waterhole, 60 m (90 ft) in diameter and 21 m (69 ft) from rim to water level, was not a fresh water supply for the city; it had a much more chilling use. When archaeologists dredged the hole, hundreds of human bones, victims of the Mayan ritual of appeasement to the gods, were found. The skeletons of men, women, and children gave the cenote its other name, the Well of Sacrifice.
To the east of the Temple of Venus is, perhaps, the most striking temple on the site, the Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors). Named for the reliefs depicting thousands of Mayan warriors, the temple also has numerous columns, putting one in mind of a classical Greek edifice. On a platform above the columns is a carved figure of Chaac-Mool in reclining position, its belly hollowed into a bowl to receive offerings — some experts think these included human hearts fresh from the body. Unfortunately, at the present time the platform is not open to visitors.
Reached through a colonnaded walkway abutting the Temple of the Warriors is what modern archaeologists have named the Mercado or Market, with the remains of steam baths and a number of ball courts. Just south of the market are the tracks of the modern road (now diverted) that once cut through the site. Beyond this are remains to the south and west — Old Chichén. Directly ahead is the Tumba del Gran Sacerdote (Tomb of the High Priest) built atop a limestone cave where human sacrifices were carried out. Several small temples can be found here. Casa de los Metates (the House of the Grinding Stones) is named after the corn-grinding stones of the Maya, which are used in villages in the region in the present day. Several were found here when archaeologists investigated the building. Chichan-chob (Little Holes, also called Red House) is an older-style building in the Puuc style. It has small holes in the roof and masks of Chaac-Mool on the upper walls.
Beyond a small ball court, you will see the imposing building of the observatory, El Caracol. An important place for the inhabitants of the city, observations taken here would predict the exact times of the equinoxes and important celestial events. El Caracol means “the snail” in Spanish; it was given its name by explorer John Lloyd Stephens, because he thought that the spiral staircase on the inside of the dome mimicked the chamber of a snail shell.
Edificio de las Monjas (Edifice of the Nuns), lying farthest south, is perhaps the most Puuc in style (see page 66) of all the buildings here. It stands on the site of much older buildings that can be seen in the interior. Nearby is a building called, surprisingly, La Iglesia (The Church). It isn’t a place of Christian worship — in fact it is one of the oldest buildings on the site, and pays homage to the bacah, a group of gods thought to have held up the sky. Images of snail and tortoise can be seen here, among others. The walls of Akab Dzib, the Temple of Obscure Writing, to the east of the Church, are filled with Mayan glyphs, the written language of the people that has been the focus of much attention and research in the last 30 years.
Other buildings of Old Chichén lie in the scrubland to the south of these structures, but exploration is more difficult and you may benefit from having a guide. 
Izamal
Further west is the small town of Izamal. The settlement is known as “the city of three cultures” because, perhaps more than anywhere in the region, you can find Mayan, colonial, and modern influences together in the city streets. At the heart of the city is the Monastery of San Antonio de Padua, home to the Franciscan order and founded by Archbishop de Landa at the end of the 16th century. Today there are ten monks continuing the tradition, though only their inner sanctum is out of bounds, leaving you free to explore the small courtyards and chapels. In 1993, Pope John Paul II visited the monastery, conducting a mass here. A small museum has photographs of his visit, along with a papal throne built especially for the occasion.
The monastery and buildings on the surrounding streets — rows of old colonial houses — have been painted a bright yellow, one of the traditional colors used by the Spanish settlers. You can take a calesa ride through the streets and visit the remains of Mayan structures, including Kinichkakmo (“the face of the maker of the sun”), which is the largest pyramid in the region, though few have been excavated.
Mérida
The largest city on the Yucatán peninsula and capital of Yucatán state, La Blanca Mérida was founded in the 1640s, at the very start of the Spanish occupation, on the site of a large Mayan city, T’Ho. Mérida became the focus of influence for the Montejo family, who exerted their force over the surrounding countryside. Since that time, it has seen the ebb and flow of economic prosperity and political power, yet its architecture and lifestyle — a total contrast to modern Cancún — make it a fascinating place to visit. Mérida is a vibrant, bustling city with a tangible energy. It also has interesting attractions that can fill a few days of your itinerary.
