Seven places to learn all about the buildings, culture and the oldest traditions of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The Riviera Maya is synonymous with turquoise water and white sand. But also archaeological sites halfway between the monumental and the mystical. Mexico in general and in particular the Riviera Maya exude an air of magic and intrigue that make the Mayan world a universe to discover in the XXI century.
The worship of the gods, imposing buildings, their mathematical system and its numbers. Discovering this world is compatible with a relaxing beach holiday.
CHACCHOBÉN
It is the largest Mayan settlement with 70 hectares and with different architectural complexes intended for ceremonial activities, leaders’s residences and administrative activity areas.
Its fauna and flora are an attraction of this archaeological site due to its variety.
COBÁ
A half hour from Playa del Carmen is a ruin with a special charm that pleasantly surprise those who visit although only 5% of the entire deposit is visible. The rest remains buried in the jungle.
The Nohoch Mul pyramid, 42 meters high, is the most outstanding construction of the reservoir and the tallest pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula. You can climb and from there, see the whole jungle and the Mayan city surrounded by five lakes.
EL REY (THE KING)
Very near Cancun and hotel BelleVue Beach Paradise****, its name comes from a sculpture representing a human face with a headdress. It has 47 structures which still have traces of paint on the walls, along with representations of Mayan gods and symbols.
Among the buildings, large palaces stand out with galleries with columns, and a pyramid building with a temple, where an important person was buried.
KOHUNLICH
It was established as an important connection point between the cities of the Yucatan Peninsula and Central America. A visit there is important as it allows us to recognize the evolution of architectural styles of the Mayan world.
One of the highlights is the Templo de los Mascarones (Temple of the Masks), something very characteristic in Quintana Roo for the five stucco figures that still remain. It has many areas open to visitors.
SAN GERVASIO
It is located on the island of Cozumel and it is a must if you visit the island. It provides an overview of the Mayan world with a variety of structures both in architecture and in the use for which they were built.
Among other buildings, the Central Plaza is arranged in the same way as a Roman forum.
TULUM
It may be the best known archaeological site of the Riviera Maya. Walled, it was also an important point for trade routes and for exploiting the resources of the sea.
Thousands of tourists visit Tulum. Watching a sunset in its surroundings is a must.
CHICHEN ITZA
Along with Tulum, it is a must-see area for visitors to the sites. It is still a sacred Mayan center and it became a place of pilgrimage with the arrival of the Spanish.
