Day Trip: Chichen Itza, Ik Kil and Coba

When you visit the Yucatan Peninsula, one of the main attractions will be to visit the different archaeological sites of Maya origins. These sites, especially when visiting with a guide, give you an idea of the different symbols, the architecture and how incredible this civilization was. 

This post aims to give you some details of the 3 locations so that you already have some knowledge when you get there. 

!Notes (archaeological sites)
1. Drones are not allowed 
2. If you want to use a GoPro or similar, you need to pay a fee

Chichen Itza

Info Below has a mix of sources with mainly History Website  & National Geographic & Mayan Peninsula Website

Chichen Itza was a Maya city on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The name Chichen Itza is a Mayan language term for "at the mouth of the well of the Itza." The Itza were an ethnic group of Mayas who had risen to power in the northern part of the Yucatan peninsula, where the city is located.

It was built somewhere between 400s AD to mid of 500s AD (there are some difference of opinion) and by 600 AD it was already a center of political and economic activity in the Mayan culture

Temple of Kukulkan, also known as El Castillo

The temple has 365 steps-one for each day of the year. Each of the temple's four sides has 91 steps, and the top platform makes the 365th. Devising a 365-day calendar was just one feat of Maya science. Incredibly, twice a year on the spring and autumn equinoxes, a shadow falls on the pyramid in the shape of a serpent. As the sun sets, this shadowy snake descends the steps to eventually join a stone serpent head at the base of the great staircase up the pyramid's side.

Also, if you see the pyramid on one side, the corners of its overlapping platforms add up to 18, which are the months of 20 days of the Mayan Haab Calendar.

What surprised me most during my tour was discovering below

Kukulkan Pyramid Substructures and Cenote
1. Cenote.
2. First construction built between the years 500 and 800.
3. Second construction built on top of the first one.                                                                                  4.Pyramid as you see it today.

Acoustics: due to the extraordinary acoustics, several great voices such as L. Pavarotti, P. Domingo, E. John had concerts on site. You can check out on YouTube if curious.  

Great Ball Court

The Great Ball Court rests on a platform that supports the pyramid and the other structures. These types of ball courts were a common feature of a remarkable ritual practiced among the Mesoamerican societies. Here it received the name of "pok ta pok", originated perhaps in the term puctal-puctal which means "to squat several times". In Chichen Itza there were about ten ball games. This being the main one, also considered the largest in Mesoamerica.

This specific court exhibits very interesting acoustics like a conversation at one end can be heard 135 m away at the other and like in many other buildings not only in Chichen Itza, a clap produces multiple loud echoes.

The Tzompantli

The inhabitants placed on the platform of the Tzompantli in Chichen Itza pointy poles on in which the bleeding heads of the enemies were threaded, four by four. Archeologists found buried figures of the Chac Mool in the Tzompantli of Chichen Itza, as well as skulls with offerings and a broken ring from the Great Ball Court. The cult of the dead, one of the oldest of humanity, is present among the Mayans in this interesting platform, considered "a true monument to the cruelty of war". The name Tzompantli means in Nahuatl "skull wall".

The Platform of Engels and Jaguars 

This  rectangular platform resembles that of Venus and other construction built in the Maya - Toltec style. It has 4 small staircases one on each side. The balustrades of these steps represent ascending plumed serpents which end with the serpent figurehead in the upper part of the building. Prostrate figures are found on the panels and beneath them, eagles and jaguars clutching human hearts. These platform was probably used for religious or ceremonial purposes and dates to approx sometimes between 900 & 1200 AD. (Source: Board @site) 

Admin Info:
Price: 480 pesos ( 2020)
Admission: 8:00 - 17:00 (tickets can be bought till 16:00)
*Free Entry Sunday for Mexican tourists 
Payment: Cash Only - Mexican Pesos

Ik Kil Cenote

Every tour going to Chichen Itza will probably stop also at the Ik Kil cenote and it's for good reason. It's super close by and wonderfully gorgeous. 

I haven't seen many (only this & Gran Cenote) so can't say it's the most beautiful one, but for sure is something you need to see. 

You can find it a 26m under the ground, and you reach it via stairs. The cenote is 60 metres (200 ft) in diameter and about 48 metres (157 ft) deep

"Ik Kil was considered sacred by the Mayans who used the site as a location for human sacrifice to their rain god, Chaac. Bones and pieces of jewelry were found in the deep waters of this cenote by archaeologists and speleologists"  (Source)

Admin Info: 
Price: 80 pesos (2020)
Admission: 9:00 - 17:00

They have all facilities you could need, including option to rent life vests, snorkel equipment & you can buy your tickets also online

If you don't know what a cenote is, you can check out more on Wiki

Coba

Located in Qunitana Roo, probably the best to visit if/when you are in Tulum, nonetheless, it is also not too far from Playa del Carmen.  

The site contains a group of large temple pyramids known as the Nohoch Mul, the tallest of which, Ixmoja, is some 42 metres (138 ft) in height. Ixmoja is among the tallest pyramids on the Yucatan peninsula, exceeded by Calakmul at 45 metres (148 ft) (Source)

You can actually climb the pyramid (130 steps). - Make sure you have proper closed shoes as the stairs are slippery. The view from the tops is wonderful. 

"There are lakes in this area (which are rare in the peninsula) attracted Mayan settlers from earliest times but a strong population growth in the area did not occur until around 100 AD. Between 200 AD and 600 AD, Coba controled a vast area, including the north of the state of Quintana Roo and areas in the east of the state of Yucatan. [...] Coba's downfall came with the rise of Chichen Itza and the long war between the two cities. In 860 AD Yaxunáh was destroyed by Chichen followed by the defeat of Coba itself." (source)

Admin Info:
Price: 80 pesos - Admission: 8:00 - 17:00 (tickets can be bought by 16:00)
Price 260 pesos  - Admission: 17:00 - 19:00
Payment type: Cash Only - Mexican Pesos

You can rent bikes or get a tricitaxi to move your around the side. Otheriwse walk to the main pyramid is 2 km.