The heart of the city is Plaza Major (also known by a variety of names such as Plaza des Armas, Plaza Principal, Plaza de la Independencia, and Plaza de la Revolucion). Its tree-lined center has shaded seats where everyone comes to meet and talk; shoe-shine boys work throughout the day, while ice-cream sellers stand on street corners with their small barrows. Look out for the confidenciales, or love seats, where courting couples could sit next to each other without compromising the woman’s reputation. In the center of the square is a flagpole supporting a Mexican flag, which is raised and lowered at the start and end of each day (6am and 6pm) in an elaborate ceremony undertaken by the local police band. Numerous historic buildings, dating back to the very earliest days of Spanish rule, line the square and its surrounding grid of streets. Construction of many of these buildings used stones from the Mayan city of T’Ho, so, alas, nothing remains of this site.
Perhaps the most important building is Palacio de Montejo, on the south side of the square. It was built as a family home for the Montejo dynasty and was completed in 1549. The façade — now the only original element of the house — is decorated with a number of ornate carvings, including two large conquistadors seen treading on the heads of Mayan Indians. Perhaps this decoration was added to reaffirm Montejo power in the region. Major renovations to the façade were completed in late 1999. The style of the house is pure Spanish-colonial, with an inner courtyard garden lined by rooms with high ceilings and huge wooden doors. The house was in the Montejo family until the 1970s but then passed into the hands of a bank, which now operates a regional office, ATM, and currency exchange in the interior. Visitors can wander into the courtyard, but many of the architectural treasures are off-limits.
On the west of the square is the Palacio Municipal (City Hall), painted a pretty yellow in contrast with the trees in the square. Inside you can see the wooden-lined Sala de Cabildos, where the board of the city still holds its regular meetings. The northern section is taken up by the Palacio del Gobierno (Governor’s Palace), now merely an administrative building, but once the Governor’s residence. In the inner courtyard hang many large canvases by artist Fernando Castro Pancheco illustrating important incidents and individuals in Yucatán’s history. On the second floor, the Salon de Historia, a long gallery room once used for social soirées, has more paintings that complete the collection.
The eastern side of the square is dominated by the Catedral (1561), one of the oldest in the Americas. Inside you will find the large crucifix christened Cristo de las Ampollas (Christ of the Blisters) which has been on display here since 1645. It was carved in the 1500s out of wood from a miraculous tree, so called because it had caught fire but did not burn. Later the finished crucifix survived another disastrous fire, though its surface was blistered. Behind the Catedral on Calle 61 is the Museo de la Ciudad, which displays drawings, maps, plans, and photographs relating to the planning and growth of Mérida.
Next to the Catedral, on the square, is Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán (MACAY) which occupies a colonial building at the site of the archbishop’s palace, now destroyed. The gallery exhibits the best in modern art, with permanent exhibitions of Yucatecan and other Mexican artists, and a comprehensive program of temporary exhibitions. Further works by Fernando Castro Pancheco can be seen here, including some of his early pieces.
The Plaza Major sits in a square between calles 60 and 62 (even street numbers travel east–west) and calles 61 and 63 (odd street numbers travel north–south); the surrounding streets boast numerous colonial gems that can only be appreciated by strolling around the town. For those with little time to spare, Calle 60 has the greatest concentrated collection. Walk north past the Governor’s Palace for three or four blocks, to take in the wrought-iron–work detail, and the balconies and walls of tropical-colored stucco that warms as the afternoon sun begins to mellow.
One block north of Plaza Mayor you will find the tiny square of Parque Cepeda Peraza, bounded on one side by the Iglesia de Jesús, built in the early 17th century by the Jesuit order. Beyond the church is another small square, Parque Morelos, which has a sculpture of “Mother and Child,” a copy of the Renoir piece found in Paris. The Teatro Peón Contreras occupies the northern corner of the square, with a Parisian-style café and city tourist office on its first floor and a regular schedule of performances. The theatre is a splendid example of late 19th- early 20th-century architecture, with a sweeping marble staircase leading to a colonnaded upper balcony. Across the street is the Universidad de Yucatán; one block farther north is Parque Santa Lucía.
If you are walking, take a right at Calle 47 past Parque Santa Anna, then left at the traffic signal. This is Paseo Montejo, one of the finest streets in the city, known by citizens of Mérida as “the Champs-Elysèes of Yucatán.” This tree-lined avenue was the place to live during the 19th century, and all the best families and rich henequen producers vied for the best plots along its length. The houses they built still have an elegance and stature, though many were lost to modern development, replaced by hotels and bank buildings in the latter half of the past century.
