Are you planning on visiting Chichen Itza and Mexico and wondering what you need to know? You’ve come to the right place!
Chichen Itza is one of the new wonders of the world and it’s a must-visit for anyone visiting the Yucatan peninsula.
While you might only have seen photos of the pyramid, Chichen Itza is actually a lot bigger than that. There is a lot to learn and you will be walking a fair bit.
In order to make your visit the best that it can be, here are 8 travel tips and things to know about Chichen Itza.
1. Take a guided tour
Chichen Itza, like many other Ancient cities in the world, is an incredibly interesting place and there is a lot to learn about this city but also the Mayan civilisation in general.
The Mayans used to live in very different ways and their traditions are completely different to ours. While it’s true that there are a few signs around Chichen Itza, it’s nowhere as good as having someone explaining it to you.
There are a lot of things to know about the architecture, the sounds, the ball games but also the human sacrifices. A guide will not only explain everything but also be able to answer most of your questions.
I particularly recommend booking this walking tour online. It lasts 90 minutes and starts at 8:30AM which means you beat the crowds.
The guide is fantastic and even texted us the day before on Whatsapp to give us all the information.
Click here to see the latest availability and prices
2. Wear a hat and sunscreen
It can get very hot at Chichen Itza and while there is some shade, it’s not all shady, especially if you are close to the ruins.
If you are visiting in summer, it gets incredibly hot so wearing a hat and sunscreen is a must do but even in winter it gets very hot so you should have sun protection.
3. Wear trainers
You will be walking a lot in Chichen Itza. It’s a lot bigger than you might realise and the paths are not paved so it’s important to have good walking shoes.
You don’t need hiking boots either but trainers or walking sandals are essential.
4. Get there early
As you can imagine, Chichen Itza is incredibly popular and therefore gets crowded. If you want to enjoy the place without too many people but more importantly without having to queue for a long time at the entrance, I recommend getting there just before it opens at 8AM.
5. Take cash
In theory you can pay with your card at Chichen Itza and there is an ATM available but you honestly never know. It happens that the internet is not good enough for the card machine so if you can, I’d recommend taking cash to pay your entrance.
Once you’re inside, if you want to buy souvenirs, you will also need cash.
6. Negotiate prices with the local vendors if you’re buying souvenirs
There are local vendors everywhere inside Chichen Itza and they will try to sell you all kinds of souvenirs.
They are not actually allowed to follow you and insist so if you are not interested just say no thank you and keep walking since they won’t follow you.
If you are interested in buying something, always try to get the price down. Everything you see is up for negotiation.
7. Stay in Valladolid the night before
Chichen Itza is a popular day trip from many places in the Yucatan peninsula including Cancun and Merida, however, if you are driving and can plan your travels accordingly, I highly recommend staying in Valladolid.
Valladolid is one of the most beautiful places to visit, it’s such a stunning and colourful town. It’s one of the magic towns (Pueblo Magico) and you will enjoy spending some time there.
Regardless of the fact that it’s a great addition to your itinerary, it’s also very practical to stay there since it’s only 45 minutes away from Chichen Itza which means you can easily get there, even for the opening, without having to get up too early.
8. Make sure you are on Yucatan time (if travelling from Quintana Roo)
If you are travelling from Quintana Roo (Holbox, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum…) make sure you double check the time since the province of Yucatan is an hour behind Quintana Roo.
9. Don’t take a drone
You can’t take a drone inside Chichen Itza so make sure to leave it at your accommodation or in the car.
You can however take your phone for photos. You can also take a small camera such as a GoPro or Insta360 but you need to buy a permit which cost 50 MXN.
10. Pack your swimming costume to go to a cenote after
There are two cenotes in Chichen Itza but these are not open to the public for a swim. Even if they were, not sure you would really want to since they were used for human sacrifices.
But there are a lot of cenotes near Chichen Itza and between Chichen Itza and Valladolid so most people choose to go to a cenote after visiting the Mayan city.
For this reason, I highly recommend taking a swimming costume and leaving it in the car for later.
I hope these travel tips have helped you plan your visit to Chichen Itza. Have fun!
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