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.

It's very hot and humid, so bring lots of water. We took a tour, since it was free for doing a presentation through another timeshare. However, there is a lot to see and do that the tour time didn't allow for. We were able to climb the pyramid 96 steep steps up; coming down was scary. You can also climb 69 steps in the inner pyramid, but beware - it's HOT, at least 100 with no circulation of air and, if you’re claustrophobic, I wouldn't attempt to. Once you reach the top there are two statues; take your camera if you go. There is also a cenote onsite and a lost city you can see in the distance. It's a long drive there, but you go through a lot of Mayan towns and can see how the people lived.

The ruins are in a somewhat remote location and very spread out. Many are still in quite good condition. We hired a tour guide on site to show us around. He gave a very good commentary on what we were seeing. I think the price was about $40 US, but we shared him with two men who also wanted to use a guide. They do take tips at the end.

Chitzen Itza, during the Autumn Equinox, is an impressive archeological site.

Arrange to stay overnight rather than the more common form of catching the bus and arriving in time for the lunch that has flamenco dancers and a smorgasbord of food at the local hotel. You only have a few hours to roam the grounds during the hottest part of the day before going back to the bus. There is too much to see in that little time frame! We stayed, and, at 4pm, when the buses are gone, you have the site nearly to yourselves, as it is so large that the remaining tourists just don’t seem to make an impact. You can roam to your hearts content, getting a bird’s eye view of everything until 6pm. Come back the next morning in the cool of the morning - this time and dusk are both much more pleasant to explore and not as draining as in the heat of the day. We then went back to our accommodation when the next bus arrived, and had a swim and a leisurely lunch before getting on the return bus for Cancun.

Things to remember:
1) The Autumn Equinox (September) is a must-see time, as the shadows form a huge serpent down the staircases of the major pyramid.
2) This is an easy walking site. Even though it covers a large area, it is predominantly flat.
3) There are a number of structures, which are nearly complete, that are excellent examples of various types of structures, from the ball court to a pyramid and to a rare observatory building with a rounded dome roof. They cover many different eras.
4) If you stay overnight, the light and sound show is a must-see, as the atmosphere is dramatic. It tells a story of the gods and their history.
5) Don’t take a day trip; stay the night or you will miss the best part.
6) Our best purchase was made from a hawker on the bus who sold scarves with a pocket containing a frozen gel pack, which you wore around your neck to keep you cool. In the middle of the day, wandering the site would have been unbearable without this simple invention. It also had a pocket for holding a water bottle. It was well worth the exorbitant $20 for a strip of Mexican weave with two pockets.

Our RCI consultant used Adventure World to organise the bus, accommodation, and entry to the site. All we did was hand over the voucher very easily. The bus was large, clean, and comfortable.

This was an awesome site. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgable about the Ruins and the Mayans. We went to the Evening show and the information gathered was exciting. The children loved climbing the Ruins and learning about the Mayan people. It was truly a sight to see.