The most impressive of the remaining period buildings is Palacio Canton, which now houses the Museo Regional de Antropología e Historia (Regional Anthropological and History Museum). The beautiful plasterwork detail and marble floors of the palace are only surpassed by the wealth of Mayan artifacts on display. The museum displays illustrate the most recent theories on Mayan society — so much of which is still conjecture —  including trade patterns and social customs. On the second floor of the museum, exhibitions relate the methods used to excavate various sites around Yucatán. The museum is an excellent starting point for your tour of the Mayan sites.
North from the museum, at a major intersection on the Paseo, is the Monumento a la Patria (Monument to the Fatherland, or National Monument). This huge limestone monument depicting Mayan, Spanish, and Mexican themes was begun in 1944 and completed in 1956.
Mérida holds artistic and folkloric performances on every night of the week and an “all-day” event in the heart of the city on Sundays. See the “What to Do” section for more details.
Although the Mayan city of T’Ho has been completely swallowed by colonial Mérida, a 10-minute taxi ride north of the city is Dzibilchaltún, a city that thrived from 3000 b.c. on a marine economy — the coast being only 32 km (20 miles) away. Archaeologists believe that at its peak in the late Classical period (a.d. 600–900) the population reached 20,000, and that the function of the city changed over time from ceremonial to urban.
El Templo de las Siete Muñecas (called the Doll’s House, in English) is the most interesting structure at the site; it is the only Mayan building with windows to be found so far, though these are not thought simply to have provided light for the room. The openings together with the doors frame the five segments of the sky marked by the solstices, the equinoxes, and the zenith. When archaeologists were excavating the building they found seven small clay dolls, each with a bodily deformity. No one is sure whether these were simply a child’s toys or if they had a religious significance, but they gave the structure its name. The dolls are on display at the museum found just beyond the site entrance.
Uxmal and the Puuc Route
The region to the south of Mérida is known as the Puuc (pronounced “pook”). It has the highest ground in Yucatán, the “Sierrita Puuc” — a ridge of limestone hills 50 m (150 ft) in height, and thought to be the edge of a giant crater formed when a meteorite fell to earth millions of years ago. Today the land is home to communities of Mayan farmers, but the jungle has relinquished a number of fine ancient sites to explore. These sites are called the Puuc, and this name has also been taken to describe the characteristics of the architecture and design of the buildings here. The Puuc style is characterized by latticework carving on the lower façades, with masks and carvings on the upper levels.
The Mayan settlements of the Puuc region were extremely rich in Classical and post-Classical times because the soil has always been extremely fertile. It produced, and in fact still does, several crops each year, where farmers on the lowland (the rest of Yucatán) could only produce one or maybe two. The surpluses produced allowed the community to support artisans such as stonemasons — making the buildings here very ornate — and to trade with other communities for goods and raw materials not naturally available in the Puuc region.
The route south from Mérida is the main road to the city of Campeche in the state of same name. You’ll travel through countryside once filled with haciendas (old colonial farms very much like plantations in the Caribbean). When the henequen boom was at its height, the number of haciendas grew dramatically, but when the system was dismantled in 1937 most fell into decline. The hacienda consisted of a main house surrounded by its land, a factory, and a village for the hacienda workers. This would include a school and a company store where workers were forced to buy their supplies. Many of the modern villages of this region have their roots in the hacienda system. As you pass through them you may see an old chimney breaking above the tree line, a sure sign that the village was once part of a hacienda.
Turn off at route 261 and at km 33 you will find Hacienda Yaxcopoil, one of the oldest in Yucatán and now a museum dedicated to the old lifestyle. The main house dates from the 17th century and has been owned by the present family since 1864. The whole site is faded and aging, yet it is still possible to discern vestiges of its glory days. It was one of the earliest and largest henequen plants in operation and the old factory engines can still be seen, along with stock rooms and tool stores surrounded by present-day crops growing in the fields. The plant stopped processing its own crops in 1984. The hacienda school still operates — but now as a state school. The owner intends to preserve but not renovate the buildings, allowing the past to tell its story.
Although many think Chichén Itzá outshines it in size, Uxmal is considered the jewel of Mayan sites in Yucatán, its buildings richly decorated with elaborate carvings. At its peak between a.d. 600–900 it is said to have had a population of around 25,000 — remarkable when you consider that it had no water supply and had to collect and store its needs artificially.
