One of the most popular sites to visit in Mexico is Chichén Itzá, as every year its beauty brings people from
all over the world. If you’re interested in visiting such beautiful place or you’re just curious, you might want
to learn a little of it’s rich history and location.
The word Chichén Itzá it’s not a Spanish word like many believe but it is in Mayan, and what it means
according to some investigation is “Mouth of the well of the water witches”. Although some others say that
the true meaning is “Feathered Snake” the God that this people prayed to.
History and Evolution
The city was builded in the 525 A.C for the “Putunes”, and as the city gained strength they builded more
houses from East to West in other existing cities and towns.
In the IX century Chichén became the most powerful city in Yucatan and the main point of economy, the
more people came to visit or live here the more merchants migrated from near towns, the city became rich
both in culture and in it’s economy.
The city was declared World Heritage in the 1988 for the UNESCO and since 2007 is it known as one of the
seven wonders of the world.
The Sun pyramid, the highest in the city is 65 meters in height, plus 10 more meters underground. If you
were to compare them to other pyramids like Cheop, Sun would look like a little child, but nevertheless it is
the rich history and culture, along with the beautiful views that make this city and pyramids worth it.
From Cancún to Chichén Itzá
Driving in the Yucatan Peninsula is fairly easy in comparison to some other places in Mexico, so renting a car can be a good option for independent travelers. The highway from Cancún to Chichén Itzá is quite flat and straight, it’s in decent shape, and has good signage, and the drive typically takes about two hours. The advantage to this option is that you can make your own schedule and decide when and where to stop. Once at the site, if you like, you can hire a licensed guide to take you around and explain the history and background of the site and the Mayan civilization. Guides are available for hire at the entrance where you purchase admission tickets for a fixed price. When looking for a car rental, keep in mind that the price quoted usually doesn’t include insurance and the inclusion of this in the fee will raise the cost considerably.
To get there you need to take a trip to Cancún, Yucatán, you’ll find the city of Chichén Itzá 120 km near
Mérida, there are many ways to get there, the cheapest is by bus, yes, you can indeed get there in a regular
bus, and will only cost you 660 mx pesos or 33.40 dollars being Cancún where the bus center is, it would be
a round trip.
From Cancún to Chichén Itzá the trip will take 3 hours.
If you wish to rent a car keep in mind that you’ll double or triple the price of the bus just to be a little more
comfortable with the timings, the road is pretty clear and because of the big signals that’ll be guiding you,there’s almost no way that you could get lost in the road, unless if not paying attention at all.
And the last choice is to get to an agency and buy a tour, it will cost you around 1000 mx pesos or 50 dollars, they’ll pick you up at your hotel, will take you to Chichén Itzá and guide you thru it telling you the
story and legends that circle the city, and did I mentioned this includes a buffet?
The choice is yours to make. Plan your trip and have fun, I’m sure it will be a memorable one.
