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Cancun - Mayan Pyramids and Caribbean Islands
Cancun was created in the 1970's as a designed-for-purpose vacation destination. Sitting on the eastern tip of the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, Cancun offers a fantastic holiday environment with miles of yellow sandy beaches and a virtual guarantee of fine sunny weather. A visitor could easily spend all their time relaxing on the shore or sampling the hectic night life without paying any heed to the massive cultural and ecological credentials of this area, some of which sit literally on the hotel doorstep.
But to stay put and skip seeing some of the most important World Heritage sites, or the beautiful nearby Caribbean islands would really be missing out. It is not as if an exploration of the nearby islands or local ruins needs to be expensive! The ferry to the Isla Mujeres costs about .00 and a visit to the local El Meco ruins (which includes a minor Mayan pyramid) would cost about .00 for the taxi and about .00 to get in.
Of course, the famous ruined cities of Chichen Itza, Coba and Tulum cost a little more. They are an hour or so away by coach but the journey is easy. Usually these visits include a guide, a traditional meal and, if you are lucky a swim in a sacred Mayan sunken lake called a Cenote. However, even these visits will hardly break the bank with all-in costs ranging from to 0. For me this is really good value. Just compare it to what this would usually buy you on holiday elsewhere in the world!
Chichen Itza is, of course, the most famous of the ancient Mayan Cities with its magnificent Pyramid of the god Kukulcan. The Pyramid of Kukulcan is now officially classed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World along with the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Coliseum, the Brazilian statue of Christ the Redeemer, Machu Pichu in Peru and Petra in Jordan. But do not think that the Pyramid of Kukulcan is the only impressive building at Chichen Itza. In fact the whole of Chichen Itza is classed as a World Heritage site.
The acoustics at Chichen Itza always takes new visitors by surprise. Very clever people designed this place and they left tantalisingly subtle features that even today, make this long dead ruin come alive.
Try this:
Stand below the steps of the Pyramid of Kukulcan and clap your hands. You will not get a normal echo. Instead you get a multiple set of echoes that resemble the call of the sacred Quetzl bird. Now stand half way between the Pyramid of Kukulcan and the Temple of the Warriors and clap your hands. If you are lucky, you will hear the call of the Quetzl bird followed by the noise of a rattlesnake. The rattlesnake sound is really the multiple echoes off the steps of the Temple of the Warriors.
The lucky few who can get here at sunrise or sunset on the spring or fall equinox will see impressive visual effects as well. The rising or setting sun throws a shadow that looks like a plumed serpent, or the shadow of the serpent god Kukulcan. As the sun changes position so does the shadow, bringing the illusion to life as it apparently descends down the parapet of the Pyramid.
We need to remember that, impressive as these features are, this is essentially the skeleton of a once vibrant city. In its heyday, with the buildings stuccoed and decorated, the effects would have been even more dramatic. There are no other ancient sites in the world that I know of, which so dramatically demonstrate their cultural genius.
It is not as if Chichen Itza was the only impressive abandoned city near Cancun. For a similar price you can buy a tour of Coba. Coba is arguably a more "hard core" cultural experience. Coba has only recently been discovered and is still under intensive archaeological study. It also boasts the highest Pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula. Because the people who visit Coba tend to be more aware of the cultural significance of these ruins, visitors are allowed virtually unrestricted access to a large area of the site. Climbing the huge Pyramid of Nohoch-Mul has to be one of the highlights of anyone's visit. Another beautiful site, sitting on the edge of the sea is the ancient Mayan port of Tulum. Tulum, like Chichen Itza and Coba is easily reachable from Cancun by coach.
A different method of transport is needed to visit the Temple of Ixcha on the Isla Mujeres but luckily reliable ferries traverse the couple of miles between Cancun and the main town. The temple of Ixcha was seriously damaged in a hurricane in the 1980's but still sits above the dramatic limestone outcrop that is the eastern most point of Mexico.
The Isla Mujeres also offers a beautiful northern beach and a very laid back lifestyle to those lucky enough to stay on the island. Taxis and buses are cheap, both here an in Cancun but on the island many choose to hire a golf cart and go exploring the island themselves.
Finally no trip to Cancun could possibly be complete with a visit to the great Mesoamerican Reef. Only second in size to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia the Mesoamerican Reef offers a visitor fantastic opportunities for snorkelling and getting really up close to the local wildlife. Some of the snorkelling tour operators also will take their guests to the beautiful unspoilt Isla Contoy. This small island has no inhabitants except for a myriad of wildlife including over 4000 frigate birds. Few people will ever get to this island. Access is strictly controlled and only a few companies are allowed access, so choose your snorkelling tour company with care.
The Mayan era spanned several thousand years but faded away in the 14th century. The arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century sounded the final death knell for this sophisticated and clever civilisation. Much of Mayan history is shrouded in mystery. Regrettably much of this mystery is due to a single act of cultural vandalism that occurred on one night in July 1563 when Spanish priests burned almost the entire written records of the Maya. A great deal of time and effort has been put into deciphering the few remaining texts and the massive stelae (stone slabs) that carry details of Mayan culture, but much has been lost, possibly forever.
Whatever the unthinking cultural barbarity of the past, the Mayan genius has still left us with some of the most important and sophisticated ancient ruins anywhere in the world. It is marvellous that today, anyone can access this cultural heritage while still having plenty of time for getting a tan.
Cancun is a very good place for a holiday. If you go there, make sure you take in the cultural heritage as well as the beach.
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neuve
So it's Halloween and as I pen this post, there's 3 inches of snow outside. As some of you may know, the Northeast got hit with a pretty big snow storm Saturday (where I live, the snow drifts reached a whopping 5 inches)!
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