Prepare for the climate. The Yucatan Peninsula is a tropical area, and the sun can be strong. Wear sunscreen, and consider wearing lightweight linen or long-sleeved cotton shirts and pants. Hats and sunglasses can also help you deal with the sun. Take lots of water, and apply bug repellent. Comfortable shoes are a must because tours are led on foot and can last more than two hours.
Travel to the ruins. Some hotels in the Yucatan Peninsula area offer tour buses to the major ruins sites. Additionally, hotels can help you arrange for tours if they do not offer transportation. Public transportation offers service from Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen to and from Chichen Itza and other ruins. Alternately, if you rent a car, most of the major ruins sites have parking available for an additional fee.
Try a tour group. With professional tour guides, you may be able to see more of the ruins than if you went on your own. The tour guides are usually well-versed in the history and culture of the ruins and might be able to take you to areas that are otherwise off-limits to tourists, such as archaeological dig sites. Chichen Itza and Tulum offer private tour guides, guided group tours and self-guided audio tours of the area.
Respect the ruins. The ruins are thousands of years old. If you stray outside the official visitor areas, not only do you risk damaging the ruins, but you're also putting yourself in danger, as the ruins could collapse. Follow the old adage "Take only photographs. Leave nothing behind." Don't try to take souvenirs, such as rocks or plant life.
