Today is the big day and pretty much the main reason for which we decided to rent a car for a couple of days while in Tulum: Chichen Itza! Knowing that this ruins are on all tourist routes in both Quitana Roo and Yucatan, we agree on having to be in front of the ruins gates before the grand opening at 8am. So here we are at 6am, ready and packed with whatever we might need on the relatively long car journey (2h 45min) that lies ahead. The road is easy, enjoyable, in good state and actually even fun! Unfortunately, due to some stops made on the way, the last bit takes a little longer than expected and we end up in from of the Chichen Itza gates at around 8.40am. Dang, we missed the early tourist-free entrance… or not ?
In front of the gates, there a small queue of cars (6-7) kind of waiting for something and after a while we wander, is the park not supposed to be open by now ? Well well well, apparently when travelling from Quitana Roo to Yucatan there’s something you might wanna take into consideration… the two regions have ONE HOUR DIFFERENCE !!! All strategically planned, that will be our one-and-only official version. (Quick Tip: while one of you is waiting for the gate to open in the car, the other can go and buy the tickets cause those can be bought a bit before!). While parking is just 53MXN, the entrance ticket totals to 242MXN per person… yep, not cheap uh!
Entering to Chichen Itza felt a lot like that time that we visited the Taj Mahal: no mercy and the faster you get to the main El castillo the more chances you’ll have of seeing this wonder in all of its untouched beauty. Once again, the run for the first spot its worth every little short additional second where you can just enjoy and photograph, especially the latter, without hearing or seeing tourist groups. Wonderful ! Breathtaking ! The main castillo is as beautiful as you can ever imagined it! Thinking that such immense structure has managed to resist for nearly three millennia (and probably will for more) its just mind-blowing.
The site itself is vast but not as vast as Coba (check our post about Coba) and one of the main positive facts is that informative content is thoroughly available at any structure. Yes, a guide would make a difference but for those who want to take their own time and save a bit of money, just make sure you do a bit of back-reading and discovering Chichen Itza will be a dream come true. Many guidebooks will probably list the best “structure” that should not be missed but in all honestly there was not a thing that let us down; if you are planning to spend a day there, make sure to check EVERY last piece of history you can find around the place, from the less famous tiny altars to the majestic huge castillo. The Las Monjas, Temple of Warriors, High Priest Temple etc…You will not regret it ! Even the huge pok-ta-pok field (Great Ball Court) will leave amazed. One thing we’re going to say though, if you want to see some of the most beautiful mayan carvings make the skull platform (Tzompantli) your first stop: nothing like you’ll ever see again!
After inhaling history for around three hours, the temperature starts to rise quickly making it very difficult to enjoy the place without having to take cover for shade every couple of minutes. We wonder how can the tourists, who are coming in now (you wouldn’t believe how many), bare with the midday heat. Well, our time is over here! Next stop to Cenote Ik Kil for a nice cool off dip into its deep waters (fee 70MXN/pp). Thanks to the vicinity to Chichen (10min drive) & its unique shape, this cenote is a great way for taking a break from ruin visiting especially if you, like us, are planning to go and say hello to Ek Balam ruins in the early afternoon.
Yes, you heard me right! Not long after the refreshing stop, we’re back on our way to see the amazing well-preserved stelae and carvings of Ek Balam. Initially, we were unsure whether to stop by or head back to Tulum (visiting Chichen can be pretty tiring!) but we’re glad we checked it out. The short drive from Chichen (1h more or less), makes it a very accessible stop for those wanting to make the most of an archaeological-quest day out in the area.
The Ek Balam site area is significantly smaller (at a very slow pace it would take you no more than 1½ hour) but no way less impressive than what you were enjoying a couple of hours back; additionally, for some reasons the site is not commonly visited by tourists which makes it an unexpected bonus! Although the site doesn’t offer many big pyramids or castillos as other ruins could do (entrance fee 132MXN/pp), it does gift the visitor sights of the most beautiful mayan stucco façades nestled among a beautiful tall acropolis complex which can be climbed to the top. Wow! What a beautiful surprise! Being few of the people on site (maybe 5-7 people in the whole complex?) to see the warm sunset rays lighting up the complex feels like one of those days where you are in the perfect spot at the perfect moment. Crazy!
At around 4.30pm, still hypnotised by the magical atmosphere, we get kinda invited to leave since the site is closing down (we had to exit through another small path and not the main entrance). Once again, the couple of hours spent at the site are the perfect time to fully enjoy the site throughout: not a minute more, not a minute less!
Happy, sleepy and content for such a intense wonderful day, we start our drive back to Tulum with a bi great smile shining on our faces. Chichen, Ik Kil & Ek Balam are without a doubt one of the most enjoyable full day trip worth every last penny. What a great day!
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