The good thing about Mexico is that you can often buy what you need there. Fiona and Jim Chambers. Do not park your rental car on the side of the road, but drive to the official secured parking lot. Take the ferry back to Chiquil, pick up your car, and head out on the road. Is it pretty? We just need to know beforehand. If you dont know much about Chichn Itz, I highly recommend it. Check out El Gran Museo del Mundo Maya. One of the most impressive places within Chichen Itza is the Ball Court. Every traveler deserves real insight into the cultures of the countries theyre visiting. You might want to bring a sweater and jeans for cool nights or bus rides. May to October is the rainy season, and it can rain much more, especially later in the afternoon. Sports sandals. The longest driving days are about four hours. Located on the eastern part of the Centro on Parque de la Mejorada, this hotel is small and simple with comfortable rooms but they bring out cute creative touches wherever they can. Two big cenotes on the site made it a suitable place for the city and gave it its name, from chi (mouths), chen (wells), and Itz, the name of the Maya tribe that settled there. Playa del Carmen in another resort town from where you can visit the Mayan Ruins. If you plan to drink on the beach, consider taking an Uber instead it should take 40 minutes and cost around $15 each way. We enjoyed our stopover at Aggstein Castle. Great and safe service! Travel insurance will help you in your hour of need if you come down with appendicitis in Mrida or trip and break an ankle while climbing the pyramid at Mayapn, and if your flights get canceled due to hurricanes, you can get accommodation and new flights paid for. As you can see, they are infrequent. more. Think we might go via Valladolid if that's the case - what a pain! While sometimes theyre painted yellow and have signs, sometimes they appear out of nowhere and are hard to spot. All cars must be less than ten years old, in excellent operating condition, and insured as required by local law. The great ball court, Juego de Pelota, was another highlight of Chichen Itza for me. This ceremony is an interesting look into Mayan culture right in Mrida. The Church is covered in amazing details, which was very typical for the Puuc architecture. Standing on the platform of the temple to the north of the court, it is possible to hear a whisper from 150 feet (46 metres) away. The columns once supported a roof, but the roof is now gone, and you can today admire about 200 columns depicting warriors in bas-relief. Thanks very much for your replies. Good suggestions. It is one of the most well-known and most-visited places in the Americas. We would definitely recommend this driver and this service. Not sure where you are headed after Chichen but ADO does have a ticket office in the entrance building should you need help with other tickets or schedules. You can download this as a printable itinerary here! Despite a rather long distance, a sound made on one side can be very well heard on the other. SOCO is a bakery and everything they make is scrumptious. This article was most recently revised and updated by. If you get sick in Mexico, consider visiting a Farmacia Ahorro. Maybe youre not a fan of ruins. Do colectivos run between Merida and CI? Park in one of the many parking lots in Chiquil dont worry, this is a safe place to leave your car! Also, Merida has a Regional Museum of anthropology an history where you can see lots of objects found in the different Mayan Ruins of the regions such as Chichen Itza. I am staying in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Theres also a nice malecn, or path along the seafront. If you want to be central, and able to enjoy the town, Hotel Carolina is one of the nicest properties in Bacalar town with nice rooms and swings right in the lake. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Its usually 5 pesos (25 cents). Highway 180 is one of the most touristy roads in Mexico. Gratuity isnt included or required, but if you really enjoyed your trip, you can show your driver your appreciation with an optional tip (10% is sufficient). If you want luxury accommodation, I recommend Le Muuch Hotel. This is arguably the prettiest street in Valladold, if not all the Yucatn, decorated with flags and lined with cafes, bakeries, shops, and hotels. Take these two full days to unwind on Isla Holbox. The ticket consists of two fees - the actual admission and a government fee. We did not know that the entrance is that expensive, and almost ran out of money since we don't carry spare cash or a credit card for safety reasons. There are several of them at Chichen Itza, one right on top of the Temple of the Warriors. Here are some items that are smart to pack for a trip to Mexico: Biodegradable sunscreen. (I just returned from a 9 hour ADO ride which I didn't find painful at all ). Merida to Chichen Itza 7 years ago Save Hi there, I'll be travelling to Chichen Itza from Merida on 3 November (there are 2 of us) and am hoping that somebody can give me some advice about transportation. Excavations within the nine-platform pyramid revealed another, earlier structure containing a red jaguar throne studded with jade. If youre traveling with more bags or oversized luggage, you can adjust this while booking. I tend to wear dresses, skirts, and tank tops with sandals, plus some athletic wear for active days. The drive is just 40 minutes. Answer 1 of 4: We will be in Merida over the holidays and on the way back to Isla would like to visit Chichen Itza. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. In any event, the invaders were responsible for the construction of such major buildings as El Castillo (The Castle), a pyramid that rises 79 feet (24 metres) above the Main Plaza. Solo Female Travel in Mexico: Is it Safe? You can take an ADO bus to Valladolid and then a 2nd class bus to CI (or a taxi). The ancient Mayan city awaits 120km east of Merida. There are 3 ways to get from Mrida to Chichn-Itz by bus, taxi or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. The Hanging HoleLearn more. If you want to save a bit, you can take colectivo, a small van which usually leaves the city or town when full. Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is listed as one of the 'New Seven Wonders of the World,' is home to towering temples, sacred sinkholes, and curious Mayan ballcourts. The closest to Chichen Itza is Valladolid it takes about an hour to get there (you can take also a cheaper second class bus for Mx 37 one way). But dont pull out your bathing suit just yet, as swimming at this one is not allowed. Even in small towns. Not sure where you got the bus schedule, but appears to be an old one. Today youre getting an early start and driving north to Ro Lagartos. All rights reserved. It means you need at least Mx 80 in cash. One let us stop to use the restroom and grab food and the other offered perrier water. Chichen Itza is a pretty large site, and be prepared to spend here three to four hours minimum. Honestly, Im including a whole restaurants section here because there are so many good ones. Its a great core workout that doesnt feel like a workout, and a gorgeous way to explore the lake. Be aware though, that some foreign bank cards dont work on the ADO site. Youll be given part of the form back. Mrida is a huge city of many neighborhoods, and some of these neighborhoods are popular with expats, but I recommend Centro because youll be able to walk everywhere (or take a $1 Uber), the best restaurants are located here, and its filled with lovely colorful buildings and nice parks. Head to the dock and hop on one of the ferries that run every half hour. La Casita del Cheviche is great for ceviche and especially the shrimp aguachile. Travel Tip: You might see Google Maps and signs shortening these streets to C.39, C.46, and C.48. Go on a design walk. If youre low on time, you can axe Izamal if you want to its easy to visit from Mrida. Cenote Sagrado was a site of a lot of ceremonial sacrifices performed by the Mayans. Having spent time in both places recently, I would give the edge to Bacalar. I consider my portable safethe most important thing I pack. Mrida is a great place to hang out, but more than that, Im convinced its the best base for day trips in all of Mexico. Puuc, Toltec. If cost is the motive, use the Oriente or Mayab second class buses. If you prefer to know more about the history of Chichen Itza, and want to hear it from someone knowledgeable, yet you still prefer to arrive on own by bus or rental car, you can use a service of one of many guides (English or Spanish speaking) who work inside the site. I do recommend pre-booking your ticket online, especially that there are only a handful of departures daily. They also serve the best tortilla chips Ive ever had. In two weeks in the Yucatn Peninsula, you could see places as varied as these: Unusually, this Mexico itinerary does NOT include Cancn, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum. Obviously, youll need a license to drive in Mexico. If you dont have an English or Spanish language license, you may want to bring an international driving permit (which is essentially a translation of your license that you can get in your home country). This part of Mexico is not lacking in resorts! If not? Be sure to give him a small tip (10-20 pesos is fine). When you arrive, there will be plenty of guides offering to take you around. My friend Nathan lived in Mrida for a few years and is the ultimate expert on the best restaurants in Mrida. Would you rather take public transport than drive? Campeche is lovely its old town is smaller, cleaner, prettier, and better put together than Mridas. In 1904 Edward Herbert Thompson, an American who had bought the entire site, began dredging the cenote; his discovery of skeletons and sacrificial objects confirmed the legend. Pack swimsuit to cool off after a couple of hours walking under the scorching sun. It's never been easier to get to Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins by bus. In terms of clothing, you can wear whatever you want in Mexico just nothing grotesquely revealing, and keep swimwear to the beach. Leave your regular sunscreen at home it can be harmful to delicate areas like cenotes, Lake Bacalar, and the waters surrounding Holbox. This adds up to the fact that every year, millions of people drive through the Yucatan Peninsula to get to this iconic site. Head to Punta Cocos for the sunset. I hope youre ready to eat. But talk about culture shock, she moved to Mexico on her first visit. Do know that, even early in the morning, long lines can form and, in general, traffic gets quite congested when it is time to enter the parking lot. And yes. (I just returned from a 9 hour ADO ride which I didn't find painful at all ). Bacalar is just over a four-hour drive from Mrida. Chichn Itz is located some 90 miles (150 km) east-northeast of Uxmal and 75 miles (120 km) east-southeast of the modern city of Mrida. Note: Cenote Zaci closed for renovations in mid-2022. In the Late Post-Classic Period (c. 12001540), Chichn appears to have been eclipsed by the rise of the city of Mayapn. Would you rather change accommodation less often and stay longer in fewer places? By joining a group tour, you dont need to worry about anything. Know that you will be crossing a time zone! Theyre both wonderful activities and I wouldnt want to go to Bacalar without enjoying both to the fullest. The towns of Homn and Cuzama are famous for their high concentration of cenotes, both hacienda cenotes and wild cenotes. Cochinita, we replied we were there for the famous slow-roasted pork. If you go to Holbox, take one of the many shuttles from Cancn Airport to Chiquil its faster and easier than the bus. But I encourage you to visit at this time because weather really can make or break your visit. Read our traveler's guide on how to visit the New Wonder of the World with tips on how much things cost, how to get to Chichen Itza, what you can see and whether it is better to visit independently or with a tour. If you want upscale accommodation, I recommend Hotel Ro Lagartos. Do you only have 10 days or a week? Even though there are plaques in front of most structures, the information is very minimal. Seeing the ancient Mayan city is a dream of every traveler. We hope it reopens soon. Thanks so much RobertSDF. Duration 1h 10m When Monday, Wednesday and Friday Estimated price $1400 - $6000. I know your trip will be so much better when you focus on areas outside the resorts. Visit the Convent de San Bernardino de Siena.
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