Are you planning on visiting Ek Balam Mayan ruins soon and looking for some tips and advice? You’ve come to the right place!
Ek Balam is one of the best Mayan sites to visit in Mexico. It’s not far from Valladolid and can be visited on the same day as Chichen Itza or as a day trip from Valladolid.
It may not be as famous as Chichen Itza but it’s well worth your time and money since it’s quite well preserved, a lot quieter and one of the rare places where you can climb up the Mayan pyramids and that in itself is an experience.
You will find below all my best recommendations and tips to enjoy your time at Ek Balam.
1. Get there early
Ek Balam opens at 8AM every day and if you can, I highly recommend to get there for the opening time.
Unlike Chichen Itza, Ek Balam is nowhere as popular and therefore not really busy so the reason why I recommend this is not so you can beat the crowd.
The reason why I think it’s great to get there at 8AM is that nobody else will be there! Which means that you will get the entire place for yourself!
I arrived around 7:45AM which gave me time to park the car and go to the toilet. We were then the first ones to enter and there was nobody on the big pyramid.
Even 1 hour later, some people will have arrived but it’s not all that much which means you still enjoy it and can take great photos.
2. Take cash
Taking cash to visit Ek Balam is a must! Firstly, you’ll need to pay 100MXN for the carpark. Secondly, even though it says that they take card payments, they don’t.
There are often internet issues and most of the time they simply don’t take cards.
Unlike Chichen Itza, there is no ATM at Ek Balam. If you don’t have enough cash to pay for your entrance and car park, you will have to drive back to Temozón.
That’s where the nearest ATM is but it’s 15-minutes away. This means you’ll waste at least half an hour just to get cash.
3. Take a good camera
Ek Balam is a paradise for photographers! Not only are the ruins fantastic but you also get beautiful views from the top of the big pyramid.
Make sure you take your phone, camera or even an Insta 360 if you have one.
4. Walk down the stairs in zig zag
If there is one thing you’ll notice straight away about Mayan stairs, it’s that they are very steep.
While they are actually not that hard to go up, it’s quite challenging to go down. There is no rail or bannister and they are very steep. If you are scared of heights, you’ll definitely find it challenging.
The best way to go down in a safe (and not scary way) is to go down in zig zag one step at the time. I’ll admit, it’s a weird look but we all do the same so don’t worry!
5. Wear a hat
Not only is it quite hot but it can also be very sunny. There are some parts with trees and shade but if you really want to explore the ruins, you will find a lot of time under the sun.
For this reason, make sure to wear a hat and put some sunscreen on.
6. Wear good shoes
There is a bit of walking involved to visit Ek Balam and the ground is uneven so make sure to wear good shoes when you visit.
This can be trainers or walking sandals (as long as they are tight on your ankles and not flip flops).
I also recommend not to wear any slippery shoes since the steps on the pyramids are steep.
7. Opt for a guided tour or self guided tour
The thing about Ek Balam is that unfortunately there are no signs whatsoever which means you get no explanations at all about the sites you see.
The Mayan culture is incredibly interesting and being able to understand what you see is so fascinating.
Since there are no signs in Ek Balam, you have two options.
The first one is to hire one of the official guides at the entrance. It costs 800 MEX for an English, French or German tour.
The other option is to book this self guided tour. You will have access to it on your phone and can learn while exploring.
It’s a great way to do it on your own time and it works out cheaper.
Click here to see the self guided tour.
I hope this article has helped you. If you want any more information about the best places to visit in this area, don’t hesitate to check out my other articles.
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