This place is really cool if you like history. There are plenty of things to see, and most are still pretty intact. The pyramid is at the end of the trail of sites, and it's quite impressive. There is an observatory and an old ball court where they used to play a game kind of like basketball, but the losers could end up dead. There is quite a view from the top of the largest pyramid if you climb it.

You can book this as a tour through your hotel and not have to worry about driving there yourself. On the way back from the ruins you stop at a natural "well" with warm, fresh water feeding into it, and you can swim there if you like.

The day is long and usually quite hot, so bring the sunscreen and water.

Visiting Chichen Itza was a very surprising activity. I am not much for the sit and stare at bricks kind of thing but I made an exception and went to this historical site. The more things I saw there the more this place intrigued me. It was very mind boggling how these Mayan people actually built these enormous structures. Our tour guide also talked about how the Mayans would play certain games for days at a time in front of large crowds. They still played these games even though they new the loser would be killed. Outside of the main ruin area are tons of paths filled with merchants trying to sell or barter imitation Mayan artifacts. Normally you can get them to go to dirt cheap prices. I recommend buying a "Mayan" blanket they are very warm. Everyone should definitely check this place out its the next best thing to visiting the pyramids in Egypt.

To learn more about Chichen Itza visit: Chichen Itza

We booked this trip in the resort and were not disappointed. After an early pick up (7:30am), we were given coffee/OJ and sweet rolls on the coach, and off we went, stopping at a "Mayan market" on the way for some retail therapy. Then it was on to a cenote for a quick swim before lunch at a hotel in Chichen Itza. After lunch, it was on to the main site with a 2-hour guided tour. Then we did about the same again on our own. The place is stunning and very humbling when you think what the Mayans knew long before we did. There is lots to see, with plenty of refreshment options available, but TAKE A HAT, as there is very little shade and it does get very hot.

We boarded the bus early on the morning of our 2nd day in Cancun, heading into the Mexican jungle for the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza. This was our first organized bus tour as well as our first visit to a Mayan ruin, and we really had no idea what to expect. The bus made its way along a 2-lane road, with our guide telling us helpful tidbits about Mexico along the way and making bad jokes about chicken pizza (get it? Chichen Itza? Never mind…). We arrived at the ruins after 2.5 hours and stepped off into the scorching June heat. We trailed our guide throughout the ruins for about 3 hours, climbing pyramids, finding shade where we could. Chichen Itza has been cleared of much of the jungle, and you really get a sense for the talents and skills of the Mayan civilization that built this site. The artistry of the designs carved into the rocks and walls, the layout of the city, the astronomical alignment of the buildings. This was truly a great empire and it remains a mystery why the Maya began to abandon their cities around 900 AD. We wandered through the Temple of the Jaguars, and stopped by the ball court which is nearly 550 feet long and more than 200 feet wide. The Maya played a game in which two teams battled to get a ball through small hoops high on the walls, using only their elbows and legs (no hands). Rumor has it that the winning team captain presents his head to the loser for decapitation and the loser presented the head to the Maya king. Evidently, this was an honor because the winner got a short cut to heaven rather than having to go through the usual levels. We also toured a small portion of the Plaza of the Thousand Columns and ended up at the Pyramid of Kukulcán, an enormous pyramid with 91 steps on each side of the pyramid for a grand total of 365, including the platform at the top. The Pyramid was built around the Temple of the Red Jaguars, and you can still follow a narrow, hot tunnel to reach a portion of the temple, where lies a … red jaguar. After wandering and becoming thoroughly exhausted we returned to the bus. We headed for a small restaurant near the site, for a traditional lunch. Unfortunately, I came down with a horrible case of Montezuma’s revenge 2 days later, which I am pretty sure was the result of this meal!

I did this tour twice, and if you are short on time and have to make a choice on ruins, I think these are the best. These ruins are world-reknowned.

It is a 2.5-hour drive or so that takes you through more remote villages/towns of the Yucatan area. You are closer to Merida and that area, practically.

You will need comfortable shoes and light clothing, as it is warmer there than Cancun, and you will do a lot of walking.

We had a guided tour, and we were briefed on the history of the area and the invasion of the Spanish Conquistadors. Then you have some free time to walk around the pyramids or even climb them, as we did.

Truly a must-see; take lots of photos, and take water. There are a few cafes, and some tours stop for lunch, although the place where we stopped was marginal.