Your Helpful and Insightful Guide to Chichén Itzá

If you love history, enjoy traveling, or are aiming to see all New Seven Wonders of the World, then chances are Chichén Itzá is on your list of things to see. Staying in Cancún, Playa Del Carmen, Mérida, or anywhere in Quintana Roo or Yucatán? Then you must make this ancient site a stop on your trip. Trust me it is definitely worth it.

More About Chichén Itzá and Its History

Located on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, Chichén Itzá is one of the most impressive and popular archeological sites in the Americas. It is up for debate when exactly Chichén Itzá was built, but most historians agree that the site was a significant center for political, religious and economic activity by the year 600 AD. The city spread nearly two square miles and was densely packed with various stone structures. At its height, it is believed that 50,000 people lived in the city, some even living in smaller homes in the outskirts of the Chichén Itzá.

While we still don’t know much about the Mayan people, it is generally agreed upon that Chichén Itzá declined by the mid 1200s. Although no one knows for sure the reason for the city’s decline, historians hypothesize that political and economical activities moved to Mayapán (another Mayan site located outside of Mérida) around this time. When the conquistadors arrived in 1526, much of the surrounding jungle had overtaken the once thriving city. It was not rediscovered until the mid-19th century by American explorer, John Lloyd Stephens and English explorer, Frederick Catherwood.

Today, many original structures of Chichén Itzá still stand. The most famous and recognizable being El Castillo, in addition to the Great Ball Court, the North Temple, the Temple of the Warriors, and Group of a Thousand Columns. Chichén Itzá sees about 2 million visitors annually, and archeologists are still making discoveries around the site today.

Things to See in Chichén Itzá

El Castillo

Obviously the most famous structure of the site, the Temple of Kukulcan (also called El Castillo) is hard to miss once you pass through the entrance and jungle of local vendors. This temple was dedicated to the Mayan serpent god, Kukulcan, with massive serpent statues guarding the bottom of the structure. It was recently discovered that two more pyramids lie inside El Castillo, and the temple was built so that during every spring and autumn equinox the serpent heads appear to be slithering down the staircase.

There are a total of 365 stairs leading up to the temple’s entrance, one for each day of the year, and with each staircase slanting at a perfect 45 degree angle. Essentially, El Castillo served as a monumental portrayal of the Mayan Calendar. It’s amazing how advanced ancient Mayans were when it came to math, science, architecture and so much more!

The Great Ball Court

One of the most interesting places inside Chichén Itzá, besides the iconic El Castillo of course, is the Great Ball Court. Almost every Mayan site in Mexico has a ball court, but Chichén Itzá has the largest in the world. Some sources claim that the losing team’s captain was sacrificed to the Gods, while others allege it was actually the winning team’s captain.

Whatever the truth, it is known that this Mayan sport was not played for enjoyment, but rather to please the Gods. Players had to hit a rubber ball into stone hoops 8 meters (26 feet) high and could only play using their hips, shoulders, knees and elbows. It was forbidden to use the head, hands, or feet.

The Skull Wall

While it is not confirmed, it is believed that this wall of skull carvings represents decapitated heads of enemies and prisoners of war that were sacrificed to the Gods. It is possible that the sacrifices occurred on the wall itself, and perhaps even after the sacred ball games.

Temple of Warriors

The Temple of Warriors is thought to have been a place of worship for Mayan warriors. It is a rather large structure of Chichén Itzá and is covered with carvings and reliefs of warriors, eagles and jaguars devouring human hearts. At the top of the broad stairway are flag bearers on either side and serpent heads that were used as oil lamps. While you can no longer climb the ancient steps of this structure, there is a Chac Mool (Chac Mools were believed to be messengers to Gods) sculpture that lies at the top of the stairs.

Group of 1000 Pillars

Located right next to the Temple of Warriors, it is estimated the columns were built around 900 AD – 1200 AD. All the columns once supported a roof that no longer exists. Some believe the structure used to be great meeting halls with some of the remaining decorations of Chaac masks and motifs on the pillars suggesting that an earlier group of priests once ruled the city.

