O.k. locals, how about a little advice on going to Chitza Nitza for the day. Route, any interesting stops along the way, fee to get in etc. Any and all advice is appreciated. thank you in advance for your input.
Depending on where you are staying you get yourself onto the toll road that starts at the coastal highway and goes all the way to Merida. The road is good but do not speed, there have been many accidents adn it is not built for high speed. You can take an exit clearly marked to Chichen Itza. It is best if you leave early like at 6 so you get there at 8am when it opens - it is cooler and you beat all the tour buses. After about 2 hours you will want out - you can make your way to Valladolid a charming colonial town where you can wander the town square and have lunch there and visit the local cenotes and then back on the toll road and home. Can I suggest that next time you use the search option as many questions have been answered many times before?
Ideally, I would leave at a decent hour, drive the "libre" with all of its speed bumps and little Mayan towns and stop by one or two and certainly Vallodolid and see the Cathedral and the cenote there and then I would stay overnight at the hotel right outsdide the ruins and do the light and sound show at night getting up early the next day to do the ruins and taking the toll road back in the afternoon.
chichen/coba/tulum I went last Saturday. We rented a van and left our hotel at 7am. Took the toll roads to Chichen Itza, I think from Cancun it totaled $25 one way. We didnt get a guide, you can read about each building yourself on little plaques in front of them. We beat the crowd, so got some good pictures. Next we drove to Coba, which was very different atmosphere, practically grown over, and deep in the jungle. Quite cool, and my favorite. you can still climb the big pyramid there. We hired a Bicycle man, he pumps you and a friend on the handlebar seat thingy for $10, and practically is a super cheap tour guide. Recommended especially if you are on a time frame like we were.... 3rd we went to Tulum. Which, IMO was the least impressive. Its more of a fortress/castle, when the others are obvious worship sites. A tour sales man said it couldnt be done...all 3 in one day, yes it was rushed, but we still got to see all the sites, read all the plaques, take all the pictures, stopped and ate lunch, etc. I didnt want to waste 2 or 3 days visiting ruins. we left around 7 and got back to the hotel around 7pm. so yea...12hrs. I would stay on the toll road. You dont want a tire mishap on a pothole ruining your day. The smooth road is well worth it. Best of luck
