In my life, I’ve been fortunate to visit some truly fantastic historical sites. This past August, I added another one to my list when I traveled to the Mayan pyramids in Chacchoben, Mexico.
I decided to book a tour with the cruise line since I was going alone for this tour and couldn’t find any tours for solo travelers that were as cost-effective. I opted for the tour limited to 10 people though, so that I could have a more personal experience. On the driver to the Mayan pyramids, our tour guide enlightened us on the port (Costa Maya), the port city (Mahahual), the state (Quintana Roo), and the area (Yucatan). We learned about indigenous animals, the people, the culture, the fauna/flora, and the history of the region.
The Mayans were ancient masters of science, mathematics, and astronomy. To my horror (I jest…slightly), our guide made us learn and practice Mayan mathematics. We also learned about Mayan calendars. This lesson became important when we visited the site and saw the temples; I particularly enjoyed seeing how the Mayan pyramids were built as a calendar and learning about the various dating cycles of the ancient Mayans.
As a child, I wanted to be an archaeologist and, although I chose a career in the related field of history, I still get as excited as a toddler on Christmas morning when I’m at an archaeological site. Chacchoben was no different.
When we arrived to the place of red maize (what Chacchoben means), we were first greeted with what I’ve come to recognize as a hallmark of these great ancient sites—a parking lot filled with tour buses and a gift shop.
Leaving that behind, however, we were able to walk through a tropical forest and leave modernity behind.
As we wandered through the jungle, I felt like Indiana Jones—if Indy came across archaeological finds with hordes of tourists flip-flopping around. I blocked out the noise from the tourists around me and explored the ancient Mayan archaeological site which had been inhabited 3000 years ago.
A U.S. archaeologist, Peter Harrison, is credited with finding Chacchoben. According to our guide, Dr. Harrison found 110 ancient cities (depicted aerially by mounds) in 1972, but only five of these ancient cities remain to tell us about Mayan history.
The building we first came upon was Temple 24, which was a fantastic pyramid. From there, our guide took us through the forest and explained the fauna of the area, especially the “tree of life”—la Ceiba.
We perused the residential area and then came upon two sets of stairs—one steep and one easier to climb—that led to more Mayan pyramids. With fewer tourists on the steeper set of stairs, I bounded up them as soon as our guide said it was okay. Seeing the first temple at the top, as the ancient Mayans would have approached it, was worth the vertical stair step.
It was magnificent.
Temple 1, as it is known, has a single staircase going up and stands 42 feet high. The nearby smaller Mayan pyramid, the Temple of the Vessels, housed the goods needed for rituals at Temple 1. I walked around the side of it (a little harrowing as it is narrow and a misstep meant falling off a cliff) and was able to see a covered area where I presume the vessels were kept.
Our group’s time was nearly up, so our guide then called to us to leave and we began the short journey back to the gift shop.
Seeing these Mayan temples and Mexican archaeology site is something I won’t soon forget, so I highly recommend that you see pyramids in Mexico when you’re there. This part of Mayan history (or Aztec history depending on where you go) will provide an adventure that should not be missed. Happy travels!
Link for tickets to Chaccoben Mayan ruins: https://www.viator.com/tours/Costa-Maya/Excursions-to-Chacchoben-Maya-Ruins/d4345-247263P1?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
Here are some video clips I took while there:
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