The Sacred Cenote

Cenotes are natural sinkholes that are filled with fresh water. Many scholars agree that Chichén Itzá and many other Mayan cities were built around cenotes, as they provided the people with fresh water. The Maya would eventually begin to throw valuables such as gold, jade, pottery and, yes, even human beings into this sacred well in order to appease the rain God, Chaac.

How to Get to Chichén Itzá

It has never been easier to travel to Chichén Itzá with all the transportation options available today. There are a few ways to get to Chichén Itzá depending on where you are traveling from and your budget.

Renting a Car

Renting a car will probably allow you the most flexibility and allow you to arrive and leave whenever you’d like. Here is a really helpful guide to renting cars in Mexico. If you are coming from Cancún, the drive is about two hours and 45 minutes, two hours and 30 minutes from Playa Del Carmen, one hour and 30 minutes from Mérida and about 45 minutes from Valladolid.

Bus/Colectivos

When I visited Chichén Itzá, I took a bus and a colectivo. While staying in Cancún, I bought an ADO bus ticket for about $15 USD that took me to Valladolid and then hopped on a colectivo that took me to the ancient site for about $2 USD. Colectivos are essentially shared taxi vans you can find throughout Mexico. This was the most cost effective method I found when traveling to Chichén Itzá (I was traveling on a budget!) but you just need to plan out your bus departure times and know when the colectivos arrive and leave. You can ask any local where the colectivo pickup location is in Valladolid and they’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

Tour Groups

While this method could be more costly, it will save you the headache of planning rides to Chichén Itzá from your location. Not to mention, you will receive a guided tour of the ancient site with a knowledgable and interesting guide. Some even offer lunch, buffets and tequila tastings! These tours can be booked at many hotels in Cancún, online, or at any travel company you pass on the street in Yucatán or Quintana Roo.

Chichén Itzá Tips

Arrive early

You will have the best opportunity for pictures with less crowds in the morning, not to mention you’ll avoid the mid-day heat.

Know about extra costs

Vistors of Chichén Itzá will need to pay extra to bring in a large video camera, GoPro, or tripod. My boyfriend had to pay $10 USD to bring in his GoPro.

If you are not a Mexican national, you will need to pay two fees

istors need to buy two tickets to enter Chichén Itzá. One is for the Institute of History and Anthropology of Mexico (INAH) and another for the Ministry of Culture of Yucatán (CULTUR). As of January 2022, the INAH ticket is about $4 USD and the CULTUR ticket is about $25 USD.

Consider hiring a local guide at the entrance

There are plenty of multilingual, independent tour guides offering their services at Chichén Itzá’s entrance. It might be worth it to hire one and learn more about the fascinating site.

NO you cannot climb any of the structures

Until 2006, vistors were allowed to climb the ancient steps of El Castillo, that is until an elderly woman fell to her death around Christmas 2005. Now the steps and surrounding ruins are roped off to protect vistors and to preserve the ancient sites.

Avoid visiting on Sundays

On Sundays, the entrance is free for Mexican locals so the crowds tend to be much larger.

Wear comfortable shoes and light clothing

The sun can be brutal in the middle of the day so plan accordingly. The last thing you want is to overheat with blisters on your feet.

What to Bring to Chichén Itzá

Remember what I said about the heat and be sure to pack your sunscreen, hat and water bottle. If you tend to get hungry throughout the day, packing a light snack or lunch can help get you through your visit and avoid the expensive food options at Chichén Itzá.

Of course, it is wise to bring your camera or phone to take unforgettable pictures of the iconic structures of Chichén Itzá.

If you plan on staying at the site for most of the day, perhaps bring a blanket or a towel. After we explored the site and waited for our colectivo, we relaxed on the light blanket we brought and took in the incredible views of the ancient city surrounding us.

---

---