Visiting Chichén Itzá: Some Recommendations
Visiting Chichén Itzá is, without a doubt, something that everyone should do at least once in their life. Located in Yucatán, Mexico, this site, with its fabulous pyramid, is one of the seven wonders of the modern world and delights thousands of visitors each year.
Chichén Itzá is a fascinating and mystical place, so the visit becomes an incredible experience to learn more about the pre-Hispanic civilizations in the American continent. In addition to the pyramid there are many other structures, such as the Ball Court, the Group of a Thousand Columns or the Observatory or Caracol.
To make visiting Chichén Itzá easier for you and you can fully enjoy this wonderful place, we are going to give you some useful recommendations and details below.
A little history
The entire complex that forms the city of Chichén Itzá is an important vestige of the Mayan culture and civilization. The main buildings found there belong to the late classic or early postclassic; we are talking about between 800 and 1100 AD
When the Spanish arrived in the Yucatan peninsula in 1517, they found Chichen Itza already abandoned. This means that while Europe was living one of its darkest times, the Middle Ages, at Chichen Itzá a more precise calendar than the Gregorian had been created and its knowledge of astronomy was much more advanced, among many other advances.
The best time to visit Chichen Itza
In Chichén Itzá, there are months in which the weather does not accompany the visit very much. Therefore, it is important to choose the time to go well in order to fully enjoy the tour of this fabulous site.
The best months, those in which good weather is guaranteed in Chichén Itzá, are those that go from January to May and from October to December. Instead, the rainiest months are June, July, August and September. On average, the warmest months are those from March to October
If you want to enjoy an optical illusion in the pyramid, you must travel there during the summer and winter equinoxes. At that moment, the light creates an effect that makes it appear that a snake is climbing or descending the stairs, depending on the time when it is seen.
How to get to Chichen Itza
The closest cities to Chichen Itza are Merida and Cancun. From both it is very easy to get to the city, either by renting a car or taking public transport.
To go by bus from Cancun, it is taken at the bus terminal at 9 in the morning, since it is the only one that leaves from there. It takes about three and a half hours to reach the site and costs just $8. If you are in Playa del Carmen or Tulum, you will have to go to Cancun to catch the bus.
It is also very accessible by car. From Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum it can take between two and three hours, depending on the traffic and the city from which you leave.
Are there any other options. For example, you can visit Chichén Itzá with a guide, who will tell you all the details about each of the buildings that are there. There are many offers in all the cities that we have mentioned above, and many are even offered in the hotels themselves.
If it is a large group, it can be well priced, although it usually ranges between $90 and $140 with lunch included.
How much time to spend visiting Chichén Itzá
If the visit is from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum, the visit must be a full day. Organized excursions or those that go with a guide begin around 9 in the morning and end around 6 in the afternoon.
If what you are looking for is not only to know the pyramid, but the entire complex that makes up the city of Chichén Itzá, the best option is to stay in one of the many hotels in the area and spend at least a couple of days there.
