#713 Tulum, Mexico

One of the most remarkable Mayan ruins is in the picturesque, holiday-esque Tulum, not far from deep cenotes (see #953) and stunning beaches, an ideal holiday destination. At the southern end of the Yucatan peninsula, close to the border with Belize, the town itself is not much more than a blip of the highway, and the ruins are not the spectacular pyramids of Chichen Itza (or those near Mexico City), but the location can't be beaten, as it lies on 12 foot high cliffs right above the sea. 

Lonely Planet introduces it well: "Seeing Mexico's most-visited Maya site atop surf-splashed Caribbean cliffs, it's not hard to imagine a Postclassic Maya or two requesting a transfer here." Called Zama, "Dawn" by the Maya (Tulum means 'wall' in Maya and was likely misinterpreted by the Spanish), it is believed that the ancient city was an important port town between AD1200 and 1521 and one of the last to be abandoned, around 70-75 years after the Spanish conquest.

Famous points within the ruins include the House of the Cenote (for its small pool), the Temple of the Wind God (also known as the descending god -- which sits on the bluff), the pyramid shaped Castle which has plumed serpents and can be seen clearly and impressively from the sea, and the Temple of the Paintings/Frescoes (the first image below) with relief masks and murals on its inner wall. It is thought that the worship of the diving or descending god was particularly prominent here. It's wall helped to make it one of the most well-fortified of the Mayan cities. I particularly loved the many iguanas and lizards all over the site, though some are of size to be quite intimidating!

Map of site from Wikipedia

Source: Lonely Planet Central America 7th Edition 2010
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulum

#865 Cancun, Mexico

It may be famous for American spring break visitors, and have more flights to the states and Canada than some places on the main continent should have, but these visitors do not come without reason. The beach is absolutely spectacular. It goes on and on, is wide and flat, with beautiful white sand and rolling waves with a delicious turquoise ocean with just the right sized waves -- the perfect temperature in Spring. Mega hotels may have sprung up in their hundreds, the nightclubs offering free drinks all night long may lead to offensive behavior, and there may be just a few too many tourist stalls, but where there are tourists there are jobs, money, better standards of living and other benefits to share. 

The 15 km strip likes on a the outer banks of a lagoon that separates the main city (where the majority of Mexicans live and the backpackers stay) from the high flying golf courses and five star palaces. The Yucatan peninsula where it sits is porous limestone offering fabulous day trips to cenotes (sinkholes), and of course the magic Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza (#875). Off the coast lies the more laid-back Isla Mujeres and even whale sharks (#915).

#875 Chichen Itza, Mexico

In the heart of the Yucatan Peninsula likes Mexico's crowning historical glory of Mayan traditions: Chichen Itza. With one of the largest, most beautiful pyramids (El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulkan) that at equinoxes reflects a twisting serpent in its shadows, it is rare to see it without a swarm of tourists from nearby Cancun. Typical of most Mayan buildings it was a structure built over top of an older building, with that built on top of something else.


Near to the main square is the great ball court, one of thirteen such structures on the site, but an impressive structure in its own right, flanked by the Temple of the Jaguar and the Temple of the Bearded Man. You can see the "goals" in the walls, at a very high level above the ground making you wonder as to the complex rules of such a sport.

The skull carvings on the Skull Platform (Tzompantli) are an appropriate reminder of the frequent human sacrifices that took place during the Mayan era, evidence of which can be found at the bottom of the 60m wide Cenote Sagrada, where along with gems, pottery, wood and cloth were the skeletons of men and children.

Beautifully decorated buildings, the impressive complex known as the Group of a Thousand Columns, and the El Caracol Observatory all provide testament to the Mayans engineering, learning, arts and culture. I think I love the connection to the jaguar the most!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_itza

#915 Whale sharks off Cancun, Mexico

During the summer months, if you travel about an hour's speedboat ride off the coast of Cancun and Isla Mujeres in Mexico, you will come to a place where there are often hundreds of whale sharks swimming. The krill and plankton sits on the surface, and therefore, so do the whale sharks. In an industry highly regulated by the Mexican government, you are permitted to swim with them. Wow! What an amazing experience! They are so large and peaceful, with their wide mouths and swishing tails. They say if you can take a picture of their finger-print side, this unique genetic code can be posted online to tell you where else in the world they have been to.

Isla Mujeres for lunch!