Chichén Itzá & Valladolid

After a few days spent in Mérida (see Mérida and trips in the area) we slowly started to move back to Cancún, but from the remaining two nights I made these great excursions, to which I dedicate my last Mexican article. 

Chichén Itzá

The most important info to start with: 1) the name is pronounced "Čičén", 2) it has been on the UNESCO list of monuments since 1988, and 3) it became one of the modern wonders of the world in 2007. In short, accept the fact that it's a bit of a mass-market place. You'll read some pretty mixed opinions about visiting this place on the internet. Some sing odes, but you'll come across some who say that visiting Chichén Itzá isn't even worth the admission fee. For a while I thought about skipping it too, but still... it would be a shame while we're here, wouldn't it? Plus, we had it on the way from Mérida to Valladolid anyway. In the end, though, I rate my visit to Chichén Itzá very positively and don't regret either the time or the money. So who cares about our experience, read on...

Where to stay?

If you are arranging your holiday on your own, I recommend you to book accommodation in Pisté. I'll tell you why. 

Because almost everyone who comes to the Yucatán goes to Chichén Itzá, and as I've mentioned in previous articles, most of these people stay on the Riviera Maya. It's just that it's at least a 2.5 hour drive from Playa del Carmen or Cancún, and maybe a few minutes shorter from Tulum, and that's what will play into your hands! If you stay in Pisté, set your alarm, you'll run to Chichén on opening morning and enjoy the area without crowds for some two hours, as the tour buses don't arrive until later.

Specifically, we stayed at La Casa de las Lunas - nice new rooms, well rated, parking, about a 25 minute walk to the resort, and as a bonus, morning coffee and a bun, which came in quite handy before that morning clear out :) We also left our car parked here during our visit to Chichén Itzá, which saved us money on parking fees, so for us we can really only recommend this accommodation. The price was less than €40/night. Other options in Piste then as follows:

• Hotel Chichen Itza
• Hotel Puerta Chichen
• Hacienda Chichen Resort and Yaxkin Spa

Visiting Chichén Itzá

Our biggest advantage, besides the accommodation in Pista, was the fact that September was not yet the season, so there were much fewer people in Mexico. So when we ran to the ticket office in the morning, we came in third! The side officially opens at 8:00am, in reality at about 8:10am, because just Mexico :) By this time there was already some minor queue growing, but nothing terrible. 

Admission - get your tickets on the spot and only for CASH, so be prepared. I've seen ATMs here as well, but personally I wouldn't rely on them. Of course the entrance fee increases every year, for 2022 it's 571 MEX.

And now it's time for the tour itself. If you haven't hired a guide before entering, it will be entirely up to you, and don't expect to learn much information. As with other Mexican ruins, there are no detailed info signs. Anyway, Chichén Itzá is one of the best-preserved Mayan cities on the Yucatán Peninsula and is estimated to have functioned between 600 and 1500. Be sure to go check out the most elaborate and largest structure in all of Chichén Itzá first - the Pyramid of Kukulcan. Seeing it without people is a real treat, and the view will only get worse as time goes on.

Other places of interest are the ball game of tlachtli, the Temple of the Warriors with its 2 hundred stone columns, the Observatory (El Caracol), typical for its domed roof, and the Well of Sacrifice (Cenote de los Sacrificios). I won't dwell here on the description of each building, you can see that for yourself in the attached photos, but I'll throw in some more practical information.

Not only tourists wait for the opening in the morning, but also souvenir sellers who come here every day to set up their goods again and again. By about 10 am, all the roads in the area were literally covered with vendor stalls selling all sorts of things - pottery, clothes, hats, blankets, scarves, paintings, dream catchers, decorative items, etc. etc... Honestly, it seemed too much, I found it strange that they didn't try to regulate it somehow right in the Chichén Itzá area. But what a different country, different morals, maybe even in our country one day the stallholders will block the Karlstejn courtyard or something. If you enjoy souvenir shopping, you'll be in heaven, but just remember to CONTRACT. 

As for dining options, there are plenty of food stalls along the access road to Chichén Itzá. Expect a restaurant, a café and an ice cream kiosk behind the ticket office, but inside you'll only find souvenirs, so either take a snack with you or get something before you enter so you don't have to rush through the tour on an empty stomach :)

Valladolid

This beautiful colonial town often becomes another convenient starting point to reach Chichén Itzá. The drive from here takes about 40 minutes, so still better than trudging all the way from the Riviera. Plus, you can even stay here with peace of mind. Valladolid has a very pleasant historic centre completely inviting to walk around. What not to miss:

• the main square with the Principal Francisco Cantón Rosado Park and San Servacio Church

• monastery Convento de San Bernardino de Siena - in front of it there is also a colourful sign Valladolid

• Calzada de los Frailes - a beautiful colourful street full of interesting businesses and various workshops and studios

But there is another reason people come to Valladolid - for the cenotes, of which there are dozens scattered around the area, and at much better prices than in the Tulum area. We had originally planned to visit the Zaci cenote, which is located right in the center of town, but unfortunately it was just closed, so we had to improvise. And since there was no time to look for an alternative lowcost beautiful cenote, we typed the only name I could remember into the navigation...

Cenote Suytun 

This is probably one of the most profane cenotes in the entire Yucatan. And what makes it so special? This cenote is completely enclosed except for a small circular depression in the ceiling. However, through this opening, the light falls directly onto a stone platform in the water, making this a very popular photo spot. From what I've seen with my own eyes, I'd even venture to say that most people came here just for the photo.

Honestly, I didn't have very high expectations, we don't really look for these crowded places, especially now with Kobliha, but in the end it was quite nice. The off-season is really noticeable in September. So how's it going here?

• free parking
• you buy tickets for 200 MEX, which includes entry to two price points
• life jackets, which are compulsory for swimming in the cenote
• you also need to shower - this was the only place where this was really strictly controlled, I was even warned to get my hair wet
• time is limited at Suytun and you can spend 1 hour (they will sign you in at the entrance)
• time spent on the platform in the cave is also limited so there are no queues. I guess it was 2 minutes per person or something, but we basically didn't wait during our visit. There were relatively few people, and most were only interested in the photo anyway - they didn't even try the water, didn't notice the fish, and didn't seem to see the beautiful stalactite decorations in the cave. Or welcome to the insta-world!
• if you want some special pro photography, it is possible to book the whole price (I don't even want to know the price)
• Entrance to the second cenote, which is semi-open, was not limited - not many people arrived there. We were all alone.
• there are changing rooms, a cocktail bar, snacks and a souvenir shop

main cenote:

second cenote:

Other very popular cenotes near Valladolid are the already mentioned Zaci, Oxman, Ik Kil, Xkeken or Ek Balam, but of course there are many more. The choice is yours :)

Where to stay in Valladolid?

We chose accommodation in the city centre so that we didn't have to go anywhere else and could explore the area in peace. Specifically, it was Casa Hotel Bamboo, which we were very happy with. Modern clean accommodation with parking and a pool for €35/night, ideal for us. Or other tips as follows:

• cheap: Hotel San Clemente - great price vs. quality ratio, a night here will cost you about €30
• medium: Hotel Casa Hipil or Hotel Fundadores - both very nice and well rated with prices around €60/night
• luxury: Le Muuch Hotel Boutique or Hotel Zentik Project, which invites you to swim in a unique salt cave

This article is the end of our Mexican journey, you can find the complete list of entries at the very end here. And if you are interested in anything else, don't hesitate to write to me. If it's in my power I'll be happy to help and advise you :)

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