How to prepare for a tour of Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

Among the many things to do in Costa Maya, Mahahual, visiting the Mayan Ruins in Chacchoben will be the star of your entire cruise trip. The Mayans were an ancient civilization, well known around the world for their contributions to mathematics and architecture but also for the mystery that surrounds their disappearance.

If you are interested in knowing more about this amazing culture, booking an official Costa Maya tour of Chacchoben is a must when visiting our port.

In the early 40´s, a family of farmers had this site hidden in their backyard. It was obvious that there was something especial about that land as there was no explanation to why, in a mostly flat terrain, a set of apparent hills were standing. But the ruins were not officially reported to the Mexican government until June 1972 when the USA archaeologist Dr. Peter Harrison from The Royal Ontario Museum, visited the site and realized there were temples underneath these hills, but they were totally covered with the dirt of 2000 years

After a lot of studies, the excavations and restoring of the site started in 1994, opening to the public in 2002 and welcoming thousands of visitors since then, offering the world a new perspective of the Mayan Civilization.

Now that you are planning to visit, we have a few recommendations for you:

 

Book your tour to Chacchoben early in the morning.

During the first ours of the morning the heat and humidity are still tolerable, there are few mosquitoes and is the best time to spot other animals like deers, armadillos, or the playful spider monkey.

 

Bring bug repellent, a lot!

Once at the site, your guide will give you about 10 minutes to prepare for your adventure. Use the restrooms, spray on bug repellent to keep away mosquitoes and other bugs and walk into the sacred place.

 

Protect your skin with sunscreen.

It will be a long day under the Caribbean sun. Visiting the site usually takes around 2 hours, including the guided tour and the free time you will have to take pictures and relax. So, applying sunscreen before entering and reapplying every 30 minutes is really important if you want to avoid sunburn.

 

Wear comfortable shoes.

Visiting Chacchoben involves a lot of walking through the circular paths in the site to reach the three excavated and restored pyramids, and also a lot of staircases. The terrain is not even, as the excavation work continues in several parts of the site. So, if you plan to visit every corner of this amazing place, we recommend you wearing a comfortable pair of walking shoes.

 

Bring your camera.

This is a place you want to remember forever. The temples are majestic, and the jungle around it is fantastic. The stelas talk about a lost era and you will need pictures as a reminder of your time traveling adventure.

 

Once you finish your visit, go back to the port and enjoy one of the Pre-colonial drinks at “El Cantarero” relaxing after your adventure.