Chichén Itzá, one of the wonders of the world; it is no wonder that this is a top tourist attraction when visiting Mexico. I don't know if it is the sheer size of some of these ruins, the rich history that accompanies them, or just the fact that it is something so magnificent to be considered on the world wonders list that attracts so many people here, but regardless this is one of the most popular spots when visiting Mexico. Home to several Mayan ruins, this destination is great for anyone who loves learning history or for anyone who wants to learn more about Mayan culture; or honestly for anyone who likes to see impressive things! This post is going to go over the basic things you need to know like where these ruins are located, what their hours are and all that jazz. And then we are going to dive into the top 7 things that we learned while visiting Chichén Itzá so that you can have the best time possible when visiting. Let's get into it!
Location: Located in Valladolid Mexico
(image taken off of Google Maps)
This first map shows a far out view of where Chichén Itzá is located on a map, to help give you a sense of direction, and local towns nearby.
(image taken off of Google Maps)
This second image shows a more zoomed in version that allows you to see nearby attractions. That way if you are having trouble finding it, you can locate nearby attractions to help you.
Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM seven days a week
Tickets: To visit this impressive Archeological Site you must purchase tickets. To purchase tickets, and or see pricing information go here: https://www.chichenitza.com/tickets
There, now that we have gotten the basics out of the way, let's dive into the 7 things we learned while we were there! These 7 tips will hopefully help you have the best time here and avoid some of the learning curves that we faced along the way!
The Top 7 Things We Learned:
1. Come early to avoid the crowds
While this one may seem self explanatory a lot of people don't think of it. This site opens at 8:00 AM, if you want to beat the crowds, and the heat I suggest getting there as close to opening time as possible. In addition to all those people who would rather sleep in, you will also be caught in the crowds of the tours if you come in later towards lunch time. While it is an impressive sight no matter what, some of the joy and magic is taken away when you are battling the masses just to get a good view. Also did I mention that Mexico weather is HOT. Like sweat to death hot. So if you come in the morning you won't be dying from those hot afternoon sun rays beating down on you! Just some food for thought. This also gives you the greatest chance of scoring a photo of the famous ruins without ten thousand people in your shot! Unless you have mad photoshop skills, this is the best time to go for peopleless photos!
2. Find parking in a lot along the street instead of in the park
While the site itself does provide parking, it is more expensive if you park there. If you are on a budget, or just love a good chance to save some cash try parking on one of the lots along the road leading up to the ruins. You won't be able to miss them, there are signs everywhere and people directing you as soon as you get close to the ruins. Some things to keep in mind, if you are traveling with little ones, elderly, or anyone who has a more difficult time walking, you may opt to pay more for the parking on site because while these street parking lots are cheaper they do add extra steps to your journey. You can pay money to take a cab or transportation over to the ruins, but then it would end up being similar in cost. We chose to walk to the ruins, it was about a 5-7 minute walk, mostly paved and we found it enjoyable because you get to interact with local people selling goods along the way. However, if you are someone who has difficulty with walking, or just wants to save all of your steps for the actual ruins, you may want to pay the extra and park in the site itself.
3. If you want souvenirs buy them BEFORE you enter the ruins
Speaking of enjoying the walk to the ruins , if you choose to take this walk you will see A TON of locals selling amazing souvenirs. Most of, if not all, of these souvenirs are hand made by these talented people. We tried to stop and talk to as many as we could and we ended up purchasing quite a few items. Not only is it fun because you get something memorable to take back with you, but 100 percent of your money goes to these hard working individuals. You get a unique item and you get to help the local people. When you enter Chichén Itzá you will see tons of pop up tents selling very similar items. However, they will be double the price and it is less likely that you are helping the local community. I am not saying don't purchase items in Chichén Itzá itself, by all means if you like to do so then do; and I am sure the money goes to upkeeping the site which is important. I am just saying if you have the opportunity, why not help the locals as well.
4. You need a mask to ENTER the park
This one was a bit of a doozy for us honestly. While we respect rules and regulations that are in place due to COVID19, we were not prepared for our encounter with them here at Chichén Itzá. For starters, nowhere online did it inform us that masks were going to be required. Especially due to the fact that the entirety of this adventure was to be outdoors where it is easy to distance yourself from others. We arrived to Chichén Itzá and had no problem making it through the line near the ticket booth and throughout the beginning of the entryway. It also should be noted that no one was wearing a mask at the time. However, when you get to the metal detector that you need to walk through to enter the ruins, there was a sign that said masks required. We were confused, we did not have to wear them up to this point. We asked the guard if masks needed to be warn for the entirety of our exploration that day, because we did not have one since we didn't see that information presented anywhere. He said no, masks were not required while exploring the ruins. So to recap...they are not required when first entering, or at all while you are inside Chichén Itzá...they are required for the 2 second walk through the metal detectors. Seeing as we did not have any, we had to buy some on location; which of course meant they were way more expensive than average. I think it was around 10 USD per mask. So just a heads up, if you don't want to spend unnecessary money here, bring a mask for the walk through the metal detector so you're not surprised like we were.
5. Go to the right for photos with no people
If you are someone who can't get to the ruins at opening for whatever reason, have no fear! I have a tip for you that will still allow you to get shots of the famous Chichén Itzá without hundreds of people photobombing you in the background. Many people imagine the front of the ruins as their picture perfect moment, but what many people don't know is that if you go to the right hand side of the ruins, you can get amazing shots that looks similar to the front of the ruins. And the best part of the right hand side, is that there is almost no one over there. Everyone gathers in the front of the ruins for their iconic shot, they don't ever think to go to the sides. But if you go directly to the right once you see the ruins you will get an amazing view and amazing photographs.
6. Clap in front for echo
The front of the ruins is more than just a pretty photo, along with a great deal of history, it also provides a cool experience for you to enjoy. If you get close to the steps at the front of the ruins and clap, you will hear a unique echo sound coming from the ruins! We opted not to take a guided tour, so we don't the exact reason behind why this happens, but if you are curious to know why or how it happens I recommend taking a guided tour. We saw a tour guide explaining this experience to his group, so if that and learning more about local histories interests you then I highly recommend doing a tour. If you just want to hear the cool sound and don't care much for history, then feel free to walk on up and clap yourself,you will hear the sound!
7. For couple or friends shot be nice
If you don't feel like lugging a tripod around and you want to get a shot with everyone in the travelling party in it, our best tip is to be nice! We offered to take many people's photographs when we saw them struggling to get a selfie of themselves. 9/10 times those who we helped offered to do the same for us in return. And if you're someone who is worried about the quality of the shot, then set it up for them how you would like it and then just hand it to them in that spot. Run into the frame and ask them to take a few! It may not be the perfect Instagram shot but it will be one with everyone in it at least! But if that is not your scene, you can always opt for the traditional selfie as well!
There you have it! Those are the top 7 things my boyfriend and I learned while visiting Chichén Itzá, I hope you found them helpful and I hope you enjoy your visit! Happy traveling!
Until next time,
Steph
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