Chichen Itza Day Trip From Playa del Carmen

Chichen Itza, located in Mexico’s southeast region named Yucatan Peninsula near Belize and Guatamala, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is not the most beautiful beach, despite being on a peninsula. Chichen Itza, 180 km away from Playa del Carmen takes about two and a quarter hours to reach. Allow an extra 30 minutes if you are travelling from Cancun. Merida, the nearest major city to Chichen Itza, is Merida.

Chichen Itza Day Trip

I left Playa Del Carmen at dawn to travel to Chichen Itza. Cancun was a short distance away. Playa Del Carmen was closer to Chichen-Itza so I could sleep for 30 minutes longer. Our tour guide was a friendly woman who spoke both English and Spanish well.

Stop for shopping, lunch and shopping

The day was sunny. The clouds were everywhere and hanging. Mexico is a vibrant and colorful country. I loved the way everything was painted. Our guide gave us more information than I was able to absorb. We took a 10-minute break to use the bathroom midway. This also allowed us to replenish our food supplies. We stopped 10 to 12 km from where we would eat the included lunch. Shopping came first, followed by the food!

The store in which we paused had the name Cooperative Maya. We were told by a group of women who run it that they are cooperative. It was a big space with lots of stuff.

In most sites, souvenirs were available. Some were displayed on tables, while others were hung up on walls. They were all arranged, and some were accompanied with additional details. I also found some magical stones to ease your suffering.

The focus wasn’t just on mementos. The clothing displayed was authentic Mayan clothing. The majority was made out of cotton, which had been vibrantly colored. I didn’t purchase anything, but I watched many people choose some of the products on display! After a buffet lunch and an hour rest, we continued to travel.

Chichen Itza: Inside the Ruins

Kukulkan Pyramid

Chichen Itza was our destination at 1:30 PM. Chichen Itza was one of the most important cities in the Maya World. This ruin was likely built in the ninth century. It was an important hub for trade and commerce as well as religion during the Mayan civilization. The city was abandoned around the 12th Century and then discovered in the 19th Century.

The Chichen Itza complex is home to many structures including the ballcourt and the temple of warriors. Kukulkan Pyramid, however, is the most famous. It is one the most recognisable structures in the world. Its historical significance led to its designation by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Kukulkan Pyramid has a stepped shape and is aligned closely with the movements the sun. It was a temple dedicated to Kukulcan, an ancient Maya god. The pyramid is divided into four sides, with each side having a 91 step staircase. The top platform adds 365 steps that represent the days in the solar year.

Temple of Warriors

When we first arrived at the site, an older man with a wealth of knowledge told us about its history. I could hardly stand the heat as I listened to everyone. I decided to walk around the courtyard. If you follow the path, you will reach the Temple of Warriors.

The Temple of the Warriors consists of a steppyramid that is made up of several warrior statues. The sculptures formed four columns and were arranged into four rows. Some of the sculptures have shields or spears in their hand. It may have once had a roof, but that has now collapsed. When I realised that it was built over a century ago, a unique feeling came over me.

Group of thousands column

You will find the group of a thousand columns to the south of the Temple of the Warriors. It’s basically a series of columns – approximately 200 of them. The columns were made of stone, and covered a large area. It is believed that the hub was a place where people would gather to do a variety activities. There may have been a market.

Great Ball Court

The playing field measures 168 by 70 meters and is divided into two halves with a wall. The game was played until the last man standing, and the losers would be sacrificed to the god. Today, only ceremonial activities are still carried out. Don’t forget to clap when you stand in front the wall. It will create a resonant sound.

Chichen Itza Trip End

We spent about 90 minutes in the Chichen Itza complex. You can see almost everything in 90 minutes, even though it may not seem much. Do I enjoy it? It was awesome! If I had to choose, however, I’d prefer to visit the Pyramids of Giza at any given time.

Cenote Saamal

On our way back from Chichen Itza we stopped at Cenote Saamal. Cenote Saamal is one of Yukatan’s biggest cenotes. It has an open sky with blue water and a sand bottom.

Numerous cenotes are found on the Yucatan peninsula. Cenotes are naturally formed trenches that expose groundwater. They were formed when the limestone bedrock collapsed. Due to its many fissures, the Yucatan Peninsula’s limestone bedrock collapses frequently and produces countless Cenotes. Most people dive in, swim and, if there are caverns, even walk through them.

Sadly, when we arrived at Cenote Saamal it was already dark and raining violently. Thundering can cause harm to humans so the authorities decided to ban swimming in that area.

I spent a little time admiring the natural beauty since I didn’t want to go swimming. The compound looked beautiful thanks to the landscaping and trees. The complex has restaurants and souvenir shops. I went for a walk and found it both colorful and peaceful!

Playa Del Carmen: Back to Playa Del Carmen

We arrived back at Playa del Carmen at 7:30 PM, despite heavy rain. It took us about 12 hours total to travel from Playa del Carmen up to Chichen Itza. I did not find it rushed. You can easily do it if you don’t want to stay at Merida, which is the gateway to Chichen Itza.