One of the highlights of the site presents itself immediately as you enter. The magnificent Pirámide del Advino (Pyramid of the Magician, also called the Pyramid of the Dwarf) sits atop five older structures. This pyramid is unique for a number of reasons. It has rounded sides, giving it a softened shape. It’s steep (even more precipitous than the normal elevations in the area), and the design of the doorway at the top, which is a huge representation of Chaac, is found at no other site. The façade of the upper levels is extremely ornate and the main staircase has a parallel row of large Chaac masks. It is closed to tourists at present, as work continues on exploring the inner chambers, but it is possible to study the whole façade from the courtyard in front of the pyramid.
Next to the pyramid is the Cuadrángulo de las Monjas (Quadrangle of the Nuns), given its name in the 16th century because it resembled a Spanish monastery or nunnery. Its size — over 70 rooms — has caused archaeologists to postulate that it may have been a military academy, which expanded regularly throughout its history. The western building has the most richly carved façade. There are also numerous depictions of Mayan homes or nah, which have changed little since classical times and can still be found all across the countryside of Yucatán. The eastern building has a statue of a dwarf dressed in a turtle shell placed in a position normally associated with the rulers of Mayan cities. A serpent is entwined all along the upper façade around the statue. From its upper levels the many buildings at the site come clearly into view. The quadrangle is the setting for the Uxmal Light and Sound Show, which takes place every evening.
South of the quadrangle, beyond a small ball court, the land rises to a higher level. Here another group of buildings forms the main center of focus at the site. The Casa de las Tortugas (Turtle House), so called because of numerous turtle motifs adorning it, is found immediately on the right. Beside, and totally dwarfing it, lies the Palacio del Gobernador (Governor’s Palace) with an imposing 100-m- (320-ft-) long façade. The building was erected in the 11th century for the ruler of the city, Halach Huinic (the true man), and consists of a central building flanked by two smaller wings. The frieze of Chaac masks is one of the most ornate and complex in the known Mayan world.
Behind the palace is The Great Pyramid; it is less ornate than the palace, and only the front façade has been excavated. Beyond this area, there are several other groups of buildings, many of which have yet to be excavated, including the Dovecote Group (which includes the Casa de las Palomas, the House of Doves) and the Grupo del Cementario (Cemetery Group). Beyond these are several even more remote sites which can be visited, but you would benefit from the services of a guide to find them.
Uxmal was a very rich city at the height of its powers and protector of many smaller settlements, which paid tribute to it both in food and money. A string of these sites now forms what is called the Puuc Route, and they can all be visited in one day. Though small, each one has something different to reveal.
First in the tour is Kabah, only 27 km (17 miles) south of Uxmal. The major structure at the site is the Codz-Pop or Palace of the Masks, constructed in Chenes style — characterized by masks covering the whole façade of the structure from ground to roof. There are said to have been over 250 Chaac representations — a most impressive sight unique in the Mayan world. Codz-Pop means “rolled-up sleeping mat,” referring to the curled-up nose on the masks. Cross the main road dividing the site to find a restored archway, which once marked the end of a sacred sacbé (Mayan road) from Uxmal.
Eight kilometers (5 miles) south of Kabah is Sayil, famed for its major building, called El Palacio (the Palace) by the Spanish. With over 100 rooms, it would be important for its size alone, but the ornate decoration makes it even more impressive, with representations of the Descending God found so prominently at Tulum.
Nearby Xlapak has only one major structure, a palace, but Labná, the final Puuc site on the tour, has a number of structures to explore. El Palacio here is decorated with alligators whose open jaws each have a human head emerging from them. This symbol, called Pop, is thought to be indicative of power and is only found at this site. A sacbé links the palace to other parts of the site. The largest structure is the Mirador, a pyramid temple over 20 m (65 ft) high. Visitors in the 1900s found decoration on the building, which has since been worn away or lost. Next to the Mirador is the most famous sight in Labná, also much changed since its discovery. El Arco (the Arch), is late Puuc style and was thought to have been the entrance to the courtyard of a family residence. Though the arch remains, two ornate walls at either side of it have collapsed during the 20th century.
Before leaving the Puuc area, visit the Loltún Caves. The guided tour through these impressive caverns takes 90 minutes; you can see evidence of where the Mayan rebels fortified the entrances during the War of the Castes in the 1840s.