The great Maya city of the northern Yucatán, its stepped pyramid built so precisely that a serpent of shadow crawls down the stairs at the equinox.
Chichén Itzá was one of the largest Maya cities, at its height between roughly the 9th and 12th centuries. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico.
At its centre stands El Castillo, the Temple of Kukulcán, with four stairways whose steps, with the top platform, add up to 365. At the spring and autumn equinoxes, the late sun casts a rippling shadow down the north stairway like a descending serpent.
Around it are the Great Ball Court, the largest in Mesoamerica, the Temple of the Warriors with its rows of columns, and the round observatory called El Caracol.
It's two and a half hours from Playa. Arrive for the 8:00 opening, before the tour buses, or late in the afternoon.
A long day, worth it.
Drive west on the toll road, or stay the night before in Valladolid.
Be at the gate for opening and see the pyramid in the quiet.
Walk the Great Ball Court and the Temple of the Warriors.
Finish at the observatory and the older southern buildings.
Swim in a cenote nearby and have lunch in Valladolid's main square.
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Drive the toll road west, or take a first-class bus; tours leave Playa very early.
Entry is split into federal and state tickets; check the current price and bring cash and a card.
Hire an official guide at the entrance for the history.
Playa del Carmen practical notes →Photographs from Wikimedia Commons and Pexels under their licences.
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