One of the 7 Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza is a must visit site. The iconic El Castillo pyramid; the great ball court conjuring up movie scenes of brave competitors playing for life and death; the mysterious Cenote Sagrado believed to be the entrance to the underworld; and all throughout the site a reminder of the complexity, sophistication and genius of the Maya.
The only downside is just how busy this world famous site can get which, when combined with the heat and humidity, could easily spoil the experience.
Two key tips:
1. Spend the night in one of the hotels nearby – we stayed at Mayaland, which was nicer than it sounds. This allows you to enter the park early at 8am when it is far quieter and cooler, compared to an energy sapping trip from somewhere like Cancun for a wander round in the heat of the day. It also allows you to enjoy the night show . . .
2. Stay for the night show – I’m usually a little sceptical about night shows as they can be a bit tacky and really just another way to make money, but the Chichen Itza Night Show, I thought, was fantastic. It tells you a bit of the history, runs a spectacular series of images across the El Castillo pyramid, and it’s also just super cool to be walking around the ruins in the early evening when the vast majority of tourists have left. Must do.