Tueday was a ruined-filled day. I started off by visting 3 sets of ruins (Sayil, Labná, and Xlapak) that are collectively known as Ruta Puuc. While all fairly small, some of the temples have some really interesting details. As with Edzna, they were completely empty.
Kabah is a set of ruins located between Ruta Puuc and Uxmal and is famous for its wall of faces.
Then I finally visited Uxmal, which is the largest of the 5 and has 2 very large pyramids (again one of which you are still able to climb and from there can see many of the other ruins).
Then I finally visited Uxmal, which is the largest of the 5 and has 2 very large pyramids (again one of which you are still able to climb and from there can see many of the other ruins). Then after a long day of ruins, I took the bus north of Merida to the beach town of Progreso, also home to the longest dock in Mexico (over 7km long).
Day 5: Chichen Itza, Centoes, Tulum
I headed to Chichen Itza on the 6:30 am bus from Merida, and while I was regretting the early hour, arriving in an empty Chichen Itza was definitely worth it. By the time I was headed out at 10:30, the place was filling with people and tour groups, but I had the place almost entirely to myself.
After the ruins, I caught a bus to Valladolid and from there headed a little bit outside of town to two underground cenotes. Because of the limestone geology in the yucantan Peninsula, there is virtually no surface water (no rivers), expect cenotes, which are basically pools of water. The two near Valladolid, also happen to be underground so you feel like you are swimming in a cave and generally, roots from the trees above reach through the ground and down into the centoe for their water source. Swimming was a welcome relief from the heat. After that, I hopped on a bus for Tulum, Quintana Roo, on the shores of the Caribbean Ocean.
Day 6: Rainy Tulum
Of course, the only planned beach day was the only day it stormed for the entire day. I went to the ruins at Tulum in the morning, and while the buildings are less impressive than some of the other Mayan ruins, their location, on rocky cliffs overlooking the white sand and turquoise waters of the Caribbean make them an amazing site.
Just after the ruins, a huge storm hit the area, and it pretty much continued raining all day. I ended up passing a good part of the day huddled under a palapa with other people at the hostel playing cards. The storm did break long enough to take a bike ride along the coast though.
Day 5: Chichen Itza, Centoes, Tulum
I headed to Chichen Itza on the 6:30 am bus from Merida, and while I was regretting the early hour, arriving in an empty Chichen Itza was definitely worth it. By the time I was headed out at 10:30, the place was filling with people and tour groups, but I had the place almost entirely to myself.
After the ruins, I caught a bus to Valladolid and from there headed a little bit outside of town to two underground cenotes. Because of the limestone geology in the yucantan Peninsula, there is virtually no surface water (no rivers), expect cenotes, which are basically pools of water. The two near Valladolid, also happen to be underground so you feel like you are swimming in a cave and generally, roots from the trees above reach through the ground and down into the centoe for their water source. Swimming was a welcome relief from the heat. After that, I hopped on a bus for Tulum, Quintana Roo, on the shores of the Caribbean Ocean. Day 6: Rainy TulumOf course, the only planned beach day was the only day it stormed for the entire day. I went to the ruins at Tulum in the morning, and while the buildings are less impressive than some of the other Mayan ruins, their location, on rocky cliffs overlooking the white sand and turquoise waters of the Caribbean make them an amazing site.
Just after the ruins, a huge storm hit the area, and it pretty much continued raining all day. I ended up passing a good part of the day huddled under a palapa with other people at the hostel playing cards. The storm did break long enough to take a bike ride along the coast though.
